Tar Heels Rewarded for Aggressive Start in Win Over Pitt

North Carolina's blistering opening pace proved crucial in comfortable victory.

Published on Feb. 16, 2026

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The North Carolina Tar Heels got off to a scorching start against the Pittsburgh Panthers, hitting their first 8 shots to take an early double-digit lead. This fast beginning set the tone for the rest of the game, as UNC cruised to a 79-65 victory despite some recent struggles with slow starts.

Why it matters

North Carolina has had issues in recent games with falling behind early, so this quick offensive burst was an important change of pace. The Tar Heels were able to feed off the crowd's energy and maintain control throughout after their dominant opening stretch.

The details

UNC sprinted out to an 18-8 lead just 6 minutes into the game, making their first 8 shots from the field. This included a strong defensive effort that held Pitt to just 3-of-9 shooting in that same span. The Tar Heels' first miss didn't come until the 13-minute mark of the first half.

  • North Carolina hit its first 8 shots to take an 18-8 lead at the 14-minute mark of the first half.
  • The Tar Heels' first missed shot came at the 13:03 mark of the opening period.

The players

Hubert Davis

The head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team.

Seth Trimble

A guard for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Zayden High

A forward for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

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What they’re saying

“Not only did we go eight for eight, I felt like defensively, we were good.”

— Hubert Davis, Head Coach (on3.com)

“It was huge — just gives us that confidence of 'Hey we're good, we can do this, let's just go play now.' If we would've had a slow start, guys would probably have some doubt, the arena would've had a little lack of energy because Caleb and Henri are out, so for us to come out and be efficient right away was huge for us.”

— Seth Trimble, Guard (on3.com)

“It was great, we got the crowd involved, the crowd got going, we got stops. And then to get out to that many points, we just have to keep our foot on the gas the whole game.”

— Zayden High, Forward (on3.com)

What’s next

The Tar Heels will look to build on this strong start when they face their next opponent, with the goal of maintaining their intensity and focus throughout the entire game.

The takeaway

North Carolina's ability to set the tone early with an aggressive, efficient offensive performance proved crucial in securing a comfortable victory over Pittsburgh. This fast start could serve as a model for the Tar Heels to follow in future games, helping them avoid the slow beginnings that have plagued them recently.