North Carolina men's basketball falls, 72-71, to Stanford after last second shot

The North Carolina men’s basketball team (12-7, 5-2) fell to the Stanford Cardinal (12-6, 4-3), 72-71, on Saturday afternoon at the Dean E. Smith Center off of a Jaylen Blakes jumper with 1.5 seconds left. It's Stanford's first win over UNC in school history. 

Blakes and Maxime Raynaud led the way for the Cardinal, combining for 45 points for Stanford. While UNC maintained a lead throughout most of the game, it could not hold on late. 

"It wasn't one thing and it felt like it was a number of just little details, little mistakes that we made," head coach Hubert Davis said.

Blakes opened the scoring with a jumper from the wing, but the first four minutes of the game were a back and forth affair, tied 7-7 at the first media timeout. Junior forward Jalen Washington was involved early for the Tar Heels, but started out just 1-3 from the field.

After the Cardinal took a 12-9 lead, junior guard Seth Trimble hit a corner three and then graduate guard RJ Davis hit one immediately after in transition to put UNC up 15-12.

Over the next few minutes, Davis continued his effectiveness on the offensive end, finishing a driving layup off the glass and then finding Washington underneath the basket for a layup as UNC took a 24-19 lead. 

In about the last five minutes of the half, North Carolina didn't make a field goal for over three minutes, and Stanford — off the back of Raynaud and Blakes — tied the game at 30.

"He's (Raynaud) seven-two, a three level scorer," junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin said. "That's kind of hard to contain and defend."

After Raynaud hit a three to give the Cardinal the lead, Davis was fouled driving to the basket and hit both free throws to put UNC up 36-35 at halftime.

Out of the half, Davis opened the scoring with a triple from the wing. Raynaud and Washington traded dunks at both ends of the floor, with UNC maintaining a three point lead. North Carolina and Stanford continued to trade baskets, with Stanford taking the lead after Donavin Young hit a triple from the corner. Then, sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau put UNC back ahead with a layup. 

After falling behind by three, Davis hit a triple from the top of the arc to tie that game at 52 with over 11 minutes remaining. Midway through the second half, UNC went scoreless for over two minutes, allowing the Cardinal to take a five point lead. However, back-to-back buckets from first-year guard Ian Jackson and Trimble brought the Tar Heels within one. 

UNC took the lead, 60-59, after free throws from Cadeau and junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin.

Davis extended the lead to five with two more free throws with just over four minutes left. 

After not making a field goal for 5:33, Stanford found the bottom of the net as Raynaud hit a corner three to cut UNC's lead to 67-66. Down by one with 24 seconds to go, Blakes was fouled and sent to the line, who made both to put the Cardinal up 70-69. 

"Just from a defense standpoint, we were really unstable," RJ Davis said. "There wasn't much communication."

With the game on the line, Trimble drove to the basket and was fouled. He made both to give UNC a one point lead, 71-70. However, Blakes hit the game winner with a jumper over Trimble with 1.5 seconds remaining.

The Tar Heels next take on Wake Forest in Winston-Salem on Tuesday at 9 p.m. 

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