'Let's Take on the World'

Serving UNC students and the University community since 1893 Volume 123, Issue 25 dailytarheel.com Monday, April 6, 2015 ‘Let’s take on the world’ DTH FILE PHOTO Tar Heels remember the 2005 DTH FILE PHOTOS Sean May (42) led UNC with 26 points against the Fighting Illini After the UNC men’s basketball team won the 2005 NCAA on April 4, 2005, at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. NCAA title 10 years later Championship 75-70 over Illinois, students rushed Franklin Street. By Pat James what I say, we’ll make the tournament this They would force turnovers, they would get with a chance to tie the game, Felton’s second Assistant Sports Editor year.’ Meaning 2004. Nobody on our squad out and run in transition. It was like a torna- free throw bounced off the rim. had ever played in the NCAA Tournament… do. You just had to run and hide and hope you Felton: “‘I’ve got to find a way to get this There are only a few moments in life that So I said, ‘If you do exactly what I say, we’ll weren’t in the path of destruction.” ball back.’ That’s the only thing that was going cement themselves in the hearts and memories make the tournament this year, we’ll get a The Tar Heels headed into the regular- through my head. I went after it, saw Marvin of thousands, only a few that can bring forward little help in recruiting and next year we’ll win season finale against Duke with a chance to open, realized I wasn’t going to be able to grab laughter, ecstasy and childlike exuberance. the whole blasted thing.’ And I really believed claim the ACC regular-season championship the ball, so I did the next thing that came to For North Carolina men’s basketball that, I really did.” outright for the first time since 1993 and a my mind. It was to try to tap it to him.” fans, April 4, 2005 provided one of those Dan Blank, former senior sports writer No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Those Felton found the freshman forward’s hands. moments. The team clinched the program’s for The Daily Tar Heel: “They were coming who were a part of the 2005 team describe Marvin Williams: “I felt like I was open, so fifth national championship — the crown- off of arguably the worst three-year stretch the home game against Duke as being just as I shot it. Thankfully it went in, and I was able ing glory for a team and a season that would of their program’s history, at least since important as the championship. In what had to get the and-1. At that point in my life, it was be forever a part of UNC’s history. Tonight, the early years of Dean Smith … That team been a rather lopsided rivalry in recent years definitely the biggest shot I had ever made. I as Duke and Wisconsin square off in the alone, just coming in with that experience, — with the Blue Devils winning 10 of the pre- had made some pretty big ones in high school, NCAA championship, they’ll compete for everyone had huge expectations. Then you vious 12 meetings — UNC was determined to but it was the Duke-Carolina game and the that elusive prize. throw in a guy like Marvin Williams, who avenge itself. magnitude of that game was so big.” As the NCAA continues to investigate find- came in with all this hype but no one has Both teams traded blows back and forth, Blank: “When that ball went through the ings of academic fraud at UNC, the 2005 team seen him yet. It added this tremendous X but with just over three minutes remain- basket, it was delirium like I have never seen and title have come under scrutiny this year, factor. It was championship or bust right ing, Duke led by nine. Roy Williams called a or experienced in a sporting event. It’s the and many question whether the banner will from the start.” decisive timeout. loudest I’ve ever heard the Dean Dome. Even fall as part of the NCAA’s response. Marvin Williams, 2005 freshman forward: Marvin Williams: “I just remember dur- on TV, it sounds like a jet engine blasting off. The title leaves a mixed legacy of contro- “You could tell that summer when I arrived ing the timeout, a couple of guys had their It was so loud, I didn’t even hear the whistle versy and excellence, but, 10 years later, it on campus that it was very business-like and heads down, and Coach Williams, the first for the and-1.” remains something that players, coaches and that everybody was very motivated. I felt like thing he said, he said, ‘Hey, everybody, pick With a chance to put the Tar Heels up two, students won’t ever forget. no one took the summer off. I feel like people your head up. We’re going to win this game.’ … Marvin Williams buried the free throw with 17 were constantly in the gym.” Everybody believed. I think every single per- seconds left to give UNC a 75-73 edge. Duke’s ‘It was championship or bust’ UNC entered the 2004-05 season ranked son on that team believed what he was saying, Daniel Ewing’s shot at the buzzer fell into No. 4 in the country and traveled to Oakland, and we believed in each other.” Sean May’s hands, and chaos ensued. In the early 2000s, UNC men’s basketball Calif., for its season opener against unranked Roy Williams: “I promised them during the Blank: “I was a DTH reporter, and we take appeared to be a shadow of its former self. Santa Clara. But with junior point guard timeout that we would have a chance to win our objectivity very seriously… I made up my The 2001-02 season culminated with an 8-20 Raymond Felton suspended one game for the game. That’s a silly thing to do, but I told mind that I wasn’t going to storm the court. finish — the worst in program history — and playing in an unsanctioned summer league, them, ‘We’ll make plays, just do what I tell you If that meant me being the only person left the 2002-03 season wasn’t much better, the Tar Heels lost 77-66. to do again. We’ll make plays and we’ll have a in the risers, so be it. But that was a decision resulting in a trip to the National Invitation The Tar Heels faced a quick turnaround, chance to win at the end.’” like, I wasn’t going to let this riptide carry me Tournament and the dismissal of Matt immediately heading to Hawaii for the Maui UNC emerged from the timeout and cut out to the ocean. Ewing takes his final shot, Doherty as head coach. Invitational. But as opposed to letting the loss Duke’s lead to two with less than a minute the air ball that falls into Sean May’s hands, On April 14, 2003, Roy Williams offi- affect them, they blew past their competition remaining. the buzzer sounds, and next thing I know I’m cially accepted the head coaching job, 10 days — reeling off 14 straight wins and living up to Felton: “The floors felt like they were shak- at mid-court. I don’t even remember moving removed from leading Kansas to the national their pre-season hype. ing. Everybody was into it. It was just crazy, my feet.” championship game. With Williams at the Felton: “We kind of woke up from there. and you could see it in those guys from Duke’s Kathryn Howlett, freshman student man- helm, the Tar Heels returned to the NCAA I came back the next game when we got to eyes. There was a different look in their eyes ager: “I actually had broken my foot earlier Tournament in 2004 before bowing out in the Maui, and we just kind of turned it up from — a look I hadn’t seen all night. So I kind of that year at another game, and the doctor second round. there.” knew at that point we had them.” told me, ‘Don’t run around, no jumping.’ But I Roy Williams, UNC men’s basketball coach: Blank: “They got really focused after that. Following a timeout with 27 seconds left, definitely rushed the floor that night when we “The year before, 2004, was my first year back. They would just go on runs for where — five, Felton drove to the basket and was fouled. His I told the kids at that time, ‘If you do exactly six, seven minutes. They were unstoppable. first free throw was good, making it 73-72. But SEE ORAL HISTORY, PAGE 4 UNC students bring research to Raleigh flourish in areas that might not be “The issue is important right now because our oyster Jerome Allen, a Their work on oysters friendly to oyster populations. junior at UNC, was one helped inform two N.C. Allen, a junior and one of six populations are at a historical low.” of six students who students who spent the fall at the Lindsay Dubbs, spent the fall semester General Assembly bills. Outer Banks, said they analyzed associate director of the Outer Banks Field Site studying aquaculture aquaculture by surveying, doing in the Outer Banks By Elizabeth Matulis policy analysis and evaluating cur- and conducting policy rent practices.

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