Ranking All UNC’s Tournament Runs Under Roy Williams
By John Bauman
Mar 21, 2014; San Antonio, TX, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels forward James Michael McAdoo (43) shoots a free throw to win the game against the Providence Friars in the second half of a men
#4: 2012
This was a tournament year that a lot of Tar Heel fans have bad memories about. In 2012, Carolina had maybe it’s most talented team ever, with the familiar faces of the 2011 team coming back and the additions of the talented freshman duo of James Michael McAdoo and P.J. Hairston. This team was so talented, seven players on the team have played a game in the NBA this season, and a few like Zeller, Barnes, Henson and Hairston are enjoying really fruitful NBA careers.
Carolina earned a one seed in the Midwest regional and again was a popular pick to win the title. Things were looking good in round one, when the Heels easily handled Vermont, but in round two, Kendall Marshall was injured, throwing the title hopes a major curveball. Stilman White played admirably in Marshall’s place, but he was no Kendall Marshall, and UNC lost in the regional finals to Kansas.
I rank this Elite 8 run higher than the other two because I believe an unlucky injury knocked the Heels out, not the competition. This team should have made the Final Four at least.
Next: 2008