CHAPEL HILL – As Jalen Washington was stretched out on the Smith Center floor yelling so loud in pain people in the upper deck of the massive facility could hear him, fear rushed through his mind.

And most onlookers, too.

Not just because Washington was injured and in obvious discomfort, but the prospect that he could again deal with a bad knee injury that caused him to miss his senior year in high school and barely play as a freshman.

The fear was real.

“Yes, of course,” Washington said after North Carolina’s 102-96 overtime win over Boston College, a game he scored 18 points and grabbed 6 rebounds.

Washington was defending BC big man Chad Venning, who juked and went by Washington as the 6-foot-10 UNC junior fell to the floor. Venning scored and the officials stopped the game to attend to Washington. The score was 91-91.

Concern over what happened with Washington hit UNC Coach Hubert Davis’ mind.

"I didn't see the play,” he said. “My hope that it wasn't his (right) knee, which it isn't. And so that just scared me, with the history of his injuries, and in particular the knee. So, with him not getting up quickly, that's the first thing that went through my mind. But I'm thankful it wasn't that and I'm thankful that he's good."

Washington was helped off the court and went back through the tunnel to get looked at.

“I’m all good,” he said. “I just landed in an awkward position. I have some pain and discomfort, but the docs said everything is all good structurally so I’m all good.”

In fact, he was ready to get back to the bench to join his teammates, but didn’t quite make it. So, by the time interviews took place, Washington still hadn’t seen how the Tar Heels pulled away. He did hear it, though.

“I was getting ready to try and come back out here to finish the game, but I heard the crowd yelling and I saw the score,” he said. “But I didn’t see any of the last couple minutes.”