You can’t soften the blow of this one. It’s not the worst loss in Carolina history, and it doesn’t even really make the list when you go through some of the most painful losses in this rivalry alone, but it’s a game that likely ends UNC’s NCAA Tournament hopes, and that hurts.
It almost would have been better to have been blown out, but just like every other game this season, this Carolina team gave you hope that they could clear that hurdle. Once again, though, they wilted and couldn’t get out of their own way.
I’ve used this analogy so many times but this season was the living embodiment of Charlie Brown trying to kick the football with Lucy holding.