North Carolina will get the opportunity for redemption it covets. The Tar Heels ousted Oregon, 77-76, in a national semifinal Saturday in Phoenix.
They will face Gonzaga on Monday for the national championship.
North Carolina, a No. 1 seed, has a chance to avenge its loss to Villanova in last year's final, when Kris Jenkins sank a buzzer-beater to give the Wildcats the championship.
In Gonzaga, the Tar Heels once again face a small school with a mighty basketball program.
They struggled in the first half against Oregon, which was a three-seed, but wore down the Ducks with a relentless two-man attack paced by Kennedy Meeks and Justin Jackson.
Oregon closed within three points in the final minute on a 3-point shot by Tyler Dorsey.
They then got a layup by Keith Smith before fouling Meeks with 5.8 seconds left.
Meeks, a 64 percent shooter from the line, missed both, but North Carolina came down with an offensive rebound.
The Ducks fouled Joel Berry with four seconds left. He missed both but North Carolina's Meeks grabbed the rebound.
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North Carolina improved to 32-7; Oregon completed its season at 33-6.
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The first half was defined by sloppy play.
The Heels went to the locker room with a 39-36 lead but neither school was impressive.
Oregon actually had a 36-32 lead before North Carolina ran off the final seven points of the first 20 minutes.
The Ducks had 12 turnovers, which hurt, particularly as the game headed toward intermission.
