UNC’s Roy Williams blames himself for not reminding team to foul in loss to Clemson
North Carolina’s 59-game home-winning streak against Clemson, which lasted through four arenas and gyms, six national championships, bad, good and great teams, 11 head coaches and hundreds of players, died Saturday evening, Jan. 11, 2020, in the Dean Smith Center.
It was 92 years old.
Since 1928, Clemson had never won in Chapel Hill. That changed Saturday.
The Tigers trailed by 10 points with 2:08 left before storming back.
Down by three points with 12 seconds left, Clemson raced down court and found Clemson forward Aamir Simms wide open for a 3-pointer to tie the game and sent it to overtime. And in overtime, Clemson won 79-76.
As UNC senior Brandon Robinson’s last second 3-pointer at the buzzer clanked off the rim, he fell backwards to the ground and laid there. Silence fell across the Dean Smith Center. And the only sound one could hear was the screaming from Clemson’s players as they celebrated.
Outside the visitors’ locker room, a Clemson assistant coach yelled, “Tiger nation,” and “Can’t beat who,” as he high-fived his players.
After the game, Roy Williams was emotional. He blamed himself for the loss. He said his team should have fouled on Clemson’s last possession in regulation.
“They’re dribbling the ball across the 10-second line, and I said, ‘you didn’t remind them to foul,’ Williams said. “I’ve had some great moments as a coach, and right now I’d say this is my lowest moment because losing this game was my fault.”
“I told them if I die tomorrow, twenty years from now this will be the biggest regret I have in 32 years as a coach because these kids really need a win, and their coach let them down today.”
The Tar Heels are now 8-8, their worst start in Williams’ 16 years with the program. He was one win from passing Dean Smith for fourth-most all time.
But that will have to wait at least another week.
The Tar Heels have also lost three consecutive games, and two after leading by at least nine points at halftime. UNC led Pitt by nine points at halftime, before allowing the Panthers to come back. In that game, Pitt shot 8 of 12 from behind the 3-point line in the second half.
In the second half of this game, the Tigers were 8 of 18 from 3-point range, and forced five turnovers.
“It’s just like little mistakes,” UNC freshman forward Armando Bacot, who scored 21 points, said. “Turnovers, us not getting in help, us helping too much. Little stuff that’s huge in the game.”
Throughout his post-game press conference, Williams kept repeating the same thing.
“I didn’t remind them to foul,” he said, holding back tears.
The Tar Heels led the Tigers for the majority of this game, until those final three seconds when Simms tied the game.
After going up by 10 points, the Tar Heels turned it over three times in the final 1:36, which allowed Clemson to come back. As UNC’s players ran off the court, their heads were low. Some looked as if they had tears in their eyes.
“It’s very tough,” Robinson, who had a career-high 27 points said. “It’s hard to put into words. It’s just what comes with the game.”
The Tar Heels have lost eight of their last 11. They are 1-4 in the ACC.
And at this point, it’s hard to imagine this Tar Heels team making the NCAA tournament.
This story was originally published January 11, 2020 at 8:30 PM.
