Dean Smith, Rick Robey and the moment UNC and Kentucky became real rivals

Posted Dec 13, 2014
It came in the 1977 NCAA Tournament. There were 22 seconds left in the NCAA East Regional championship game when Dean Smith charged all the way down the basketball floor of the University of Maryland's Cole Field House. The North Carolina coach had watched Kentucky power forward Rick Robey knock down Carolina guard John Kuester with a forearm. (Lexington Herald-Leader)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Video: Locked On Tar Heels - Did Alexandros Samodurov Commit to UNC Basketball? What We Know
Rumors circulated Thursday evening that Greek center Alexandros Samodurov committed to UNC Basketball. But has he really? Isaac Schade shares what we know right now...
Fri May 15, 2026

UNC Basketball Staff Hires Provide Glimpse of Michael Malone's Vision
What does a coach who’s had a tremendous amount of success at the NBA level but hasn’t done it at the college level need in...
Thu May 14, 2026

Video: What Kevin Thomas Brings To UNC Basketball
Joe Tipton and Jamie Shaw join host Ani Umana of the Next Gen podcast to discuss class of 2026 four-star UNC Basketball commit Kevin Thomas...
Thu May 14, 2026

Matt Able Discusses UNC, Michael Malone, NBA Draft Decision
In Thursday’s scrimmage, Matt Able led his team in scoring with 17 points, shooting 6-for-16 from the field and 4-for-9 from three. "The decision is...
Thu May 14, 2026