A Crowning Moment: North Carolina Is King of the Hill

For the Tar Heels of North Carolina, the goal was simple: just finish where you started. One year removed from a disappointing performance in the Final Four, Hansbrough, Lawson, and company returned to make right on everything that went wrong in 2008. Starting anew, and as the preseason No. 1, the Heels made good on their goals and expectations, finishing in the same position, and hoisting the 2009 NCAA Basketball Championship trophy.

North Carolina won their fifth title, second under Roy Williams, and second in the past five years. This was a team that rode a season wave of dominance, lapses, and then questions. With a roster built for champions, they entered the dance with just one shoe, as the healing toe of Ty Lawson became the topic of discussion, and an important element for success or failure.

But when the music began, there wasn’t a better dancer on the floor. This team, who dropped games to Boston College and Maryland, appeared in the middle of March as a giant waiting to end the regular season snooze. They rolled through each round, slapping double digit victories on each partner, and when the music stopped, Ty Lawson had stolen the show. Literally.

Lawson’s 10 steals against the over-matched and undermanned Spartans equaled a tournament record. North Carolina’s 55 first half points established a new tournament mark.

The Spartans rolled into Detroit as the hottest team in the tourney. Playing with home court advantage, the 89-72 final proved to be nothing more than a repeat beating, with the outcome looking nearly identical to when these two teams met in early December. Adding to their misery, Michigan State remains winless against North Carolina in tournament games, with a total of five played.

Wayne Ellington was named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player, but more importantly, Tyler Hansbrough finally claims the only piece missing from an outstanding and record breaking collegiate career: a National Championship. Looking back from wherever his future NBA destination may be, he can now feel accomplished, leaving no stone unturned.

Congratulations to the North Carolina Tar Heels, your 2009 NCAA College Basketball Champions.

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