Season: 1991-1992
Record: 23-10 overall, 9-7 ACC(3rd place)
ACC Tournament: Lost to Duke in the finals
NCAA Tournament: Lost to Ohio State in the Sweet Sixteen
Roster: Jason Burgess, Scott Cherry, Hubert Davis, George Lynch, Eric Montross, Derrick Phelps, Brian Reese, Henrik Rodl, Kevin Salvadori, Larry Smith, Travis Stephenson, Pat Sullivan, Matt Wenstrom, Donald Williams.
Source: UNC Media Guide
One note about the countdown: This is the last UNC team on the list with double digit losses. That stands as a fairly amazing stat.
The stretch of UNC teams running from about 1986 to 1993 really established the foundation of my UNC fandom. During this time I watched most, if not all the games with Daddy and took UNC winning and losing nearly on a personal level. By the time you reached 1992 UNC had broken the nine year Final Four drought in 1991 which had also included a 2nd ACC Tournament title in three years also the end of a small drought for the Heels. What we did not know at the time was the 1990s would end up being wildly successful for UNC send Dean Smith out on a very high note. UNC would end up in five FInal Fours in the 1990s with one national title. In between those seasons were what can only be described as the other side of the pendulum swing where UNC came down to earth a tad before bouncing back into national title contention(1994 was an obvious exception.) 1992 was such a step back followed by a huge step up to an NCAA banner.
The 1992 team was mostly made up of younger players. UNC lost King Rice, Pete Chilcutt and Rick Fox from the 1991 Final Four team. Clifford Rozier had transferred to Louisville which was an addition by subtraction situation. The team boasted one senior in Hubert Davis and a boatload of underclassman talent sending a fairly clear signal that if things did not break right this season the next season would be the real deal.
Of course for most of this season UNC looked every bit like a serious player. The Heels opened up at 18-3 but had that infamous loss to Florida State in the Noles first ACC game ever which led to the oft quoted line from Sam Cassell about the Dean Dome being a “wine and cheese” crowd. UNC would end up being swept by Florida State and NC State in 1992 which was annoying various levels, especially since I spent a lot of time around NC State fans.
The game of the season, like every season came versus Duke in Chapel Hill. UNC won 75-73 but this game is perhaps known more for the image of Eric Montross bleeding from a cut under his eye that was a staple of UNC-Duke promos on ESPN until The Elbow happened. The Heels’ win marked the first time Duke had lost that season and one of only two losses for the Devils as they unfortunately repeated as national champions. The win also was the high point of the season.
UNC won twice more then hit a major skid of four straight losses and five of their final six games. Four of the five losses came on the road most likely pointing to youth being a factor in how the team performed in hostile environments. UNC did recover to avoid going 0-3 versus Florida State for the season but lost to Duke in almost an exact reversal of the ACC title game from the season before. In the NCAA Tournament, UNC struggled to put away Miami(OH) before dispatching a very tough Alabama team in the 2nd round. Ohio State ended the Heels’ season a few days later.
Personnel wise, only Hubert Davis, George Lynch and Henrik Rodl had significant experience. The remaining members of the incredible 1990 recruiting class were merely sophomores and Donald Williams was struggling to find his game as a freshman. Williams endured a great deal of pressure considering he was from Garner and so much focus was on him to perform considering how highly regarded he was coming out of high school. Since I was living near Garner and was only two years younger than Williams I heard all sorts of stories about the things he did in high school such as pulling up just across half court and drilling a three. Williams established a fairly lofty legend locally and when he went to UNC people sort of expected more of the same. When it did not happen concerns were raised, concerns which were buried in 1993.
I also enjoyed a personal connection to this team. I attended the same church as walk-on Travis Stepheson and was good friends with the family. During one of the church fundraisers there was an auction and Stepheson had donated a basketball autographed by the entire 1992 team. Daddy decided to bid on the basketball and buy it for me knowing how much I loved the Heels. He won it and I still have that basketball today as a reminder of Daddy and also how much fun it was watching UNC basketball back in those days.
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Countdown So Far
21. 1996
22. 1999
23. 2000
24. 2004
25. 1990
26. 2003
27. 2002
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I think I’ll never forget Montross and his performance in that Dook game. My wife and I saw Eric at a stop light on campus while attending a game the following year and I thought she would jump out of the truck to hug him.
I must say, for some reason I always though Brian Reese would be the second coming of MJ……. so much for my scouting talent.
I remember the Montross game. I vaguely remember the ACC final. I remember not seeing, but hearing that UNC had lost to Florida State in their first ACC game. And that’s it for this season. No other memories. No recollection whatsoever of the NCAAs that year.
