03/08/1998 ACC Final: #4 North Carolina Tar Heels at #1 Duke Blue Devils

All-Americans Antawn Jamison, Vince Carter and the fourth-ranked North Carolina Tar Heels, look to upset Steve Wojciechowski, Trajan Langdon and the top-ranked Duke Blue Devils, in the Championship game of the ACC Tournament.
Game played on Sunday, March 8, 1998 at the Greensboro, NC Coliseum
I DO NOT OWN RIGHTS TO THIS VIDEO. Credits go to the Atlantic Coast Conference, ESPN, the University of North Carolina and Duke University. Used in conjunction with Fair Use Laws.

[@rolemodlin]

R.I.P. Ademola Okulaja: One of the unsung heroes of UNC basketball.

[@Gonzoweirdo1]

Back when times were much more simple. Life was so much better back then, and sports were, too. Back when there was no social media that’s when there was no Internet back when there was no online shopping back when there were only a few sports TV Channels, and back many years before one, and dones. I wish that this was us in 2021. Why can’t this be us today? I’m also watching this in honor of Coach K’s farewell tour. This is one of my favorite memories of Coach K. I’m not a Duke fan, and I never was but the fact that he is leaving after this year I definitely have my utmost respect for him. I hope that Duke wins it all this year, especially since he is retiring. He will be hard to replace. Coach K=The GOAT. 🐐 for a college basketball coach he would be right up there with Serena Williams, Wayne Gretzky, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Novak Djokovic, and Muhammad Ali. Coach K is a living legend who inspired an entire generation of basketball fans across the spectrum. The way he has coached is unlike any other in our lifetime. Coach K is truly a living legend that is truly irreplaceable. What he brought to the game of basketball is truly unmatched. Whether you are on Tobacco Road, or in The ACC, or in other conferences like The PAC 12, The Big 10, and The SEC, one cannot deny that the hall of fame Coach K has been a true ambassador for the sport. Duke fans will miss him. As a matter of fact, Coach K is actually known internationally. There will never be another.

[@staffordduncan4452]

This Tar Heels team should've won the National Championship that year but they didn't have a bench but man were they great just ran into Utah who played well that night

[@tomace4898]

Utah loss is probably one of the worst in Carolina NCAA Tournament history... I still think about it.

[@davanmani556]

It’s was Utah’s destiny. They were going to win it but Kentucky’s end to end athleticism and bench got the Utes.

[@martinward3084]

Man I went all the way to San Antonio to watch us lose that one. I was 12 with my dad heartbroken lol

[@7Logik]

100!!!! This was my fav tram to.not win it all , man this team was special

[@lrfisher2002]

Mine too..close 2nd was the fab five

[@martinward3084]

I went all the way to San Antonio to watch us choke in the final four. That's 6 grand I won't get back

[@michaelangelo9024]

I gave Duke and 10 points in this game. Won every bet. I gave Duke and 20 this same year at Chapel Hill. 97-73 was the score. Won a 300 dollar bet. That took guts. Sometimes I just get a feeling in this rivalry.

[@mburrell23]

Another year the Heels choked not cutting down THE nets in the FF. Man 97-98 were let down years not winning at least one of those nat'l titles. UNC should have at least 10 rings by now.

[@jsn23nc]

Too young they should have came back for their Junior Year

[@moimeme6533]

@@jsn23nc actually jamison & carter _were_ juniors in this game

[@austinmiller4832]

Kentucky was not going to lose to anybody that year.

[@elbowgang9715]

It was alot of teams that year that could've won. Arizona, UNC and Kansas as well as Duke and Kentucky were all tip tier. Andre Miller put Utah on his back that season with Keith Van Horn leaving for the NBA. Not to mention teams like Michigan State, UCONN and Cincinnati on their way to being powerhouses. What a time to be alive as a basketball fan

[@TFNARMY_2009]

You are high, UNC was stacked that year, all our losses that year were due to bad referees or just bad benching.

[@michaelangelo9024]

If these two teams ever play for the National Championship it would break all viewing records on TV.

[@bbruno2389]

It will on this coming Saturday #Final4

[@martinward3084]

got as close as could be this yea

[@franciscoluismartinezlopez4930]

NCAA was the best league of basketball for this decades,90's 00's. And a formation league. ♥️🏀

[@j_r_3404]

To be fair UNC should've blown the doors off duke 3 times that year. They were up big in Cameron, but squandered that game away.

[@dalepress1581]

All the talent on the floor. Today's NCAA sucks when you see these games.

[@TheWakeup011]

Big facts!

[@TheWakeup011]

@Warren Dakarirelax dude...ya girl gives up the password easy

[@WhoopityDoo]

No it doesn't. You just need to take your nostalgia goggles off.

[@tytratar2114]

It's too bad North Carolina missed that 3-pointer at the end. That would have been awesome if they made it!

[@rooseveltdarbey9493]

Duke had more depth and were fundamentally sound, but the Tar heels just had more speed and talent.

