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Ven-Allen Lubin's 17 points, clutch defense late the X-factors in UNC's big win over Pitt
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- Ven-Allen Lubin's 17 points, clutch defense late the X-factors in UNC's big win over Pitt
The North Carolina Tar Heels missed out on seemingly every big man in the basketball transfer portal last offseason, failing to find an experienced big man who could replace Armando Bacot's production.
UNC was linked to the likes of Cliff Omoruyi, Coleman Hawkins and Aaron Bradshaw, but whiffed on all three. North Carolina was able to land commitments from Ty Claude and Ven-Allen Lubin , though, with Lubin expected to take on a starting role.
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Lubin and Jalen Washington flip-flopped starting center assignments through the Tar Heels' first 23 games of the season, with neither really able to separate themselves as a go-to option.
During UNC's season-saving 67-66 win over Pitt on Saturday afternoon, though, Lubin arguably earned himself the starting spot going forward.
Lubin scored 17 points, his highest output in a North Carolina uniform, making 8-of-12 shots and a lone free throw. During one stretch in the first half, Lubin scored nine straight points for the Tar Heels, playing the greatest role in helping them carry a 35-32 lead into halftime.
"He was huge," UNC guard Seth Trimble, who finished with 15 points and seven rebounds, said of Lubin's game-changing performance. "Ven, he took a huge advantage of the mismatches. They wanted to play 15 (Lowe), they wanted to put their guards on Ven. He happily took that and ran with it – and got off to a hot start very, very early in the first half. And that's exactly what we needed, for Ven to give us that push in the first half and then keep that high-level play the whole game, for the 22 minutes that he played was incredible."
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It was Lubin's defense, though, that played a greater role in North Carolina's victory . Lubin grabbed a rebound with 20 seconds left, off a Jaland Lowe miss, then drew a foul and earned a trip to the free throw line. Lubin anchored a Tar Heels' defense that, despite allowing Zack Austin to make three second-half 3-pointers, held Pitt scoreless over the final two minutes.
"We don't win this game, we don't even come close to winning this game if it wasn't for Ven," Trimble said. "That rebound that he got, earlier like right before his tip, was incredible. His effort on his missed free throw, to get it off Diaz Graham, was incredible. Everything that he did. His extra effort contesting shots, I know he contested one of Lowe's shots and made him miss. It was the best performance I've seen from Ven all year, second-highest plus/minus on the team. That's what we need from Ven."
At least for the Clemson game on Monday night, Lubin earned himself another start. If he and Washington can both give UNC valuable minutes at the 5-spot, wins will start coming to Chapel Hill much quicker.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: Ven-Allen Lubin leads UNC basketball to season-saving win against Pitt
