Dominant first half powers Tar Heels

Posted Apr 7, 2009
Magic Johnson was in the house, but this time there was no magic left for the Michigan State Spartans, whose magical NCAA Tournament run came to a quick end against a superior team. North Carolina, seasoned and experienced, rode a fabulous first-half show that was enough to lead the Tar Heels to the national championship with an 89-72 victory Monday night at Ford Field. (Detroit News)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

UNC Basketball star Caleb Wilson hurts hand in Tar Heels’ loss at Miami. What we know
Caleb Wilson left the game with just under 15 minutes left in the second half and went to the locker room with UNC trainer Doug...
Wed Feb 11, 2026

Figuring Out The 'Why' For UNC Basketball
Hubert Davis is in year five and he’s had some good teams and some incredible moments, yet we keep coming back to these moments where...
Wed Feb 11, 2026

Repeated slow starts confounding Tar Heels
Slow starts have become a troubling trend that UNC can’t shake. The Tar Heels have been a good second-half team most of the season, but...
Wed Feb 11, 2026

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - What Is UNC Basketball's Identity?
24 games into the season, UNC Basketball seems to be still searching for answers. What is this Tar Heel team's identity? One of the realities...
Wed Feb 11, 2026