March Madness 2022: North Carolina routs Arizona to reach Sweet 16

North Carolina’s gamers locked arms and kicked in unison because the band performed the varsity struggle track in an otherwise-deflated McKale Heart. The kick line broke aside, delivering a mosh pit of dancing, the small contingent of followers in energy blue roaring in approval.

Courtney Banghart’s rebuilding challenge has been fast-tracked — and it certain feels candy.

Kennedy Todd-Williams scored 19 factors, Deja Kelly added 15 and North Carolina overwhelmed Arizona 63-45 Monday evening to achieve the Candy 16 for the primary time in seven years.

“It is outstanding,” mentioned Banghart, her hair drenched from the locker room celebration. “Led by Deja, they actually needed to take an opportunity with this system in a little bit of turmoil. We needed to sort of piece it collectively as a result of it is early in our rebirth and these guys labored actually onerous.”

Banghart left Princeton to take over a North Carolina program preventing by a tumultuous interval after Sylvia Hatchell resigned in 2019.

She rapidly molded the Tar Heels again right into a nationwide energy, taking them to the NCAA Match in her second season.

Seeded fifth within the Greensboro Area this yr, the Tar Heels (25-6) wanted a giant fourth quarter to beat in Stephen F. Austin of their opener on Saturday, however smothered Arizona from the beginning. North Carolina went on a 15-0 run to steer by 9 at halftime, then stretched it 20 with a dominating third quarter.

The Tar Heels held Arizona (22-7) to 29% capturing, together with 7 from 27 from 3, to earn a spot within the regional semifinals Friday towards No. 1 total seed South Carolina.

“Our coaches mentioned to construct a wall earlier than this sport and that is precisely what we did,” mentioned Todd-Williams, who had seven rebounds and 5 assists. “We performed collectively and performed with plenty of vitality.”

No. 4 Arizona had a disjointed begin for the second straight NCAA Match sport at McKale Heart. Not like their comeback towards UNLV, the Wildcats had no reply for the Tar Heels.

Arizona went by lengthy scoring droughts in every half and had nothing left to mount a comeback, following up final yr’s run to the nationwide title sport with a second-round dud in entrance of 8,333 followers.

Senior Sam Thomas led Arizona with 15 factors.

“I actually felt like coming into this sport we might have extra a way of urgency total as a result of we had some expertise final yr,” Arizona coach Adia Barnes mentioned. “That was the disappointing factor for me, to not be capable of lock in and the psychological errors.”

The Wildcats had been jittery early towards UNLV of their first house NCAA Match sport since 1998, permitting the Woman Rebels to hold round earlier than lastly pulling away with a dominating fourth quarter.

Arizona had an analogous begin towards North Carolina. This time, it saved spiraling.

Disjointed and tentative towards North Carolina’s amoebic zone, the Wildcats shot 3 of 14, had 4 turnovers and did not rating over the ultimate 5:19 of the primary quarter.

Arizona’s offensive struggles continued, including seven extra missed photographs till Thomas hit a 3-pointer with 3:52 left within the second quarter. North Carolina took benefit of the Arizona clanging, scoring the primary 9 factors of the quarter to stretch a five-point result in 23-9.

North Carolina held the Wildcats to 6-of-26 capturing 4 of 16 from 3 within the first half to steer 28-17.

“Our guys had been actual disciplined and it’s important to be to beat a very good staff on the highway,” Banghart mentioned.

Arizona and its crowd got here out of halftime with a refreshed vitality. The Tar Heels weathered the early burst — the Wildcats lower the result in seven — and pushed again. North Carolina closed the primary half on a 15-2 run, capped by Kelly’s three-point play, to stretch the result in 47-27.

Arizona had a scoreless drought of greater than 5 minutes spanning the third and fourth quarters, all however ending its hopes of consecutive journeys to the Candy 16.

“We did not actually play that nicely, we did not look hungry on the ground,” mentioned Arizona’s Bendu Yeaney, who had 10 factors. “This can be a bitter second.”

THOMAS’ FINALE

Thomas arrived at Arizona when this system was down, successful six video games her freshman season. She and Cate Reese helped the Wildcats rise right into a nationwide powerhouse and shared a protracted hug after her last sport at McKale Heart.

“These followers and this staff have been every thing to me,” she mentioned, preventing again tears.

BIG PICTURE

North Carolina carried a dominating fourth quarter towards Stephen F. Austin right into a hostile setting a blew out a staff that spent a very good portion of the season ranked within the high 10.

Barnes lamented her staff’s lack of a go-to scorer after beating UNLV. It confirmed towards North Carolina because the Wildcats missed shot after shot.