# 2017–18 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team

The 2017–18 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 2017–18 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Roy Williams, who was in his 15th season as UNC's head men's basketball coach. The Tar Heels played their home games at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 26–11, 11–7 in ACC play to finish in a four-way tie for fourth place. As the No. 6 seed in the ACC tournament, they defeated Syracuse, Miami, and Duke before losing to Virginia in the championship game. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as the No. 2 seed in the West region where they defeated Lipscomb before losing to Texas A&M in the Second Round.

## Previous season

The Tar Heels finished the 2016–17 season with a record of 33–7, 14–4 in ACC play to finish in first place, winning their 31st ACC regular season title. After beating Miami in the ACC tournament, they lost to Duke in the semifinals. Despite the loss to Duke, the Tar Heels received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament as a No. 1 seed in the South region. There they defeated No. 16 Texas Southern, No. 8 Arkansas, No. 4 Butler, and No. 2 Kentucky to earn a trip to their 20th Final Four. In a matchup against the Midwest Region's No. 3 seed Oregon in the Final Four, the Tar Heels won 77–76 to advance to the National Championship. In the championship against the West Region's No. 1 seed Gonzaga, the Tar Heels won 71–65, winning the school's sixth national championship.

## Offseason
### Departures

| Name | Number | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Nate Britt | 0 | G | 6'1" | 175 | Senior | Upper Marlboro, Maryland | Graduated |
| Kennedy Meeks | 3 | F | 6'10" | 260 | Senior | Charlotte, North Carolina | Graduated |
| Isaiah Hicks | 4 | F | 6'9" | 235 | Senior | Oxford, North Carolina | Graduated |
| Kanler Coker | 13 | G | 6'4" | 200 | Senior | Gainesville, Georgia | Graduated |
| Stilman White | 30 | G | 6'1" | 175 | Senior | Wilmington, North Carolina | Graduated |
| Justin Jackson | 44 | F | 6'8" | 200 | Junior | Tomball, Texas | Declared for 2017 NBA draft |
| Tony Bradley | 5 | C | 6'11" | 240 | Freshman | Bartow, Florida | Declared for 2017 NBA draft |

### 2017 recruiting class

US college sports recruiting information for high school athletes :
| Name | Hometown | High school / college | Height | Weight | Commit date |
| Garrison Brooks PF | Lafayette, AL | Auburn High School | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 230 lb (100 kg) | Apr 21, 2017 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: N/A ||||||
| Jalek Felton SG | Mullins, SC | Gray Collegiate Academy | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Dec 30, 2014 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: N/A ||||||
| Brandon Huffman C | Anchorage, AK | Word of God Christian Academy | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) | 250 lb (110 kg) | Sep 26, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: N/A ||||||
| Andrew Platek SG | Guilderland, NY | Northfield Mount Hermon | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | Jul 18, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: N/A ||||||
| Sterling Manley C | Pickerington, OH | Pickerington Central High School | 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) | 220 lb (100 kg) | Oct 16, 2016 |
| Recruiting star ratings: Scout: Rivals: 247Sports: ESPN: ESPN grade: N/A ||||||
| Overall recruiting rankings: Scout: #21 Rivals: #28 247Sports: #14 ESPN: #22 ||||||
| 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: ||||||

### Incoming transfers

| Name | Pos. | Height | Weight | Year | Hometown | Notes |
| Cameron Johnson | F | 6'8" | 210 | Junior | Moon Township, PA | Graduate Transfer from the University of Pittsburgh. Will play immediately in the 2017–18 season under NCAA transfer rules and has two seasons of eligibility remaining. |

