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,

North Carolina is headed to the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed and part of the First Four in Dayton after narrowly sneaking in following a disappointing season. Gaining admission to the Big Dance should alleviate some of the heartbreak the Tar Heels felt following a heartbreaking loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

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.

For nearly 48 hours, the North Carolina men’s basketball team had to await its NCAA Tournament fate. After losing to Duke in the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinal round Friday night, UNC (22-13) still sat firmly on the proverbial bubble,