Carolina Way: Tar Heels Come Down Hard on Nation's Top-Ranked Teams
December 14th, 2013 - 11:08
North Carolina's double-digit victory at Michigan State enabled the Tar Heels to move atop the list of schools with the most triumphs against the nation's top-ranked team. Arch-rival Duke is the victim the majority of the time UNC turned the trick. Following is a chronological list of the way Carolina knocked #1 off its pedestal a total of 12 times:
| Season | Date | Nation's #1 Team | Score | Carolina Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1958-59 | 1-14-59 | North Carolina State | 72-68 | Frank McGuire |
| 1979-80 | 1-12-80 | Duke | 82-67 | Dean Smith |
| 1988-89 | 1-18-89 | Duke | 91-71 | Dean Smith |
| 1989-90 | 3-17-90 | Oklahoma at Texas in second round of NCAA playoffs | 79-77 | Dean Smith |
| 1991-92 | 2-5-92 | Duke | 75-73 | Dean Smith |
| 1993-94 | 2-3-94 | Duke | 89-78 | Dean Smith |
| 1997-98 | 2-5-98 | Duke | 97-73 | Bill Guthridge |
| 1997-98 | 3-8-98 | Duke at Greensboro in ACC Tournament final | 83-68 | Bill Guthridge |
| 2003-04 | 1-17-04 | Connecticut | 86-83 | Roy Williams |
| 2004-05 | 4-4-05 | Illinois at St. Louis in NCAA Tournament championship game | 75-70 | Roy Williams |
| 2005-06 | 3-4-06 | Duke | 83-76 | Roy Williams |
| 2013-14 | 12-4-13 | Michigan State | 79-65 | Roy Williams |