Memphis, Tenn. -- In Luke Maye's high school recruiting photos, the Huntersville, North Carolina, native looks like he could have played a great role for a Power 5 school seeking a sturdy tight end.

He does not look like the North Carolina hero who scored a career-high 17 points in Sunday’s 75-73 Elite Eight win over Kentucky at FedEx Forum in Memphis, Tennessee, 48 hours after establishing his previous career high of 16 points against Butler in the Sweet 16.

But there he was, fidgeting on the bench in the second half, somehow competing for minutes on a North Carolina team one year removed from its national title loss to Villanova.

He doesn’t look the part. He’s 6-foot-8, 235 pounds and a box of glazed donuts. He doesn’t jump like the other athletes on the UNC roster. He doesn’t move like them. He can’t soar the way they do.

With just seconds remaining Sunday, however, coach Roy Williams needed a hero. And Maye answered.

The Tar Heels had turned a 64-59 deficit into a 71-64 advantage with a 12-0 run. Then Kentucky hit a trio of 3-pointers to tie the game.

Malik Monk's deep, game-tying shot hit the net with 7.2 seconds to play. But Maye streaked down the floor, hustled to a spot on the left wing, planted one foot inside the arc and extended his reign as North Carolina’s most surprising performer of the NCAA tournament when he hit a shot with 0.3 seconds to play.

Monk, who scored 12 points, walked down the court after Maye connected on that shot and yelled a four-letter expletive so many Kentucky fans probably screamed in unison.

But another four-letter word will stick with Kentucky fans for a long time: Luke.

“Thank you so much,” Williams said to fans after the game. “We get to keep playing.”

The Tar Heels will return to the Final Four one year after Villanova’s Kris Jenkins broke their hearts with a late dagger because Maye waited for the right moment to have the game of his life.