March 23, 1957: UNC beats Kansas for the national title

Posted Mar 23, 2021
In a 1982 Sports Illustrated article, legendary sportswriter Frank Deford reflected on the 1957 North Carolina Tar Heels: "Here came Tommy Kearns, 5'10" and change, elbowing his way into the center circle opposite Wilt Chamberlain. The big man glared down. Kearns played it for all it was worth, getting way down as if he could spring 20 feet into the air." (Sports Illustrated)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: TarHeel247 Podcast - Could next season's UNC Basketball team be more athletic?
UNC's basketball roster for next season isn't complete, but could Michael Malone's Tar Heels be more athletic than the club that recently concluded its season?...
Sun May 3, 2026

UNC Announces Re-Signing Of Isaiah Denis
15 days after announcing his return to Chapel Hill for his sophomore season, Isaiah Denis made it official. On Sunday, UNC announced Denis had put...
Sun May 3, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Should UNC fans worry about Matt Able at NBA Draft Combine?
Incoming UNC Basketball transfer Matt Able received an NBA Draft Combine invitation, and suddenly there's concern that he will enter the NBA Draft instead of...
Sun May 3, 2026

Caleb Wilson commits UNC blasphemy with his LeBron James-Michael Jordan take
Likely no one will ever match the love and energy that Caleb Wilson brought to UNC. But we finally found something to be upset with...
Sun May 3, 2026