Season: 2006-07
Record: 31-7 overall, 11-5 ACC(1st place tie)
ACC Tournament: Won Championship
NCAA Tournament: Lost to Georgetown in the Elite Eight after leading by 10 with six minutes left and no I am still not over it.
Roster: Dewey Burke, Mike Copeland, Wayne Ellington, Bobby Frasor, Marcus Ginyard, Danny Green, Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wes Miller, Alex Stepheson, Reyshawn Terry, Quentin Thomas, Deon Thompson, Surry Wood, Brandan Wright.
Source: UNC Media Guide
I have debated what to say about this team considering most of this team is still intact, a minor miracle within itself considering this age of early NBA defections.
As much as we have agonized about the loss to Georgetown this was an interesting “growth” season for this team. The hype ahead of the 2007 season was insane and this blog was even a bit giddy over having the number one ranked PG, SG and PF in the nation join a 2006 team that went 23-8 and had Tyler Hansbrough. It was not surprising that everyone expected a great deal from this team and also not a surprise I guess that they exhibited a great many flaws.
The two issues which stand out the most to me was the inability to close out games and a seeming inconsistency in how functioned on the court. Both of those were related to the youth on this team but also to the 11 man rotation Roy used which make it difficult for many of the players to fit into a role leading to a general lack of cohesion. In other words they were one year away but even then still one of the best teams in the country with a legitimate shot at winning a national title. They needed to grow up and grow as a unit, something we saw them do in 2008 and something we hope they finish in 2009.
This season ended up with some very odd losses at interesting times such as losing to Virgina Tech twice, dropping games at Maryland and Georgia Tech and that mysterious debacle in Raleigh. Surrounding those losses were some huge wins such as the throttling of Arizona in Tuscon, beating Duke in Cameron and a huge win at Boston College during a Saturday night game on ESPN. The NCAA Tournament likewise had some hard fought wins that belied the nature of the team. UNC won a tough game versus Michigan State and then in the Sweet Sixteen found themselves in huge trouble versus USC before the Trojans imploded. Then came the Georgetown game which was a microcosm of the season that felt like ended a game too early.
Of course perhaps the biggest news story of the season and certainly the biggest for this blog was the infamous foul committed by Gerald Henderson on Tyler Hansbrough at the end of the Duke-UNC game in Chapel Hill. It was the perfect storm of events: It was UNC-Duke with a vicious foul resulting in a broken nose complete with blood pouring out of Hansbrough’s nose. This was followed by asinine comments from Mike Krzyzewski afterwards coupled with downright idiotic ramblings of Billy Packer and did I mention it was UNC-Duke? It was a story so powerful that it still had plenty of life to it when UNC faced Duke during the 1st game in 2008.
In the end putting this team at #11 seems appropriate. They were very good but just short of the Final Four and in this case just short of the top ten in these rankings.
Countdown So Far
12. 1986
13. 1994
14. 1983
15. 1989
16. 1988
17. 1985
18. 2006
19. 2001
20. 1992
21. 1996
22. 1999
23. 2000
24. 2004
25. 1990
26. 2003
27. 2002
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I’d say that they lived up to the hype-no question. They did everything we had hoped they would do. The frustration lies in the fact that they made us forget that they were so young (and learning)and actually had us thinking title. 31 wins, Elite Eight and reg. and ACCT titles were awesome. I think that history will reflect kindly on this team. I sure do.
Very special team. I recall thinking about how excited I was to see such a touted freshmen class join what was an already exciting team we had with players like Tyler H. and Bobby F. I now feel that way about our incoming 4 joining such a good group that still exists with Tyler H. and Bobby F. Add in Wayne/Danny/TyLaw and man!!!
For me, the story of Jason Ray will always be a huge part of this season, as well. R.I.P.
Why did I watch that YouTube? Now I’m even more pissed at Packer….
The death of Jason was truly a loss for all Tar Heels.
