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The Run Ends

Theo Pinson's tears late in UNC's loss Sunday tells the whole story about how the Tar Heels played versus Texas A&M.
Theo Pinson's tears late in UNC's loss Sunday tells the whole story about how the Tar Heels played versus Texas A&M. (USA Today)

CHARLOTTE – North Carolina's amazing run came to an end Sunday at Spectrum Center, derailed by a two-headed monster from the southwest.

One head belonged to Tyler Davis, a mammoth big man for whom the Tar Heels had no answers, and the other a collection of perimeter shooters who haven’t exactly been constants for Texas A&M this season.

But like has been the case so often this year, poor 3-point shooters turned into Reggie Miller when facing Carolina, and coupled with UNC’s struggles defending the paint is why the Heels are headed home after falling, 86-65, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

And with it, Joel Berry and Theo Pinson have played their last games as Tar Heels.

“There's a hundred things I could say, and yet there's not a lot to say,” UNC Coach Roy Williams said. “We got beat by a team that played better than we did. Got beat by a team that the coach, head coach coached better than I did.

“These two guys (Berry and Pinson) up here have given me so many thrills and taken me on so many unbelievable rides. That's the overwhelming feeling that I have right now.”

Berry and Pinson conclude their careers with a postseason record of 24-6, going 14-3 in the NCAA Tournament with two national title game appearances taking home the championship last year. They were 10-3 in the ACC Tournament reaching the championship game three times and winning it in 2016.

A poor perimeter shooting team, Texas A&M rained 3s on the Tar Heels.
A poor perimeter shooting team, Texas A&M rained 3s on the Tar Heels. (USA Today)
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But it ended on this night because of an eruption unlike anything the Heels had experienced all season.

Carolina shot out of a cannon at the outset, playing aggressively on both ends of the floor stripping balls and forcing rushed shots on defense while converting and spreading the wealth on offense. Owning a 20-13 lead with 11:37 left in the half was a good look and there was no reason to figure things would go as far south as they did.

But that’s also when Pinson came out of the game for the first time, and just like that, Carolina’s offense lost its flow and assertiveness. On defense, the Aggies went inside to Davis (18 points), and one of the nation’s worst perimeter shooting teams went way out of character.

The result: A 15-0 A&M run that grew to 19-2, and by the time halftime arrived, A&M had outscored UNC 29-8 over that final 11:37.

UNC made just 3 of 17 shots in the stretch while A&M converted 12 of 17 from the floor and doubled up the Heels on the glass. Halftime score: A&M 42, UNC 28.

“At the start of the game, we were getting to the basket, being aggressive, and that's what we wanted to do,” said Berry, who led UNC with 21 points. “And then we just started settling for outside shots and, you know, the 3 wasn't going in… On the defense end for us, their big guys got going and it was just tough.”

The Tar Heels had no answers for Tyler Davis.
The Tar Heels had no answers for Tyler Davis. (USA Today)

The Heels overcame a 19-0 run by N.C State at State in February and last week cruised past Miami after spotting the Hurricanes a 14-0 lead in the ACC Tournament.

But that wasn’t happening in the Queen City, even though the 14-point halftime deficit didn’t appear insurmountable until A&M ballooned the margin to 20 points less than two minutes into the second half on two more 3-pointers. Only a miracle would save the Tar Heels at that point, but it never happened.

And a team known for its grit, resilience, and competitiveness never made the push it and so many others from the program have in the past.

Really, the gory details are in the gruesome box score:

*A&M was 10-24 from 3 after starting out 8-16, while UNC was 6-31, but was 2-24 at one point.

*UNC held a 12-9 advantage on the glass at one point, but A&M ended up with a 50-36 edge.

*A&M shot 51.7 percent overall from the floor, UNC shot 33.3 percent.

So UNC’s season has come to an end. Berry’s and Pinson’s careers have come to an end.

And the ride has come to an end. Kenny Williams summed it up.

“I feel like we had more, (but) it was one of those days.”

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