## Schedule and results

| Date time, TV | Rank$^#$ | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Exhibition |||||||||
| Oct 27, 2017* 7:30 pm, ACCN Extra | | Barton | W 91–80 | – | 18 – Maye | 11 – Maye | 7 – Felton | Dean Smith Center (10,047) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Non-conference regular season |||||||||
| Nov 10, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPNU | No. 9 | Northern Iowa | W 86–69 | 1–0 | 26 – Maye | 10 – Maye | 5 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (18,926) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Nov 15, 2017* 8:00 pm, ACCN Extra | No. 9 | Bucknell PK-80–Phil Knight Invitational Opening Round | W 93–81 | 2–0 | 20 – Maye | 13 – Manley | 6 – Tied | Dean Smith Center (13,941) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Nov 20, 2017* 11:30 pm, ESPN2 | No. 9 | at Stanford | W 96–72 | 3–0 | 29 – Berry II | 9 – Maye | 5 – Maye | Maples Pavilion (7,233) Stanford, CA |
| Nov 23, 2017* 2:30 pm, ESPN | No. 9 | vs. Portland PK-80–Phil Knight Invitational Victory quarterfinals | W 102–78 | 4–0 | 20 – Maye | 10 – Maye | 7 – Pinson | Moda Center (14,053) Portland, OR |
| Nov 24, 2017* 3:30 pm, ESPN | No. 9 | vs. Arkansas PK-80–Phil Knight Invitational Victory semifinals | W 87–68 | 5–0 | 28 – Maye | 16 – Maye | 5 – Maye | Veterans Memorial Coliseum (10,978) Portland, OR |
| Nov 26, 2017* 8:30 pm, ESPN | No. 9 | vs. No. 4 Michigan State PK-80–Phil Knight Invitational Victory championship | L 45–63 | 5–1 | 16 – Pinson | 6 – Tied | 3 – Berry II | Moda Center (19,413) Portland, OR |
| Nov 29, 2017* 7:30 pm, ESPN | No. 13 | Michigan ACC–Big Ten Challenge | W 86–71 | 6–1 | 27 – Maye | 7 – Pinson | 6 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (19,036) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Dec 1, 2017* 8:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 13 | vs. Davidson Charlotte Showcase | W 85–75 | 7–1 | 27 – Berry II | 17 – Maye | 5 – Pinson | Spectrum Center (11,395) Charlotte, NC |
| Dec 3, 2017* 2:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 13 | Tulane | W 97–73 | 8–1 | 22 – Maye | 10 – Maye | 4 – Maye | Dean Smith Center (14,402) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Dec 6, 2017* 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 11 | Western Carolina | W 104–61 | 9–1 | 15 – Felton | 12 – Maye | 7 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (12,720) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Dec 17, 2017* 3:00 pm, ESPN | No. 7 | at No. 20 Tennessee | W 78–73 | 10–1 | 21 – Berry II | 9 – Pinson | 8 – Pinson | Thompson–Boling Arena (21,678) Knoxville, TN |
| Dec 20, 2017* 9:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 5 | Wofford | L 75–79 | 10–2 | 23 – Berry II | 14 – Maye | 4 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (16,017) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Dec 23, 2017* 1:30 pm, CBS | No. 5 | vs. Ohio State CBS Sports Classic | W 86–72 | 11–2 | 19 – Tied | 10 – Maye | 5 – Felton | Smoothie King Center (8,119) New Orleans, LA |
| ACC Regular Season |||||||||
| Dec 30, 2017 12:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 13 | Wake Forest | W 73–69 | 12–2 (1–0) | 17 – Maye | 15 – Maye | 6 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (19,578) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Jan 3, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 12 | at No. 24 Florida State | L 80–81 | 12–3 (1–1) | 28 – Berry II | 7 – Williams | 4 – Pinson | Donald L. Tucker Civic Center (8,931) Tallahassee, FL |
| Jan 6, 2018 1:00 pm, ESPN | No. 12 | at No. 8 Virginia | L 49–61 | 12–4 (1–2) | 17 – Berry II | 8 – Tied | 3 – Williams | John Paul Jones Arena (14,401) Charlottesville, VA |
| Jan 9, 2018 8:00 pm, ACCN | No. 20 | Boston College | W 96–66 | 13–4 (2–2) | 32 – Maye | 18 – Maye | 5 – Tied | Dean Smith Center (17,104) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Jan 13, 2018 6:00 pm, ESPN | No. 20 | at Notre Dame | W 69–68 | 14–4 (3–2) | 18 – Maye | 11 – Maye | 4 – Pinson | Edmund P. Joyce Center (9,149) South Bend, IN |
