Virginia Tech guard Tyrece Radford (23) shoots the game winning with less than 10 seconds remaining in double OT.(AP Photo/Lee Luther Jr.)
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Tyrece Radford made a short jumper with 0.4 seconds left in the second overtime and Virginia Tech sent North Carolina to its fifth consecutive loss, 79-77, on Wednesday night.
Radford got the ball with the clock winding down after the Tar Heels tied it with 9.7 seconds left, drove into the lane and made his only field goal of the game from in front of the basket for the Hokies (14-5, 5-3 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Landers Nolley scored 22 points and Jalen Cone 18 for the Hokies.
Garrison Brooks scored 28 points and Justin Pierce had 15 for the Tar Heels (8-10, 1-6), who lost their sixth consecutive conference game for the first time in program history. They also kept coach Roy Williams tied with former UNC coach Dean Smith at 879 victories, tied for fourth among Division 1 head coaches.
The Tar Heels, without top scorer Cole Anthony (19.1 ppg) since early December, also played without No. 3 scorer Brandon Robinson (12.1), who the school said continues to suffer from persistent neck pain after a car accident on Jan. 11.
North Carolina had a chance to win it in regulation, but Brooks’ turnaround jumper from just inside the free throw line hit the back rim and missed. They also came up empty at the end of the first overtime with the score at 67-all.
North Carolina forward Armando Bacot shoots. (AP Photo/Lee Luther Jr.)
BIG PICTURE
North Carolina: It was an especially difficult night for guard Andrew Platek, who was jeered whenever he touched the ball with chants of “Airball. Airball” after a poor shot early and seemed somewhat affected. The junior had at least two more airballs to the delight of the crowd and then had a rushed attempt to beat the shot clock rejected by the 6-foot-1 Radford in the second half. Platek finished 2 for 11 from the field.
Virginia Tech: The Hokies didn’t have an especially good night from 3-point range, one of their bread and butters plays this year, except for freshman Cone. He hit two 30 seconds apart in the final minutes to pull Tech within 59-58 and was 6 for 11 on the night. The rest of the Hokies were 8 for 26. The 5-10 guard is now 40 for 72 (55.5%) for the season.
UP NEXT
The Tar Heels return home to face Miami on Saturday.
Virginia Tech heads on the road to face Boston College on Saturday.
___
More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org and http://www.twitter.com/AP_Top25
