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It was almost one of the greatest comebacks in Carolina history.
The Tar Heel women were down by 12 points late in a true road game in the NCAA tournament. Against Ohio State in Columbus, playing the higher-seeded opponent with a loud crowd that was really into it.
And with her team down 62-50, leading scorer Deja Kelly went out with what looked like it could be a season-ending ankle injury even if UNC won. That’s where and when the Heels banded together and tied the game, then went ahead on Paulina Paris’ basket and had the ball on a steal by Paris with 1:43 left to play in the round of 32.
Old-timers watching on ESPN might have been reminded of “8 points in 17 seconds” against Duke in 1974, the baseline for any rally in any sport at UNC. That was when Walter Davis, Hubert’s uncle, banked in a 30-footer to complete the incredible comeback and send the game into overtime, where Dean Smith’s Tar Heels won.
Courtney Banghart’s Heels might have been remembered in a similar way 49 years later, had it not been for the Buckeyes’ Jacy Sheldon hitting a tough right-handed jumper in the lane with 1.8 seconds left, not enough time for Carolina to tie the game or win it with a 3-pointer.
“We just weren’t quite good enough, too many careless turnovers,” Banghart said after the 71-69 loss that ended their season at 22-11. The game was a turnover fest with the teams combining for 39 and 23 steals.
Good coaches take everything into account and not just the plays at the end of a game. And it wasn’t Kelly’s pull-up jumper after she returned, the last of her team-high 22 points. It was the 13-3 run by her teammates when she was in the locker room having her ankle retaped. They began a rally that almost resulted in a victory called ultimate.
It was Alyssa Ustby’s three driving layups in the paint and Kennedy Todd-Williams’ two baskets inside and her 3-pointer that quieted the crowd and gave Carolina a chance without its star.
When Kelly returned after almost 5 minutes, she hit a jumper and made two free throws to draw her team within one point and went ahead on Paris’ layup off Ustby’s steal. Carolina had a chance to go up by three on another Paris steal before Kelly missed a jump shot.
Ohio State never saw UNC’s last rally coming before the Heels nearly pulled it out and sent them to a second straight Sweet 16 in Seattle. A heartbreaking loss, for sure, but a team effort as gallant as it gets.
Featured image via Associated Press/Michael Conroy
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Heartbreaking indeed.
The Lady Heels are looking good for next year. As the old saying goes, knock on the door this year and knock it down next.
“looking good for next year”
A little less good looking I suppose with the announcement of two transfers. Unexpected for sure, and makes little sense. The transfer portal is wrecking college sports in conjunction with NIL money. Gone is any facet of team pride/school pride.