TOP 10

Today: UNC wins schools fifth men’s basketball NCAA title

Thursday: UNC fraternity president shot to death by police officer

Wednesday: Alvaro Castillo found guilty for killing his father and for shooting at students at Orange High School

Tuesday: Durham Performing Arts Center’s inaugural year surpasses expectations

Monday: N.C. Central University celebrates its centennial

By BRYAN STRICKLAND

bstrickland@heraldsun.com; 419-6671

Rarely in the current climate of college basketball do the sports’ elite players give themselves a second chance at a championship.

The North Carolina Tar Heels proved the exception to the rule in 2009, and then followed through by turning their dream into reality by winning the school’s fifth NCAA title.

When UNC lost to Kansas in the national semifinals in 2008, even the most die-hard of fans had to assume the Tar Heels would lose at least one — and quite possibly multiple — underclassmen to the NBA. But Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green all opted to return for one more season, and what a special season it was.

The underclassmen’s decision immediately vaulted the Tar Heels into position as the overwhelming favorite to the win the title. There were bumps along the road — including an 0-2 start in ACC play that left Tar Heel nation in a state of shock — but UNC righted the ship to win the ACC’s regular season title and enter postseason play ranked No. 2 and seeded No. 1 in the South Region.

There was a slip-up in the ACC Tournament, a semifinal loss to Florida State that opened the door for Duke to claim the crown, but the Tar Heels followed with a truly dominant performance in the NCAA Tournament.

UNC won its six NCAA Tournament games by an average of 20.2 points, the largest average margin for a champion since Indiana captured the 1981 title with an average victory margin of 22.6.

The Tar Heels’ closest game came in the regional final, and even it never was in doubt, a 72-60 victory over Oklahoma. LSU claimed a five-point lead in the second half of UNC’s second-round game, but Lawson — back from an ankle injury — closed with a flourish to finish off an 84-70 victory.

At the Final Four in Detroit, the Tar Heels left no doubt that they were college basketball’s best team. The Tar Heels took out a Villanova team in the semifinals that had derailed Duke in the Sweet 16, winning 83-69.

Then in the title game, with all of Detroit rooting for Michigan State, the Tar Heels blew out to a 34-11 lead and never looked back, rolling to an 89-72 triumph.

Soon after, Lawson and Ellington decided to skip their senior seasons (Hansbrough and Green were seniors). But the fantastic foursome’s decision to stick together one year longer than anyone believed possible — UNC coach Roy Williams among the surprised masses — the Tar Heels proved to be a truly special team in 2009.