UNC Basketball: Top 15 moments under Roy Williams

2009 National Championship

By Gil Elhart

The 2009 Championship signifies the pinnacle of the Roy Williams era. The beatdown of Michigan State culminated in a dominating run through the NCAA tournament for the Tar Heels that season, and emphatically punctuated Tyler Hansbrough’s career.

Debates abound amongst UNC faithful, pundits, and players alike about who was the better team — 2005 or 2009. I won’t be jumping into that debate here, but instead detailing the way that the 2009 Championship was one of the all-time highlights of the Roy Williams era at North Carolina.

The list of players on this team speaks to Roy William’s ability to recruit and represents his first full recruiting cycle. The makeup of the team personifies how he constructed a championship roster in his prime: an experienced group mixed with young talent all laden with winning attributes, a go-to scorer inside, and fully capable of rebounding of course.

Tyler Hansborough’s career trajectory at UNC built like a crescendo to April 6, 2009. The national title cemented his legacy as one of the greatest to play in Carolina Blue and as one of college basketball’s all-time best. Roy Williams and Tyler Hansbrough were an optimal fit that matched coach-player personalities willing to work harder than anyone else and win at all costs types.

Wayne Ellington joined Hansbrough as an All-American that season. Ellington’s confident stroke was lethal to the Spartans’ chances of a title that night, of which let’s be honest there was little. Although I recall multiple pregame picks from the CBS team — Barkley, Nantz, Kellog, Davis opting for Michigan State — Kenny Smith was the only one with any sense of knowing this Carolina team was something special and destined for their banner.

The X-factor was Ty Lawson. Lawson was the ultimate Roy Williams-style point guard. His speed and skill were like a turbo button that no other team had a way to combat. Ty led all scorers in the contest with 21 and set a record in an NCAA Championship game with 8 steals.

Deion Thompson started the game with some key early field goals, demonstrating nice touch around the basket. This was an integral component to swiftly dismantling any confidence Michigan State had that they could hang with the team that beat them by 35 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge in December of that season.

UNC dominated the early going and lead 34-11 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the first half. By halftime the score was 55-34. Preliminary celebrations were underway in Chapel Hill.

Danny Green, who has made a career out of hitting big shots, ensured UNC would secure the title that night by stimying the Spartans’ 2nd half push with two key 3-point baskets. While Ed Davis finished in double figures with 11 points and 8 rebounds off the bench. Bobby Fraser played 23 minutes in a reserve role.

The final score was 89-72, typical pace for that ’09 team – able to outscore anyone who took the court against them. At the end of the night, we could celebrate heartily, sing Hark the Sound, and appreciate one of the most complete teams ever to compete in college basketball. Their dominant run through the tournament never yielded a game within single digits, and their plus 121-point differential in the six games ranks 2nd all-time.

We were blessed to have 3 National Championships under Roy Williams during his 18-year tenure and they are all equally appreciated. The 2005 Championship brought UNC back to glory. The 2009 Title affirmed UNC’s program was at the top of college basketball and cemented Roy Williams’ legacy as one of the all-time greatest to coach the game! Perhaps the ultimate highlight in his Hall of Fame career.