So with the No. 8 North Carolina Tar Heels’ 68-62 lead slipping away with under one minute to play at Cameron Indoor Stadium, he called a timeout.

MORE: Battle for No.1 seed still fierce | Duke roasts UNC ASPCA-style

Duke had switched from a 2-3 zone to a 1-3-1 zone, and the holes that had persisted for the Tar Heel bigs had vanished, just like they did back on Feb. 18 when Duke escaped Chapel Hill with a miraculous 74-73 victory.

This time, the Tar Heels survived with a 76-72 win and clinched the ACC regular season championship.

But it wasn’t the timeout that won the game. It was sheer will. The timeout served as the reminder to keep doing what you’re doing. The Tar Heels exerted their will early and exerted their will often, even down the stretch when a repeat of the previous matchup seemed imminent.

The rematch was as entertaining as it was hectic. But even in the game’s ugliest moment, the Tar Heels’ execution proved to be the difference maker.

During a 30-second possession in the second half, the Tar Heels managed to miss seven consecutive shots. Yes. Seven missed shots on one possession.

However, on that same possession, the Tar Heels grabbed six offensive rebounds.

Brice Johnson finished with a team-high 18 points and a game-high 21 rebounds. All told, North Carolina grabbed 64 rebounds while Duke grabbed just 29. The Tar Heels made 20 of their 23 attempts at the foul line and were 14 of 15 in the second half. Combined, the teams missed 79 shots.

The Tar Heels kept their game plan simple, if not rudimentary: Swing the ball around the perimeter and find an opening in the paint. If a shot misses, wings and big-men crash the glass. 

When the rivals last met on Feb. 18, the Tar Heels strayed from the game plan. Not only that, but they strayed away from the hot hand of Johnson, who scored 29 points and took just two shot attempts in the last 12 minutes of the game. They settled for shots instead of getting the ball inside, where their size and length trumps the opposition.

For the first 37 minutes Saturday night, there were some bonehead shots. Leading by six with under two minutes remaining, Joel Barry attempted a contested 3-pointer. A minute later, Marcus Paige did the same, this time with just a 4-point lead. Grayson Allen, who finished with a game-high 29 points, responded 15 seconds later with a 3-pointer to cut the lead to three. 

Even as the Heels began showing cracks, they remained true to their game plan. They got out in transition. If Justin Jackson couldn’t finish, Theo Pinson was there for the tip-in. If Isaiah Hicks missed an easy layup in the halfcourt offense, Kennedy Meeks, who finished with 12 points and 14 rebounds, bullied his way in for the save.

The Tar Heels needed the victory not just for the ACC championship, but for themselves.

After the loss to Duke on Feb. 18, Williams doubted himself. His players doubted themselves. On Saturday, they were confident.

With the regular season now in the rear-view mirror, confidence will go a long way toward winning a national championship, and the Tar Heels look like a top contender to cut down the nets.