A year can change a lot. North Carolina fans would gladly agree with that sentiment. After losing in the most difficult way in last season’s title game, the Tar Heels are leaving Phoenix as national champions.
North Carolina outlasted Gonzaga in an ugly, stop-and-start game that came down to the final minute. In the end, North Carolina’s stars and deep pool of talent proved too much for the Zags. Roy Williams earned his third championship as a head coach, and North Carolina collected the program’s sixth title, one more than rival Duke.
Winning six games in March is no easy feat, and North Carolina rode a roller coaster throughout its route through the bracket to a championship.
Here are five reasons why the Tar Heels were able to claim the 2017 national title.
1. UNC had a thirst for vengeance
Everyone in and around the North Carolina program last season will never forget the heartbreak of losing the national championship game at the buzzer. This season’s team, however, brought those memories, and the emotions created in Houston last year, to everything they did on the court.
The Tar Heels came back ready to make a charge back to the promised land, and did so by winning tough games over Arkansas, Kentucky, and Oregon. Veterans like Kennedy Meeks, Justin Jackson, Nate Britt, and Joel Berry lived through a gut-wrenching loss in the tournament and played like they had no interest in repeating that moment again this season.
2. Joel Berry bounced back
While battling injuries to both of his ankles this month, Joel Berry struggled during the NCAA Tournament. He shot just 6-for-26 during the regionals, failing to find his shot or create for his teammates.
Monday night was a completely different story. Berry did everything for North Carolina on the offensive end of the floor. He finished the championship game with 22 points and 6 assists, and was the only Tar Heel to make a 3-pointer Monday night.
Berry was named the Most Outstanding Player of Final Four, for good reason. Without his shooting touch, the UNC offense would have been lost.
3. Justin Jackson rose to stardom
With the departure of Brice Johnson and Marcus Paige at the end of last season, North Carolina had a lot of production to replace. Justin Jackson answered the call, winning ACC Player of the Year and being named a first team All-American.
The lengthy 6-foot-8 forward can do everything with the basketball in his hands. He hit more than 100 threes this season, complementing his outside shot with his deadly mid-range game that features a host of hooks and floaters.
Against Gonzaga, Jackson struggled to get anything going. He missed all nine long-balls he attempted, but still found a way to contribute down the stretch. His and-one basket in the final minutes kept the Tar Heels ahead.
4. Tar Heels did not let officials distract them
Monday night’s championship game was marred by a series of whistles in the first chunk of the second half. Neither team could get anything going, with every possession seemingly being halted by a referee’s call.
Both teams faced foul trouble and needed to adjust to the way the game was called. Ultimately, it was Gonzaga who succumbed to the foul bug. Zach Collins, who had been tremendous, fouled out with over five minutes to play. Przemek Karnowski never looked comfortable, especially after receiving his fourth foul.
For Carolina though, the Heels continued to defend aggressively. Even with four fouls, Kennedy Meeks dove on the floor for a loose ball and came up with a crucial blocked shot.
5. Kennedy Meeks completed the package
The story about Kennedy Meeks has been told a million times. He had an accomplished high school career, but did so weighing more than 320 pounds. When he arrived in Chapel Hill, he never could have competed for the entirety of an NCAA Tournament game.
By his senior season, Meeks had re-created his body and his game.
In the NCAA Tournament, he was a major factor in every North Carolina win, from tip-off until the final bell. Against Oregon, Meeks dominated the paint and grabbed the rebound that won the game for the Tar Heels.
In the national championship game, Meeks was faced with a tough test in Gonzaga’s twin towers of Przemek Karnowski and Zach Collins. Meeks stepped up with 10 rebounds and 2 blocks on the night, none bigger than the swat of Nigel Williams-Goss’ floater in the final minute. His ability to battle in the paint and win at the rim earned Carolina a championship.
Shane McNichol covers college basketball for Larry Brown Sports. He also blogs about college basketball and the NBA at Palestra Back and has contributed to Rush The Court, ESPN.com, and USA Today Sports Weekly. Follow him on Twitter @OnTheShaneTrain.
