North Carolina guard Larry Drew II (11) forces a layup past Mississippi State forward Jarvis Varnado (32) in the final seconds to help the Tar Heels win their NIT college basketball game in Starkville, Miss., Saturday, March 20, 2010. North Carolina won 76-74. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
Mar 20, 2010
Larry Drew II kept North Carolina alive in the postseason.
He hit a shot over center Jarvis Varnado with 2 seconds to play to give the Tar Heels a 76-74 victory over Mississippi State on Saturday in the second round of the NIT.
The 6-foot-2 point guard drove to the basket and was able to get the shot over the 6-9 Varnado, who was second in the nation this season with 4.8 blocks per game.
"I saw Jarvis on my right, and I just wanted to give it a chance to go in," Drew said. "It was all instinct. I just wanted to get a shot off."
Will Graves made a contested 3-pointer — his fourth of the game — with 31 seconds left to give the Tar Heels a 74-72, Barry Stewart tied it for the Bulldogs (24-12) with two free throws, setting the stage for Drew's game-winner.
"After they hit their free throws, I told Larry just to push it," UNC coach Roy Williams said.
He did just that, sending a high-arcing, left-hander over Varnado, the NCAA's career blocks leader.
"He was coming at me, and I knew he was going to take the shot," MSU center Jarvis Varnado said." He made one hell of a layup, give him credit."
North Carolina (18-16) will face either UAB or North Carolina State on Tuesday, with a trip to New York and the semifinals on the line.
Mississippi State was only able to get off a halfcourt heave at the final buzzer.
Graves was 6 of 10 from the field, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc. John Henson had 12 points and eight rebounds for the Tar Heels.
Stewart led the Bulldogs with 18 points while Dee Bost and Varnado added 14 points each and Ravern Johnson had 13.
The Bulldogs opened the game on a 16-4 run, but UNC adjusted quickly on defense and roared back to take a 20-19 lead on a layup by Leslie McDonald. The Tar Heels led 36-33 at the half.
Rank: Sports Legend First, where in the h3ll was this intensity from Carolina during the rest of the season??!!
Rank: Veteran 
Rank: Pro - Posted by Common Sense Man- Posted by TurheelA lock? Ha!- Posted by Common Sense Man
Who do you see knocking them out prior to the FF? Just curious.
BTW, UNC is heading South again. This time Birmimgham. UAB is is embarrassing the Pack.
Any team remaining in their bracket.
Rank: Sports Legend - Posted by jajajeeunitI guess they answered whether they deserved to be in the NIT and whether Miss. St. deserved to be in the big danc
No, they did not answer that question. Read the post right above yours. NC State beat Duke, I guess that answers a lot of questions too, right?
Rank: Sports Legend - Posted by TruthBKnown Returns- Posted by jajajeeunitTBK! Hey! We're not lucky - even you have to admit that was a bogus foul on Ginyard. Luck had nothing to do with the outcome of this game.
UNC is lucky to even be in this tournament.
There's nothing lucky about it. Money makes the world go around, and each Carolina win means RATINGS for the NIT. It's the truth. That's why they got invited in the first place. As much as it pains me to admit this, without them in it, NOBODY cares about the NIT besides the fans of the schools that are in it.
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