1982 recap: Smith leads UNC to win

Michael Jordan’s shot with 17 seconds remaining. James Worthy’s dunk over Patrick Ewing. Dean Smith’s first ring.

The 1982 national championship is the most iconic title in UNC basketball history. But the banner was also accompanied by both a No. 1 national ranking and a 32-2 record — the best record of any North Carolina team since 1957.

In 1981, Smith led his squad to the national championship game for the third time in his career. But Smith was outcoached by Bob Knight and his players outhustled by Isiah Thomas, as Indiana won 63-50.

The Tar Heels added six freshmen for the ’82 season, including Wilmington’s Michael Jordan. Teamed with Worthy, a junior, and sophomore Sam Perkins, Jordan was not shy, taking more shots in his freshman year than Worthy did in his national player of the year season.

The trio all averaged double figures, with Worthy’s 15.6 points per game leading the way. Perkins grabbed nearly eight rebounds per game while Jordan was good for 13.5 points per game.

North Carolina won its first 13 games of the season, including a 65-60 win against Virginia and 73-63 triumph at Duke. Wake Forest dealt the Heels their first loss of the season, a 55-48 defeat at Carmichael. Two weeks later, Ralph Sampson’s Virginia team exacted revenge, handling UNC 74-58.

That game marked the last time the 1982 team would lose. The Heels breezed through the rest of the ACC regular season and then edged Virginia in the ACC title game 47-45, thanks to last minute free throws by Matt Doherty.

UNC would once again play a two-point game, this time in the first round of the NCAA tournament. The Heels squeaked by James Madison 52-50 in what was essentially a home game in Charlotte.

Wins against Alabama and Villanova set up a semifinal game against the Clyde Drexler-led Houston, where UNC won 68-63 and put the team in the national title game for the second straight year.



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