This is an opinion column.

That sound you heard at 11:05 p.m. Thursday night was unfamiliar.

Hard to describe, really.

It was Alabama breaking through that Sweet 16 ceiling that had been solid brick all but once before. On the 20th anniversary of the Crimson Tide’s only other journey within a game of the program’s first Final Four, a new folk hero brought them back to the brink.

Grant Nelson, with a bed head and shadow of a mustache, went from a solid transfer to the reason Alabama stunned blue-blood North Carolina.

The 89-87 takedown of the top-seed lifts this Alabama team to a legendary status — bettering last year’s Sweet 16 stumble from the No. 1 overall seed. The loss of Brandon Miller, Noah Clowney and Charles Bediako seemed to signal the wave had crested on this run that ended in the Round of 16 in 2021 as well.

Instead, the North Dakota State import became the late-game catalyst to set up Saturday’s regional final against Clemson.

He scored 12 of Alabama’s final 14 points and blocked the final heave at the buzzer — completing the job none of the recent lottery picks could manage. He finished with 24 points with 12 rebounds and five blocks against North Carolina. Even more impressive in context of scoring just three points apiece in the first two NCAA tournament games as Nelson equaled his season-high scoring total set in the opener against Morehead State.

Nelson arrived with much hoopla as among the nation’s most coveted transfers. And it’s not that he under-delivered to this point, he just never showed this level of domination in a moment close to the one he had Thursday night.

Also impressive considering the context of the season.

This was a team that appeared dead on arrival in the NCAA tournament after losing four of its final six games. A 14-point loss to Florida in the SEC tournament was the low point but something seemed to click after heading west for the NCAA tournament opening rounds in Spokane.

A 109-96 win over College of Charleston was followed by a brutal 72-61 beating of Grand Canyon to set up Oats’ first game as a lower seed in his Alabama tenure. North Carolina had the size, experience and balance that had plagued Alabama in previous showdowns with powers like North Carolina.

And it wasn’t always an easy ride.

North Carolina came out firing in the first half when it made 10 of 16 first-half shots from 3-point range. This was a team that made no more than 12 in any game this season. Even the low-percentage shooters Alabama’s scouting report said to let them fire were knocking them down.

What looked like complete defensive breakdowns were closer to North Carolina cashing longshot bets on players who haven’t been weapons from the outside.

Also, Cormac Ryan.

That name might sound familiar.

Two years ago, Ryan played for Notre Dame and made 7 of his 9 from behind the arc as the Irish upset Alabama, 78-64 in the NCAA opening round. Oats said he tried to recruit Ryan out of the transfer portal before he opted for Chapel Hill over Tuscaloosa. As a result, he made 12 of 17 shooting 3s against Alabama in two NCAA tournament games.

And yet he’ll be a footnote in Alabama’s ride to the Elite Eight.

Nelson was just too much and not just on the offensive end. His double teams on Tar Heel center Armando Bacot were a factor in limiting him to 8-for-18 shooting.

The Crimson Tide also took advantage of a brutal night for Naismith Award finalist RJ Davis. The guard was 4-for-20 from the field and missed all nine 3-point shots as North Carolina’s hot perimeter shooting turned cold after halftime.

It went just 2-for-16 in the second half as Ryan’s deep ball with 6:19 was the high-water mark. It gave the Tar Heels a 75-70 lead in what became the Grant Nelson game.

He was taking it to the rim. He was getting to the line. And his 3-pointer with 3:46 to play put Alabama up 5 in the first real indication this upset was fully on the table.

And after UNC scored the next eight, it was Mark Sears layup followed by Nelson’s three-point play with 38 seconds left that gave Alabama the lead for good.

Insane.

Alabama was playing without injured starter Latrell Wrightsell and forward Nick Pringle limping through a bruised heel.

But Alabama wasn’t done.

It busted through the Sweet 16 ceiling, knocked the elephant-sized chip off its shoulder and left it one game from a land it has never visited.

Michael Casagrande is a reporter for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @ByCasagrande or on Facebook.