NCAA Tournament: Tar Heels celebrate win over Razorbacks

North Carolina celebrates win over Arkansas, Sweet 16 berth

The North Carolina Tar Heels were up by 17 points in the first half of Sunday night’s second round matchup with the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Seemingly in control and cruising to victory in the round of 32, things quickly changed and the Tar Heels found themselves up just five points at halftime. Yet again, they had squandered another big lead, allowing their opponent to creep back into a game that seemed all but over in the first 16 minutes of play.

Arkansas began the second half with the same momentum and intensity that helped them close a 17-point gap in the first half to just 38-33.

It was at that time that it became completely evident that the Tar Heels had a real battle on their hands.

Shots quit falling, offensive rebounds weren’t coming as easily. And nothing seemed to work defensively to stop the Razorbacks.

But after closing out the second half on a 12-0 run and quite possibly the best three minutes of defense that they’ve played all year, the Tar Heels came out of the game victorious.

And now they’re on their way to the Sweet 16.

But judging by the team’s excitement and jubilation after the game, one might think that they’d never been there before. This couldn’t be a team that came up three points shy of a national title just one calendar year ago.

But perhaps being pushed to the brink of elimination by the Razorbacks Sunday evening caused this senior-laden squad to be just a little more appreciative of the accomplishment at hand.

Or maybe the satisfaction of closing out a game in which they were trailing late in the second half for the first time this season was just that gratifying.

Either way, their post game locker room celebration is what college sports are all about; or at least what they should be about.