Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ toughest moments of the past 20 years

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of their game against the Boston College Eagles at the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Boston College won 71-70. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of their game against the Boston College Eagles at the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Boston College won 71-70. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA – MARCH 19: Jonathan Davis #1 of the Wisconsin Badgers and Micah Potter #11 of the Wisconsin Badgers defend a shot by Armando Bacot #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels during the second half in the first round game of the 2021 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Mackey Arena on March 19, 2021 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

That embarrassing loss to Wisconsin

In their return to postseason play in 2021, the Tar Heels got the 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament’s South Region, and a date with the ninth-seeded Wisconsin Badgers in their opening-round game.

On paper, the game looked like one that should stay close, and be competitive throughout. In actuality, it turned out to be anything but that. What began as a matchup of similarly-ranked teams became a tune-up for the Badgers’ imminent date with the top-ranked Baylor Bears in the Round of 32.

Wisconsin shot better than 50 percent from the floor, and 48 percent from three-point range for the game. The Badgers’ outstanding shooting performance was highlighted by senior shooting guard Brad Davison’s career night — a 29-point, six rebound game in which he shot 10-for-15 overall, 5-for-7 from beyond the arc and 4-for-4 at the free throw line.

After trailing by 16 points at halftime, things really never got any better for the Tar Heels, who eventually lost by a final score of 85-62. It marked the third consecutive NCAA Tournament game in which the Tar Heels have lost by double-digits dating back to a 21-point beatdown from the Texas A&M Aggies in 2018, and a 17-point blowout at the hands of the Auburn Tigers the following season.

Next. 4-star center decommits from Marquette, becomes UNC target. dark

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