Las Vegas Sun

March 29, 2024

UNC comes back from 18 down to top UT Martin 60-58

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Xylina McDaniel scored the go-ahead basket off an offensive rebound with 56 seconds remaining to help fourth-seeded North Carolina overcome an 18-point second half deficit and defeat UT Martin 60-58 on Sunday in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

McDaniel scored 14 points, even converting a shot from sitting on the floor under the basket.

Karisma Tyson had a chance to win the game for UT Martin but her 3-pointer was off the mark.

North Carolina trailed 50-32 with 10:51 left in the game when Diamond DeShields ignited a 15-0 run. DeShields, the conference's freshman player of the year, had 13 of her 15 points during the second half.

Heather Butler finished with 19 points for UT Martin, tying the all-time NCAA career record for career 3-pointers made. Butler finished her career with 392 3s, tying the mark set by Kansas State's Laurie Koehn in 2005.

After the game, fans were forced to stay inside Carmichael Arena after police announced there was an armed and dangerous person near the campus.

UT Martin was looking to become only the seventh No. 13 seed to advance to the second round.

And for a while it looked like they would.

UT Martin seemed to surprise the taller Tar Heels with their speed and ability to get to the basket in the early going.

Led by Butler, who had 13 points at the break, UT Martin was 6 of 13 from 3-point range in the first half to build a 35-22 lead at the break. UNC was just 1 of 10 from 3-point range in the first half.

UT Martin held DeShields was 0 for 4 from the field in the first half. However, she had 11 points during her team's crucial 15-0 run.

But she didn't have the play of the game.

With North Carolina leading 54-53 with three minutes to go, McDaniel wound up on the floor going for an offensive rebound.

The ball fell into her hands.

She looked around momentarily and then threw the ball off the glass and into the basket. She smiled and laughed as she got up and ran back down the floor.

UT Martin wasn't done though.

Jasmine Newsome knocked down a 3-point with 1:15 left in the game to tie it at 58.

But when Latifah Coleman missed a jump shot, McDaniel was there for the put back and the go ahead points, helping salvage UNC's season.

They will move on to face No. 5 Michigan State in the second round on Tuesday.

The game was delayed at the start of the second half because the scoreboard at Carmichael Arena had to be lowered to the floor to fix a buzzing noise in the sound system. It took about 15 minutes to fix the problem.

The delay didn't seem to bother UT Martin.

They stayed hot in the second half working the ball inside to Ashia Jones, who seemed to score at will in the low post. She finished with 18 points and eight rebounds.

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