UNC men's basketball fueled by do or die attitude to earn first ranked win against UCLA

NEW YORK — Do or die. 

To complete the comeback against a top-25 UCLA team or let another one slip away.

The Tar Heels lost to No. 7 Florida after coming back from a 17-point deficit and leading with four minutes left on Tuesday. Players knew they faced a tough non-conference schedule — the seventh hardest in the country according to KenPom — but they had nothing to show for it. They already let too much slip away two months into the season. 

So, amidst questions about the team's legitimacy and down by 16 against the Bruins, North Carolina turned to a different type of fuel: desperation. 

"I've been through this too many times," junior guard Seth Trimble said. "So this one was desperately needed."

The Tar Heels defeated No. 18 UCLA, 76-74, on Saturday afternoon during the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden. Down by one with 13 seconds remaining, graduate guard RJ Davis found himself at the line. He hit the free throw that tied the game 74-74. Then he hit the free throw that gave UNC its first lead since the opening 30 seconds. Above all, it gave the Tar Heels what's been evading them all season — their first win over a ranked opponent after five top-25 matchups. 

During UNC's pre-game meal, head coach Hubert Davis asked his former New York Knicks teammate, John Starks, to come and talk to the team. His players needed some inspiration. 

Starks discussed the importance of being at Madison Square Garden and what it means to play in New York. But he also emphasized the importance of identity and finding one. Starks echoed the words of Davis who believes that a team cannot be successful without one. 

While the Tar Heels still haven't nailed a cohesive identity, they took a step in the right direction. They were molded by a common feeling.

"We knew we just had to sit down and lock in and say as a team like, 'Hey, we can't let this happen again,'" Trimble said. 

And a funny thing happens with desperation. It can either unravel a team or make it. It can force irredeemable mistakes, but it can also craft toughness. 

Through the non-conference schedule, trying to close out a late-game comeback resulted in things being lost in translation. 

"We've talked about and experienced not doing the things that make big things happen," Davis said. 

Against Kansas, the Tar Heels couldn't stop big man Hunter Dickinson. Auburn dominated UNC on the boards. North Carolina had no answer for Alabama's high-scoring offense and pace. And against Florida, the team went cold when it mattered most. 

Players stopped boxing out. They didn't make free throws. They didn't chase down a loose ball. They just didn't execute.

But it was different this time. 

"There was no panic," Davis said. "It was not a situation where we're trying to make a 16 point play to cut it and make it tied. It was just a possession on possession type of approach. And then when we got it close, just understanding how important the little details are."

After Trimble missed a 3-pointer with under two minutes remaining, junior center Jalen Washington grabbed the offensive rebound. He laid it in to tie the game up at 72. 

Sure, graduate guard RJ Davis committed two fouls in that last minute, but the Tar Heels rebounded. Everyone told each other to box out. They communicated. They made free throws. Trimble forced a pivotal turnover with 21 seconds remaining. They executed down the stretch when they haven't before. They were together. 

"We just feel really good about this win because as I said we've been in this position for three or four games, so I think we all learned from our mistakes," sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau said. 

As the seconds dwindled off the clock, Trimble skipped down the court. The players celebrated. The team doused first-year Ian Jackson with water in the locker room after scoring a career-high 24 points. He's just another piece in a team slowly starting to find itself. 

To do or to die. To take the desperation and bottle it. And to feel that sweet, sweet relief. 

@_emmahmoon

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