I can’t sugarcoat it; this game hurt. A loss is never going to feel good, but a loss to a rival is going to sting even more, and the way this one was lost is like pouring salt into a wound that was ripped open by a rusty knife.
It. Hurt.
The final ten minutes will obscure what was a great game in a lot of ways. Despite numerous obstacles, Carolina went into the fourth quarter not only with the lead, but a feeling that they had control. Just like Cal and Louisville, though, that lead evaporated.