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North Carolina picks up big home win over No. 25 Pitt

North Carolina pitt

North Carolina continued its recent strong play in the ACC on Saturday as the Tar Heels picked up a 75-71 win over No. 25 Pitt at the Dean Dome.

Despite a second-half surge from Pitt that got the Panthers (20-6, 8-5) within a possession with under 25 seconds remaining, North Carolina (17-7, 7-4) made free throws and got a tremendous performance from junior forward James Michael McAdoo.

McAdoo had 24 points and 12 rebounds and when he plays as the main alpha dog for the Tar Heels, they’re a better team. Sophomore guard Marcus Paige also contributed 18 points and when he’s a second option scoring from the perimeter, North Carolina’s offense can be dangerous.

Brice Johnson also added 13 points off the bench, and although he’s a subpar on-the-ball defender, he’s bouncy enough to be a factor as a weakside shot blocker. Johnson had five blocks and if he can be a weakside shot blocker, maybe North Carolina uses some zone to utilize that strength of his sometimes.

This is a big win for the Tar Heels as they continue to shake off the slow start in league play. If J.P. Tokoto or Johnson is a third scoring option and McAdoo stays aggressive, this is a really good North Carolina offense that can beat some elite teams on a good night.

Meanwhile, Pitt will drop out of the top 25 this week and they still have yet to beat an NCAA Tournament-caliber team this season. Lamar Patterson’s great season has slowed down a bit and the Panthers need some wins going into the ACC Tournament.

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