After his team’s 88-74 victory in Philadelphia over No. 6 seed Notre Dame in the East Regional Final on Sunday night—it’s safe to say that UNC head coach Roy Williams might finally be able to get some sleep.
His top-seeded Tar Heels are headed to the Final Four for the first time since 2009.
The last four years have been a long–often draining–journey for Williams and his team, as they’ve dealt with issues both on and off the court.
Despite not having won a championship of any kind entering the year, this group of Tar Heels—led by seniors Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige–seems destined to win them all this season.
Marcus Paige (5), along with the rest of UNC’s roster, can finally take the Final Four monkey of their backs. (Todd Melet)
That, more than anything else, is what has made this such an emotional run thus far for Williams.
“I’ve never wanted anything in my life for someone else as much as I wanted to get this bunch to the Final Four,” Williams said after the game.
“I’m corny. I’m old fashioned. I’m anything you want to say, but fortunately for me I was very lucky to have had some big time players,” the coach added–referring to his seven previous Final Four trips.
In the first half on Sunday, Johnson was the only big-time player Williams needed against the Fighting Irish—as the rangy 6-foot-10 forward showed off a wide array of NBA-level post moves and jumpers, scoring 15 of his team-high 25 points in the period.
The second half, though, provided an example of how Johnson has helped age Williams significantly in recent years.
After stretching a five-point halftime lead to 11, the Tar Heels allowed Notre Dame to take the lead with a 12-0 run—highlighted by Johnson’s technical foul, which he got for tossing the ball in frustration after being called for another foul he didn’t like.
Williams benched Johnson for a few minutes, but put him back in to help his teammates score on 13 consecutive possessions following the technical—a run dominant enough to put Notre Dame away for good.
“It was really dumb on my part to put my team in a situation like that,” Johnson said, following an apology. “Being a leader on this team I don’t want to do that and have myself not be in the game and hurting [the team] at the same time by getting a tech.
Notre Dame big man Zach Auguste was limited to just five points thanks to foul trouble. (Todd Melet)
“But my teammates did a good job of just playing,” he added. “They really stepped up in a time of need.”
Each of the Tar Heels’ starting five scored in double figures for the second straight outing, as they rolled to yet another double-digit tournament victory—the team’s fourth in as many games this year.
That surely has made it easy on Williams, their notoriously invested coach with two bad knees, since he often likes to jump and squat during pressure-packed moments.
Instead he was able to give his players even more.
Lovable sophomore Theo Pinson finally got the press conference seat he so badly desired after he made a number of big hustle plays down the stretch, while Johnson and Paige each were taken out of the game to large ovations.
“With 34 seconds left I started tearing up,” Paige said. “Everyone was getting real excited, I was looking over at the bench and guys were jumping around, and my family was right behind the bench.
“I was just so overwhelmed and excited that I’m glad Coach took me out,” he continued. “Because I probably would have done something stupid.”
Williams stands with his team as they pose with the Regional Championship trophy. (Todd Melet)
It was fitting in the postgame celebrations that Williams cut open his hand just like he cut open his tongue when he bit it during the first half of Friday’s game against Indiana.
He literally bled for his team to be able to get to the Final Four and experience what college basketball nirvana feels like—which in a way, is something he’s been doing for four years now.
And with just two more wins, this could go down as the best coaching job the 65-year-old has ever done.
“It’s been a tough four years in Chapel Hill,” Paige said. “But to come out on top with this group—how much scrutiny we’ve gotten, even as a one-seed, how many people have doubted us to not make it out of the first weekend or not be tough enough to win the ACC. A lot of people didn’t even have us in the Final Four, a lot of the experts and stuff.”
“We love Coach and Coach loves us,” he added. “We don’t ever want it to stop. It’s been a special ride.”
Up Next:
A Final Four date with a fellow ACC team, the No. 10 seed Syracuse Orange, awaits the Tar Heels in Houston. That game will be played Saturday April 4 at 8:47 p.m.
Game Notes:
- Roy Williams’ eighth Final Four appearance puts him in fourth place on the all-time list behind only John Wooden (12), Mike Krzyzewski (12), and Dean Smith (11).
- Brice Johnson’s 25 points and 12 rebounds gave him his 23rd double-double of the year–breaking Billy Cunningham’s school record for most in a single season.
- Johnson also nearly matched the Fighting Irish’s rebounding total, as Notre Dame recorded just 15 the entire game thanks to UNC’s 61.5 percent shooting performance.
- UNC is the only team remaining in the NCAA Tournament to have won all its games by double digits. The Tar Heels are also the last top seed left.
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