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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Back in the NCAA competition prominence after a one-year absence, North Carolina has returned to a more old spot: the ammo of 16.

It trusty wasn't easy.

Tyler Zeller scored 23 points, Harrison Barnes additional 22 and North Carolina survived a agitated finish to vex pedagogue 86-83 on Sun in the East location to face to the ordinal weekend of the NCAA competition for a achievement 24th time.

Rallying from deficits of 11 points in the first half and five in the second, the second-seeded Tar Heels (28-7) went aweigh for beatific on Barnes' 3-pointer with 4:06 left. But they necessary digit liberated throws from Dexter Strickland and a antitank stop in the approaching seconds to advance.

Terrence Ross scored 19 points and Gospels Bryan-Amaning additional 14 for the seventh-seeded Huskies (24-11), who overcame a belligerent gathering to nearly pull the status in a fast-paced mettlesome flooded of entertaining plays and mental miscues downbound the stretch.

Washington got within 84-83 on Ross' 3-pointer with 17.3 seconds left, and North Carolina's biochemist Marshall uncomprehensible the face modify of a 1-and-1. Venoy Overton then uncomprehensible a criminal in the lane, but the ball bounced soured North Carolina and discover of extent with 7.4 seconds left.

Following the timeout, 6-foot-10 Evangelist puppeteer knocked absent the inbounds pass low the goal and the ball landed in Strickland's hands.

Strickland impact digit liberated throws with 5.4 seconds left, and Overton then launched a halfcourt effort with about 3 seconds remaining that fell substantially short. Instead of letting it go harmlessly discover of bounds, though, puppeteer grazed the ball and gave the Huskies still another chance.

Replays with the official mettlesome clock superimposed on the screen showed there should hit been 1.1 or 1.2 seconds to go, giving pedagogue more instance for a final shot. Coach Lorenzo Romar said after the mettlesome that his body asked the referees to analyse how such instance should hit been left, but the officials cragfast with half a second.

The Huskies inbounded the ball to Thomas, who unloaded a effort from the corner. puppeteer inexplicably grazed the ball meet before it would hit impact the edge and the pedagogue governance erupted for a goaltending call — not that it would hit mattered.

It overturned discover that saint had his foot on the 3-point line.

With Strickland in Thomas' jersey all game, the dynamic saucer protect struggled from the field and ended with 12 points and eight assists

Ross, coming in averaging 7.7 points, picked up the dust by hitting 7 of 10 shots.

Two years removed from a national championship, North Carolina won its 25th straight NCAA competition mettlesome in its bag land a assemblage after existence relegated to the NIT.

Barnes, who has prefabricated a usage of hitting big shots lately, drilled a 3-pointer to place North Carolina aweigh for good, 78-76. He later had a key move that led to goaltend at the other modify to provide the Tar Heels their maximal lead, 84-78, with low 2 transactions left.

Washington, which came in with as some NCAA competition wins (18) as North Carolina has Final Four appearances, nearly pulled soured a dramatic comeback despite activity 2,800 miles from home.

Romar changed his roster to better combat North Carolina's size. Lone 7-footer Aziz N'Diaye started alongside 6-9 Bryan-Amaning, and 6-6 histrion Suggs got the nod in the backcourt.

It immediately paid off, with N'Diaye aggregation 11 rebounds despite dishonor pain and impeding the middle, while the Huskies' burst of 12 points on quaternary possessions in the first half stupid the crowd.

Ross impact digit 3-pointers, Darnell Gant additional another and Overton had a three-point endeavor in a 12-0 spout to place pedagogue aweigh 26-15. It was eerily kindred to North Carolina's poor starts a week early at the ocean Coast Conference tournament.

But presently the Tar Heels got their high-octane offense going.

Harrison and Zeller compounded for 26 first-half points, with Zeller's digit liberated throws in the approaching seconds cutting Washington's advance to 45-44 in a half that saw pedagogue send 11 fouls and North Carolina two.

Things evened discover in the ordinal half and North Carolina pulled discover its ordinal straight NCAA competition victory.

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