UNC Basketball: ESPN Did What During the End of the North Carolina-Syracuse game?

The UNC Basketball team absolutely dominated Syracuse on Saturday afternoon in the Dean E. Smith Center with a 103-67 victory to win the program's sixth straight game and move to 5-0 in conference play on the season. However, ESPN did something toward the end of the game that some North Carolina fans were not happy with...

Yes, that's right... ESPN took the North Carolina Tar Heels off the network and moved them to ESPN News with 1:39 remaining in the game and North Carolina leading Syracuse 98-67. Of course, it was a blowout. The outcome was very much decided. I get that. We all get it. If that was another game and the Tar Heels were scheduled to come on at 2:00, we would want ESPN to do the same thing for us.

However, here's the thing: They never do it. ESPN always moves the Tar Heels to another network for the beginning of their game when a game prior to North Carolina's runs over the allotted TV time slot. They also cut to the beginning of the Kentucky at Texas A&M game, which hadn't even tipped off yet and was still going through lineup introductions.

UNC Basketball fans understand and know what "biscuits" means, and ESPN opted to cut away from the action right when Tar Heel forward James Okonkwo was stepping to the foul line with two free throw attempts and needing to make both to secure the 100-point mark and giving the North Carolina fan base the ever important, Bojangles Special.

When the UNC Basketball team scores 100 points at home, Bojangles offers fans two sausage biscuits for $1. It's been a promotion for as long as we can remember, and it's even more special when a player who doesn't see as much playing time gets the opportunity to push the Tar Heels across the 100-point threshold.

Okonkwo got that opportunity, and with all UNC Basketball fans tuned in, ESPN said, "Nope, not today. Go elsewhere to watch the end of this one," as they moved the Tar Heels over to ESPN News, just to show some lineup introductions.

Again, yes, it was a blowout. We understand that. But next time the Tar Heels are scheduled to follow a game that the outcome has been decided, be sure to pay attention to what ESPN opts to do. Will they give UNC Basketball the same treatment?

Here's another idea for ESPN and all networks that carry college basketball: It's 2024. Realize that a college basketball game finishing in two hours or less is highly unlikely, and give us 2.5-hour time windows so that this isn't a problem.

Oh, and by the way, Oknonkwo did make those two free throws, giving the Tar Heels and UNC Basketball fans those two Bojangles sausage biscuits for just $1.

Follow us @KeepingItHeel on X (formerly Twitter) and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of UNC basketball news, views, and updates.