A wounded, underdog, and ultimately doomed Carolina squad left its heart on the floor, and it was just barely enough for victory. Despite injury and overwhelming odds, the Tar Heels found a way to prevail. Make no mistake: Before Michael Jordan hit The Shot over the Georgetown press and Fred Brown couldn’t tell James Worthy from a teammate, this was Dean Smith’s finest hour.
The 1977 Tar Heels were the Dean’s perfect creation: A deep, talented, unselfish team that executed his game plan to perfection. In Walter Davis, Tommy LaGarde, Mike O’Koren, Dudley Bradley, Rich Yonaker, and John Kuester, they had a terrific supporting cast of players that would enjoy careers in the NBA.