The insanity has properly and really arrived, as Saturday’s slate of males’s video games kicked off with the primary No. 1 seed happening. North Carolina toppled Baylor in additional time, knocking off the East area’s prime seed with a 93-86, roller-coaster victory.
Baylor very almost accomplished the most important comeback in NCAA tournament historical past, erasing a 25-point lead in the sport’s ultimate 10 minutes. The No. 8 Tar Heels led for a lot of the afternoon however noticed their momentum slowly fade as they bumped into foul hassle and Baylor turned up the desperation and depth.
Senior ahead Brady Manek, a pressure for the Tar Heels all sport, was disqualified by a flagrant foul halfway by way of the second half. Sophomore guard Caleb Love fouled out a couple of minutes later and UNC began to unravel from there.
James Akinjo’s and-one minimize the Tar Heels’ result in simply three with underneath two minutes remaining. North Carolina senior Armando Bacot responded with 4 straight factors to maintain his group in slight management. With 30 seconds remaining, Baylor freshman Jeremy Sochan banked in a 3 to maintain his group in the sport. Bacot missed two free throws, giving Baylor an opportunity to tie. Akinjo did so with one other and-one, tying the sport at 80 with 15 seconds left.
Out of a timeout, sophomore guard RJ Davis tried a buzzer-beating three from the highest of the important thing but it surely clanged off the entrance rim.
In additional time, the Tar Heels constructed a small lead and the groups traded baskets. Davis hit an acrobatic and-one to provide North Carolina a six-point lead with 1:18 remaining. From there, the Tar Heels did what they couldn’t do in regulation as they denied the Bears and earned a victory.
Despite his early exit, Manek completed with 26 factors. Davis led the group with 30. Junior guard Adam Flagler led Baylor with 27 factors.
The Tar Heels at the moment are headed to the Sweet 16, the place they may face the winner of Saturday evening’s sport between No. 4 UCLA and No. 5 Saint Mary’s.