North Carolina-Gonzaga was far from pretty, but Tar Heels a champion all the same

Posted Apr 4, 2017
The story of the whistles and clanks and often unsightly basketball? Now it was just an artless means to a beautiful end—to Joel Berry knocking down a final free throw while fighting back tears, to Theo Pinson grabbing a final rebound and then flinging it into the air in celebration, to a cluster of Carolina blue-clad students triumphantly chanting “the ceiling is the roof!” (Sports Illustrated)

Related: Basketball, Basketball Recruiting

Michael Malone Living a New Life at UNC: This Isn’t the NBA Anymore
Four months into his tenure as UNC Men's Basketball coach, Michael Malone has embraced what it means to be at the helm of a prestigious...
Tue Sep 1, 2026

Video: IC Podcast - What Ifs for UNC Basketball
UNC Basketball is preparing for the start of preseason practice in about a month. A number of questions surround the program as the players begin...
Mon Aug 31, 2026

How Michael Malone is Bringing UNC's New-Look Basketball Team Together
More than half of the UNC Basketball roster is new to Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels return just five players from last season's team and...
Mon Aug 31, 2026

Harrison Barnes invests $25 million to buy Iowa bank and chase a new dream
The NBA landscape is changing by the day. Players aren’t just basketballers anymore; they’re businessmen. San Antonio Spurs forward Harrison Barnes is the latest example...
Sun Aug 30, 2026