University of North Carolina Athletics

THE MOST FAMOUS ARENA IN THE WORLD – The University of North Carolina basketball team probably has no idea what a difference they just made to thousands of Christmases across the state and country.


Carolina’s 76-74 victory over UCLA shouldn’t completely change the hearts and minds of Tar Heel fans around the world. But those final few minutes at Madison Square Garden turned Saturday into a candy cane forest and a comeback win for Carolina.


If Carolina’s late game trap and Seth Trimbles Defense doesn’t force a critical Bruin turnover…


If Ian Jackson fails to score 24 points in his backyard in his first game ever at Madison Square Garden…


If Jalen Washington Fails to grab an offensive rebound with 92 seconds left and scores…


If the Tar Heels don’t put together a solid team effort on defense in the final four minutes and eliminate the offensive rebounds that plagued them against Florida earlier in the week…


Then in the next few days things would get even angrier on lunch and dinner tables around the world in Carolina. And anyone associated with the Tar Heels would feel like a crazy idiot.


“We have been in this situation and understand how important small details are,” Hubert Davis Said Jones Angell on the Tar Heel Sports Network: “We got the one stop we needed against Kansas, Michigan State and Florida…The little things made big things happen. It’s the unboxing. They are distractions. It’s about defense and jumping.” Loose balls. It comes down to timing and execution on offense.


It wasn’t always pretty. There were moments of extreme frustration. It probably won’t be one of those you watch again and again.


But it was the one thing Carolina had to have that Saturday afternoon: a win. And just a reminder: every time the Tar Heels stop, an angel gets its wings.


“We fought,” Jackson said on THSN. “That showed some of the toughness we’re trying to build… We chipped in well, we didn’t try to get the home run going, and we recovered and stopped down the stretch.”


And here’s the perfect snapshot of the difference between wins and losses: After losses, post-game interviews are somber affairs, barely rising above a whisper in a celebratory room.


Today, when Jackson finished, assistant coach Pat Sullivan I went in to listen to the last few minutes. The Bogota, New Jersey native, who speaks Jackson’s fast-paced New York dialect, could barely contain himself while the microphone was on. As soon as it started, he grabbed Jackson’s shoulder.


“Hey,” Sullivan said in his sharp New York accent. “Did you talk about defense in this interview? Ian Jackson? Speaking of defense?”


The two burst out laughing. A natural goalscorer, Jackson never had to defend much or even notice what was happening on that end of the court. Now he called it a key factor in a win.


“That’s growth, baby!” Sullivan said, jumping out of the room.


It shouldn’t make that much of a difference. We’re all adults and we know better than to let the actions of college basketball players dictate our mood, especially during the holidays when there are plenty of other activities to focus on.


But if RJ Davis or the Tar Heels can’t find a way to get Tyler Bilodeau into foul trouble and limit him to two points and zero field goals in the final 12:50 minutes, or the Heels don’t limit the turnovers in the second half, we’re all closing in a dark room, eating junk food and looking at trash.


How nice was this victory? Even New York City traffic feels good. As the bus tried to sneak past 8^ThIn front of Madison Square Garden on Ave. several Carolina fans stopped in the crosswalk to cheer on the Heels (it’s hard to disguise a black bus draped in the signature Jordan elephant print, a fresh new robe that debuted just this week). It just slowed progress a little. But it was fine.


So enjoy your Christmas, Tar Heels. Think about the potential Ian Jackson or the still growing one Drake Powell or just how damn good those retro blue jerseys look. With the right team claiming a two-point win, we’ll all have the happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby danced with Danny Kaye.


“I just want to sit with my wife and kids and not think about basketball for a few days,” Davis said. “I want to have a relaxing time with them and then get involved with Campbell after Christmas.”


One of those kids is Elijah, a member of this year’s Carolina team, who walked out with a big smile on his face and the feeling of every Tar Heel in his heart.


If you look for it, I have a sneaking feeling that you will find that love is indeed omnipresent.


“Santa Claus,” Elijah said, “is definitely coming this year.”