Keeping It Heel
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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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Apr 10, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Tyler Hansbrough (50) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 10, 2015; Orlando, FL, USA; Toronto Raptors forward Tyler Hansbrough (50) against the Orlando Magic during the first quarter at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports /

2007-2008 North Carolina Tar Heels

36-3; ACC Regular Season and Tournament Champions; Final Four

Everybody remembers the sheer joy in 2009 when basically the same team won the championship, but 2008 was kind of a shock.

The 2009 team was a carbon copy of this team, except for losing Surry Wood. This team was absolutely loaded, and some believe the 2008-2009 team to be the best college basketball team of the new millennium.

Tyler Hansbrough as a junior was every bit the player he was as a senior. As a matter of fact, Hansbrough won the National Player of the Year award during his junior year, allowing him to have his number 50 retired permanently. Hansbrough averaged 22 points and 10 rebounds on his way to the award.

The ending for this team was a big disappointment.

Everything leading up to the Final Four went as planned for this team. They won the ACC regular season crown, the ACC tournament title, and rolled into the Final Four winning their previous four games by an average of 25 points.

They met up with Kansas is the Final Four, and Coach Roy Williams found himself pitted against his former school. The result was never in question. The game was 44-27 at the half, and the Heels were never able to recover.

We all know how the story ends. This team came back the next year, every single key player. They also added Ed Davis and Tyler Zeller, and they rolled all the way to the championship, winning every tournament game by double digits.

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