Wyoming plays North Carolina in Chapel Hill

Twenty-one Final Four appearances hang in the balance of the Dean Smith Center as the University of Wyoming Cowboys head to Chapel Hill, North Carolina, for a game against the University of North Carolina Tar Heels. The matchup is scheduled for 5 p.m. Mountain Time on Tuesday and will air on the ACC Network.

The Tar Heels program carries a historical weight that head coach Sundance Wicks describes as a true basketball Mecca. The venue has hosted 83 All-Americans and 13 Basketball Hall of Fame members. Its roster has included stars like Michael Jordan, Vince Carter, and Sam Perkins. The school has won six national championships and 134 games in March Madness. It also holds 33 regular-season conference titles and 18 top seeds in the NCAA Tournament.

Wicks noted that the Dean Smith Center is often mentioned alongside Kentucky's Rupp Arena, Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, UCLA's Pauley Pavilion, and Kansas's Allen Fieldhouse. He called the experience a must-have for players. The third-year head coach also joked that he was raised a Duke fan and intends to help Duke coach Jon Scheyer, though the Cowboys will face UNC this night.

The two teams met in this arena during the 2003 National Invitational Tournament. That game featured Steve McClain's 21-win Wyoming squad against UNC. Over 20,000 fans watched as Donta Richardson scored 20 points and Uche Nsonwu-Amadi added 17. The Cowboys fought back from a 23-point deficit to cut the lead to three points with 9:22 remaining in regulation. They used a zone defense and an 18-0 run in the second half to pressure the Tar Heels.

UNC won that 2003 contest 90-74. Melvin Scott scored a career-best 20 points, and Rashad McCants added 20 more. Raymond Felton provided 14 assists. Jay Straight finished with 13 points and David Rottinghaus added 12 for Wyoming. Marcus Bailey, a star guard, missed that non-conference game due to a torn ACL in his right knee. McClain praised his team for not giving in to the atmosphere despite the large deficit.

UNC head coach Matt Doherty said he was impressed with Wyoming's effort. He noted the difficulty of maintaining a lead against a good team for 40 minutes. He felt his players stayed in control and never lost their poise. For Wyoming assistant coach Chris McMillian, the trip is a full-circle moment. He played his final collegiate game in this building nearly 24 years ago. McMillian suffered a broken leg in a recreational softball game, which ended his playing career. He accepted a redshirt five games into his senior season because his speed had declined.

McMillian said he benched himself mentally because he was upset about how his career had gone. He is now more excited to be in the arena as a coach. He said his coaching style focuses on keeping players engaged through hard times. He expects the current group of Cowboys to be competitive, just as they were in that 2003 game.