Tar Heels return to Tobacco Road to celebrate NCAA title

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina saved the last dance for Danny Green.

The Carolina blue-clad crowd prodded him, and “Jump Around” blared from the speakers in his honor. So, just as he did before four seasons’ worth of tip-offs at the Smith Center, the senior shook his hips, dangled his arms and cut loose one last time.

Whoop it up, Tar Heels, you brought another NCAA championship trophy back to campus.

Coach Roy Williams’ team returned home Tuesday to celebrate the proud program’s fifth national title and first since 2005 with about 13,000 revved-up fans less than 24 hours after beating Michigan State 89-72 in Detroit.

Thousands of fans poured into the stands and onto the arena floor before the Tar Heels’ flight had even landed at nearby Raleigh-Durham International Airport, and they cheered fanatically every time live television footage of the team’s motorcade was shown on the giant video boards.

Last to enter the arena was Williams, who carried in the trophy and the net he helped cut down at Ford Field.

“I stood up here in 2005 and told you how great it was to win a national championship for our alma mater,” Williams said. “And I’ll tell you right now, winning the second national championship for our alma mater is even sweeter.”

Especially for seniors Tyler Hansbrough, Bobby Frasor and Green.

They came to campus in the fall of 2005, a few months after the school claimed its previous title, and went on to post a 101-14 record through four years with three regular-season ACC titles and two Final Four appearances. They capped their run with a never-in-doubt victory over the Spartans, who got no closer than 13 points in the second half.

“We did it. But the way we did it? Isn’t that great?” Green asked the crowd.

Then, the fans pleaded for Green to dance one last time, prompting fellow senior Mike Copeland to hold the back of Green’s suit jacket while he danced like a puppet — the trademark move that earned him the nickname “Dancin’ Danny” — to the 1990s rap song that they play before every tipoff at the Smith Center.

Later, they showed season highlights on the arena’s four video screens, located high above scoreboards that read: “Carolina 89, Mich. St. 72.”