Keeping It Heel
Fansided

NCAA Tournament: Top UNC Sweet 16 teams without a championship

By Bryson Gordon

Mar 4, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Former North Carolina Tar Heels player Michael Jordan congratulates forward Theo Pinson (1) after the game. The Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 90-83 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Mar 4, 2017; Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Former North Carolina Tar Heels player Michael Jordan congratulates forward Theo Pinson (1) after the game. The Tar Heels defeated the Blue Devils 90-83 at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jan 30, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes (40) in action against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Cavaliers 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 30, 2017; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Harrison Barnes (40) in action against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the game at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeat the Cavaliers 104-97. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /

2011-2012 North Carolina Tar Heels

32-6; ACC Regular Season Champions; Elite 8

This one still hurts.

To this day, seeing Creighton play on television makes Tar Heel fans everywhere want to pull their hair out. This team seemed to be on a collision course to get its rematch with the Kentucky Wildcats, who had beaten them by one point earlier that season in Rupp Arena.

Kendall Marshall, Harrison Barnes, John Henson, Tyler Zeller, James Michael McAdoo, Reggie Bullock… the names go on and on. This team was loaded, and it was such a disappointment to see them go down because of injury.

This team featured eight McDonalds All-Americans, six first round draft picks, and two NBA Champions. McAdoo went undrafted but has turned into a role  player for the Golden State Warriors.

The story has been told.

Kendall Marshall drove to the basket in transition, and while going up for the layup he was knocked out of mid-air, and broke his right wrist trying to brace his fall. As soon as the game was over, it was announced Marshall would be out.

With starting shooting guard, and backup point guard Dexter Strickland out for the season with a torn ACL, it prompted Roy Williams to start freshman Stilman White. White did a serviceable job in leading the Heels to victory over the Ohio Bobcats in the Sweet 16, before running into eventual runner-up, the Kansas Jayhawks in the Elite 8.

Who knows what could have happened with a healthy Marshall. The Heels seemed to be rolling to another Final Four, but this is one that can still bring back bad memories for Heels fans.

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