John Hugley showed up in a big way in Pitt’s 76-67 win over North Carolina on Wednesday. The Panthers sophomore big man finished with 18 points and 5 rebounds to help spark his team's third consecutive victory.

Hugley appeared to be locked-in early, as he knew what he was going up against on Wednesday. North Carolina’s Armando Bacot entered the game averaging 16.6 points and 12.5 rebounds per game. The Tar Heels 6'10" junior center is a candidate for ACC Player of the Year, but Hugely got the better of him on Wednesday in the individual battle, and also in the outcome of the game.

Bacot was limited to just 7 points on 2-of-6 shooting and finished with 8 rebounds. Hugley knew what he would be dealing with in Bacot, and wanted to prove himself against one of the league's best on Wednesday night.

“I just wanted to showcase I can be one of the best players, best big guys in this league,” Hugley told reporters after the game. “It was just a heart thing I was playing with.”

The heart and passion was noticeable from Hugley and the rest of the Panthers team on the defensive end. Pitt held a a typically up-tempo North Carolina team to just 23 points in the first half and built up a 17-point lead at the break.

Pitt’s defensive strategy against North Carolina was largely built around trying to limit Bacot. Pitt head coach Jeff Capel felt his team was able to execute that portion of the game plan.

“We were going to run and trap him,” Capel said of his team’s plan of defending the North Carolina center. “So that was the thing there and I thought John did a really good job. The other thing that helps is keeping them on the bench, getting them in foul trouble. He had to sit for extended periods of time and so that’s another really good way to defend a very good player, which he is.”

Bacot battled foul trouble throughout the game, but so did Hugley. Pitt’s star center was limited to just 27 minutes, but still managed to outplay North Carolina’s best player in that time.

Pitt guard Jamairus Burton, who finished with 14 points, felt that Hugley was engaged early. Hugley did not panic when he had foul trouble and only committed two turnovers, a recent issue he had been running into of late.

“John is capable of that,” Burton said of Hugley’s 18-point performance. “When he is locked-in and has high energy on both sides, those are the type of results you can get out of him and it definitely helps our ball club.”

Hugley’s surprising four-point play was one of the highlight of the second half, as he banked in a three-pointer at the end of the shot clock and was foul in the process. He also made Pitt’s two final two field goals of the night, including a three-point play with 1:33 left in the contest to give Pitt some breathing room.

“He’s talented and competitive,” Capel said of Hugley. “When you’re talented and competitive, you thrive on playing against really good players.”

Hugley got to display his talent against one of the league’s best and got the better of him, and in the process helped his team to a third straight conference win.

“I know John has so much respect for (Bacot), but I know he was really excited about the challenge with the opportunity to play against him and he did some really good things for us,” Capel said.