# 2011–12 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team

The 2011–12 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the 2011–2012 college basketball season. The team's head coach was Roy Williams, who was in his 9th season as UNC's head men's basketball coach. The 2011–12 North Carolina team finished the regular season with a final record of 32–6, and with a 14–2 record in ACC regular season play, winning the conference regular season championship outright. They were invited to the 2012 ACC men's basketball tournament, where they beat Maryland and North Carolina State before falling to Florida State in the championship game. They were also invited to the 2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament reaching the Elite Eight where they were defeated by Kansas. This was the second time UNC lost to Kansas in the NCAA Tournament with Roy Williams as UNC head coach. Roy Williams previously coached Kansas from 1988–2003. Kansas later fell to Kentucky 59-67 in the National Championship Game. The Tar Heels won their previous three games in the NCAA Tournament by an average of 13.7 points. In the second-round game versus Creighton, starting UNC point guard Kendall Marshall broke his right wrist with 10:56 remaining in the second half. Kendall Marshall did not play in UNC's two following games in the NCAA Tournament, a 73-65 overtime win over Ohio in the Sweet 16 and a 67-80 loss to Kansas in the Elite Eight. The loss to Kansas was UNC's second straight loss in the Elite Eight, after losing to Kentucky the year before.

## Pre-season
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Justin Knox | 25 | F | 6'9" | 240 | Senior | Tuscaloosa, Alabama | Graduated |
| Daniel Bolick | 3 | G | 5'10" | 175 | Senior | Carrboro, North Carolina | Graduated |
| Van Hatchell | 13 | G | 6'4" | 185 | Senior | Chapel Hill, North Carolina | Graduated |

### Class of 2011 Signees

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| James Michael McAdoo F | Norfolk, Virginia | Norfolk Christian High School | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 216 lb (98 kg) | Nov 10, 2010 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 98 ||||||
| P. J. Hairston G | Greensboro, North Carolina | Hargrave Military Academy | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Nov 10, 2010 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 97 ||||||
| Desmond Hubert C | Cream Ridge, New Jersey | New Egypt High School | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 207 lb (94 kg) | Apr 14, 2011 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 90 ||||||
| Jackson Simmons F | Sylva, North Carolina | Smoky Mountain High School | 6 ft 8 in (2.03 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | Aug 17, 2010 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 89 ||||||
| Stilman White G | Wilmington, North Carolina | John T. Hoggard High School | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | Apr 14, 2011 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: N/A ESPN: ESPN grade: 78 ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: 9 Rivals: 6 ESPN: 5 ||||||
| Note: In many cases, Scout, Rivals, 247Sports, and ESPN may conflict in their listings of height and weight. In these cases, the average was taken. ESPN grades are on a 100-point scale. Sources: "North Carolina 2011 Basketball Commitments". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011. "2011 North Carolina Commits". Scout.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011. "ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011. "Scout.com Team Recruiting Rankings". Scout.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011. "2011 Team Ranking". Rivals.com. Retrieved August 25, 2011. ||||||

## Roster

* Note that the roster is subject to change.

## Season
### Non-conference play

The Tar Heels started out as a near-unanimous #1 in all major polls. They opened the season against Michigan State in the inaugural Carrier Classic, which they won handily 67–55. They were not seriously tested until the finals of the 2011 Las Vegas Invitational, in which they were upset by UNLV 90–80. After a close win over Wisconsin and an equally close loss to Kentucky, they made it relatively unscathed through the rest of the nonconference slate, with the only close game being against Long Beach State.

