An angry Rick Pitino let a heckler get the better of him as the Louisville coach walked off the court at halftime of Wednesday's game at No. 8 North Carolina.

Pitino exchanged words with a Tar Heels fan as he exited a tunnel toward the locker room at Dean Smith Center with the No. 7 Cardinals trailing 33-30. It wasn't clear what triggered the outburst, but Pitino needed to be restrained by several Louisville staff members before he was whisked away.

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The fan was escorted out of the building by police.

Pitino, 64, said he hears comments from the student section all the time, but when an adult, who appeared to be in his 40s, got in his face, he took issue. Pitino said Chapel Hill is still "a classy place" and one man doesn't change that.

What did the man say? "Something nice about me," Pitino quipped.

Pitino had several heated exchanges with officials over calls earlier in Louisville's 74-63 road loss, a defensive battle that may prove key in the ACC regular-season title race.

Rick Pitino tells the UNC fans next to the Louisville tunnel to "get a life" after trying to confront a fan at the end of the half. — Matt Hodgin (@MCHodgin) February 23, 2017