NCAA Tournament: Luke Maye named Most Outstanding Player

Luke Maye named Most Outstanding Player of South Region

After an outstanding four-game stretch to begin the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina sophomore power forward Luke Maye has been named Most Outstanding Player of the South Region.

Maye, who began his career at North Carolina as an unheralded three-star prospect, has now stepped into the spotlight for a Tar Heels team that’s headed back to the Final Four.

Through the tournament’s first four games, Maye averaged 12.5 points and 6.8 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per contest. And his efficiency has been off the charts.

In those games, he shot 19-of-35 from the floor and went 5-for-11 from three-point range. He also connected on 7-of-10 free throw attempts and committed just two turnovers.

But then there’s the shot; the shot that he hit to give North Carolina the lead and a berth in the Final Four.

It wasn’t a play that Roy Williams drew up in a timeout. He didn’t even call a timeout.

Kennedy Meeks inbounded the basketball to Theo Pinson with just over seven seconds on the game clock and the latter took off down the court at breakneck speed.

Pinson penetrated through the Kentucky defense which went for the double-team and left Maye wide open and unaccounted for.

Without hesitation, Maye sunk a long two-point jump shot and gave the Tar Heels a 75-73 lead with 0.3 seconds remaining on the clock.

For his consistency and last-second heroics, he’s earned the title of Most Outstanding Player.

Related Story: Tar Heels return to Final Four

Stick with Keeping It Heel for continued coverage of the North Carolina Tar Heels and their run through the 2017 NCAA Tournament.