The following story originally ran in the April 6, 1993 edition of the Daily Tar Heel.


NEW ORLEANS — The Big Easy has never lived up to its surname for Dean Smith.

But the North Carolina head coach has persevered, as he did the last time he played for the national championship in New Orleans.

And my, how the Crescent City has rewarded him.

Smith won his second national title Monday night — both coming in New Orleans — as the Tar Heels edged the Michigan Wolverines 77-71 in a classic title confrontation before 64,151 at the Louisiana Superdome.

In 1982, Smith won his first national crown in this same arena, as the Tar Heels nipped Georgetown 63-62.

And the similarities with wins does not end with the final score.

There was a timeout. A young sharpshooter. The major miscue. As CBS’ Pat O’Brien aptly put it, this was purely “deja blue.”

After North Carolina (34-4) and Michigan (31-5) had staged a vicious battle for more than 33 minutes, Smith called a timeout with 6:50 remaining in the game. At the time, Michigan led 62-61 — the same score that Georgetown had led by when Smith called a time-out with 31 seconds left 11 years ago.

Kansas coach Roy Williams has said the timeout in ’82 was some of the best coaching he had ever seen. Smith hit the jackpot again this time around.

He put a team consisting of four reserves — Scott Cherry, Henrik Rodl, Pat Sullivan and Kevin Salvadori — along with starting center Eric Montross (16 points). As starters George Lynch (12 points, 10 rebounds), Derrick Phelps, Brian Reese and Donald Williams rested, Michigan increased its lead to 65-61 when Jalen Rose hit a 3-pointer with 5:29 remaining.

While his starters sat on the bench, Smith and his coaches talked to Williams, his sophomore guard. “The coaches talked to me and told me to continue to move quickly without the ball,” Williams said.

And, upon his entrance, Williams delivered, just as freshman guard Michael Jordan had in 1982. Williams nailed a jump shot at the 4:46 mark.

After a Jimmy King jumper (15 points) put Michigan up by four again, Williams strode downcourt and nailed a 3-pointer.

The big shot keyed a 9-0 UNC run, ending with Montross’ soaring dunk with a minute to go.

Williams finished with 25 points and won the tournament’s most valuable player award. His 10-of-14 3-point shooting in the team’s last two games set a Final Four record for 3-point accuracy.

“He was in a different zone,” Smith said. “I thought he was going to make it every time up.”

Michigan answered UNC’s 72-67 lead with four straight points, as Chris Webber’s score inside narrowed the Tar Heels’ lead to 72-71 with 0:36 to go. Pat Sullivan was then fouled, and the UNC forward hit his first free throw but missed his second.

Webber snatched the rebound, dribbled downcourt and found himself trapped by the Tar Heel defense on the right wing. Webber quickly put his hands together to signal timeout.

One problem, however. There were none left for Webber & Co. to call. A technical foul was called, Williams hit two free throws, and the Tar Heels led 75-71 with 11 seconds left.

The play was reminiscent of Georgetown guard Fred Brown’s mistaken pass to James Worthy to seal UNC’s title in ’82.

“If I had known that we didn’t have any timeouts left, I wouldn’t have called the timeout,” Webber said.

“But I didn’t, and it probably cost our team the game.”

Added Michigan coach Steve Fisher: “In the heat of the moment, strange things happen. It’s an awful way to have the season end just when you’ve got a chance to win.”

For Webber, who finished with 23 points and 11 rebounds, being a bridesmaid for the second straight year was not enough. He had said this weekend that losing to Duke in last year’s final was the lowest moment in his life.

How about this time? “It’s the same,” he said. “The exact same.”

Fisher does not know if his Fab Five sophomore contingent will return intact next year.

But next year was not Fisher’s concern after Monday night’s loss.

“What I want to do right now is put a bear hug on all of them and tell them how proud I am of them,” Fisher said.

For North Carolina, it was the perfect ending to a year in which the team had played some of the most disciplined, defense-oriented basketball in the 32 years Smith has been at the helm.

“We won it for this team and our staff,” Smith said. “We set out every year to win the national championship. It is exciting to say ‘Hey, it’s over. We won it.’”

But Smith, ever the private man, said he would not be celebrating the New Orleans way.

“I won’t be on Bourbon Street,” he said.

UNC started the game off on a 9-4 run, as Montross scored five and Phelps added four. But after a TV timeout at the 15:30 mark, the Wolverines came out roaring.

A 19-4 run, ignited by Rob Pelinka’s two 3-pointers, gave Michigan a 23-13 lead when center Juwan Howard scored underneath at the 11:33 mark.

Contact the Sports Editor at sports@unc.edu.