Keeping It Heel
Fansided

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) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
6 of 11
Next
UNC Basketball
HOUSTON, TX – APRIL 04: Marcus Paige #5 of the North Carolina Tar Heels hits a three point to tie the game with seconds left during the NCAA College Basketball Tournament Championship game against the Villanova Wildcats at NRG Stadium on April 04, 2016 in Houston, Texas. The Wildcats won 77-74. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

4.7 seconds

The final 4.7 seconds of the 2016 NCAA Tournament championship game are among the most memorable of my life; and the most painful. Watching the game live from no more than a hundred feet away, I celebrated along with thousands of UNC fans as beloved senior guard Marcus Paige hit one of the most impressive shots in tournament history to tie the game at 74 points a piece.

But as soon as the shot went in and thousands of NCAA-branded seat cushions sailed into the air, a sinking feeling swelled in my stomach. It was the feeling of knowing that the Tar Heels’ opponent, a terrific offensive unit with multiple scoring threats, had just under five seconds left to get a shot off in regulation.

Shortly after, heartbreak set in for all of us; myself included.

With time winding down and the Wildcats in a mad dash to get the ball past mid-court and in position to score, senior point guard Ryan Arcidiacono dished a short pass off to the waiting hands of junior wing Kris Jenkins. Jenkins quickly rose up and let off a deep three-pointer over the outstretched arm of UNC’s Isaiah Hicks. The ball went through the hoop, and Villanova won the first of two national championships in the span of three seasons.

Home/UNC Basketball