USA TODAY Sports' Scott Gleeson breaks down how the North Carolina Tar Heels took down Baylor in the 2nd round of the 2022 NCAA tournament.
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Although defending national champion Baylor and its players will go into the locker room with their heads down and No. 8-seeded North Carolina is exhaling in relief from advancing to the Sweet 16, suffice it to say that the real winners from Saturday's second-round overtime thriller are March Madness fans.
What was seemingly a blowout – in the form of a 25-point lead with 10 minutes remaining – turned into an instant classic that might end up going down as the most exciting game of this NCAA Tournament.
Whether it was a controversial ejection, gutsy plays down the stretch or head-scratching officiating, we're here to examine the defining moments of the game.
1. Brady Manek's controversial ejection
Manek was ejected for elbowing Baylor's Jeremy Sochan in the face – a Flagrant 2 violation – prompting him to head for the locker room with 10:08 left. Play-by-play announcer Brian Anderson said, "Can you imagine if it were a closer game?" The Bears didn't just imagine it, they turned it into their reality and Manek's ejection was the match to that flame in the comeback. Basketball's a game of momentum and at that stage of the ejection, Manek had drilled back-to-back 3-pointers. The Oklahoma transfer big man finished with 26 points without playing the final 10 minutes. Removing him from the game took away UNC's hottest weapon at that moment and gave Baylor the little bit of life the Bears needed to get back into the game.
North Carolina Tar Heels forward Armando Bacot (5) celebrates defeating the Baylor Bears during the second round of the 2022 NCAA Tournament at Dickies Arena.
2. Caleb Love fouling out
While Love wasn't much of an offensive factor in this game – in the same way he was vs. Marquette with a team-high 23 points – he's one of North Carolina's best ball handlers and playmakers that could have helped the Tar Heels keep their composure in a high-pressure situation. Him fouling out with six minutes left played a huge factor in UNC looking so horribly discombobulated in the pivotal stretches of regulation. Baylor smelled UNC's fear and was applying full-court pressure that prompted several turnovers and turned them into baskets right away. North Carolina had 21 turnovers in the game, and it's hard to imagine several of them occurring if Love hadn't fouled out.
3. Jeremy Sochan being a villain
Sochan was the player who got elbowed in the face and prompted Manek to be ejected. He then got tangled up with North Carolina's best player, big man Armando Bacot. That led to a double foul and Sochan's gritty play was a huge factor in spurring the momentum of the game in Baylor's favor. Bacot was missing free throws and not playing like his normal self, a testament to Sochan's play getting into his head. There was one play where Tar Heels former coach Roy Williams was seen frustrated with officials off a play that involved Sochan. Oh, and Sochan banked – yes, banked – a huge 3-pointer in with 31 seconds remaining in regulation to make it 80-77. That ultimately set up the Bears forcing overtime.
4. Matthew Mayer doing Matthew Mayer things late
While Adam Flagler, a key holdover from last year's national title team, was the offensive lightning rod for this team (finishing with 27 points), Mayer did the little things that allowed Baylor to come back in regulation. Mayer's 3-pointer with 3:32 left sliced the deficit to six and there were several attempts where North Carolina was close to rallying and Flagler took momentous charges – drawing offensive fouls to put out UNC's offensive fire while his teammates fueled Baylor's offensive run. He fouled out with a little more than two minutes remaining in overtime, which seemed to be the nail in the coffin for his team.
5. James Akinjo's 3-point plays to force overtime
Akinjo played inspired and have two pivotal 3-point plays in the closing stretch to help Baylor force overtime. His first and-1 came with 1:48 remaining and made the score a single possession game at 76-73. Then his next and-1 tied the game at 80 with 15 seconds remaining – the play that forced overtime. That second 3-point play is even more clutch considering the Bears were down three and so many players would have jacked up a contested 3-pointer. Instead, the seasoned guard read the defense and drove the lane to make the bucket with the foul.
6. R.J. Davis' 3-point play as UNC goes cold in OT
Davis was set to be coronated as the hero of this game, no matter how North Carolina won. At first, it looked like his hot shooting – which included five 3-pointers – was what would be heralded in a blowout win. Alas, Baylor stormed back to ruin his barrage of shooting. Yet it was Davis' 3-point play with 1:18 remaining in overtime that gave UNC a definitive six-point cushion to help the Tar Heels pull away for the win. Baylor finished 1-for-11 in the extra frame, but it was that momentous play that silenced the Bears' efforts for good. Davis finished with 30 points and his play was written all over this March Madness upset.