UNC's Dexter Strickland celebrates after the Tar Heels' 86-83 victory over Washington. ROBERT WILLETT - rwillett@newsobserver.com
Check out our uncut and edited photo galleries from the game
updated 5:38 p.m.
CHARLOTTE -- All year long in practice, North Carolina has worked on “must-stop” possessions -- meaning it “must stop” an opponent right then and there in order to win the game.
Sunday at Time Warner Cable Arena, the second-seeded Tar Heels did stop (or at least stymie) No. 7 seed Washington over the last seven minutes, morphing into the solid defensive team that coach Roy Williams has said all season they could be.
As a result of its down-to-the-wire 86-83 victory, UNC (28-7) will play either No. 3 seed Syracuse or No. 11 seed Marquette on Friday in the NCAA Sweet 16, an accomplishment that seemed awful far-fetched a year ago, when the Tar Heels didn’t make the NCAA field at all. The trip to Newark with mark UNC’s record 24th appearance regional semi-finals.
“I just told the team, we’ve come a long ways – from last year, when we were in Starkville [Miss., playing in the NIT], with twin beds,’’ said Tar Heels sophomore John Henson. “It was just a humbling feeling, and I’m glad this year we’re back on top.”
UNC is still playing because it successfully accomplished what it couldn’t so often last season: it tightened its defense when it needed to the most.
The Tar Heels came back from an 11-point first half deficit against the fast-paced, pesky Huskies, only to find itself trailing 74-69, after UW guard C.J. Wilcox made a 3-pointer. But over the last 7:06, all that “must-stop” training kicked in.
There was Henson with 4:15 left, blocking a Darnell Gant layup to set up teammate Harrison Barnes’ 3-pointer at the other end, giving UNC a 78-76 lead.
There was Barnes stealing the ball from Terrence Ross with 2:02 left, then feeding it to teammate Dexter Strickland for an 84-78 cushion.
There was Strickland sticking to star UW guard Isaiah Thomas, who made only one of his shots down the stretch and was 5-for-15 for the game.
And there was the 6-feet-10 Henson with 5.4 seconds left, deflecting Justin Holiday’s inbounds pass into the grasp of Strickland, who was fouled and made two free throws.
“He was so 'long' in front of me; that's why he got it,’’ the 6-6 Holiday said. “I probably should have faked the pass better, then maybe somebody would have been open. I tried to back up, too. But once I got the ball I wasn't really worried about him. I don't know if he had his hands up already, but when I threw it he was up there and it was too late.”
Henson’s long reach almost got the Tar Heels into trouble in the final two seconds. First, he fumbled Huskies guard Venoy Overton’s long heaving shot out of bounds; then, on the ensuing, final, play, he came oh-so-close to committing a goaltending violation on Thomas’ 2-point miss.
But in all, over the final 7:06, the Tar Heels held UW to 4-for-13 shooting, helped force five turnovers and blocked two shots – enough ‘D’ to withstand a team that shot 45.8 percent of the game; out-rebounded the Tar Heels 40-37; and out-scored them on fast break points (18-14) and points in the paint (40-34).
“Our defense has just gotten better and better,’’ said UNC forward Tyler Zeller, who finished with 23 points. “And it was important to us, again.”
Ross led Washington (24-11), which was playing 2,400 miles from home, with 19 points.
Meanwhile, Barnes added 22 points; while Henson (10 points, 10 rebounds) and point guard Kendall Marshall (13 points, 14 assists) finished with double-doubles for the Tar Heels, who now hope their “must-stop” moments on Sunday will be the continuation of something special.
“We buckled down and we played ‘D’ like we were supposed to; that’s how we got the win,’’ Henson said. “…And now, we just have to prepare to do it again.”
Robbi Pickeral has covered ACC sports for The News & Observer since 2003. She can be reached at
Comments
one more game
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 22:16 — namsterBe afraid - Marquette is coming...
11 teams in the dance to
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 23:15 — unc09811 teams in the dance to ACC's 4 ( with the unfair placement of Clemson) and we have 3 in the final 16. Sorry, but there is some squanky shiiiiite going down in selection land.
NOT!!! We will take
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 22:43 — unc098NOT!!! We will take Marquette over Syracuse ANY day of the week. Big Least ....What a bunch of losers>>>>>> Played real havic with my pool.
I agree...
Mon, 03/21/2011 - 12:20 — UNC1998I think UNC matches up much better to Marquette's man to man than Syracuse's zone defense. Marquette does have athletic big men, but so far opponent haven't really been able to match UNC's big men, who are actual basketball players with post skills.
Well
Mon, 03/21/2011 - 12:57 — gvillegatrNot for 40 minutes anyway. Our bigs tend to really turn it up in the 2nd half. Reminds me of the Coach Smith days.
You guys said it all
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 16:06 — gvillegatrUDub was in this game early bc of yet another slow start for UNC as well as their ability to hit the three ball. They cooled off tremendously after starting 7/14. They may have only hit one more in the last eight minutes of the game.
Kudos to KM for breaking The Jet's assist record in a game during the Tourney, but he has to get out of the gate faster. These games will not get any easier.
Congrats to UNC for staying two full years ahead of UK and Dook as far as Sweet 16's go. Keep on trucking' guys ...
All those end of game antics aside...
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 14:55 — UNC1998UNC had real chances to put the game out of reach with over 1:00 left. Missed a couple of lay up type shots while they were up 6 points. They could have been up 10 with Washington trying to come back, instead of up 6. Also, Henson made a great play on the deflection of the inbounds pass. The ball through the hands and goal tend moves were not smart. The only reason Washington was in this game was 3 point shots. When it came time to run half court offenses UNC was superior. Also, UNC was able to overcome W's athleticism on the frontcourt. Henson is going to have to toughen up if he wants to declare after this season. Today was a chance to show his toughness, and at times he failed. To me it seems Zeller is a more fluid big man, but Henson does have a lot of physical tools. I can definitely see him with a very high ceiling. Barnes is Barnes, and that's a good thing. Marshall guides UNC, and the team will go as he goes. He made mistakes early, then straightened up. Anyway UNC on to the Sweet 16 for a record 24th time. Oh what a great time to be a Tar Heel!
Henson dropped his brain
Sun, 03/20/2011 - 19:17 — unc098Henson dropped his brain somewhere in the last minute. Fortunately that last shot was a two pointer and out of the rim zone after handing them another opportunity with the stub hands on the previous air ball. Great defense in the last 4 minutes. Our size advantage in the backcourt made a big difference in this game.Their bigs getting into foul trouble in the first half really helped. This was a close one and I thought both teams played fairly well. It was difinitely a home game for the Heels and a more neutral location would have possibly tipped the favor to Wash.
Zeller and Barnes played very well. I have a theory that Z and Henson intentionally play soft in the first half of games on the boards in order to avoid foul trouble which allows them to play more aggressivly in the second. That would account for the low foul total for the Heels in the first half of this game. Knox has seemingly disappeared in the past 5-6 games. Obviously Zeller, Henson and Barnes have really stepped it up in that time frame as well.
Strickland had a great game with the exception of that 1 on 3 fastbreak where he should have pulled up. Great defense and of course those two FTs at the end make him one of my players of the game.
On to Jersey....Congrats to the Heels for making it to the sweet sixteen.