 Classic SI photo by Rich Clarkson |
Howlin' Wolves
N.C. State pulled off one of college basketball's most stunning upsets in 1983, defeating Houston 54-52 in the title game. The final play of the game is one of the most famous in sports history. With three seconds remaining, Derek Whittenburg's heaved up a 35-foot prayer, which fell short, but Lorenzo Charles was in front of the basket to catch the ball and toss it in to give the sixth-seeded Wolfpack the win over the top-seeded Cougars.
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FACES IN THE CROWD |
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Antawn Jamison Charlotte
Feb. 20, 1995 -- Courtney, a 6 ft. 5 in. senior point guard at Jordan High, and Antawn, a 6 ft. 8 in. senior power forward at Providence High, were ranked by Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook as the top two high school players in North Carolina. Antawn had 40 points and 10 rebounds in a 69-67 victory against Independence High. Through last Friday he was averaging 26.2 points and 13.1 rebounds.
Career highlight: College Player of the Year in 1997-98 is now a star with the Golden State Warriors.
Now photo by Glenn James/NBAE/Getty Images
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GREATEST ATHLETES |
Michael Jordan, Wilmington
College player of year at North Carolina in 1984; six NBA titles with Chicago Bulls; member of '84 and '92 U.S. Olympic gold-medal-winning teams.
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Richard Petty, Randleman
Seven-time Daytona 500 champion; tops NASCAR in wins (200), poles (127) and wins in a season (27 in 1967).
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Buck Leonard, Rocky Mount
Known as the Black Lou Gehrig; batted .340 and averaged 34 home runs during 17-year Negro leagues career.
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FLASHBACK |
1983: State Had the Stuff
North Carolina State completed its astonishing run to the NCAA title by knocking off Houston 54-52
You can come out now. The coast is clear. The fraternity party is over. The
Houston Phi Slamma Jammas, that Texas chain-saw gang with the tall pledge from
Africa in the middle, have finally stopped stuffing college basketball's x's and
o's through every hoop they could drape their magnificent bodies over.
FULL STORY
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THE SI POLL |
Who do North Carolinians for? SI asked the Tar Heel State residents to weigh in* on sports.
Favorite major league baseball team
Atlanta Braves | 27% |
New York Yankees | 13% |
Chicago Cubs | 7% |
No favorite | 21% |
Favorite NFL team
Carolina Panthers | 35% |
Washington Redskins | 8% |
Dallas Cowboys | 7% |
Favorite NBA team
Los Angeles Lakers | 10% |
Chicago Bulls | 7% |
No favorite | 49% |
Favorite NHL team
Carolina Hurricanes | 35% |
No favorite | 43% |
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Favorite pro team
Carolina Panthers | 22% |
Atlanta Braves | 10% |
Favorite college team
North Carolina | 28% |
Duke | 15% |
N.C. State | 12% |
Greatest athlete who ever lived in or played for a team in your state
Michael Jordan | 72% |
"Choo-Choo" Justice | 11% |
David Thompson | 4% |
State's biggest rivalry
Duke-UNC | 56% |
UNC-N.C. State | 25% |
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Favorite announcer
John Madden | 24% |
Woody Durham | 9% |
More a fan of college or pro sports?
College | 38% |
Pro | 35% |
Equal | 28% |
Favorite sport to play
Golf | 22% |
Fishing | 15% |
Basketball | 12% |
Favorite sports to watch on TV**
Football | 74% |
Basketball | 52% |
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*Harris Interactive poll, conducted online, of 401 North Carolina residents who identified themselves as sports fans. Margin of error +/- 5%.
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Sports Illustrated's 50th Anniversary |
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STATITUDES |
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15 Final Four appearances for the University of North Carolina men's basketball team -- the most in tournament history.
18 Uniform number of Joe Morgan -- the only number retired in Durham Bulls history. Morgan is also the only Hall of Famer in Bulls history.
2 Number of years it took for the Carolina Panthers to reach the NFC championship game.
3 National title victories for the Duke men's basketball team in an 11 year span from 1991-2002.
17.7 Average number of points scored by Michael Jordan in his three-year career at the University of North Carolina.
$41,639,662 Career prize money earned by Dale Earnhardt -- tops among NASCAR drivers.
227 Saves for Huntersville native Hoyt Wilhem, the first reliever to ever be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
16 Age of Brad Daugherty as a freshman starter at the University of North Carolina.
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ENEMY OF THE STATE |
Bobby Bowden
The Florida State football coach has now been named Enemy in both Carolinas. Respondents' most hated opponents: Bowden's Seminoles (26%), Krzyzewski's Duke Blue Devils (15%) and the universities of, yes, North Carolina (7%) and Maryland (7%).
Bobby Bowden | 18% |
George Shinn | 16% |
Mike Krzyzewski | 13% |
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FAST FACTS |
Admission to statehood: Nov. 21, 1789 (12th state)
Area: 53,821 square miles
Bird: Cardinal
Capital: Raleigh
Economy: Agriculture: Poultry and eggs, tobacco, hogs, milk, nursery stock, cattle, soybeans. Industry: Tobacco products, textile goods, chemical products, electric equipment, machinery, tourism.
Flower: Dogwood (Cornus florida)
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Nickname: Old North State / Tar Heel State
Population: 8,049,313 (11th)
Pro sports teams: Carolina Hurricanes, Carolina Panthers, Charlotte Sting
Major college programs: Duke Blue Devils, East Carolina Pirates, NC/Charlotte 49ers, NC/Wilmington Seahawks. North Carolina Tarheels, North Carolina State Wolfpack, Wake Forest Demon Deacons, Western Carolina Catamounts
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