Well Wilf, he did have an amazing ability to cut & slash to the basket which would have remined me of Jordan too. Like Jordan, he helped bring a title to UNC. So there are some similarities there. But that is where it stops. This year in the final four, I thought we needed a Donald Williams, someone who was relentless at shooting the ball. If we had that, you would have most likely had a situation where Deon Thompson and Hansbrough would have had more footwork room in the paint. It would have also given Wayne Ellington & Danny Green to do their athletic moves to the basket, and could have put Kansas in some compromising situations with fouls. Just my opinion.
More of the story with attending the same church as Stephenson is that he was good friends with Eric Montross. They loved to go fishing together. Montross came to church with him a few times and you really have no concept have big a 7 foot guy is until he ducks his head walking into the back of the church. I talked with him a few times, he is a great guy. After he got married he came to church with his wife who is like 5-5. Very funny seeing them standing next to each other.
Salvadori really turned out to be a nice compliment to Montross his senior year
Yes he did Keith! I am hoping that we get that kind of production out of Zeller working alongside Tyler Hansbrough.
I remember this being the year Carolina got new uniforms that are closer to the ones now. Hubert Davis put up a good battle against Jim Jackson in that OSU loss. I also remember beating a good Alabama team with Robert Horry and Latrell Sprewell in the second round to keep the sweet 16 streak alive.
THF-
Two things:
1. My dad and I saw Montross play in the 1990 playoffs in Indiana. Being Indiana boy who grew up watching the Tar Heels (in person and on t.v. with my dad), I was exctatic when Eric committed to UNC. Those were my pre-teen years, when the highlight of my spring was travelling up and down the state of Indiana to watch the state playoffs. There is simply nothing like it. Legions of Hoosier fans still keep Montross in their doghouse in that he “bolted.” They feel the same way about both Sean May and Tyler 2.0 Zeller.
2. Dad and I saw this UNC team defeat the Alabama team that had Sprewell and Horry. We sat about 20 rows up behind the basket, and I remember both Montross and Reese displaying tireless footwork around the basket. My dad made a point to tell me that Dean Smith would not call many timeouts. I can’t remember the exact figure, but I’m sure it was low.
Having seen UNC in the 1991 Final Four, I actually thought that the 1992 team looked better, in person, anyways. The ‘92 team seemed to be governed by the two guards, Phelps and Davis, which seemed natural. I think that Fox was pressing way too much in the ‘91 Final Four and it translated into poor shot selection; thus, negating the (potentially) valuable production from the likes of Hubert Davis and George Lynch.
George Lynch…what a stud.
Just for the record my fandom goes back to the Larry Miller days when I was around 5 or 6. Real memories of specific games starts around 72/73.
Anyway, I find it interesting that our last three National Championship teams were anchored by Juniors. Worthy in 82, the JUNIOR class in 93 and of course Felton, May and McCants in 2005. Hoping this “junior class” will anchor our NC in 2009. The focus of this blog entry is of course the 92 team learning how to win in preparation for their championship.
I certainly remember the Montross cut. I could be mistaken but I believe Hubert Davis got a standing O at Cameron Indoor that year in his last regular season game at Dook.
Ah, college memories. My girlfriend’s dad was a big enough SAC donor that he had 4 lower-level seats in the corner opposite the UNC bench about 10-12 rows up. I was lucky enough to see more than my share of games from those seats–including that Duke game–while we were dating. (Wish I could remember why I dumped her?)
One big difference between the Montross and Hansbrough incidents was the players’ reactions. Hansbrough’s initial reaction seemed to be one of “did that really just happen to me?” It was after a second or so of that (and registering all the blood) that he looked like he wanted to collect a couple of scalps. Montross went into immediate scalp collecting mode.
THF, you’re right about the bizarreness of seeing Montross in church. When I was in school, we both attended the Methodist church on Franklin. The place has high ceilings, but he gave ‘em a run for their money.
Heels Perspective-
I’d like to get a fact check on that standing O at Cameron for Hubert Davis. Maybe that is why ESPN (who have a continued love affair with Duke/K to this very day) hired him to work alongside Jay Bilas. It would have looked too obvious if they would have hired Jason/Jay Williams or Christian Laettner for the job. The only obvious aspect of that thought would be that the college basketball color commentary(on ESPN) would have severely SUCKED.
^That is not outside the realm of possibility, Davis hung 35 on Duke that day in a losing effort.
Dean,
Hubert Davis was the “kid who couldn’t play for Carolina” and probably was offered only because of his relation to Sweet D. The fact that he played so well, was a very likeable guy (and the fact Dook was winning) led to the rare display of sportmanship at Cameron.
As THF states he scored 35 and when he left the game I do remember the announcer acknowledging the ovation, but can’t prove it.
Hubert has made a pretty good analyst as well.