North Carolina's furious comeback against Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals came up short after Jae'lyn Withers committed a lane violation on teammate Ven-Allen Lubin's successful second free throw attempt — which had it counted,

Friday had all the makings of a classic win for UNC in a season that can best be described as a disappointment. Then Jae'Lyn Withers stepped over the line — literally. The Tar Heels lost a game-tying free throw against rival Duke,

It has been five years since there was no NCAA Tournament bracket to hold in our hands. There was no Selection Sunday, just a Sunday. There were no games to anticipate. There were no watch parties to plan or trips to hurriedly arrange.

The Tar Heels, who hold a 1-12 record against Quad 1 teams this season, earned a bid despite a poor showing against the country’s top teams.

After a stressful 48 hours following a loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament, the Tar Heels found out their fate for the NCAA Tournament. And they are heading to Dayton. The Tar Heels got into the field as a 12 seed and will be in the First Four game and will face off against San Diego State on Wednesday night.

North Carolina's season will continue in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels (22-13) earned the final at-large spot in the 68-team field when it was announced Sunday evening. North Carolina was in jeopardy of missing the tournament for the second time in three seasons.