Pitt Falls Late Against North Carolina

The Pitt Panthers dropped a road contest vs. North Carolina.

Feb 8, 2025; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers guard Ishmael Leggett (5) with the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Elliot Cadeau (3) defends in the first half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

PITTSBURGH — The Pitt Panthers battled from a double-digit deficit in the first half, but couldn't come out with the win over North Carolina on the road, losing 67-66.

This loss is the seventh in nine games for the Panthers, dropping them to 14-9 overall and 5-7 in the ACC.

This is also the third straight loss for Pitt, as they fell to Wake Forest on the road, 76-74 on Feb. 1 and also to Virginia at home, 73-57 on Feb. 3.

Pitt struggled with defensive switching early on, as North Carolina junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin made his first four baskets in the paint with ease for nine points.

A 3-pointer from North Carolina junior guard Seth Trimble gave the home team a 12-3 lead at the 15:33 mark.

The Panthers battled back, going on an 11-5 run to cut it to a one-possession game at 17-14 with 12:35 left in the first half. Junior forward Cameron Corhen and senior guard Ishmael Leggett each. made two baskets and sophomore guard Jaland Lowe made a 3-pointer.

Tar Heels graduate student guard RJ Davis got his team back out with a double-digit lead, with back-to-back 3-pointer and a layup.

Freshman guard forward Drake Powell made a jumper and a layup and both Trimble and Lubin added layups for a 13-5 run, giving North Carolina a 30-19 lead with just under seven minutes remaining in the period.

The Panthers responded, going on a 13-2 run to tie it back up at 32-32, holding the Tar Heels scoreless for almost five minutes. Guards in freshman Brandin "Beebah" Cummings and graduate student Damian Dunn scored four points each, while junior forward Guillermo Diaz Graham added a 3-pointer.

North Carolina would get free throws towards the end of the period, taking a 35-32 lead into halftime.

Pitt got the lead back early in the second half, opening up with a 9-4 run in the first three minutes, up 41-39. Corhen added two baskets, redshirt senior forward Zack Austin made a 3-pointer and Dunn made two free throws.

The Tar Heels responded with an 8-0 run, thanks to Lubin scoring a jumper and both Trimble and Davis making back-to-back 3-pointers, retaking the lead at 47-41.

Pitt then went on a 10-1 run, as both Austin and Diaz Graham hit from deep, Corhen scored three points and Leggett made a free throw, getting the lead back at 51-48 at the midway point of the second half.

Both teams would battle back and forth, with five ties, and would find themselves level at 62-62 at the under-four minute media timeout.

Trimble gave UNC the lead by converting an and-one opportunity on a layup, but Lowe would make two free throws to give it back to Pitt, 64-63.

Lubin made a basket, but then missed the free throw, allowing Lowe to score a layup, keeping the Panthers up 66-65 with two minutes left.

Pitt would turn the ball over on a possession, as Powell knocked a pass from Diaz Graham into the hands of RJ Davis.

Davis then scored a fadeaway mid-range jumper out of the timeout, as UNC took a 67-66 lead with 50 seconds remaining.

Pitt ran the clock down on the next possesion, which saw Lowe miss a tough, contested layup, get his own offensive rebound and miss another shot, and then foul Lubin, for his fifth one, disqualifying him from the contest.

Lubin missed the ensuing rebound, but would poke the ball out of Diaz Graham's hands and recovered possession.

Trimble then went to the line and missed his first shot, giving the Panthers another chance to win it.

Pitt then almost turned it over on the ensuing play out of the timeout, but managed to get it back with 7.3 seconds remaining.

Leggett would drive down the court and put up a floater that hit off the front-end of the rim and North Carolina came out victorious.

Pitt will stay on the road for their next matchup, as they battle SMU in Dallas on Feb. 11 with a 9:00 p.m. tip-off.

Make sure you bookmark Inside the Panthers for the latest news, exclusive interviews, recruiting coverage, and more!

• Pitt Football 2026 QB Commit Announces Official Visit
• Pitt Faces North Carolina in Must-Win Road Game
• Pitt's Blake Hinson Continues to Shine in G-League
• No. 15 Pitt Wrestling Falls to No. 18 North Carolina
• Pitt Falls in Latest NET Rankings, Bracketology

Follow Inside the Panthers on Twitter: @InsidePitt