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The North Carolina Tar Heels needed everyone to step up on Saturday afternoon against Pitt. With no Henri Veesaar or Caleb Wilson, UNC delivered the type of bounce-back performance that'll keep fans believing.
Playing just eight guys, North Carolina responded from Tuesday's loss with a resounding, 79-65 win over the last-place Panthers (9-17, 2-11 ACC) inside the Dean Dome.
The Tar Heels (20-5, 8-4 ACC) never trailed, starting 8-of-8 from the field, later watching their lead swell to 22 points. Seven different guys scored for UNC, led by 19 apiece from Jarin Stevenson and Seth Trimble.
Stevenson scored in double-digits for the second-straight game, delivering while playing a team-high 36 minutes for North Carolina. Doing his best Wilson impersonation, Stevenson slammed down a second-half dunk that got Tar Heel Nation on its feet.
In a career-high 32 minutes Saturday vs. Pitt, Zayden High delivered the type of game that UNC needed every part of. High exploded for career-highs of 15 points and seven rebounds, consistently winning his post matchups. High avoided foul trouble for most of the night, keeping his hands up when the Panthers rarely backed him down.
North Carolina was energetic from tip-off to the final buzzer, consistently winning the hustle plays and never letting Pitt generate any semblance of momentum, despite 23 points from Cameron Corhen. Four days after failing to take advantage of chances in Miami, the Tar Heels took advantage of every opportunity vs. the Panthers.
There's plenty to like from Saturday's performance, but in the best interest of this story, we narrow down to our top five takeaways from UNC's win.
When your team has guys like Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, your need for a solid big man off the bench is very little.
When Wilson and Veesaar are both out, your team goes into scramble mode. In UNC's case, junior forward Zayden High drew the start on Saturday vs. Pitt.
High, who totaled 31 minutes in North Carolina's previous nine games, thrived in a career-best 32 minutes. High delivered two additional career highs: 15 points and seven rebounds.
The hope is Veesaar returns for NC State on Tuesday, but if not, High is a great option down low.
Known primarily for his defensive abilities, Stevenson is quietly becoming one of UNC's top scoring options.
Stevenson showcased his offensive abilities in Saturday's win vs. Pitt, tying Seth Trimble for a Tar Heels-best 19 points. Stevenson nailed six of his seven (funny, right) field goal attempts, including a 3-of-3 mark from deep, while making all six of his free throws.
With double-figures in two straight games, Stevenson will almost surely draw a start Tuesday at NC State.
For a team that struggles with free throws, UNC finally appears to be turning a corner at the charity stripe.
The Tar Heels shot 82 percent from the line Saturday vs. Pitt, making 14 of their 17 attempts. Seth Trimble made nine free throws, Stevenson nailed four and High added one.
If North Carolina continues this upward trend, it'll continue to win games.
A staple of UNC basketball is fast-paced, disciplined basketball. The Tar Heels did exactly that on Saturday: earning a 16-4 advantage in fast-break points, while only fouling Pitt nine times.
Hubert Davis praised North Carolina's effort in his postgame presser, saying everyone rose to the challenge in Wilson and Veesaar's absence.
Sure, Pitt is a bad team, but UNC is also a really good team. Playing only eight guys, the Tar Heels controlled the Panthers from opening tip on Saturday.
Wilson and Veesaar are North Carolina's two best players. Combine them healthy with a deep roster, one which produced big-time against Pitt, UNC can beat anyone in college basket.ball.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Five takeaways from Valentine's Day win vs. Pitt
Continue reading...
Playing just eight guys, North Carolina responded from Tuesday's loss with a resounding, 79-65 win over the last-place Panthers (9-17, 2-11 ACC) inside the Dean Dome.
The Tar Heels (20-5, 8-4 ACC) never trailed, starting 8-of-8 from the field, later watching their lead swell to 22 points. Seven different guys scored for UNC, led by 19 apiece from Jarin Stevenson and Seth Trimble.
Stevenson scored in double-digits for the second-straight game, delivering while playing a team-high 36 minutes for North Carolina. Doing his best Wilson impersonation, Stevenson slammed down a second-half dunk that got Tar Heel Nation on its feet.
In a career-high 32 minutes Saturday vs. Pitt, Zayden High delivered the type of game that UNC needed every part of. High exploded for career-highs of 15 points and seven rebounds, consistently winning his post matchups. High avoided foul trouble for most of the night, keeping his hands up when the Panthers rarely backed him down.
North Carolina was energetic from tip-off to the final buzzer, consistently winning the hustle plays and never letting Pitt generate any semblance of momentum, despite 23 points from Cameron Corhen. Four days after failing to take advantage of chances in Miami, the Tar Heels took advantage of every opportunity vs. the Panthers.
There's plenty to like from Saturday's performance, but in the best interest of this story, we narrow down to our top five takeaways from UNC's win.
Zayden High is the backup center UNC desperately needs
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When your team has guys like Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar, your need for a solid big man off the bench is very little.
When Wilson and Veesaar are both out, your team goes into scramble mode. In UNC's case, junior forward Zayden High drew the start on Saturday vs. Pitt.
High, who totaled 31 minutes in North Carolina's previous nine games, thrived in a career-best 32 minutes. High delivered two additional career highs: 15 points and seven rebounds.
The hope is Veesaar returns for NC State on Tuesday, but if not, High is a great option down low.
Jarin Stevenson is a reliable offensive weapon
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Known primarily for his defensive abilities, Stevenson is quietly becoming one of UNC's top scoring options.
Stevenson showcased his offensive abilities in Saturday's win vs. Pitt, tying Seth Trimble for a Tar Heels-best 19 points. Stevenson nailed six of his seven (funny, right) field goal attempts, including a 3-of-3 mark from deep, while making all six of his free throws.
With double-figures in two straight games, Stevenson will almost surely draw a start Tuesday at NC State.
UNC finally solved its free throw issues
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For a team that struggles with free throws, UNC finally appears to be turning a corner at the charity stripe.
The Tar Heels shot 82 percent from the line Saturday vs. Pitt, making 14 of their 17 attempts. Seth Trimble made nine free throws, Stevenson nailed four and High added one.
If North Carolina continues this upward trend, it'll continue to win games.
The Tar Heels played classic Carolina basketball
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A staple of UNC basketball is fast-paced, disciplined basketball. The Tar Heels did exactly that on Saturday: earning a 16-4 advantage in fast-break points, while only fouling Pitt nine times.
Hubert Davis praised North Carolina's effort in his postgame presser, saying everyone rose to the challenge in Wilson and Veesaar's absence.
UNC can play with anyone when fully healthy
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Sure, Pitt is a bad team, but UNC is also a really good team. Playing only eight guys, the Tar Heels controlled the Panthers from opening tip on Saturday.
Wilson and Veesaar are North Carolina's two best players. Combine them healthy with a deep roster, one which produced big-time against Pitt, UNC can beat anyone in college basket.ball.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: Five takeaways from Valentine's Day win vs. Pitt
Continue reading...
