Tar Heels avoid upset with late surge

GREENVILLE, S.C. — All that talk of redemption, getting revenge after last year’s national championship game loss at the buzzer, was fading. Forget the Final Four, a Sweet 16 berth suddenly was on life support. Bon Secours Wellness Arena, full of antsy North Carolina fans, was on edge.

And Roy Williams’ team responded like it needed a frantic push. It took its season flashing before its eyes to finally wake up North Carolina. Good fortune and luck contributed, too.

“I don’t mind saying I feel a little lucky,” Williams said. “Every now and then I knock in a long putt, too.”

Williams could joke, because his season isn’t over yet. With its back against the wall, his team defended and played with the intensity that was previously lacking for most of the evening. The Tar Heels owned the final few minutes, and moved on to their third straight Sweet 16 as a result, rallying past stunned No. 8 Arkansas, 72-65, in a South region second-round game, advancing to Memphis, where it will meet No. 4 Butler in a regional semifinal Friday night.

The top No. 1 seed left, North Carolina (29-7) flirted with disaster — it led by 17 points early on and trailed by five at the final media timeout — before ripping off a 12-0 run over the final 2:56. Justin Jackson added the exclamation point, converting a steal into a two-handed dunk.

“I can’t say anything negative about anybody on my team,” coach Williams said. “I love the way they competed and it feels awfully nice right now.”