GREENVILLE, S.C. -- In time the Arkansas Razorbacks will be able to look back fondly on this season that included winning 26 games and returning to the NCAA Tournament.
Sunday night wasn't that time.
Not after North Carolina scored the final 12 points and beat the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, 72-65 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to advance to a Sweet 16 matchup against Butler in Memphis.
"We've worked hard, waking up at 6 a.m. since June," Razorbacks junior guard Daryl Macon said. "When you work that hard and you go out there and lose like that, it hurts. It hurts deep down.
"It's like we deserved to go to the Sweet 16, but I guess it just wasn't meant to be."
Macon (leg cramps) and junior guards Jaylen Barford (ankle) and Anton Beard (ankle) had to leave for physical reasons during the second half, but they all returned to the game.
"Everybody was giving it their all," senior center Moses Kingsley said.
Beard missed a three-point shot with 12 seconds left and North Carolina leading 68-65.
"To tell you the truth, I thought I'd made it when I shot it," Beard said. "I had a good look and I thought it was a good shot.
"My teammates told me it was a good shot, too. But that's the way it goes. Sometimes you just come up a little short."
Senior guard Dusty Hannahs said there was no consolation in playing such a competitive game against the No. 1 seed Tar Heels.
"We had them right where we wanted them," Hannahs said. "We just didn't finish them off."
North Carolina (29-7) has six seniors and juniors -- led by ACC Player of the Year Justin Jackson -- who started or played significant roles on last season's team that reached the NCAA Tournament title game before losing 77-74 to Villanova.
Four Razorbacks -- Beard, Kingsley, senior guard Manny Watkins and junior forward Dustin Thomas -- had played limited minutes in a combined three NCAA Tournament games before this season.
Beard, Kingsley and Watkins played 77 minutes in the 2015 NCAA Tournament against Wofford and North Carolina. Thomas played 18 minutes for Colorado against Pittsburgh in the 2014 NCAA Tournament.
Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said the Razorbacks' lack of NCAA Tournament background showed in the final minutes.
"We did some things that an inexperienced team does in this format," Anderson said. "Because you've got to remember, this is a one-and-done. It's over with.
"It's different pressure than the SEC Tournament or a regular-season game."
Jackson said it was a relief to beat Arkansas, but that the Tar Heels didn't panic when they fell behind.
"It's the maturity we have as a team," Jackson said. "We've been in and seen almost every situation in a game."
North Carolina scored on six of its final seven possessions, capped by Jackson's steal and dunk with three seconds left. Arkansas didn't score on its last six possessions.
"We had North Carolina on their heels for the most part," Anderson said. "But they did what experienced teams do. They made plays going down the stretch."
Arkansas' final six possessions resulted in:
• a missed three-pointer by Barford;
• a missed jump shot by Barford;
• a missed three-pointer by Macon;
• two missed free throws by Kingsley;
• a missed three-pointer by Beard
• a turnover by Hannahs
"We had the game and we stopped playing to win and started playing not to lose, and I think that hurt us," Watkins said. "But credit North Carolina. They're a great team."
Macon hit a three-pointer and Barford scored on a drive to put the Razorbacks ahead 65-60 with 3:28 left.
Anderson said a lot of people "had us dead and buried" when the Tar Heels jumped out to a 30-13 lead.
"These guys are hurting right now, and they're hurting for the right reason," Anderson said. "They came in here to win and move on in the NCAA Tournament."
The Razorbacks finished 27-9 in 2015, but dropped to 16-16 last season.
Anderson added seven newcomers, led by Barford and Macon, to get Arkansas back to the NCAA Tournament.
The Razorbacks went 9-3 in their final 12 games with the only losses to three teams that have advanced to the Sweet 16: Florida, Kentucky and North Carolina.
"It was a very, very, very good ride," Kingsley said. "We didn't get where we wanted to go. We wanted to make it all the way to the championship game and win it. But I'm very proud of the guys."
Anderson said immediately afterward it was difficult to put the season in its proper perspective.
"It's just one of those things where you had something in your hand and you let it get away," he said. "But I thought these guys gave me everything they had.
"When you think about it, they had a special year."
Watkins, whose father Melvin is an Arkansas assistant coach, said the program's future is bright.
"The Razorbacks are on the map," Watkins said. "Everyone knows about us and this isn't the last time you're going to see them here in March playing for championships.
"There's going to be a lot more winning for the University of Arkansas."
Sports on 03/21/2017