Fashion Football News
71-64 Defeat Ends UNC’s NCAA Tournament Hopes
Mar
The UNC men’s basketball team’s season ended abruptly with a 71-64 loss to Ole Miss in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The 11th-seeded Tar Heels struggled against the sixth-seeded Rebels at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, facing a significant halftime deficit that ultimately proved too much to overcome.
A sluggish first half saw Ole Miss build an 18-point lead, the second-largest halftime deficit for UNC in NCAA tournament history. “We were lifeless in the first half,” said junior guard Seth Trimble, reflecting the team’s lack of energy and passion.
Ole Miss jumped out to an early lead, capitalizing on UNC’s slow start and defensive lapses. The Tar Heels struggled to find their rhythm offensively, shooting poorly from the field and behind the arc. Ole Miss dominated the boards, further compounding UNC’s woes.
Despite the daunting deficit, UNC showed resilience in the second half. A series of runs, fueled by players like RJ Davis and Jalen Washington, brought the Tar Heels within striking distance. However, key injuries to Jae’Lyn Withers and Ven-Allen Lubin hampered their comeback efforts.
Withers suffered an ankle injury, and Lubin fouled out, forcing UNC to rely on other players. First-year forward Drake Powell contributed a crucial 3-pointer, and RJ Davis’s late-game and-one play brought UNC within two points.
Ultimately, Ole Miss guard Sean Pedulla’s clutch 3-pointer silenced UNC’s momentum, and the Rebels sealed the victory at the free-throw line.
“It just describes our whole season from being [an] up-and-down year, being a difficult year, and persevering,” said RJ Davis, summarizing the team’s tumultuous season.
Head coach Hubert Davis expressed pride in his team’s second-half fight but acknowledged their overall inconsistency. “There was only two choices coming out in the second half, either to respond with that same type of fight or get embarrassed,” he stated.
With the loss, UNC’s season concludes, leaving the team to reflect on a campaign marked by both highs and lows.