Delirium Tournamens: UNC Final Four Edition
UNC has made more Final Fours than any other program, having advanced to the last weekend of the NCAA tournament 20 times. Since every final four appearance is memorable in its own right, I’ll include all of those for which highlights or complete game footage exists.
2017 vs Oregon
As much as I love Joel Berry, Kennedy Meeks was robbed of Final Four Most Outstanding Player. Meeks’ 25 point, 14 rebound effort against Oregon was capped off with a potentially game saving offensive rebound off of Berry’s missed free throw, robbing the Ducks of any chance for a game winning buzzer beater.
2016 vs Syracuse
It seemed like the Tar Heels were destined for a rematch of the ACC tournament final against fellow #1 seed UVA. Instead Syracuse erased a 15 point UVA lead in the second half to continue their surprise Final Four run. Syracuse kept within striking distance for most of the game, but Carolina’s balanced scoring attack was too much for the Orange.
2009 vs Villanova
The Wildcats and Tar Heels have quite the entangled tournament history. In 1985 and 2016 Villanova beat the Carolina en route to a title. In 1982, 2005, and 2009 UNC notched wins over Nova on their path to cutting down the nets. The Tar Heels lead the head to head tournament record 5–2.
2008 vs Kansas
In a Final Four that featured all four #1 seeds, Carolina entered as the top overall seed and favorite to emerge champions. Instead the Tar Heels were blitzed by Roy Williams’ old team with the Jayhawks jumping out to a 40–12 lead in the first half. There was a moment though where it seemed like the Tar Heels would come all the way back. Having cut Kansas’ lead to 5 in the second half, Danny Green launched a three pointer that traveled all the way around the rim. Who knows what would have happened had the shot fallen and brought the Tar Heels within a possession of the Jayhawks. Instead it fell out of the cylinder and the Tar Heels ran out of gas.
2005 vs Michigan State
Tom Izzo may be Mr. March. But Roy Williams owns him in April.
2000 vs Florida
The 2000 team’s surprise run ended in the semifinals. Carolina hung tight into the second half until the Gators ran away late.
1998 vs Utah
One of the most talented teams in Tar Heel history picked a terrible time to have a bad game. Its remarkable to think a team featuring Antawn Jamison and Vince Carter could shoot under 40% from the field but that’s what happened.
1997 vs Arizona
It’s tempting to wonder how the 98 team would have fared with Dean Smith at the helm. Perhaps they would have played better and won. But considering the same core also shot <40% in the Final Four a year before with Smith as coach. Shammond Williams combined to shoot a horrid 2–17 in the two games.
1995 vs Arkansas
Despite Roy passing him in total wins, I still think that, in sum, Dean Smith is the greatest coach in program history. But man, going back through these games and seeing teams starring Carter and Jamison and Sheed and Stackhouse fall short is frustrating.
1993 vs Kansas
Somewhat appropriately, Dean Smith and Roy Williams met twice in the Final Four and split the two meetings. In 1993 Smith’s Tar Heels emerged victorious over Williams’ Kansas Jayhawks en route to Smith’s second title.
1991 vs Kansas
In 1991 Roy Williams beat his mentor in the Final Four and in doing so prevented a Duke-UNC national championship game. Even thinking about the possibility of such a matchup is anxiety inducing but nonetheless it’s hard not to wonder what would have happened. Would Smith’s head to head edge over Coach K have translated to the ultimate stage? If so would the Duke dynasty have ever taken off the way it did?
1982 vs Houston
Jordan, Worthy and Perkins emerged over Drexler and Olajuwon. What an insane collection of talent. Dean certainly didn’t have a cake walk to his first ever title.
1981 vs Virginia
A year before Jordan enrolled, another guard led the Tar Heels past Ralph Sampson and UVA and into the title game — Al Wood who dropped 39 points in the 1981 final four.
1977 vs UNLV
Freshman Mike O’Koren led a talented but injury riddled Tar Heel squad over Jerry Tarkanian’s Runnin Rebels in the Final Four with 31 points.
(All of UNC’s earlier final four appearances aren’t on youtube)
