No. 25: 1991

Our series counting down the Top 30 North Carolina basketball teams of all time continues.

Our mission isn't to make any declarative statements, but rather have some fun, give our readers something to discuss, walk down memory lane some and provide a needed escape.

Your thoughts and picks are welcome in our message board thread for this series.

Record: 29-6 (10-4)

NCAA Tournament: NCAA Final Four

ACC Tournament: ACC Champions

Ranking: 4

Coach: Dean Smith

All-Americans: Rick Fox.

All-ACC: Rick Fox (1st), Pete Chilcutt (3rd).

Honors: Rick Fox, ACC Tournament MVP.

What's To Know: Finally, the Tar Heels returned to the Final Four following an eight-year absence. The Heels reached the F4 in 1982, the year they won Dean Smith’s first national title, but couldn’t get past the Elite8 in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1988 until a senior class of Rick Fox, Pete Chilcutt and King Rice got Carolina back to the last weekend of the season.

The ‘91 Heels were talented, especially their ballyhooed freshman class that later delivered Smith his second national title. But this group was led by its veterans and was one of Smith's more workmanlike squads. They battled, were physical, didn't back down from anyone, and were toughened by a very difficult nonconference slate.

Carolina took on San Diego State, South Carolina, Iowa State, UConn, Kentucky, Alabama, Purdue, DePaul, Stanford and Notre Dame outside of ACC play, falling only to the Gamecocks by two points in Charlotte. Yet, a 4-3 start in ACC games had some fans concerned, but like so many of Smith's teams, the Heels got better and went on a tear, winning 14 of their next 15 contests before falling to Kansas in the Final Four.

A few memorable things about this season: The N.C. State games were played on consecutive nights in January after the first one was postponed due to the start of the war in the Persian Gulf. The Heels and Wolfpack split those games, each winning on their home floors.

Roy Williams was in his third season at Kansas and it was his first meeting versus Smith. The game was billed all week by the national media as the teacher versus the pupil. Also, Smith was ejected from the game, a remarkable moment that ended with him shaking the Kansas players’ hands on the bench as he left the court with 35 seconds remaining and the Heels trailing 76-71.

Smith reportedly asked official Pete Pavia how much time he had to sub someone in for Fox, who had just fouled out, but Pavia called the technical because Smith was out of the coach's box.

Also on that team: Hubert Davis, George Lynch, Eric Montross, two of whom would lead the Heels to a title two years later. Much of that foundation was being a part of the 1991 team that won it all.

1991 Schedule & Results

Rick Fox, 1st Round, No. 24 overall selection

Pete Chilcutt, 1st Round, No. 27 overall selection