February 1977. The North Carolina Tar Heels are 16-4 and are emerging out of a late January slump where they lost three of four. UNC completed the season sweep of a talented and balanced Maryland team with a 97-70 victory at Carmichael Auditorium. According to Coach Dean Smith in his book A Coach’s Life, “It was one of the best games a team of mine ever played.”
At the next practice, the promise of this team took a sharp turn.
Tommy LaGarde, the 6-10 senior center for the Tar Heels, was having the best season of his collegiate career.