Written by AARON BEARD, Associated Press Writer, this article is about basketball.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Once again, North Carolina is moving on in the NCAA Tournament at the expense of Michigan State and Hall of Fame coach Tom Izzo.

UNC’s RJ Davis contributed 20 points in their victory over the Spartans with a final score of 85-69 on Saturday. This win advances the Tar Heels to the Sweet 16 and maintains their undefeated streak against Izzo-coached teams in March Madness, a record spanning 26 years.

Harrison Ingram hit five 3-pointers and tallied 17 points for the highest seeded West Region team, which maintained its winning streak in its home state. The Tar Heels (29-7) now have a flawless record of 5-0 against Izzo’s team in the tournament, with previous wins in the 2005 Final Four and 2009 championship game.

The next round for the team will be the regional semifinals in Los Angeles, where they are set to play against either Grand Canyon or Alabama on Thursday evening.

The game began with the Spartans scoring and putting the Tar Heels at a disadvantage of 12 points. However, the Tar Heels responded by following coach Hubert Davis’ message that has been consistent throughout the season, which ultimately turned the game around. They caught up to the Spartans’ lead and countered every attempt they made to regain control.

“We gathered together and agreed that we needed to focus on the fight and put aside any discussion about basketball,” stated Hubert Davis. “As a result, our level of play improved with more energy, effort, and attention to detail. That’s when we saw a shift in our performance.”

From the last eight minutes of the first half, UNC scored 17 consecutive points in a 23-3 run. This was the largest comeback for the program in March Madness, surpassing their previous victory against Southern California where they overcame a 16-point deficit in the 2007 Sweet 16.

Cormac Ryan, a player for UNC, believes that maintaining mutual trust and executing plays effectively while constantly increasing energy levels is crucial for success. He acknowledged the 14 points he scored and stated that it all begins with each player putting in effort and making energetic plays, which was evident throughout the game.

Armando Bacot, a player in his fifth year at UNC, played a crucial role in the game by consistently scoring, drawing fouls, and passing out to teammates when facing double coverage. Another player, Ingram, was also a key recipient of Bacot’s efforts, making 5 out of 7 3-pointers and grabbing seven rebounds.

Tyson Walker put up a total of 24 points for the Spartans, who rank ninth and have a record of 20-15. The game was held in front of a crowd wearing blue, located about a 2 1/2 hour drive away from UNC’s Chapel Hill campus.

When questioned on Friday, Izzo could not offer an explanation for the absence of postseason victories against UNC. This stands out on his record, which boasts 26 consecutive appearances in March Madness, eight Final Fours, and one national championship in 2000. The most recent matchup in UNC’s home state ended in the same result as previous encounters.

Izzo praised Carolina, Hubert, and their team, but he refuses to feel defeated as he believes the loss was not by 16 points. He acknowledged the game had many ups and downs that were significant.

In response to Izzo’s statement, it appeared as though one of Ingram’s three-point shots would miss as it hit the rim, but it miraculously rolled around and dropped into the net. This caused Ingram to yell towards the bench and increased UNC’s lead to 69-57 with 6:18 remaining.

Ingram stated that he initially believed the shot would go in because the rim appeared large to him. He excitedly jumped and prayed for it to be successful.

Shortly after, RJ Davis made a lucky 3-point shot while attempting to get past a defender. Momentarily, the top-ranked All-American player turned to the ceiling in shock.

At that point, the Spartans were already in pursuit.

In the beginning of the game, Michigan State took control with a strong performance from Walker who scored 11 points in the first 10 and a half minutes. After Malik Hall successfully made a pivot spin shot against Jae’Lyn Withers, the Spartans held a 28-17 lead with 8 minutes and 8 seconds left. However, the Tar Heels were quick to catch up and tie the game.

In the beginning of the game, Ingram scored a 3-point shot which helped the team go on a 17-0 streak. During this streak, Bacot also scored multiple baskets and free throws. Later in the game, Ryan scored another 3-point shot from the corner, continuing the team’s momentum that began with Bacot. Ingram also contributed another 3-point shot, which gave the Tar Heels a 40-31 lead at halftime.

BIG PICTURE

Michigan State had a rocky season, starting off as the fourth-ranked team but ending up unranked by November and staying that way until the end of the year. Despite victories against powerhouse opponents Illinois and Baylor, the Spartans struggled to maintain consistency, with no more than a three-game winning streak since the beginning of 2024 and losing five of their last seven games leading up to March Madness. While they did manage to defeat the eighth-seeded Mississippi State in the tournament, their inconsistency continued as they were unable to maintain their lead for the full 40 minutes.

Izzo expressed his frustration, continuously believing that his team had the capability to succeed. However, despite having the chance to make progress, they were unable to overcome the challenges in front of them.

The University of North Carolina’s basketball team, the Tar Heels, won against Wagner, their 16th-ranked opponent, by utilizing their size advantage and controlling the game in the paint. While facing a tougher opponent in their next match, they continued their winning streak in North Carolina’s NCAA games with a record of 36-2. In particular, they have only lost one game out of 15 played in Charlotte, the state’s biggest city.

UP NEXT

On Sunday, the Tar Heels will find out who their opponent is. They have a record of 8 wins and 5 losses against the fourth-seeded Crimson Tide, but they have never faced the 12th-seeded Antelopes before.

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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness

Source: wralsportsfan.com