### Conference play

The ACC schedule opened with dominating wins over Boston College and Miami. However, in their third conference game, the Tar Heels suffered a 90–57 flogging at the hands of Florida State — easily the worst loss Williams had suffered in his nine years in Chapel Hill. They quickly rebounded and won their next five games with relative ease. They were well on their way to making Duke their sixth straight victim, but Duke came back from 10 points down with two minutes to go to win the game on an Austin Rivers 3-pointer at the buzzer.
The Tar Heels would not lose again for the rest of the season, though they got a scare from Virginia before hanging on for a 54–51 win. An easy win over Maryland set up the seventh winner-take-all game in the 93-year history of the Carolina-Duke rivalry, with the winner clinching the ACC regular-season title and the number-one seed in the 2012 ACC tournament. The Tar Heels dominated from start to finish, leading by as much as 26 before going on to an 88–70 win—in the process, winning their 29th ACC regular season title and their fifth outright title in eight years.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| October 28, 2011* 7:30 pm | No. 1 | UNC Pembroke | W 100–58 | – | 18 – Zeller | 11 – Zeller | 5 – Bullock | Smith Center (16,852 (77.5%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Regular season |||||||||
| November 11, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 1 | vs. Michigan State Carrier Classic | W 67–55 | 1–0 | 17 – Barnes | 7 – Henson | 5 – Marshall; Strickland | USS Carl Vinson (8,111 (100%)) San Diego, CA |
| November 13, 2011* 4:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 1 | at UNC Asheville | W 91–75 | 2–0 | 27 – Zeller | 12 – Henson | 15 – Marshall | Kimmel Arena (3,280 (96.5%)) Asheville, NC |
| November 20, 2011* 2:00 pm, FSN | No. 1 | Mississippi Valley State 2011 Las Vegas Invitational | W 101–75 | 3–0 | 18 – Barnes; Henson | 14 – Henson | 8 – Marshall | Smith Center (18,160 (83.5%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| November 22, 2011* 7:30 pm, ESPN3 | No. 1 | Tennessee State Las Vegas Invitational | W 102–69 | 4–0 | 23 – Bullock | 10 – Henson | 15 – Marshall | Smith Center (17,509 (80.5%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| November 25, 2011* 10:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 1 | vs. South Carolina Las Vegas Invitational semifinals | W 87–62 | 5–0 | 21 – Barnes | 8 – Henson | 14 – Marshall | Orleans Arena (unavailable) Paradise, NV |
| November 26, 2011* 10:30 pm, ESPN2 | No. 1 | vs. UNLV Las Vegas Invitational championship | L 80–90 | 5–1 | 15 – Barnes; Hairston | 8 – Henson | 8 – Marshall | Orleans Arena (7,523 (100%)) Paradise, NV |
| November 30, 2011* 9:30 pm, ESPN | No. 5 | No. 9 Wisconsin ACC – Big Ten Challenge | W 60–57 | 6–1 | 20 – Barnes | 21 – Henson | 7 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,750 (100%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| December 3, 2011* 12:00 pm, CBS | No. 5 | at No. 1 Kentucky | L 72–73 | 6–2 | 14 – Barnes; Zeller | 8 – Hensen; Zeller | 8 – Marshall | Rupp Arena (24,398 (100%)) Lexington, KY |
| December 6, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 4 | Evansville | W 97–48 | 7–2 | 17 – Barnes | 12 – Henson | 6 – Marshall | Smith Center (15,623 (71.8%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| December 10, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPN3 | No. 4 | Long Beach State | W 84–78 | 8–2 | 24 – Henson | 10 – Henson | 16 – Marshall | Smith Center (20,426 (93.9%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| December 17, 2011* 6:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 5 | Appalachian State | W 97–82 | 9–2 | 31 – Zeller | 10 – Zeller | 13 – Marshall | Smith Center (20,892 (96.1%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| December 19, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 5 | Nicholls State | W 99–49 | 10–2 | 14 – McAdoo; Strickland | 11 – Henson; Zeller | 7 – Marshall | Smith Center (18,072 (83.1%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| December 21, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 5 | Texas | W 82–63 | 11–2 | 26 – Barnes | 11 – Zeller | 9 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,750 (100%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| December 29, 2011* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 5 | Elon | W 100–62 | 12–2 | 19 – Zeller | 13 – Zeller | 8 – Marshall | Smith Center (20,880 (96%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| January 1, 2012* 3:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 5 | Monmouth | W 102–65 | 13–2 | 21 – Henson | 11 – Zeller | 11 – Marshall | Smith Center (18,614 (85.6%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| January 7, 2012 2:30 pm, ACC Network | No. 3 | Boston College | W 83–60 | 14–2 (1–0) | 25 – Barnes | 8 – Henson; Zeller | 11 – Marshall | Smith Center (20,582 (94.6%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| January 10, 2012 9:00 pm, ACC Network | No. 3 | Miami (FL) | W 73–56 | 15–2 (2–0) | 16 – Zeller | 14 – Henson | 7 – Marshall | Smith Center (20,096 (92.4%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| January 14, 2012 2:00 pm, ESPN | No. 3 | at Florida State ESPN College GameDay | L 57–90 | 15–3 (2–1) | 15 – Barnes | 14 – Zeller | 4 – Marshall | Donald L. Tucker Center (12,100 (100%)) Tallahassee, FL |
