CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- Justin Jackson scored 20 points and No. 12 North Carolina held on to beat Pittsburgh 80-78 on Tuesday night.
Joel Berry II had 19 points, Isaiah Hicks added 18 and Kennedy Meeks finished with 10 for the Tar Heels (20-4, 8-2 Atlantic Coast Conference). The league leaders never trailed but also never got comfortable against the last-place Panthers.
Cameron Johnson matched a career high with 24 points and hit a career-best six 3-pointers, Michael Young finished with 19 points and 10 rebounds and Jamel Artis had 17 points for Pitt (12-10, 1-8), which lost its seventh straight but kept this one tight throughout by shooting nearly 56 percent.