[@TristanLockamy]

Spoiler alert That was such a sweet victory over Duke

[@michaelangelo9024]

Carolina had the best team along with Kansas. If Duke would've played Carolina in the Final Four the same thing would've happened. A Carolina win, period. Utah took us by surprise and hit those early threes. Worst game all year. Just like the loss to Arizona in 97.

[@jasonnichols6164]

Not to mention Shammond pulled another vanishing act in that game like he did in the FF in 97, and Jamison was getting called for fouls when he was flat on his back....and lets not forget Mahktar being a POS

[@baldsdeep]

Imagine if roy had this team!

[@MrRetroville]

K with the wimp move. Whining to the officials that UNC players were talking shit to the Duke bench. Yes they were. My obvious reaction would be to pump my team up, not go whining to the officials.

[@rolemodlin]

That "six man rotation" was stupid. Makhtar should have never started over any of those guys.

[@mrtruth7955]

They hardly used Carter in this game

[@jdheelfan]

Damn UTAH forever

[@austinmiller4832]

Kentucky is Utah’s daddy. 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2003, 2005

[@rickradicalbrown4021]

Don’t try to defend him either

[@keralajoe]

dickess vitale and the other announcer just couldn't hold back their deep adoration for duke. battier always flopped lol. why did brand come back? cause the duke money machine kept him there

[@jasonallred244]

When will Dukie v ever admit it when UNC just flat out whoops dukes ass

[@TheWakeup011]

Duke owned unc for the better part of the next 15 years after this hame.

[@hodell82]

@@TheWakeup011 And UNC has owned Duke all time. Funny how Dukies always take particular slices of time to try to convince people they have the better program. Here's some stats for you: UNC-Duke head-to-head (all time) 141-114 (UNC). Wins: UNC - 2,276 Duke - 2,201. National Championships: UNC-6, Duke-5. ACC Regular Season Championships: UNC- 32, Duke- 19. NCAA Tournament Final Fours: UNC - 20, Duke - 16. Oh and by the way - Krzyzewski's record against Dean Smith? 14-24. 'Nuff said.

[@TheWakeup011]

@@hodell82 l never said Duke was the better program, all time. I don't think any Duke fan ever has. I am well aware of K's record vs Dean. I also know he was reaching more final fours despite having FAR less blue chip talent during Dean's last 8 to 10 years. That "slice" of time is relevant to the post bc it refers to the time period immediately thereafter. Once Dean left, Duke owned UNC, pretty much until the one and done era. Duke has also been the most dominant program in cbb since the late 80's. Why wouldn't I focus on a more recent slice of time that favors my team? Especially since it's relevant to the post made by the op.

[@foghornfilms]

How Ed Cota and Wojo never made it into the NBA I dunno.

[@BakemonoShiz]

+foghornfilms From a lifelong tar heel fan, Cota couldn't throw a quarter in the ocean from the beach and Wojo gets double-takes when he tries to get on certain rides at Disney (too little). Neither one of them excelled in any one area except "controlling the offense" which you don't waste a draft pick on. You go out and get an Andre Miller type for league-minimum if you want that. just proves how huge the leap it is from NCAA to NBA.

[@BakemonoShiz]

supercross junkie errr, ok. his comment really wasn't about money tho... not really understanding your obsession with Walmart but whatever puts gas in your tank I guess.

[@BakemonoShiz]

supercross junkie obvious troll trolls obviously...back under the bridge with you

[@BakemonoShiz]

supercross junkie a week and 1/2 and that's the best you got? here, hold this L

[@lrfisher2002]

I agree. I think Cota wouldve done well in the league.

[@wildforthecats661]

Too bad they can’t both lose.

[@moimeme6533]

uk fan? lol

[@Gonzoweirdo1]

Watching this because of Coach K’s farewell tour. Going down memory lane.

[@tomace4898]

Ed Cota was on a different basketball planet. Such a joy to watch play.

[@Wyndamn]

Looking back Will Avery should've stayed all four years at Duke.

[@herbertstory812]

Never heard from him again

[@TheWakeup011]

Theoretically maybe. But no way J will comes AND stays 3 years if so.

[@allee2935]

Vince Carter only retired last year

[@SwaggerLikeUz]

Watched all these games back then

[@walterlv01]

When the brackets came out later that evening and these two teams were #1 seeds on opposite sides of it, pretty much every commentator predicted that they would meet a 4th time in the national title game. That didn't happen, but ironically the teams that knocked them out (Kentucky and Utah) did in fact meet in the final.

[@afielde11]

The way Vince was used in this office has to be the most criminal mismanagement ever. We have the most explosive player in basketball yet let’s just put him opposite of the ball and have him set screens

[@rickradicalbrown4021]

Coach k is a snitch

[@Wyndamn]

Who'd he snitch on???

[@lynnerose7891]

Avery was soooo bad.