| Jan 16, 2018 7:00 pm, ACCRSN | No. 15 | No. 20 Clemson | W 87–79 | 15–4 (4–2) | 21 – Johnson | 7 – Pinson | 6 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (20,155) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Jan 20, 2018 2:00 pm, ESPN2 | No. 15 | Georgia Tech | W 80–66 | 16–4 (5–2) | 17 – Maye | 11 – Maye | 5 – Williams | Dean Smith Center (20,334) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Jan 22, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 10 | at Virginia Tech | L 69–80 | 16–5 (5–3) | 23 – Tied | 9 – Maye | 8 – Pinson | Cassell Coliseum (9,275) Blacksburg, VA |
| Jan 27, 2018 12:00 pm, CBS | No. 10 | NC State Rivalry | L 91–95 $^{OT}$ | 16–6 (5–4) | 31 – Maye | 15 – Pinson | 6 – Johnson | Dean Smith Center (21,750) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Jan 30, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 19 | at No. 20 Clemson | L 78–82 | 16–7 (5–5) | 32 – Johnson | 9 – Maye | 4 – Berry II | Littlejohn Coliseum (9,000) Clemson, SC |
| Feb 3, 2018 8:00 pm, ACCN | No. 19 | Pittsburgh | W 96–65 | 17–7 (6–5) | 26 – Maye | 13 – Pinson | 8 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (20,381) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Feb 8, 2018 8:00 pm, ESPN/ACCN | No. 21 | No. 9 Duke Rivalry/ESPN College GameDay | W 82–78 | 18–7 (7–5) | 21 – Berry II | 13 – Johnson | 6 – Berry II | Dean Smith Center (21,750) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Feb 10, 2018 2:00 pm, ACCN | No. 21 | at NC State Rivalry | W 96–89 | 19–7 (8–5) | 33 – Maye | 17 – Maye | 7 – Pinson | PNC Arena (19,500) Raleigh, NC |
| Feb 12, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 14 | Notre Dame | W 83–66 | 20–7 (9–5) | 21 – Berry II | 10 – Pinson | 5 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (19,336) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Feb 17, 2018 8:00 pm, ESPN | No. 14 | at Louisville | W 93–76 | 21–7 (10–5) | 23 – Berry II | 13 – Maye | 5 – Tied | KFC Yum! Center (21,210) Louisville, KY |
| Feb 21, 2018 7:00 pm, ESPN | No. 10 | at Syracuse | W 78–74 | 22–7 (11–5) | 23 – Pinson | 8 – Williams | 7 – Pinson | Carrier Dome (27,165) Syracuse, NY |
| Feb 27, 2018 9:00 pm, ESPN | No. 9 | Miami (FL) | L 88–91 | 22–8 (11–6) | 31 – Berry II | 10 – Maye | 11 – Pinson | Dean Smith Center (20,251) Chapel Hill, NC |
| Mar 3, 2018 8:15 pm, ESPN | No. 9 | at No. 5 Duke Rivalry/ESPN College GameDay | L 64–74 | 22–9 (11–7) | 16 – Johnson | 8 – Williams | 5 – Berry II | Cameron Indoor Stadium (9,314) Durham, NC |
| ACC Tournament |||||||||
| Mar 7, 2018 9:30 pm, ESPN2 | (6) No. 12 | vs. (11) Syracuse Second Round | W 78–59 | 23–9 | 17 – Williams | 11 – Pinson | 6 – Pinson | Barclays Center (17,732) Brooklyn, NY |
| Mar 8, 2018 9:30 pm, ESPN2 | (6) No. 12 | vs. (3) No. 24 Miami (FL) Quarterfinals | W 82–65 | 24–9 | 25 – Pinson | 13 – Maye | 5 – Johnson | Barclays Center (17,732) Brooklyn, NY |
| Mar 9, 2018 9:30 pm, ESPN | (6) No. 12 | vs. (2) No. 5 Duke Semifinals/Rivalry | W 74–69 | 25–9 | 17 – Maye | 10 – Maye | 7 – Pinson | Barclays Center (18,157) Brooklyn, NY |
| Mar 10, 2018 8:30 pm, ESPN | (6) No. 12 | vs. (1) No. 1 Virginia Championship | L 63–71 | 25–10 | 20 – Maye | 8 – Pinson | 6 – Pinson | Barclays Center (18,157) Brooklyn, NY |
| NCAA tournament |||||||||
| Mar 16, 2018* 2:45 pm, CBS | (2 W) No. 10 | vs. (15 W) Lipscomb First Round | W 84–66 | 26–10 | 18 – Williams | 10 – Tied | 7 – Pinson | Spectrum Center (18,489) Charlotte, NC |
| Mar 18, 2018* 5:15 pm, CBS | (2 W) No. 10 | vs. (7 W) Texas A&M Second Round | L 65–86 | 26–11 | 21 – Berry II | 11 – Maye | 11 – Pinson | Spectrum Center (18,485) Charlotte, NC |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. W=West. All times are in Eastern Time. |||||||||

## 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 | Week |
| Poll | Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | Final |
| AP | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 11 | 7 | 5 | 13 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 10 | 19 | 21 | 14 | 10 | 9 | 12 | 10 | Not released |
| Coaches | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 11 | 10 | 7 | 4 | 14 | 11 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 17 | 22 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 11 | 9 | 14 |
*AP does not release post-NCAA Tournament rankings