Jarin Stevenson continues to deliver for UNC in big win against Pitt

After playing his first two years of college basketball at Alabama , Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson decided to come home.

Stevenson, a junior power forward, is now well into his first season at UNC. Switching between the starting lineup and a key reserve, Stevenson had another golden opportunity to prove himself on Saturday against Pitt.

Not only did Stevenson prove himself, but he played star-level basketball in the 79-65 win . In a career-high 36 minutes, Stevenson netted 19 points, his most in a North Carolina (20-5, 8-4 ACC) uniform – making six of his seven shot attempts and all four free throws.

Stevenson added three rebounds and two assists to his career day, which the Tar Heels needed every bit of with Caleb Wilson and Henri Veesaar out.

After the Tar Heels' big victory, Stevenson detailed why he was able to deliver another massive performance – his second-straight game in double-figures (13 points at Miami (FL)).

“I think it just goes back to my work," Stevenson said. "I come in late nights and work on different footworks for my threes, working on different post moves and stuff like that, working on my cardio. I feel like the main thing is just running the court, creating opportunities for me and my teammates, pick-and-pops. Even defensively, being able to switch one through five, pressure on the ball, being able to post up on smaller defenders and stuff like that. Those are the main points.”

Stevenson started his 17th contest in 25 appearances for UNC, averaging a career-high 23.7 minutes per game this year. This continues an upward trend for Stevenson in his promising, collegiate career, with 22 starts in 37 games for the Crimson Tide a season ago.

Regardless of Wilson and Veesaar's status, Stevenson deserves to be a full-time starter for North Carolina going forward. What will he deliver on Tuesday at NC State?

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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC forward Jarin Stevenson talks career-best performance vs. Pitt