Tar Heels hold off Oregon 77-76 to advance to championship game

North Carolina earned the right to avenge last year’s championship game loss by holding off the Oregon Ducks, 77-76, in the nightcap of the two Final Four semifinal games. The Tar Heels of Roy Williams will play Gonzaga Monday night for the title. The Zags got by South Carolina 77-73 in the early game to punch their ticket to Monday night.

The Ducks missed 15 of their eighteen 3-point shot attempts and it was their undoing as North Carolina dominated the boards. Despite each team having 43 rebounds, North Carolina big man Kennedy Meeks controlled the inside against the Ducks’ front court. The senior led the Tar Heels with 25 points and snagged 14 rebounds.

Tyler Dorsey led the Ducks with 21 points, while Dylan Ennis had 18 points, six rebounds and three assists.

North Carolina still gave Oregon multiple chances late to pull off the upset win by missing four straight free throws in the final seconds of the game. UNC was clinging to a 1-point lead but could not put the game away. But Oregon couldn’t grab a rebound against the larger Tar Heels for a last second attempt at the win.