,An epic matchup between two superpowers of the college basketball world featured stars, trash talk, furious runs...and was decided by the most unlikely of heroes. The 2017 Elite Eight victory over Kentucky in Memphis will live in Tar Heel lore until the end of time, and will ensure that Luke David Maye will never have to buy an alcoholic beverage in Chapel Hill ever again.
The Tar Heels had come into the 2016-17 season seeking redemption for the previous years’ title game loss and, thus far, things had gone according to plan: They had won the ACC by two full games, they were a #1 seed, and they had survived a Round of 32 scare from Arkansas.