UNC basketball doomed by last-minute mishaps

The North Carolina men’s basketball team led 80-78 when Belmont called a timeout with 53 seconds left in the game.

The seconds that followed the timeout displayed UNC’s lack of preparation in end-of-game situations. In the case of Sunday’s game, that weakness proved to be fatal.

Belmont would go on to win the game 83-80.

Coming out of the timeout, sophomore Marcus Paige took control of the ball, but didn’t hold onto it for long.

“We were trying to move the ball around a little bit, burn some clock,” Paige said. “Coach told me to get the ball and there were probably 10 or 11 seconds left (on the shot clock). We were kind of scrambled, not really anything set, and we tried to make a play and we lost the ball.”

Belmont redshirt senior Blake Jenkins swiped the ball from Paige and the Bruins won possession of the ball with 20 seconds to go.

When play resumed, Belmont senior J.J. Mann sunk a 3-point basket that gave the Bruins a lead it would not release.

Though there were only 14 seconds left on the clock after Mann hit his 3-pointer, coach Roy Williams didn’t call a timeout.

“I’ve always had the philosophy that if the other team scores to take the lead with more than seven seconds, we’re not going to take a timeout,” Williams said.

Paige said that philosophy stunts the opposing team’s defense, but that the young Tar Heels weren’t fully familiar with Williams’ end-of-game procedure.

“We haven’t really worked on that very much and it was kind of new and in the heat of the moment, you forget things like that,” Paige said.

That confusion showed as sophomore J.P. Tokoto used the final seconds to attempt a 2-point jumper that went off the rim.

Belmont snagged the defensive rebound and sealed the game with a fast-break layup — only their second fast-break basket of the night.

Williams took the blame for the loss, even going as far as to say how former coach Dean Smith — who will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom Wednesday — would react to his coaching.

“He would be disappointed in me right now, but he wouldn’t let me know that,” Williams said.

Williams continued to say that he was still proud of Belmont and coach Rick Byrd for the win.

“I’m happy for (Byrd), but I love those kids in my locker room and their coach let them down today,” he said.

Paige said Williams shared his disappointment with the team, but that it was the team who let go of the lead in the final few plays.

“I mean, it comes down to the guys on the court taking care of the ball, buckling down, knowing you’re up two and not being able to give up the three,” Paige said.

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