The North Carolina Tar Heels and Alabama Crimson Tide played an early season game Sunday that belonged in March Madness.
This game turned into an endurance slog, as the two teams battled through four overtimes in the Phil Knight Invitational in Portland, Oregon. No. 18 Alabama finally prevailed, 103-101, against No. 1 North Carolina.
Four overtimes is exceptionally rare. How rare? It’s only the second game in NCAA history between two top-20 teams to reach four overtimes. Syracuse defeated UConn in six overtimes in the 2009 Big East Tournament.
Sooner or later, this had to end, and it finally did. The Tar Heels were undone by a turnover on an inbounds pass in the final seconds of the fourth OT. They had a chance to win at the buzzer but missed on a long jumper.
Alabama takes down UNC 103-101 in 4OT! 🏀 pic.twitter.com/C3g0N80R7u
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) November 27, 2022
The basketball world watched in wonder/amazement/amusement as the two teams battled through one OT after another. Color analyst Bill Walton seemed particularly amused by the game in the late going.
Bill Walton with a reasonable take on this UNC-Alabama 4OT game. 🏀😂 pic.twitter.com/qd00s7Jk7o
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 27, 2022
The rest of basketball Twitter also seemed entertained.
“That UNC and Alabama game was stressful and I don’t even like the teams,” tweeted one fan.
That unc and Alabama game was stressful and i don’t even like the teams. 😂
— Ace ♠️ (@AceGalliano) November 28, 2022
Four overtimes later, No. 18 Alabama defeats No. 1 UNC, 103-101.
UNC's Caleb Love finished with 34 points, 9 rebounds and four assists in the losing effort.
The amazing stat, 7 players had four fouls, and no one fouled out, despite the two teams playing 60 minutes.
— Chip Miller (@BLUEChip_Miller) November 28, 2022
That UNC and Alabama game was so lit 😭😭🔥
— looii 🐨 (@_meelaahhhh) November 28, 2022
Could do without watching both UNC & Alabama for a long, long time after how poorly those extra sessions were played & coached.
Love, Davis, Quinerly & Miller required 107 shots to get 88 points.
Where was Bacot at the end?
What a fugaze No. 1 Carolina turned out to be.
— Mike McCurry (@Mike_McCurry16) November 28, 2022
The refs gave that game to Alabama. Several times over. The reverse on the goaltending was just the last straw.
— Joe Houston (@joehouston09) November 27, 2022
Soccer fans watching Alabama UNC go into 4OT be like: “should be a draw innit?”
— AJ Spurr (@SpurrFM) November 27, 2022
The Tar Heels will drop like a rock out of the No. 1 spot after losing to Iowa State Friday and then Alabama Sunday.
