After falling behind early, the North Carolina men's basketball team channeled a 13-0 run to push past Pittsburgh in the first half.
Here are three things to note from UNC's 42-29 halftime lead:
1. Tar Heels reignited
After a sloppy performance against Boston College on Tuesday, North Carolina came out firing against the Panthers.
Defensively, UNC converted nine Pittsburgh turnovers into 15 points, and the Tar Heels scrambled for nearly every loose ball and errant pass.
Offensively, North Carolina capitalized against Pittsburgh's loose zone. Four Tar Heels knocked down a shot from beyond the arc, while UNC went 7-for-8 from the free-throw line and shot 55.6 percent from the floor.
2. Spreading the wealth
Four Tar Heels tallied at least seven points before the halftime buzzer, as UNC accumulated 13 assists on 15 made shots.
The early star for the Tar Heels was sophomore Joel Berry, who broke open the game with two straight buckets and an energizing 3-point shot to extend UNC's lead to 10.
Sophomore Justin Jackson also joined the action, knocking down two 3-pointers and finishing 3-for-4 from the field. Senior Brice Johnson showcased his signature two-handed slam twice and nearly secured another before getting fouled.
3. Turning a new Paige?
Senior Marcus Paige scored just two baskets in the first half — but neither were without intrigue.
The guard continued his recent shooting slump, missing two open 3-pointers amid wild support from the Tar Heel faithful. But immediately following his second attempt, sophomore Justin Jackson guided the fast break and dished it to Paige — who went up for the two-handed slam.
The senior was gifted another open look with just over a minute left in the half. He converted, sending the crowd into hysteria and bringing UNC's lead to 15.
Paige finished the half with seven points on 2-for-4 shooting.
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