North Carolina Rolls as Pitt Struggles to Contain Shorthanded Tar Heels in Chapel Hill
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - On paper, North Carolina was down two of its top scorers. On the court, it didn’t matter.
The No. 11 Tar Heels flexed their depth and defensive grit Saturday afternoon, cruising to a 79-65 win over Pitt at the Dean Smith Center.
For the Panthers, it was their fifth straight loss, dropping them to 9-17 on the season - and leaving head coach Jeff Capel searching for answers.
After the game, Capel didn’t sugarcoat what went wrong.
“Congrats to North Carolina,” he said. “They played really well tonight. They were missing their two leading scorers, but other guys stepped up.”
And step up they did. Zayden High posted a career-high performance, Seth Trimble showed off his two-way game, and freshman Ivan Bogavac - No. 44 - got the Tar Heels rolling early with a hot start that put Pitt on its heels.
Capel pointed to a familiar culprit: defensive breakdowns. From transition lapses to missed rotations in the post, Pitt struggled to contain Carolina’s attack, especially in the paint. “We had some chances,” Capel said, “but our inability to finish around the basket, and to take away easy baskets on the other end - that hurt us.”
He also called out his team’s one-on-one defense, saying it simply wasn’t good enough. And while he acknowledged the adversity his group has faced - limited practice bodies, injuries, and personal matters - he didn’t use it as an excuse.
A Tough Week, On and Off the Court
Capel revealed that guard Cam Corhen hadn’t practiced all week after rolling his ankle against Duke. “He’s been getting treatment non-stop since then,” Capel said. “For him to give us the minutes he did today, I’m grateful.”
Another emotional lift came from Polo, who had been away from the team due to a family situation. He flew in the morning of the game, landing in Raleigh-Durham just hours before tip-off.
“He gave us really good minutes,” Capel noted. “That meant a lot.”
A Glimmer of Defensive Progress - But Not Enough
Pitt did manage to string together some stops late in the first half, tightening things up by switching defensively and doing a better job keeping the ball in front. Capel estimated that Carolina scored 20 points in the paint in the first half alone - with a big chunk coming early.
But that stretch of resistance was short-lived.
“We’ve talked over and over about taking away easy baskets,” Capel said. “These teams are too good to give them layups and transition buckets. You’ve got to make them earn it.”
And that’s where the frustration really set in. Capel walked through a series of defensive miscues - allowing known drivers to get to their strong hand, failing to contest a shooter who’s shown he’ll let it fly every time he touches the ball.
“These are things we went through in the game plan,” he said. “We worked on them. But we didn’t execute.”
Transition Defense Still a Major Concern
Asked about the ongoing issues in transition - something that’s plagued Pitt against Duke, SMU, and now UNC - Capel didn’t shy away from the problem.
“It’s been a problem for a while,” he said. “Some of it’s fatigue, some of it’s concentration.
I hesitate to say effort, because when you’re tired, that affects how hard you can go. But we’ve got to get past that.”
He emphasized that giving up easy points in transition is a recipe for disaster - especially against high-level competition like North Carolina.
Looking Ahead: A Week to Regroup
With a full week before their next game, the Panthers have a rare opportunity to hit reset. Capel hopes it’ll be a chance to heal up, get back to competitive practices, and refocus on fundamentals.
“We haven’t had a lot of practice time,” he said. “When we do, we’ve barely had enough bodies to go five-on-five. Hopefully this week we can do some three-on-three, four-on-four, get back to competing.”
The early part of the week will be about fixing themselves. Later, they’ll turn their attention to preparing for Notre Dame.
Freshman Growing Pains
One player who continues to be a focal point for Capel is freshman guard Omari. Tasked with a big role early in his college career, Omari faced a tough assignment in Trimble - a senior who’s waited his turn and now runs the show for Carolina.
“Trimble’s a great example,” Capel said. “He didn’t play much as a freshman, played more as a sophomore, and now it’s his team. That’s rare these days.”
Capel wants Omari to learn from that kind of progression - and to sharpen his focus in the moment. “He’s got to concentrate better.
He’s got to know what we’re running, what we’re trying to do. We’ve got to be able to come out of a timeout and execute something we’ve drawn up.”
The message was clear: Omari is talented, but Pitt needs more. And they need it now.
The Bottom Line
Pitt’s season is at a crossroads. Injuries, inconsistency, and defensive lapses have taken their toll. The loss to North Carolina - especially against a shorthanded Tar Heels squad - only magnifies the urgency.
But there’s still time to course-correct. A week off gives the Panthers a window to regroup, get healthy, and refocus. Whether they capitalize on it could define the rest of their season.