{"id":1498807,"date":"2022-04-01T12:02:24","date_gmt":"2022-04-01T16:02:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/?p=1498807"},"modified":"2023-07-13T11:43:52","modified_gmt":"2023-07-13T15:43:52","slug":"ncaa-tournament-why-north-carolina-called-tar-heels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sports7.us\/news\/ncaa-tournament-why-north-carolina-called-tar-heels\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Is the University of North Carolina Called the Tar Heels?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Not many men\u2019s college basketball<\/a> programs have been more dominant than the North Carolina Tar Heels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNC has the third-most national championships ever, only behind UCLA and Kentucky. The program has also produced some of the greatest NBA players we've ever seen, like Michael Jordan, James Worthy<\/a>, and Vince Carter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And while the name “Tar Heels” stands tall in basketball lore, it can seem a bit strange. Most teams go by an intimidating name — think Hurricane, Panthers, or Demon Deacons within the ACC alone — and UNC's moniker doesn't seem to fit that bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, let's step back into history and explore the origins of the term Tar Heel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

North Carolina has historically been a college basketball powerhouse<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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