Pitt falls to 0-3 in ACC play with ice-cold loss to No. 8 North Carolina, 70-57

PITTSBURGH — This article originally appeared on pittsburghsportsnow.com.

Pitt’s hopes of an extended New Year’s celebration were squashed on Tuesday night, as the Panthers fell to 9-5 (0-3 ACC) on the year with a loss to No. 8 North Carolina in front of a packed home crowd at the Petersen Events Center.

The Panthers got off to a 6-0 lead to open the game, forcing ten-straight Tar Heel misses early and blocking three shots in the first five minutes of play. However, as UNC struggled out of the gates, the Panthers did as well, making just three of their first 12 attempts. After 10 minutes of both teams struggling to score, the Panthers led 14-9, as Ishmael Leggett led the team early with four points in that time frame.

Then, Pitt went more than five minutes without scoring, and the Tar Heels crept back into the game with a 12-2 run spanning six-and-a-half minutes. North Carolina’s Seth Trimble stole the show during the run and throughout the rest of the half, scoring a team-high nine points and also grabbing five rebounds in the first frame. With the clock winding down in the first half, Carolina’s leading scorer on the season RJ Davis stepped into his second three-pointer of the game, giving his team a three-point advantage at the break.

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