University of North Carolina Athletics
Best Games Of 2014-15: No. 5
July 13, 2015 | Women's Basketball
Once again this July, GoHeels.com will count down the top 25 wins of the school year. Check back around noon EDT each weekday for the latest update before the No. 1 win is revealed on July 17. To catch up on previous entries, click here.
No. 5: Carolina 86, Ohio State 84 (NCAA Second Round) - Women's Basketball, March 23, 2015
After surviving a dangerous Liberty team in the opening round of the 2015 NCAA Championship, the fourth-seeded Carolina women's basketball team hosted fifth-seeded Ohio State for a spot in the Sweet 16. Just as they had against another Big Ten squad (Michigan State) in 2014, the Tar Heels largely dominated the second round affair and were in position to cruise into a rematch with top-seeded South Carolina.
Behind a dominant interior performance from Stephanie Mavunga, who had 18 of her 27 points before halftime, Carolina led by as many as 23 in the opening 20 minutes. The Tar Heels turned the ball over just twice in the first half, outrebounded the Buckeyes by five and limited the visitors to just 1-of-10 shooting from distance. Even after Ameryst Alston scored the final five points of the half, UNC still led 50-32 and looked to be in good shape.
An Allisha Gray three-point play just more than five minutes into the second half pushed the Carolina advantage to 20 before Ohio State began an improbable rally. The first 10 points went slowly, with Kelsey Mitchell's 3 at the 5:17 mark finally getting the Buckeyes within single digits. OSU then outscored UNC 13-4 over the next five minutes, and Mitchell's third 3 of the half tied the game at 82 with just 39 seconds left.
Carolina put the ball in Latifah Coleman's hands on its next possession and, with the shot clock winding down, the senior buried a jumper from the wing to put the Tar Heels in front by two. But Ohio State answered with a pair of free throws from Mitchell to set up the most dramatic finish to a UNC tournament game since Charlotte Smith won the 1994 NCAA title.
With 5.1 seconds remaining, freshman Jamie Cherry took an inbound pass in stride at the OSU free throw line extended. The speedy guard needed just four dribbles to get to the right wing, and her floater was pure. It gave Carolina an 86-84 lead, and the Buckeyes were unable to get a desperation shot off.
After the game, head coach Sylvia Hatchell called the decision to put Cherry in the game for the final shot "divine intervention". It was Cherry's second buzzer beater of March, following a 40-footer to tie Louisville in the ACC Tournament. The Tar Heels would eventually fall to the Cardinals in overtime, but Cherry's second answered prayer put Carolina into the Sweet 16 for the 15th time in school history.
Previous Entries
No. 6: No. 4 Carolina 12, No. 1 Denver 10 - Men's Lacrosse, Feb. 27, 2015
No. 7: Carolina 45, No. 25 Duke 20 - Football, Nov. 20, 2014
No. 8: No. 13 Carolina 4, No. 3 Illinois 3 (NCAA Round of 16) - Men's Tennis, May 14, 2015
No. 9: Carolina 2, No. 7 Clemson 1 (NCAA Round of 16): Men's Soccer, Nov. 30, 2014
No. 10: LeHardy Leads Carolina To ACC Title - Women's Cross Country, Oct. 31, 2014
No. 11: No. 6 Carolina 96, No. 18 Rutgers 93 (2 OT) - Women's Basketball, Dec. 4, 2014
No. 12: No. 8 Carolina 3, No. 3 Florida State 1 - Volleyball, Nov. 14, 2014
No. 13: No. 1 Carolina 2, No. 2 Connecticut 1 - Field Hockey, Sept. 28, 2014
No. 14: Carolina 7, No. 24 Notre Dame 3 (8 inn.) - Softball, April 26, 2015
No. 15: No. 17 Carolina 5, No. 21 Georgia Tech 3 - Baseball, March 20, 2015
No. 16: No. 9 Carolina 3, No. 18 Notre Dame 2 (2 OT) - Women's Soccer, Sept. 20, 2014
No. 17: No. 19 Carolina 71, No. 3 Virginia 67 (ACC Tournament) - Men's Basketball, March 14, 2015
No. 18: No. 16 Carolina 4, No. 9 Duke 3 (ACC Championship) - Men's Tennis, April 24, 2015
No. 19: No. 4 Carolina 17, No. 2 Syracuse 15 - Men's Lacrosse, April 11, 2015
No. 20: No. 2 Carolina 4, No. 12 Virginia 3 - Women's Tennis, April 10, 2015
No. 21: No. 14 Carolina 1, No. 7 Penn State 0 (2 OT) - Women's Soccer, Sept. 9, 2014
No. 22: No. 2 Carolina 12, No. 3 Duke 6 - Women's Lacrosse, April 17, 2015
No. 23: Carolina 15, No. 9 Georgia 9 - Softball, April 2, 2015
No. 24: Carolina 17, No. 12 Virginia 16 - Wrestling, Feb. 7, 2015
No. 25: Tar Heels Sweep Virginia in Charlottesville - Swimming and Diving, Jan. 24, 2015
