W&M loses to UNC in NIT

Chapel Hill, N.C. (WAVY) - Dexter Strickland hit the go-ahead free throws with 2:34 left and North Carolina held William & Mary scoreless for the final 5 minutes in the Tar Heels' 80-72 win in the first round of the NIT on Tuesday night.

Deon Thompson scored 20 points to lead the Tar Heels (17-16), the reigning national champions who found themselves in the NIT for the first time in seven years after a disappointing season. But they weathered a flurry of 3-pointers from the Tribe to ensure they would finish at least .500.

Tyler Zeller added 13 points for the fourth-seeded Tar Heels, who advanced to the second round to face the Jackson State-Mississippi State winner.

David Schneider scored 21 points on seven 3-pointers for the fifth-seeded Tribe, who shot 16 for 43 from behind the arc and nearly eliminated North Carolina. William and Mary finishes its most successful season in decades with a 22-11 record.  The Tribe have only been to the postseason twice in its 105 year basketball history, the last being 1983. WAVY's Chris Reckling was at the game and he will have a report Wednesday on WAVY news ten at 6.