JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Right when North Carolina appeared to be on cruise control, pesky Harvard was at it again in the NCAA Tournament.
Siyani Chambers' four-point play had just given the Crimson their first lead with just over a minute remaining, but his next shot from beyond the arc helped put the Tar Heels ahead for good.
Justin Jackson's go-ahead fastbreak dunk with 23 seconds remaining lifted North Carolina to a 67-65 victory over Harvard in second-round action from the West Region Thursday night.
Chambers nailed his straightaway 3-pointer while being fouled on the arm by Marcus Paige with 1:15 on the clock. He sunk the subsequent free throw for a 65-63 Harvard edge.
Jackson knocked down a jumper at the other end and Chambers was off the mark on a deep 3, leading to a Tar Heels fastbreak.
J.P. Tokoto secured the rebound and outletted to Paige, who hit Jackson with a bounce pass for the easy two- handed dunk and a 67-65 UNC cushion.
Chambers then missed another trey, this time from the right wing and Kennedy Meeks was fouled going for the rebound. He missed the front end of a 1-and-1, but Wesley Saunders' potential go-ahead 3-pointer in the waning seconds ricocheted off the glass and clanked off the front of the rim.
The Tar Heels led by as many as 16 in the second half.