From The N&O archive: UNC’s Roy Williams wins first title in third trip to NCAA Finals

From the beginning of the season, North Carolina had a goal, and a motto: “It’s amazing what can be accomplished if no one cares who gets the credit.”

That’s why center Sean May, despite his game-high 26 points and 10 rebounds and his tournament MVP trophy, wouldn’t take credit for North Carolina’s fourth national championship.

Nor would freshman Marvin Williams, who scored UNC’s go-ahead basket on a tip-in with less than two minutes left Monday night.

Nor would point guard Raymond Felton, who came up with a key steal and three straight free throws to seal UNC’s 75-70 victory over Illinois in the final 50 seconds of the NCAA title game.

“We came out tonight and we proved that we are a team,” said Felton, who finished with 17 points, seven assists and three rebounds at the Edward Jones Dome. “We are talented ... but we are together, too, as one. That’s why we have a national championship.”

In a contest widely billed as talent vs. teamwork -- a comparison that irritated Tar Heels, considering they had worked so hard this season to become a team -- UNC proved it had both.

Junior sharpshooter Rashad McCants scored 14 points in the first half to help the Tar Heels build a 13-point lead -- and didn’t mind that he failed to score a single point in the second.

Senior Jackie Manuel continued to play the hard-nosed defense that made him beloved to coach Roy Williams from the get-go -- the same defense that distracted Illinois guard Luther Head enough to miss a potential game-tying 3-point shot with 16 seconds left.

Senior Melvin Scott came off the bench to play point guard when Felton was in foul trouble. Senior starter Jawad Williams finished the game beside Scott -- and, as usual, didn’t mind sharing the minutes with the freshman Williams yet again.

And there was UNC coach Roy Williams, celebrating his first NCAA title after four previous trips to the Final Four because, in his second year as UNC’s head coach, he had finally instilled the team concept.

Not that he would take credit, either.

“I didn’t know if we had a great chance,” said Williams, whose team was ranked second in the country. “I just love this team as a family. Our guys stood up and made the big shots. We went out there and won it as a team.”

Top-ranked Illinois (37-2), which shot a season-worst 27 percent in the first half, led only twice -- 2-0 and 17-16 -- but battled back despite the inside dominance of May by shooting 51.5 percent after halftime.

However, after Marvin Williams tipped back a missed shot by McCants to give Carolina a 72-70 lead with 1:27 left, the Illini had several chances to tie the score. Head and Deron Williams, who had 17 points, both missed 3-point shots on two separate possessions before Felton stepped in front of a pass from Head that was intended for Deron Williams.

Felton sped up the court, was fouled, buried a free throw and gave UNC a 73-70 advantage with 25.8 seconds left.

“That,” said May, “was the play of the game.”

Felton said, “It just boils down to what Coach has been saying all season: ‘Do whatever it takes to win. Make it happen.’ That’s what I did.”

With 16 seconds left and the Tar Heels’ reserves on their feet, Head, who wound up with 21 points, missed one more 3-pointer. With nine seconds left and the Illini reserves burying their heads in their hands, Felton made two more free throws before pumping his arm and looking to the stands at his family.

As the clock wound down, there was celebration, and there were tears.

“I’ll remember the year, the journey,” said Illinois coach Bruce Weber. “It’s been unbelievable.”

UNC also won national titles in 1957 under coach Frank McGuire and in 1982 and 1993 under Roy Williams’ mentor, Dean Smith.

The victory also marks the end of a full circle for Carolina’s three scholarship seniors -- Jawad Williams, Manuel and Scott -- who persevered through an 8-20 season in 2001-02 and helped bring UNC back to the top of the college basketball world.

The question now for North Carolina (33-4) is just how much of its team will return next season. Williams, Manuel and Scott will all graduate this summer.

Felton, a junior, said Monday night that he would “consider” going to the NBA.

McCants said, “I’ve got a title now; I’m going to explore my options.”

Marvin Williams said he would discuss his options with coach Roy Williams after the season. And May said he would consider going only if he were a top-10 draft pick -- but he plans to come back to school.

But as former coach Dean Smith and former player Michael Jordan congratulated them in the locker room, they all just wanted to celebrate now while they are a team.

“There were a lot of critics out there,” Jawad Williams said. “A team doesn’t make it this far, and a team doesn’t win a national championship, if they don’t play like a team. So we proved a lot of people wrong.”

This story was originally published April 1, 2021 at 12:19 PM with the headline "From The N&O archive: UNC’s Roy Williams wins first title in third trip to NCAA Finals."