| January 19, 2012 9:00 pm, ESPN | No. 8 | at Virginia Tech | W 82–68 | 16–3 (3–1) | 27 – Barnes | 16 – Henson | 8 – Marshall | Cassell Coliseum (9,847 (100%)) Blacksburg, VA |
| January 26, 2012 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 7 | NC State Carolina-State Rivalry, Homecoming | W 74–55 | 17–3 (4–1) | 21 – Zeller | 17 – Zeller | 11 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,750 (100%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| January 29, 2012 6:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 7 | Georgia Tech | W 93–81 | 18–3 (5–1) | 23 – Barnes | 6 – Henson; McAdoo | 12 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,017 (96.6%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| January 31, 2012 9:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 5 | at Wake Forest | W 68–53 | 19–3 (6–1) | 18 – Zeller | 18 – Zeller | 6 – Marshall | LJVM Coliseum (12,865 (87.7%)) Winston-Salem, NC |
| February 4, 2012 4:00 pm, ESPN | No. 5 | at Maryland | W 83–74 | 20–3 (7–1) | 22 – Zeller | 12 – Henson | 16 – Marshall | Comcast Center (17,950 (100%)) College Park, MD |
| February 8, 2012 9:00 pm, ESPN | No. 5 | No. 9 Duke Carolina-Duke rivalry | L 84–85 | 20–4 (7–2) | 25 – Barnes | 17 – Henson | 8 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,750 (100%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| February 11, 2012 1:00 pm, ACC Network | No. 5 | No. 19 Virginia | W 70–52 | 21–4 (8–2) | 25 – Zeller | 11 – Barnes | 6 – Marshall | Smith Center (20,496 (94.2%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| February 15, 2012 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 8 | at Miami (FL) | W 73–64 | 22–4 (9–2) | 23 – Barnes | 11 – Henson | 9 – Marshall | BankUnited Center (7,071 (88.3%)) Coral Gables, FL |
| February 18, 2012 4:00 pm, ESPN | No. 8 | Clemson | W 74–52 | 23–4 (10–2) | 24 – Barnes | 8 – Henson | 13 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,750 (100%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| February 21, 2012 8:00 pm, ACC Network | No. 7 | at NC State Carolina-State Rivalry | W 86–74 | 24–4 (11–2) | 22 – Marshall | 13 – Henson | 13 – Marshall | RBC Center (19,710 (99.9%)) Raleigh, NC |
| February 25, 2012 4:00 pm, ESPN | No. 7 | at No. 25 Virginia | W 54–51 | 25–4 (12–2) | 20 – Zeller | 11 – Henson | 6 – Marshall | John Paul Jones Arena (14,273 (97.8%)) Charlottesville, VA |
| February 29, 2012 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 6 | Maryland | W 88–64 | 26–4 (13–2) | 30 – Zeller | 9 – Henson | 8 – Marshall | Smith Center (21,750 (100%)) Chapel Hill, NC |
| March 3, 2012 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 6 | at No. 3 Duke Carolina-Duke Rivalry, ESPN College GameDay | W 88–70 | 27–4 (14–2) | 20 – Marshall | 10 – Henson; Zeller | 10 – Marshall | Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314 (100%)) Durham, NC |
| ACC tournament |||||||||
| March 9, 2012 Noon, ESPN2/ACC Network | (1) No. 4 | vs. (8) Maryland Quarterfinals | W 85–69 | 28–4 | 15 – Barnes; Bullock | 8 – McAdoo | 12 – Marshall | Philips Arena (19,520 (100%)) Atlanta, GA |
| March 10, 2012 1:00 pm, ESPN/ACC Network | (1) No. 4 | vs. (5) NC State Semifinals | W 69–67 | 29–4 | 23 – Zeller | 9 – Zeller | 10 – Marshall | Philips Arena (19,520 (100%)) Atlanta, GA |
| March 11, 2012 1:00 pm, ESPN/ACC Network | (1) No. 4 | vs. (3) No. 17 Florida State Championship Game | L 82–85 | 29–5 | 21 – Barnes | 12 – Zeller | 9 – Marshall | Philips Arena (19,520 (100%)) Atlanta, GA |
| NCAA tournament |||||||||
| March 16, 2012* 4:10 pm, TBS | (1 MW) No. 4 | vs. (16 MW) Vermont Second Round | W 77–58 | 30–5 | 17 – McAdoo; Zeller | 15 – Zeller | 10 – Marshall | Greensboro Coliseum (16,422) Greensboro, NC |
| March 18, 2012* 5:15 pm, CBS | (1 MW) No. 4 | vs. (8 MW) No. 19 Creighton Third Round | W 87–73 | 31–5 | 18 – Marshall | 10 – Henson | 11 – Marshall | Greensboro Coliseum (18,722) Greensboro, NC |
| March 23, 2012* 7:47 pm, TBS | (1 MW) No. 4 | vs. (13 MW) Ohio Sweet Sixteen | W 73–65 $^{OT}$ | 32–5 | 20 – Zeller | 22 – Zeller | 6 – White | Edward Jones Dome (21,471) St. Louis, MO |
| March 25, 2012* 5:05 pm, CBS | (1 MW) No. 4 | vs. (2 MW) No. 6 Kansas Elite Eight | L 67–80 | 32–6 | 15 – McAdoo | 7 – Bullock | 7 – White | Edward Jones Dome (23,565) St. Louis, MO |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Eastern Time (#) during NCAA Tournament is seed with Region. |||||||||

## Rankings

Ranking movements Legend: ██ Increase in ranking ██ Decrease in ranking :
| | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | Final |
| AP | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 4 | |
| Coaches | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 5 | |

## Team players drafted into the NBA

| Year | Round | Pick | Player | NBA Club |
| 2012 | 1 | 7 | Harrison Barnes | Golden State Warriors |
| 2012 | 1 | 13 | Kendall Marshall | Phoenix Suns |
| 2012 | 1 | 14 | John Henson | Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2012 | 1 | 17 | Tyler Zeller | Cleveland Cavaliers |
| 2013 | 1 | 25 | Reggie Bullock | Los Angeles Clippers |
| 2014 | 1 | 26 | P.J. Hairston | Miami Heat |