Top 30 UNC Basketball Teams Of All-Time: No. 23 - 1996-97

Posted Jun 7, 2020
Sitting at 0-3 in the ACC and trailing N.C. State at home with just a few minutes left to play, the 1996-97 Tar Heels were at a crossroads in what would turn out to be Dean Smith's final season at UNC. A loss and an 0-4 start in the ACC and the Tar Heels may have never recovered. Carolina won out in the regular season and then captured the ACC Tournament. (Tar Heel Illustrated)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

UNC Basketball's Offensive Concern: 'The Ball Stuck'
"The ball stuck," said UNC guard Jaydon Young, who finished with 10 points against Indiana. "If that first action doesn't work, it's kind of hard...
Sat Oct 24, 2026

Tar Heels in NBA: Caleb Wilson scores 21, delivers in clutch as Bulls rebound; Coby White still out
Caleb Wilson didn’t look like a rookie with the game on the line Friday, taking charge in the final minutes to help Chicago complete a...
Sat Oct 24, 2026

Michael Malone brings fire and ice to Chapel Hill
On Nov. 27, 2018, the Denver Nuggets hosted the Los Angeles Lakers. Michael Malone was three seasons into his coaching tenure with the Nuggets and...
Fri Oct 23, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Fixing UNC Basketball's Weaknesses
UNC Basketball faces tough questions after Indiana exposed weaknesses in rebounding, turnovers, and backcourt consistency. Can Michael Malone’s squad fix these issues before the regular...
Fri Oct 23, 2026