UNC Basketball: Tar Heels bounce Bruins en route to Elite Eight

The UNC basketball program is headed to the Elite Eight following a thrilling victory over the fourth-seeded UCLA Bruins.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are headed to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2017 following a thrilling victory over the No. 4 UCLA Bruins. Now, the Tar Heels will prepare for a matchup with the upset-minded Saint Peter’s Peacocks, the East Region’s No. 15 seed.

The Tar Heels had a sluggish first half that left them trailing the Bruins by three points at the intermission. It was a back-and-forth affair over the game’s final 20 minutes, with numerous ties and lead changes that kept the matter in doubt until there were only about 10 ticks left on the clock.

Caleb Love played out of his mind after a three-point first half, scoring 27 of his career-high 30 points in the second half. He finished the game with an 11-for-24 mark from the floor and 6-for-13 beyond the arc. He also knocked down both of his free throws to go along with three rebounds, four assists, and just one turnover.

Armando Bacot notched yet another double-double — his 28th of the season — with 14 points and 15 rebounds. It ties him with Kentucky’s Oscar Tshiebwe for most in the nation this season and extends his program record for most in a single season. He shot 6-for-10 for the game and finished with eight offensive rebounds — one more than the entire Bruins team. Brady Manek had 13 points and eight rebounds and R.J. Davis gave the Tar Heels 12 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.

The Tar Heels shot 40.9 percent (27-for-66) from the floor, 32.3 percent (10-for-31) from three-point range, and 75 percent (9-for-12) from the charity stripe. They had a 43-34 edge in rebounding, including a 15-8 mark on the offensive glass, and turned the ball over just eight times.

UCLA got a team-high 16 points from senior guard Jules Bernard on a 7-for-11 shooting game and 15 from junior speedster Tyger Campbell. Johnny Juzang scored 14 points but struggled to get his offense off with the tough defense of Caleb Love and Leaky Black.

The Bruins shot 45.2 percent (28-for-62) for the game, 35.7 percent (5-for-14) from long-range, and 62.5 percent (5-for-8) at the foul line. They finish the season with a record of 27-8. They were the final Pac-12 program in the tournament.

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