I am tired of ignoring the elephant in the room.I’ve spent four years covering varsity sports at UNC. I’ve written on about 17 of UNC’s 28 teams.
Nine straight trips to the NCAA tournament. A national title in 1994. Four straight ACC titles from 2005-08. By any standard, North Carolina’s women’s basketball program is one of the most successful in the nation.But in the 2008-09 season, the program spent $1.86 million more than it brought in — a larger deficit than any other sport at UNC.
When North Carolina’s Athletic Department issued a release in early April that point guard Larry Drew II would not be transferring, Drew went to Associate Athletic Director Steve Kirschner and asked him to delay the release.“I want to Tweet out that I’ve got an announcement, build up some followers,” Drew told Kirschner.Kirschner gave him an hour.
In the last four years, the average UNC senior has rushed Franklin Street at least once, and might have jumped over a fire.They might have spent a Thursday night in Kenan Stadium, sat in the stands at Fetzer Field or spent an afternoon at Boshamer Stadium watching baseball.It’s safe to say that sports are an important part of the experience at North Carolina.
In the NIT finals, North Carolina came crashing back to earth. For almost three weeks, the Tar Heels were able to forget about their disappointing season.
NEW YORK — North Carolina's 2010 season ended with a turnover, 700 miles from Indianapolis and the Final Four.The Tar Heels (20-17) made the NIT championship game on a combination of grit, luck, and big late-game plays, but Dayton's pressure and clutch shooting were too much for North Carolina to overcome in the 79-68 final decision.
NEW YORK — North Carolina lost in the NIT championship game to Dayton, 79-68. Will Graves led the Tar Heels with 25 points, and Deon Thompson pitched in 13 for UNC in the losing effort.
NEW YORK — North Carolina trails Dayton by 13 at halftime of the NIT championship game.Larry Drew leads UNC with nine points, and Deon Thompson has eight for the Tar Heels, who are shooting less than 40 percent from the field.
NEW YORK — Just before the tip-off of overtime during North Carolina’s win against Rhode Island on Tuesday, John Henson had to stop.URI’s Will Martell, trying to get an advantage, twitched before the ball was thrown. Henson straightened in joking offense, looking to the crowd as if to ask, “Did that really happen?”
NEW YORK — North Carolina’s point guard wants a little bit of redemption — and in Madison Square Garden, he started to get some. Larry Drew II has been under fire most of this season. He’s denied rumors that he’s transferring and weathered both storms of criticism and 16 losses.
