The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Arkansas Razorbacks 87-78 to advance to the Sweet 16. The Tar Heels were led by Marcus Paige, who scored 22 points. The game was a game full of high energy plays and fast breaks, which played right into North Carolina’s style of play.
The win ties Roy Williams for most NCAA Tournament wins in school history with mentor Dean Smith, who passed away last month.
The Razorbacks were led by Michael Qualls, who scored 27 points in a monster game. He also contributed 10 rebounds, his first career double double.
The game got physical at times, with both teams having a player foul out in the second half. Both teams exceeded the 10 team fouls per half before the 10 minute mark of the first half. North Carolina also suffered a scare as Kennedy Meeks sprained his left knee late in the second half. His status is unknown for the Sweet Sixteen.
The game clinching play came with four minutes left, when a North Carolina basket was ruled good due to basket interference. That play also saw the clock not start, resulting in a lengthy review that saw four seconds removed from the clock. Despite protests from Arkansas, the basket interference call stood because it is not a reviewable call.
The Tar Heels advance to play the winner of Wisconsin - Oregon in the Sweet Sixteen on Thursday in Los Angeles.