Behind Eric Dixon’s career game, Villanova basketball upsets No. 14 UNC in the Bahamas

Seven years, seven months and 19 days. Or, if you prefer: 2,789 days.

That’s how long it’d been, as of Thursday, since April 4, 2016. Since North Carolina and Villanova played one another in the NCAA Tournament national championship game, in front of 75,000 or so people at a behemoth of a stadium in America’s fourth-largest city.

And then they met again here Thursday, in the tight confines of a Bahamian ballroom within a short walk of the beach, on Thanksgiving Day. And, somehow, it was almost as if the Tar Heels and Wildcats picked right back up where they’d left off so many years ago.

The stakes were considerably lower, yes, but tell that to everyone who was on their feet here in the final minutes, an even contingent of UNC and ‘Nova fans who’d made the holiday trek and were treated to the height of what early-season college basketball can be.

The result: An 83-81 Villanova victory, in overtime, with Eric Dixon pouring in a career-high 34 points for the Wildcats.

Indeed, regulation wasn’t enough. It was the kind of game in which neither team “lost,” per se — but that Villanova won, with the winning plays in overtime and with the benefit of bad officiating luck for UNC, which lost three players — Harrison Ingram, Jae’lyn Withers and Elliot Cadeau — to fouling out.

Onto the takeaways:

The Tar Heels experienced by far their most intense early-season test yet.

This was the situation with three and a half minutes remaining Thursday. Villanova led by three. There’d been 16 ties; 17 lead changes. It was the kind of game in which any observer could tell might go down to the final shot of regulation, and it did. Or that it might wind up in overtime, and ... it did.

UNC, besieged by foul trouble (more on that in a bit), remained close through the end of regulation, even if it could never quite get over the hump and tie or take the lead. That is, until a beautiful play, out of a timeout, in which Cadeau penetrated the defense and found Cormac Ryan in the left corner for a tying 3-pointer.

The final shot of regulation — a not-great look from Davis near the top of the key — was not the best, but was perhaps understandable given the limited time. In overtime, the teams continued to go back-and-forth — with two minutes left in extra period there’d been 23 lead changes — until Villanova took a 75-74 lead with two minutes remaining.

A minute later, Davis found Armando Bacot for a dunk that cut UNC’s deficit to one but from there Mark Armstrong willed a floater over Bacot’s outstretched arm and Davis missed an out-of-control layup attempt on the other end, allowing the Wildcats to extend the lead at the free throw line.

Still, the final seconds weren’t without drama. Ryan cut Villanova’s lead to two with 2.6 seconds left, with a free throw after stealing a long inbounds pass, and then he intentionally missed the second free throw attempt — but without hitting the rim, giving possession back to Villanova.

From there, with 2.6 seconds left,

This is ... only Thanksgiving? It felt like March.

Why do some of the best college basketball teams in the country seek out these trips to The Bahamas every year? Or, Maui? It’s not because the coaching staffs want to go somewhere warm approaching late November. Or because maybe they want to avoid the in-laws during a holiday week. Well, at least those aren’t the only reasons.

It’s because, win or lose, the experience can’t help but toughen up a team and make it better. (And, if it doesn’t, that provides a teaching opportunity, too.) UNC and Villanova spent the afternoon of Thanksgiving inside the weirdest gym they’ll play in all season, playing under the stage lights of a convention space, within a short walk of the charms and quirks of a Bahamian beach resort.

And dang if it wasn’t just about as intense as a tied game in Cameron Indoor Stadium in the final minutes. And, at times, almost as loud. This was Thanksgiving? It felt like mid-to-late March, with a lot more on the line than advancing to the finals of a holiday tournament whose results, frankly, don’t matter a ton compared to other goals that can only be accomplished in March or early April.

Thing is, coming here, at this point in a young season, is an important part of getting there, later in it. For UNC, it was easy to see the confidence and cohesion building. There were a lot of important moments, and important growth, for the Tar Heels on Thursday.

The officiating left something to be desired.

No, Tar Heels fans, your eyes didn’t deceive you: Some officiating imbalance cost UNC here on Thursday. The loss of Ingram, especially, hurt the Tar Heels. He finished with 20 points, despite missing the final several minutes after fouling out.

Cadeau, meanwhile, fouled out early in overtime.

Even so, Davis’ trust in Cadeau continues to build.

After Cadeau scored a season-high 15 points during UNC’s victory against Northern Iowa on Wednesday, Davis praised Cadeau for his progress and said he continues to improve, daily. Cadeau’s performance here in The Bahamas suggests it’s not hyperbole. No, he’s not starting — not yet, anyway, but little by little you can see Davis’ trust in the freshman point guard continue to grow.

Cadeau was the first player off the bench Thursday, though he quickly retreated to it after picking up two fouls. But when it mattered most during the first half — in the final moments, with the Tar Heels seeking a strong finish before halftime — he was back in. The ball was in Cadeau’s hands in the final seconds of the first half, with UNC calling a timeout to set up a play with eight seconds remaining.

From there, he penetrated the Villanova defense, and made a couple strong moves to create space. He drew the attention of the defense and then passed to RJ Davis on the right baseline, where Davis made a 3-pointer at the buzzer to give the Tar Heels a 34-32 lead at halftime. A small moment, but an important one for Cadeau’s confidence and continued development.

(Davis’ shot, by the way, meant that these teams played two consecutive halves that ended with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer to give one team the lead. Yes, they were separated by almost eight years, but who’s keeping track?)

Cadeau also made the key assist in the final minute of regulation, allowing Davis to make the tying shot. Cadeau finished with three points and five assists, and a host of other Good Little Things moments that portend positive things for his growth.