CHAPEL HILL – Two missed front ends of one-and-one, a mad scramble for a lose ball that didn’t go its way, and a Pitt shot in the lane by its best player as time expired are what North Carolina had to overtime in the final 19.8 second Saturday. And the Tar Heels did just that.

UNC held off the Panthers for a 67-66 victory at the Smith Center that was oh-so close to a loss, and could have been with a centimeter here or there.

Carolina also overcame shooting 4-for-10 from the free throw line in the second half and being outrebounded 21-12 after halftime.

RJ Davis led the Heels with 18 points followed by 17 from Ven-Allen Lubin. Seth Trimble added 15 and Drake Powell had 10. Ian Jackson did not score for the first time this season.

The Tar Heels improved to 6-4 in one-possession games and got back at the Panthers, who closed their win 11 days ago outscoring the Heels 14-2 in a 73-65 win.

UNC improved to 14-10 overall and 7-5 in the ACC while Pitt dropped to 14-9 and 5-7. Here is How It Happened:

TV TO – UNC 14, Pitt 12 with 13:16 left in the half

UNC 6-7 FGs (1-1 from 3)

Pitt 5-11 FGs (2-5 from 3)

Rebs – UNC 5-2

Lubin 9 points with 4 assists attached

Jackson with 3 assists

UNC has assisted on all 6 buckets

RJ has not attempted a shot

Notes: The Tar Heels shared the ball exceptionally well finding Ven-Allen Lubin four times for buckets plus he was fouled on one and converted the free throw. Jackson and RJ have not yet taken a shot but have combined for 4 assists.

TV TO – UNC 20, Pitt 14 with 11:40 left in the half

That segment: UNC 6-2

UNC 8-9 FGs (3-3 from 3)

Pitt 6-13 FGs (2-5 from 3)

Rebs – UNC 5-2

Pts in paint – UNC 10-6

Fast break pts – UNC 2-0

Lubin 9 pts, RJ 6, Trimble 5

Notes: UNC went big with RJ, Ian, Drake, JWit and JWash (6-0, 6-4, 6-6, 6-9, 6-10). That’s as big as this team will get. Both of Davis’ 3s came with this lineup on the floor.

TV TO – UNC 26, Pitt 17 with 8:00 left in the half

That segment: UNC 6-3

UNC 11-15 FGs (3-4 from 3)

Pitt 7-15 FGs (2-6 from 3)

Rebs – UNC 8-4 (1-1 OR)

2nd chance pts – 2-2

Steals – Pitt 3-2

Blocks – 2-2

Assists – UNC 7-2

TOs – 3-3

Pts off TOs – UNC 4-2

Notes: Davis scored 8 straight points once the big lineup was on the floor. It also freed up Powell for some jumpers from spots he hasn’t gotten often when playing the four. As a result, Powell scored twice in the stretch.

TV TO – UNC 30, Pitt 24 with 3:57 left in the half

That segment: Pitt 7-4

UNC 13-23 FGs (3-6 from 3)

Pitt 8-18 FGs (2-6 from 3)

Rebs – UNC 13-7 (3-1 OR)

2nd chance pts – UNC 6-2

UNC 6 points in the last 7 mins

Pitt without a FG since 7:48 left but has cut into the lead with 5 FTs

Last Segment:

*Pitt 8-5

*UNC closed the half making just 3 of its last 15 shots

*Each of those field goals were tip-ins by the Tar Heel who missed the shot

*The last UNC FG that wasn’t a player tipping in his own miss was a layup by Powell with 8:58 left

*Pitt made 3 of its last 5 shots from the field

TV TO – UNC 47, Pitt 44 with 15:13 left

That segment: UNC 12, Pitt 12

This half…

UNC 5-7 FGs (2-4 from 3)

Pitt 4-6 FGs (2-3 from 3)

Assists – UNC 4-2

Game…

UNC 19-36 FGs (5-12 from 3)

Pitt 15-30 FGs (6-12 from 3)

Rebs – UNC 17-14 (4-2 OR)

2nd chance pts – UNC 8-2

Pts in paint – UNC 24-16

Notes: After shooting 1-for-10 to close the first half, the Tar Heels started the second half hot from the field as they did the first half. But they are leaving the Panthers wide open for most of their shot attempts. Lubin has 3 fouls.

TV TO – UNC 48, Pitt 47 with 11:28 left

That segment: Pitt 3-1

*UNC missed last 6 shot attempts

UNC 5-12 FGs this half (2-4 from 3)

Pitt 5-12 FGs this half (2-3 from 3)

Notes:

*Ian Jackson still scoreless (0-3 from field)

*Lubin 4 fouls / Cadeau 3

*UNC 8 for last 37 from field going to first half

*UNC 5-7 FTs / Pitt 9-12 FTs

TV TO – Pitt 55, UNC 53 with 7:17 left

That segment: Pitt 7-6

*UNC 6-16 FGs this half

*UNC 1 for its last 10 FGs

*Pitt 8-19 FGs this half (3-6 from 3)

*Pitt 15-7 rebounds this half

*Ian Jackson still scoreless in 22 minutes

*Jackson is 0-for-3 from the field

*Lubin 4 fouls, Cadeau 3

*For Pitt, Leggett, Lowe and G Daiz-Graham 3 fouls each

TV TO – Pitt 62, UNC 62 with 3:41 left

That segment: UNC 9-7

UNC 24-50 FGs (7-15 from 3)

Pitt 21-47 FGs (8-17 from 3)

Rebs – Pitt 28-24 (5-4 OR)

2nd chance pts – UNC 8-3

Assists – UNC 14-13

Fast break pts – UNC 5-0

RJ 16, Lubin 15, Trimble 14, Powell 10, Cadeau 5, JWash 2

Last Segment:

*UNC 5-4

*Trimble FT - 63-62

*Lowe FTs – 2-2 – 64-63 Pitt

*Lubin layup plus draws a foul – FT is no good – 65-64 UNC

*Lowe layup – 66-65 Pitt

*Pitt inbound at 1:22 up 66-65

------Powell deflects Diaz-Graham pass – UNC ball and timeout with 1:11 left

*UNC inbound on its end with 1:11 left (66-65 Pitt)

----RJ step back J – 67-66 – UNC calls timeout with 50.4 left

*Lowe fouls out with 19.8 left – Lubin going to the line with UNC leading 67-66

*Lubin missed front end, Diaz-Graham appeared to grab the rebound by Lubin hit it off of him out of bound. It should be UNC ball after the review – 18.3 left

*Trimble misses front end of one-and-one – Pitt rebounds, calls timeout after passing halfcourt. ---There is 13.5 left and Pitt will inbound from the same spot BC tried to two weeks ago

***Note: UNC just missed two front ends of one-and-ones

*With 5-second count almost called Pitt inbound ended up with several players touching it. Powell had a chance to corral it and didn’t. Pitt inbound from the backcourt – 7.3 left

*Leggett shot in the lane misses, game over