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: 28-4 (12-2)

NCAA Tournament: NCAA Runner-up

ACC Tournament: ACC Champions

Ranking: 4

Coach: Dean Smith

All-Americans: Larry Miller.

All-ACC: Larry Miller (1st); Charlie Scott (1st); Rusty Clark (2nd).

Honors: Larry Miller, ACC Player of the Year; ACC Tournament MVP; Rusty Clark, NCAA East Region MOP; Dean Smith, ACC Coach of the Year.

What's To Know: Dean Smith's second consecutive Final Four team got him his first crack at the national title. It didn't go well, as the Tar Heels were beaten by a then title-game record 23 points by UCLA in a game that was played in Los Angeles.

That result aside, this was a truly outstanding team in every way and was Smith’s first team that approached greatness. They scored 86 or more points 13 times and totaled fewer than 80 points in just seven games. Consistent, explosive, unselfish, and opportunistic are ways to describe the '68 Heels.

They were also loaded. Consider these names: Dick Grubar; Larry Miller; Charlie Scott; Rusty Clark and more. The Tar Heels started the season 22-1 before dropping their final two regular season games at home to South Carolina and at Duke. They rebounded to win the ACC Tournament, exacting some revenge against the Gamecocks in the process before routing NC State by 37 points in the championship game.

The Heels beat a terrific Davidson team in the regional final to advance to the Final Four where they pounded Ohio State by four before getting rolled by John Wooden's Bruins.

More noteworthy, though, Scott was the first African American to play on an athletic scholarship at UNC. Scott helped pave the way for many athletes that soon followed. He was a great player for certain, but he was an amazing spokesman for the program and Smith, which helped immeasurably on the recruiting trail for decades. Since, Scott has long been an ambassador for UNC basketball and remains one of the most decent and interesting men to ever play sports at Carolina.

1967-68 Schedule & Results

Larry Miller, 5th Round, No. 62 overall selection