Junior forward Cameron Corhen dunks a basketball against North Carolina on Tuesday, Jan. 28
Pitt men’s basketball’s matchup against North Carolina on Tuesday was a must-win for the Panthers to hear their name called on Selection Sunday. And with the Panthers’ 73-65 victory over the Tar Heels, the chance of hearing Pitt became a lot more likely.
Four Panthers reached double-digit point totals against North Carolina, but the most impressive performer for Pitt was redshirt senior forward Zack Austin who finished the day with 15 points and five blocks.
“I think the block shots really changed the game,” Austin said. “I think the basketball gods are going to reward for defense every time.”
Austin was clutch down the stretch for the Panthers and without his effort in this game, Pitt has a 4-5 record in the ACC and chances of making March Madness fade away even quicker.
“This guy is super special,” sophomore guard Jaland Lowe said of Austin. “He’s a super vital part of everything that we do, and that’s just what we expect out of him.”
North Carolina started the game hot, taking an early 6-0 lead with sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau scoring the first four for the Tar Heels.
The Tar Heels kept on the gas and took a 13-6 lead after Cadeau — a 29% three-point shooter coming into the game— made a three-point field goal. But the Panthers cut the Tar Heels lead to two after a 7-2 run after the Panthers made their first three-point field goal after missing their first shots from beyond the arc.
Pitt and North Carolina traded baskets until North Carolina had a 23-18 lead. The Panthers then went on a 6-0 run that included two blocked shots by Austin and four points by junior forward Cameron Corhen, giving Pitt its first lead of the game 24-23.
North Carolina quickly snatched its lead back going on a 15-8 run. Graduate student guard RJ Davis led the Tar Heels during the run, scoring eight points, including two three-pointers.
Davis and the Tar Heels kept a steady lead over the Panthers, eventually taking a double-digit lead, leading 44-34 with 2:11 left in the first half.
But Lowe owned the last two minutes of the first half, going on an 8-0 run all by himself. Lowe who was shooting 26.8% from beyond the arc coming into the game, made two three-pointers and a driving layup for Pitt.
“Taking what the defense gave us, and just being myself,” Lowe said of his 8-0 run. “Teammates and coaches, trusting me, so I just went out there and finished the half out strong.”
At the half, both teams shot over 50% from the field — North Carolina shot 57% and Pitt shot 52%. Lowe led the Panthers in scoring with 15 and Cadeau led the Tar Heels in scoring with nine.
The momentum Pitt built before the halftime break was all lost as North Carolina went on a 5-0 run and head coach Jeff Capel called a timeout with 18:26 left in regulation.
“We weren’t playing with the force necessary on both ends, offensively or defensively,” Capel said on why he called a timeout 94 seconds into the half.
The timeout woke up the Panthers as they immediately responded to the 5-0 Tar Heels run with an 8-0 run led by four points from Corhen and three from graduate student guard Damian Dunn.
North Carolina then scored three quick points to take a 52-50 lead after the timeout, but once more the Panthers went on a run this time a 5-0 run that included a highlight-reel dunk from Austin and a three-pointer from junior forward Guillermo Diaz Graham.
Pitt’s three-point lead was quickly taken away as North Carolina responded with a 9-2 run of its own, including five points from Davis, his last points of the game which brought his total to 16 for the game.
For the first time in the second half, a team sustained its lead between two timeouts, North Carolina was the team to accomplish that feat as it led 63-59 with 6:32 left in regulation.
But the feat didn’t matter as Pitt went on a quick 5-0 run to take the lead back after senior guard Ishmael Leggett went two of two from the free throw line and Austin hit his second three-pointer of the game.
Cadeau immediately gave North Carolina the lead 65-64, but Austin making his third three-pointer of the game two possessions later gave Pitt a 67-65 advantage over the Tar Heels.
Austin’s heroics wouldn’t end there as he would block first-year guard Ian Jackson’s layup attempt to tie the game. On Pitt’s next possession, the Panthers found Corhen under the basket for a layup to give Pitt a four-point lead.
Then, Austin earned yet another block to seal the game for the Panthers.
“When he comes in and makes plays like that it just ignites everything,” Lowe said. “It gives us a lot of confidence in everything that we do.”
Austin sealed the game for Pitt and his heroics in this game could prove crucial to whether Pitt hears its name on Selection Sunday.
Next, Pitt heads to Winston-Salem to face Wake Forest on Saturday at noon, the game will air on ESPN2.
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