Full Game: Battle of Champions | North Carolina vs NC State (January 7, 1984)

In a highly anticipated "Battle of Champions" featuring the last two NCAA titleholders, the #1 North Carolina Tar Heels (9-0) travel to Reynolds Coliseum to face the defending national champion NC State Wolfpack. While the Wolfpack upset the Heels in the previous year's ACC Tournament, Dean Smith’s squad exacts revenge with a suffocating defensive performance. Michael Jordan struggles from the floor in a physical contest, but senior Sam Perkins and freshman Kenny Smith anchor a dominant second half that keeps UNC's perfect season alive. The game was billed as a heavyweight fight, but it turned into a clinic on team depth. With NC State focusing their defense on Jordan, the junior guard suffered what the Salisbury Post called a "sub-par shooting afternoon," finishing just 6-of-17 from the field. However, Jordan adjusted his game to the physical nature of the ACC rivalry, crashing the boards for a game-high 12 rebounds. The narrative of the 1983-84 season was often about Jordan's testing of his new teammates, specifically freshman point guard Kenny Smith. As noted in Michael Jordan: The Life, Jordan returned to campus that fall determined to see if the newcomers could handle the pressure, noting, "The freshmen were already talking trash. I had to see what they had." In this hostile environment, Kenny Smith passed the test, dishing out nine assists and running the offense with poise while Jordan and Perkins controlled the paint. The game was tight in the first half, with UNC holding a slim 34-31 lead at the break. The turning point came in the second half when Sam Perkins took over. Dean Smith assigned Perkins to defend State’s star Lorenzo Charles, holding him to just five shots in the second half. Offensively, Perkins was unstoppable, scoring 16 of his 22 points in the final 20 minutes. The Tar Heels exploded for a 15-2 run to open the lead to 49-35, fueled by a nifty hook shot from Perkins and a pair of dunks. While Jordan struggled to find his rhythm offensively, his 12 rebounds limited State's second-chance opportunities. The Heels pulled away for a decisive 21-point victory, their largest margin of victory in Raleigh since 1972. Timestamp Index: 00:00 Intro: UNC vs NC State at Reynolds Coliseum 01:49 Player Intro: Michael Jordan 03:23 Tip-off: State vs Carolina 08:21 Jordan hits jump shot to tie the game 17:31 Jordan hits jumper from right baseline 17:59 Kenny Smith layup on the break (Beautiful Playmaking) 18:55 Spud Webb hits deep shot for State 21:22 Jordan hits jumper (8th point) 25:31 Jim Valvano receives a Technical Foul 30:43 Jordan turnaround jumper over McQueen 32:40 Final Two Minutes: 1st Half 34:18 End of 1st Half 34:55 Start of 2nd Half 38:20 Jordan with the feathery touch putback 40:27 Perkins slam dunk follow-up 47:14 Jordan steals rebound from teammate and scores 51:40 Jordan scores using the Daugherty screen 55:57 Jordan blocks a shot on defense 01:02:17 Jordan rebound and Perkins goal-tending score 01:09:40 Lorenzo Charles slam dunk (Assist Spud Webb) 01:09:57 Kenny Smith fancy between-the-legs dribble 01:13:00 Final Two Minutes: 2nd Half 01:15:11 Kenny Smith dunk at the final buzzer