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WATCH: Amazing play lifts North Carolina past UCLA in upset win

Chandler Vesselsby:Chandler Vessels•03/25/22•

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Caleb Love wasn’t going to let North Carolina be knocked out of the NCAA Tournament against UCLA on Friday. With his team trailing 64-61 with about 1:30 left to play in the Sweet Sixteen, Love drilled a 3-pointer to tie the game.

Just one possession after hitting that shot, Love drained another from deep to give the Tar Heels a 67-64 lead with less than a minute to go. They would carry that momentum the rest of the game on their way to a 71-66 victory to advance to the Elite Eight.

After scoring just three points in the first half, Love delivered 27 second half points to finish with a team-high 30. In addition to making both the game-tying and go-ahead 3-point baskets, he calmly nailed a pair of free throws with eight seconds remaining to secure the win.

“He’s been fantastic all season, not just tonight,” Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said of Love postgame. “One of the things I love about Caleb is his confidence and competitive nature. He always wants to be in big-time moments and make big-time plays, and he did that tonight. At the end of the day, especially in the NCAA Tournament, you just need guys to step up. It has nothing to do with coaching. It’s all about players. Caleb Love was absolutely fantastic.”

North Carolina’s Armando Bacot finished the game with 14 points and 15 rebounds despite dealing with a back injury. UNC shot 40.9% from the floor as a team and 32.3% from 3-point range in the win. The game was largely back-and-forth during the second half, with neither squad leading by more than eight points.

The Tar Heels now move on to the Elite Eight, where they will face Saint Peter’s on Sunday. The 15-seeded Peacocks have enjoyed a true Cinderella run through the NCAA Tournament, taking out Kentucky, Murray State and Purdue. Now they set their sights on North Carolina, who have completed upsets of their own against Baylor and now UCLA.