By R.L. Bynum

It’s been a draining season for North Carolina basketball fans, with lots of last-second drama that has undoubtedly created plenty of heart palpitations.

The men’s and women’s teams have combined for 14 one-possession games. Woody Durham used to say that fans need to “go where they go and do what they do” when the game is on the line. UNC fans who have followed that advice have made frequent trips.

While it’s been a season-long dynamic for Coach Hubert Davis’ team (15–11, 8–6 ACC), which has endured decidedly more struggles but is 6–4 in such games, it’s a recent trend for Coach Courtney Banghart’s No. 9 Tar Heels (24–4, 11–3).

After the women only had three one-possession games last season, they have had four this season — all coming in the last six games (UNC is 3–1 in those games). Sunday’s 66-65 home victory over N.C. State wasn’t decided until the Tar Heels forced Azaiah James to turn the ball over as time expired.

Carolina has played four consecutive games decided by five points or fewer for the first time since December 1987.

The four women’s wins weren’t put away until last-second defensive stops, and the loss came when they couldn’t get a stop, and Florida State hit a last-second buzzer-beater.

The 10 one-possession men’s games are the most for UNC since the 3-pointer was added in the 1986–87 season. Saturday’s game at Syracuse looked like it would be added to the list when UNC led by two with a minute left before the Tar Heels won 88–82.

Carolina’s six one-possession men’s wins are the second-most in the 3-pointer era behind eight in the 2010–11 season.

For the men’s team, you could easily wonder what its NCAA tournament chances would be if the four losses were wins. Conversely, the six wins could have easily been losses to eliminate any shot at making the field.

There has been historic heartbreak for UNC’s men.

When the Tar Heels lost consecutive one-point games at home against Stanford and Wake Forest, it was only the fourth time that had happened in program history. The others were in the 1929–30 season (Loyola Chicago and Duke), 1940–41 (Fordham and St. Joseph’s) and 1967–68 (South Carolina and Duke).

One-possession game madness

Men’s games

UNC is 6-4 in 10 one-possession games and had a 106–96 OT home win vs. Boston College.
Wins:
92–90 vs. Dayton on Nov. 25 at Maui
— Dayton’s Malachi Smith missed the front end of a one-and-one with 1 second left.

68–65 vs. Georgia Tech on Dec. 7
— A layup by the Jackets’ Naithan George at the buzzer cut their deficit to three after a pair of Ian Jackson free throws with six seconds to go put the game away.
76–74 vs. UCLA on Dec. 21 in New York
— Against tough defense from Cadeau, UCLA’s Sebastian Mack missed a potential game-tying shot in the final seconds.
74–73 at Notre Dame on Jan. 4
—Cadeau converted a four-point play with four seconds left, then played tough defense to force Markus Burton to miss a driving shot at the buzzer.

63–61 at N.C. State on Jan. 11
—Jalen Washington’s dunk gave UNC a two-point lead with 24 seconds left, then he blocked Jaden Taylor’s potential game-tying shot at the buzzer.

67–66 win vs. Pittsburgh on Feb. 8
—Davis’ jumper with 52 seconds left puts UNC up by one, and the Panthers’ Ishmael Leggett missed a potential game-winning shot at the buzzer.
Losses:
92–89 at Kansas on Nov. 8
— Cadeau missed a potential game-tying 3-pointer at the buzzer.
94–91 in overtime vs. Michigan State on Nov. 27 in Maui
— Cadeau missed a layup attempt with 19 seconds left in regulation; Davis’ 3-pointer with one second left in OT cut UNC’s deficit to three.
72–71 vs. Stanford on Jan. 18
— Stanford’s Jalen Blakes hit a short step-back jumper with 1.5 seconds left.
67–66 at Wake Forest on Jan. 21
— Davis’ 3-pointer with one second left cut UNC’s deficit to one.

Women’s games

UNC is 3-1 in one-possession games and had a 53–46 OT win over Duke.
Wins:
69–67 at Stanford on Feb. 2
— Stanford’s Nunu Agara missed a shot with three seconds left.
53–51 at Clemson on Feb. 9
— UNC intercepted an inbounds pass in the final seconds.
66–65 win vs. N.C. State on Sunday
— UNC forced Aziaha James into a turnover as time expires.
Loss:
86–84 vs. Florida State on Jan. 26
—The Seminoles’ Ta’Niya Latson scored on a drive at the buzzer.

Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics