North Carolina rallied from 13 down to take a two-point lead but hit just one of eight shots over the last three minutes as a fresh Florida State team squeezed by the Tar Heels 69-66 to advance to the ACC Tournament finals. (3\/12)<\/p>\n
“Their defense late in the game was much stronger than our offense,” UNC coach Roy Williams said simply, adding that the Tar Heels didn’t get a good shot off over the last three minutes of the game. <\/p>\n
Playing their third game in three days, Carolina came out sluggish and Florida State, which hasn’t played in 12 days, took advantage sprinting out to a 22-11 lead.<\/p>\n
The Seminoles led 30-17 before settling for an 11-point lead, 35-24, at the break after a step-back, off-balanced three by Malik Osborne at the buzzer. Osborne hit three triples off the bench. <\/p>\n
Like they did the last time the two teams met, the Tar Heels came out of the lockerroom on fire and quickly made the game competitive. A 15-7 run over the first five minutes, capped by a three from Kerwin Walton, drew the Heels within three at 42-39.<\/p>\n
An 8-0 run, highlighted by a Walton three that tied the game, put the Heels up 51-46 with just over 11 minutes left.<\/p>\n
Florida State caught up and took a four-point lead before UNC came back to tie it on a Caleb Love three from right in front of the Carolina bench. The Heels took the lead 64-62 with 3:14 left when R.J. Davis was fouled on a three-point shot and hit all three free throws.<\/p>\n
But the Tar Heels went more than three minutes before they scored again. A three by Anthony Polite, who scored only five points on the night, put the Seminoles up 65-64 with 2:05 to go. Florida State never trailed again. <\/p>\n
After Leaky Black follow shot with 2.7 seconds left, FSU import Balsa Koprivica, who led the Noles with 17 points, hit a free throw to wrap it up. <\/p>\n
The Tar Heels shot just 33.8 percent from the field – their worst performance of the year. And the free throw woes reared their ugly heads again as the Heels went just 14 of 25 from the line, including two crucial misses by freshman Day’Ron Sharpe with 20 seconds to go.<\/p>\n
Officiating became an issue as UNC coach Williams argued several calls vehemently, including an obvious traveling violation in the waning seconds that would have given Carolina a chance to tie or win at the buzzer. <\/p>\n
The Tar Heels, now 18-10 on the season, wait for Sunday’s NCAA Tournament invitation. Speculation from bracket experts put the Heels in a dreaded eight vs. nine seed game. The winner of that one would then play the No. 1 seed in the region. <\/p>\n
Florida State and Georgia Tech, each having played only one ACC Tournament game due to COVID cancellations from Duke and Virginia, play for the league title at 8:30 Saturday night. <\/p>\n