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Carolina completes comeback versus UT Martin

Mar 23, 2014 - 10:20 PM Chapel Hill, NC (SportsNetwork.com) - Xylina McDaniel tallied 14 points, the most important of those coming in the final minute to push North Carolina into the win column with a thrilling 60-58 comeback victory against the Skyhawks of Tennessee-Martin in the first round of the NCAA Tournament's Stanford Regional at Carmichael Arena.

McDaniel, who had nine rebounds, converted a put-back with 56 seconds left in regulation to bring the fourth-seeded Tar Heels (25-9) all the way back from an 18-point, second-half deficit. Before fouling out, Diamond DeShields accounted for 15 points, shooting a perfect 9-of-9 at the free-throw line, but just 3-of-12 from the floor as she missed on all five of her three-point tries.

The 13th-seeded Skyhawks (24-8) were paced by Heather Butler and Ashia Jones with 19 and 18 points, respectively, the latter adding eight rebounds as well.

North Carolina came out flat to start the game, shooting only 8-of-26 (.308) from the floor, including 1-of-10 behind the 3-point line, en route to a 35-22 deficit at the break.

The second half saw the Heels make good on only 37.5 percent from the floor, but that was still much better than the Skyhawks who completely went off track with just 30.4 percent accuracy from the field, 1-of-9 beyond the arc, en route to the narrow loss.

UNC, which shot just 3-of-18 on the outside, will now play again on Tuesday night in the second round of the tournament versus a Michigan State squad that demolished Hampton on Sunday, 91-61.