Oregon heartbreak: North Carolina holds off Ducks 77-76
GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) – Kennedy Meeks capped off his career night with an offensive rebound that helped North Carolina hold off Oregon 77-76 and return to the NCAA championship game, where its title hopes got dashed at the buzzer last season.
Meeks, a senior, matched his career high with 25 points. But it was his 14th rebound that saved Saturday night’s game for North Carolina (32-7).
Clinging to a one-point lead with 5.8 seconds left, the Tar Heels missed four straight free throws, but grabbed the rebounds after both of the misses on the back half. Meeks got the last one and threw the ball outside to allow the Tar Heels to eliminate the Ducks (33-6).
North Carolina moves on to play Gonzaga in the title game Monday. Last year in the same game, the Tar Heels fell when Villanova’s Kris Jenkins hit a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the win.
The Tar Heels will be seeking their sixth NCAA Tournament championship and third under coach Roy Williams.
North Carolina went 14-4 in the ACC to capture the conference’s regular season title, but slumped a bit ahead of the NCAA Tournament. They went 2-2 going into the tourney, including a loss to in-state rivals Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals.
Despite that, they still captured the South Region’s No. 1 seed, setting a record with their 16th such seeding.
The Oregon Ducks overcame the loss of shot-blocking forward Chris Boucher to an ACL tear in the Pac-12 tournament to make their first Final Four since winning the inaugural NCAA Tournament in 1939.
The Ducks ended Michigan’s run in the Sweet 16 and then upset No. 1 seed Kansas in the Midwest Region final to reach the Final Four.
No matter who wins Monday night, there will be a new national champion. Defending national champion Villanova was eliminated in the round of 32 by Wisconsin. The last back-to-back NCAA champion was Florida in 2006 and 2007.
