North Carolina overcame a 16-point hole to defeat No. 18 UCLA 76-74 on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic at Madison Square Garden, thanks to three free throws by RJ Davis with 13 seconds remaining.
With a 17-point performance, Davis handed the Tar Heels (7-5) their first lead since the first few minutes of play. Ian Jackson scored 24 points, which was a career high. North Carolina outscored UCLA 33-15 over the last 12+ minutes and shot 46.8% thanks to 12 points from Seth Trimble and a UCLA error that allowed Davis to make free throws.
The Bruins (10-2) ended a nine-game winning streak, but Tyler Bilodeau tied a career high with 26 points. With 22 more points from Sebastian Mack, UCLA shot 49.1%.
With 1:32 remaining, a shot by Jalen Washington gave the Tar Heels a 72-all tie. With 48 seconds remaining, Mack made two free throws to put the team ahead 74-72 after Bilodeau missed a three-pointer. After Trimble forced a turnover on Dylan Andrews, Davis converted two more free throws to extend the lead to 75-74. Davis had previously made one free throw to cut it to a point.
Takeaways
North Carolina: A season-high 18 turnovers were overcome by the Tar Heels.
UCLA: Bilodeau made his first five attempts before to his crucial miss, starting the game with a 35.5% 3-point shooting percentage.
Key moment
With 11:45 left, Bilodeau was sent off the field for his fourth foul, putting the Bruns ahead 59-45. Bilodeau returned with 5:15 remaining, down 68-65 after the Tar Heels had gone on a 20-9 run.
Key stat
Despite missing 11 out of 35 free throws, North Carolina persevered.
Up next
Before commencing ACC play, North Carolina’s final non-conference game is against Campbell on December 29. Next Saturday, UCLA takes on No. 13 Gonzaga at the Los Angeles Clippers’ new home in Inglewood.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!