ONE year after a heartbreaking loss to Villanova at this same stage, the Tar Heels beat Gonzaga, 71-65, in a choppy, back-and-forth title game. This year, it was the Tar Heels that made clutch plays down the stretch and spilled out onto the court in celebration.

    Playing in its 11th NCAA tournament final, North Carolina won its sixth national title, and third under Roy Williams, who is rapidly rising toward a potential spot on the Mount Rushmore of college basketball coaches.

    The game was far from a classic — until the final five minutes. A foul-riddled second half put both teams in the bonus midway through the second period, and neither squad could hit a jump shot. Some of the most exciting plays were scraps for loose balls and, regrettably, controversial calls.

    But with the game tight down the stretch, the final minutes were as nerve-racking as any. Up one point with under a minute to play, Kennedy Meeks fought for a loose ball, and claimed it via a jump ball and the possession arrow — though his hand looked to be out of bounds while he was touching the ball. Isaiah Hicks then made a clutch shot driving to his right to put North Carolina up three.

    Not one, but two subsequent defensive plays won the game for UNC. Kennedy Meeks rejected Nigel Williams-Goss’ shot, and Justin Jackson’s dunk with 12 seconds left put the Tar Heels up five.

    North Carolina’s shooting all game was horrendous. It went 4 for 27 from beyond the arc, and made just 36 percent of its total field goal attempts. It missed 11 free throws. Gonzaga’s 3-point shooting was much better, but it couldn’t score around the rim.

    The Tar Heels stifled Przemek Karnowski all game. They bodied him up, bumped him, crowded him, and kept him away from the rim. His off-balance shots often found glass and rim, but not the bottom of the net. The big Pole finished with nine points on 1-of-8 shooting.

    Joel Berry, injured ankle and all, was the star for Carolina, and won the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player award. He kept the Tar Heels in the game with 22 points two days after going 2-for-14 from the field against Oregon. He was the only North Carolina player who could hit outside shots in the first half, and he put them through in a tight second half, too.

    Berry and defense won the game for the Tar Heels. They held Gonzaga to 0.88 points per possession, and 12-for-40 from 2-point range.

    Gonzaga led for much of the first half, but couldn’t pull away despite hot shooting. That failure came back to haunt the Zags in the second half.(SD-Agencies)