North Carolina Tar Heels: 2009 vs 1977, Bracket Challenge

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1977 Rotation

Starters

C Tom LaGarde

F Mike O’Koren

F Walter Davis

G John Kuester

G Phil Ford

Key Reserves

G Tom Zaligaris

F Rich Yonakor

F Steve Krafcisin

F Bruce Buckley

F Dudley Bradley

North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

2009 Rotation

Starters

C Tyler Hansbrough

F Deon Thompson

F Danny Green

G Wayne Ellington

G Ty Lawson

Key Reserves

G Bobby Frasor

F Ed Davis

C Tyler Zeller

G Marcus Ginyard*

F Will Graves

G Larry Drew

G Justin Watts

Comments:

The thing that jumps out here is the sheer number of NBA players on the court for the 2009 team. There are six of them: Davis, Zeller, Lawson, Ellington, Green, and Hansbrough. Drew is bouncing around the NBDL at the moment. This was a team that mixed talent and experience in a way that was truly great. They won every game in the tourney by at least twelve points. Ellington was MOP, but Lawson and Hansbrough were right there. Lawson set the NCAA record with eight steals in the title game. The Heels had the largest point total and halftime margin in title game history to that point.

The dangerous thing about the 1977 team is giving them their full strength. LaGarde and Ford at 100% did not happen much for these guys. Walter Davis was a great player in his own right, and Mike O’Koren was really productive.

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