I thought about mentioning Jason Ray but I did not want to trivialize his death by including in within the context I was working in so I thought it was best left unmentioned.
That was my thoughts too THF. But I was encouraged to see other forum members discuss it, which is how this should most likely be presented to this thread.
It’s been a little strange the last two years with the tragic deaths of Jason Ray and Eve Carson. Certainly basketball games don’t compare to the loss of these wonderful young people.
The 2006 year was a great year and again, all most ABC folks remember the GTown game (and maybe the Henderthug elbow). I’m not sure we could have beaten Florida that year anyway.
There are certainly some good coaching on the scene right now. Donovan, Pitino, R.W., K, Calipari. If, God forbid, we ever have to be on the market for a new coach, Donovan and Pinino would get my vote. Luckily, we were able to keep it in the family this time around.
THF, you’ve got Brandan Wright on this squad. I think we were all praying he’d appear out of nowhere for that game.
I felt so bad for Terry on the VT losses. He was owned by (forget the players name but one of the biggest floppers in the ACC to date.) He cost us both games. As for the Georgetown loss plain and simple the refs ate their whistle. The “Henderson (ho-hum) (run of the mill)(lightly tapped) (barley touched) incident” That kid should still be suspended. Still can’t believe Tyler didn’t tear his head off.
Dewey Burke and one of the refs are the only reasons Tyler isn’t on trial for homicide, or at the very least assault and battery. I remember watching that game and when he jumped up from the court after getting hit, all I could think was, “Someone please step in between him and Henderson now before this becomes Larry Brown-Art Heyman part 2.”
Nice punch Larry!!
2005 was the year that UNC basketball worked its’ way back into the elite. 2007 confirmed the program’s staying power (second #1 seed in three years), setting the stage for the incredible 36-3 season of 2008.
Something should be pointed out here about the difference in coaching styles between Dean and Roy. Dean was forever loyal to the veterans, and reluctantly starting freshmen. Well, we all know how he felt about veterans. Roy, on the other hand, started the players who, on paper, appeared to be most talented. I think that if Dean were at the helm, Quinten Thomas would have received a little more playing time. Rayshawn Terry was truly fun to watch during the season. Yeah, he was transparent at times, but he wasn’t expected to bring it every game. It’s too bad that this team was were without a David Noel or Jackie Manuel; which is, the guy who does a little of everything for the team to win. Rayshawn came close, and Marcus began to emerge into that guy, but no one seemed content to be absent in the box score while leaving skid marks all over the floor. The freshmen were fun, but erratic. Brandan Wright was all about presence, in that you knew we had a top-flight talent on the court, but it didn’t always translate. Plus, we have a hard time (as the collective UNC fan base) getting excited about a kid who has the following dispositions: 1. He came off as soft on both defense and physical matchups, and 2. We had to stomach #1 while knowing he was probably done after the season.
When all is said and done, it is rather remarkeable that we are still looking at a UNC roster that includes Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, and Tyler Hansbrough. I’ve read some posts (elsewhere, of course) from nay-sayers who are happy to point out that Lawson, Ellington, and Green certainly “are not coming back due to their love of UNC basketball.” Well, okay, but name another program where kids would have forgone a consistent paycheck over seas in order to come back to college? Kansas? No way. Duke? Ask Josh McBob. Kentucky? Ask Randolph Morris. Better yet, had Patrick Patterson not suffered a severe injury, he would have gone top-25. UCLA? Um, how many guys have they lost to the draft?
I’ve been keeping track of the Heels since I moved to Chapel Hill in 1995. While I’ve seen seen better teams than the 2006-2007 edition, I doubt I have ever seen a team as talented, top to bottom, as this one. For that I will always remember them.
Hey Tar Heel Mania,
Just a info note.. the picture you have is of Roy when he coached at Kansas. If you knew, sorry.
for me Wes Miller was the unsung hero of that team…as much for his very under-rated defense as for his outside range. He would’ve come in pretty handy this past season.
I know. That doesn’t make the picture any less funny, though.