2008 Woodie Awards
North Carolina Wins NCAA Title
Sam Hahn
Issue date: 4/6/05 Section: Sports
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ST LOUIS-North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams finally earned the coveted NCAA national championship title that has eluded him for 17 years as the Tar Heels defeated the overall number-one-seeded Fighting
Illini 75-70 Monday.
"I'm just happy for myself and my family," said Williams, former coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, in an interview with ESPN. "These seniors ... took me for one heck of a ride."
The Tar Heels reached the championship game with an 87-71 victory over Michigan State Spartans, while the Fighting Illini defeated the Louisville Cardinals 72-57. It was the first trip to the championship game
for the Illini, who finished the regular season with a 32-1 record.
The game seemed out of reach for the Illini as the Tar Heels led 40-27 at halftime. But Illinois, who fought back from a 15-point deficit to defeat
the Arizona Wildcats in the elite eight, refused to back down. The
Fighting Illini tied the game at 65 with 5:02 remaining.
After the Tar Heels took a brief 70-65 lead on junior guard Raymond Felton's three-point basket, and two free-throws from junior center Sean May, the Fighting Illini answered right back with a three from senior guard Luther Head that tied the game at 70 with 2:01 to play.
Senior forward Jawad Williams gave North Carolina the lead once again as his jumper put the Tar Heels up 72-70 with 1:30 to play.
Illinois guard Luther Head gave up a costly turnover with 33 seconds to play as Felton intercepted the senior's ill-advised pass.
Felton then put North Carolina up by three as he hit one of two free throws, and put the game away with two additional free throws as Head's
tying three-pointer was long with 15 seconds to play.
"Well, we played through exhaustion," said Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber. "We didn't do too well in the first half, and they wanted it more. But we went down fighting. That's all I could ask for."
Illini 75-70 Monday.
"I'm just happy for myself and my family," said Williams, former coach of the Kansas Jayhawks, in an interview with ESPN. "These seniors ... took me for one heck of a ride."
The Tar Heels reached the championship game with an 87-71 victory over Michigan State Spartans, while the Fighting Illini defeated the Louisville Cardinals 72-57. It was the first trip to the championship game
for the Illini, who finished the regular season with a 32-1 record.
The game seemed out of reach for the Illini as the Tar Heels led 40-27 at halftime. But Illinois, who fought back from a 15-point deficit to defeat
the Arizona Wildcats in the elite eight, refused to back down. The
Fighting Illini tied the game at 65 with 5:02 remaining.
After the Tar Heels took a brief 70-65 lead on junior guard Raymond Felton's three-point basket, and two free-throws from junior center Sean May, the Fighting Illini answered right back with a three from senior guard Luther Head that tied the game at 70 with 2:01 to play.
Senior forward Jawad Williams gave North Carolina the lead once again as his jumper put the Tar Heels up 72-70 with 1:30 to play.
Illinois guard Luther Head gave up a costly turnover with 33 seconds to play as Felton intercepted the senior's ill-advised pass.
Felton then put North Carolina up by three as he hit one of two free throws, and put the game away with two additional free throws as Head's
tying three-pointer was long with 15 seconds to play.
"Well, we played through exhaustion," said Illinois Head Coach Bruce Weber. "We didn't do too well in the first half, and they wanted it more. But we went down fighting. That's all I could ask for."
