The Daily Tar Heel
Printing news. Raising hell. Since 1893.
Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 Newsletters Latest print issue

We keep you informed.

Help us keep going. Donate Today.
The Daily Tar Heel

UNC men's basketball falls to Pittsburgh, 73-65, squandering Quad 1 opportunity

rivarly-edition-plumly-6.jpg
UNC first-year guard/forward Drake Powell (9) and UNC first-year guard Ian Jackson (11) prepare to play defense during the men’s basketball game against California on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025 in the Dean E. Smith Center. UNC defeated Cal 79-53.

The North Carolina men’s basketball team (13-9, 6-4 ACC), fell to the Pittsburgh Panthers (14-6, 5-4 ACC), 73-65, on Tuesday night at the Petersen Events Center.

Costly turnovers and foul trouble plagued UNC, bringing its Quad 1 record to 1-8 on the season. Another late game collapse was also to blame, with the Tar Heels failing to score a point in the final three minutes. 

Sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau got the Tar Heels started with two quick baskets. North Carolina extended its lead to 8-2 following two drives by first-year guard Ian Jackson. 

Pittsburgh guard Ishmael Leggett gave the Panthers life with four points of his own to cut the deficit to 13-8. 

Graduate forward Jae'Lyn Withers found the bottom of the net on a 3-pointer from the top of the key to give the Tar Heels a five-point lead. Cadeau made a beautiful pass to cutting first-year forward Drake Powell who finished amongst the trees, extending the lead to 20-15. 

After going up 23-18 on free throws from junior guard Seth Trimble, the Panthers went on a 6-0 run to take their first lead of the game with just under ten minutes left in the half. 

Both teams traded baskets, but a shifty step back from graduate guard RJ Davis gave the Tar Heels a three-point lead, giving UNC some breathing room heading into the under-eight timeout. 

Strong first half play continued for Cadeau, who hit a tough layup and delivered an excellent cross-court pass to Powell, who found the bottom of the net from beyond the arc. A deep 3-pointer from Davis gave the Tar Heels an eight point lead with under five minutes remaining. 

Amidst a Panthers scoring drought, the Tar Heels found themselves with a ten point lead courtesy of junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin, who executed a flawless hookshot.

But two costly turnovers by Davis led to eight consecutive points for Pittsburgh star guard Jaland Lowe, cutting UNC’s lead to two points with a little over a minute left. 

Heading into halftime North Carolina was up two, led by the strong play of Cadeau who tallied nine points and six assists. 

The Tar Heels forced an early Panthers timeout due to a 5-0 run with three points coming from Trimble. 

But the turnover troubles continued for UNC, with Pittsburgh capitalizing on two to take a one-point lead a little over four minutes into the second half. 

An emphatic slam by forward Zack Austin and a 3-pointer from forward Guillermo Diaz Graham extended the Panthers lead to 55-52 with under 12 minutes left. 

Five straight points on a layup and 3-pointer from Davis allowed the Tar Heels to regain the lead once again, 59-57. Jackson continued the momentum with a transition finish from inside the paint, capping a 7-0 North Carolina run. 

A clutch corner 3-point shot from Austin gave Pittsburgh a one point lead with under five minutes remaining. 

A high shot off the glass by Cadeau made the game 65-64 in favor of UNC. 

But once again it was Austin who delivered for the Panthers, handing them a 2 point lead on another shot from beyond the arc with under three minutes to go. Austin made his impact on the defensive end as well, executing two blocks late in the game. 

North Carolina failed to generate any offense in the final three minutes. 

The Tar Heels will make the short trip to Durham to take on the No. 2 Duke Blue Devils on Saturday at 6:30 p.m., hoping to add another victory in the historic rivalry. 

@dthsports | sports@dailytarheel.com

To get the day's news and headlines in your inbox each morning, sign up for our email newsletters.