Keeping It Heel
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UNC Basketball: Tar Heels’ toughest moments of the past 20 years

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of their game against the Boston College Eagles at the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Boston College won 71-70. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 01: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts during the second half of their game against the Boston College Eagles at the Dean Smith Center on February 01, 2020 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Boston College won 71-70. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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SOUTH BEND, IN – FEBRUARY 17: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels is seen during the game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Purcell Pavilion on February 17, 2020 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) /

The UNC basketball program has had more than its fair share of highs over the past 20 years, but it’s had some pretty low lows, too. 

The North Carolina Tar Heels have had arguably more success over the past 20 years than any other college basketball program in the nation. They’ve seen better than 500 victories, five Final Four appearances, three national titles, nine first-place finishes in the ACC, multiple ACC Player of the Year recipients and a consensus National Player of the Year during that time frame. So, when they happen to have a down year or lose a big game, nobody outside of Chapel Hill is going to feel sorry for them.

But even the most renown college basketball programs with the richest histories have their respective down times; just ask this year’s Duke Blue Devils or Kentucky Wildcats. Those two teams, along with North Carolina, have had far more highs than lows over the past couple of decades. But the Tar Heels, for one, have had more lows over the past few years than they did in the previous 15. And while there are a number of reasons for that — which we’ve talked about at length over the years — it got me thinking about which moments have been the toughest for me both as a fan and as a person that covers the team.

And no, this is in no way a “sky is falling” moment for us here at Keeping It Heel, nor is it an endorsement for Roy Williams to be replaced as head coach of the Tar Heels (we see your comments on social media). We fully endorse Coach Williams, and anxiously await his next national title in Chapel Hill.

But for all of the negativity and hurt feelings over the past couple of seasons, and those brought on by the Tar Heels’ previous three NCAA Tournament defeats that have been lost by a combined 61 points, we want to remind you that the lowest of valleys at UNC are often followed by incredibly high peaks. Perhaps that next peak in Chapel Hill is right around the corner.

Here are the 10 toughest moments for the Tar Heels over the past 20 years as I see it, but let me know yours down in the comments or on social media.

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