Jae'Lyn Withers explains what went wrong on lane violation vs. Duke

A controversial lane violation by North Carolina‘s Jae’Lyn Withers in the final seconds of UNC’s semifinal loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament made headlines on Friday. Duke would go on to defeat the Tar Heels 74-71, leading many online to point the finger at Withers for his team’s loss.

The lane violation came as the Tar Heels were trying to tie the game in the final seconds of regulation. UNC guard Ven-Allen Lubin missed his first shot at the free-throw line, and sunk the second for what would have tied the game at 72. Instead, Withers was called for the lane violation. The point was waived off, and Duke was awarded the ball.

“I guess you could say that I mistimed the [free throw] shot to secure the rebound in case he did miss,” Withers said alongside his head coach, Hubert Davis, after the game. “The emotions following was just the sense of disbelief, initially. Following that, of course I’m going to be upset. But the game was over.”

North Carolina trailed by as much as 24 points at one point in the game. However, the Tar Heels never gave up, and went on a 13-4 run to conclude the game. Their historic comeback bid ended up falling just short.

Davis was arm-in-arm with Withers talking to local media postgame. He said that North Carolina doesn’t make the run they do since February without Withers’ efforts. Withers emotions after the game are indicative of the work him and his teammates put in to get the Tar Heels to that point.

“It [represents] all of our spirits because we are a team,” Davis said of Withers’ emotions. “This is not individuals. This is University of North Carolina basketball team, so when we win together — when we win, we win together. When we lose, we lose together.”

It’s a tricky loss for the Tar Heels, as they’re teetering along a fine line within the NCAA Tournament bubble this season. A win over Duke in the semifinal of the ACC Tournament, with or without Cooper Flagg, would have been a massive victory for UNC’s March Madness resume. Not to mention it would have led to an ACC Championship game berth.

A conference tournament title would have solved all of the Tar Heels’ bubble issues. Instead, they’ll have to let their body of work this season do the talking in the selection committee’s war room.