FAYETTEVILLE -- It didn't go in, but kudos to Anton Beard for taking the shot.
The top-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels had mustered their best defense in the final three minutes of Sunday's game against the Arkansas Razorbacks in the second round of the NCAA Tournament's South Regional at Greenville, S.C.
By the time the clock was down to 15 seconds remaining, the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville trailed 68-65, Beard saw an open three and took it.
The shot looked true on launch, but perhaps with the last adrenaline surge from Beard's ankle-injured body he fired just a bit too strong.
The Tar Heels' Isaiah Hicks rebounded, was immediately fouled and sank the game-clinching free throws.
North Carolina won 72-65.
So the Tar Heels advanced to the Sweet Sixteen and the Razorbacks went home for a spring break they 1,000 percent would have preferred to have spent playing ball.
TNT play-by-play man Brian Anderson and analyst Chris Webber mulled if Beard was the right man to take the shot, which perhaps was taken too soon.
With due respect, and the TNT duo are due respect for their broadcasts in Greenville, it seemed Beard was the only man to take the shot because it was an open shot, Arkansas' only truly open shot in that final 2:56.
"We just didn't execute down the stretch and that's on us," Arkansas senior guard Manny Watkins said.
Junior off-the-bench guard Beard normally isn't Arkansas' hottest scorer and three-point shooter, but the 6-foot North Little Rock High alum and starting point guard for Arkansas' 27-9 2015 NCAA Tournament team is a blue-collar everyman who did his best against the Tar Heels. Beard's 20 minutes netted 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and no turnovers.
Arkansas could not have rallied from down 17 to lead North Carolina by five without him.
"I thought Beard looked like the old Beard that helped us out there," Arkansas Coach Mike Anderson said. "Leading, calming guys down, making big plays, just getting dirty."
Beard's 10 points, including 2 of 4 threes before taking Arkansas' last shot, were second only to Daryl Macon, who managed 19 points.
"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."
Considering the long odds against them, coming up just a little short was an admirably long way to come.
Sports on 03/22/2017