CLEMSON, S.C. — Standing on the ACC logo in front of the opposite basket, Clemson’s Clyde Trapp hurled a desperation heave on a perfect line toward the center of the backboard.
North Carolina graduate guard Cameron Johnson followed the ball in awe.
“I was watching, I was like, ‘No way,’” Johnson said. “It looked kind of good from my angle.”
The shot slammed into the shot clock on the other side of the floor, too high to deflect down through the hoop. The buzzer sounded, and Clemson’s furious fight to pull off the upset of No. 5 UNC fell two points short at 81-79.
Without head coach Roy Williams, who had to leave the court with under a minute left in the first half after an attack of vertigo, North Carolina’s (24-5, 14-2 ACC) trio of senior leaders served as the generals for assistant coach Steve Robinson in a hard-fought second half.
“This is what conference play is about at this time of year,” Robinson, who relieved Williams as head coach for the remainder of the game, said. “Where everybody is just scratching and clawing for every win that you can get. Our guys showed a lot of poise, our senior leaders were what they should be, leading our basketball team and helping us make plays.”
Johnson was the sharpshooter, nailing six of his eight 3-pointers. Senior Luke Maye fulfilled his duty with another double-double, his 12th of the season. Senior Kenny Williams sealed the win in the final 14 seconds, making three of four free throws and floating a lob into the empty backcourt that drained away the remaining time and forced Trapp’s desperation three.
“This is just satisfying because it was hard fought. It wasn't easy,” Kenny Williams said. “It was a battle. You see everyone's got battle wounds.”
He gestured to his own cuts and pointed out the ice pack on Maye’s arm. To his left was first-year Coby White, who had a ribbon of red in the crook of his elbow from a heavy-bleeding scratch that had been bandaged mid-game.
