March 15, 1969

Forty years ago today, Carolina beat Davidson in the regional finals in College Park, Md., 87-85 on a buzzer-beating shot by Tar Heel great Charlie Scott.

Here, from my notes from the late ‘90s from some of my reporting for the old book, are some of the memories of those who were there:

Dave Moser ‘69: “It’s been hard to swallow for 30 years, that game. I still feel we were the better ball club. I have to say: Charlie Scott was a heck of a player. You could play good defense but still couldn’t stop him from shooting a 15-foot jump shot. In ’68, I could accept it, but I still feel we were the better team in ’69.”

Jerry Kroll ’70: “I was really pissed in ’68. I knew we should have won that game. It stung. But ’69 was worse. We had the ball with a minute to go and the official calls a charge on me and I foul out. At best, it was a questionable call; Gerald Tuttle fell down, and they called a charge on me.”

Wayne Huckel ’69: “We were the better team.”

Bob Dunham ’70, former Davidsonian sports editor: “I knew, if they couldn’t deny the ball to Charlie Scott, as soon as he got the ball -- it was over. It was not a matter of defense. It was Charlie Scott. He was magic with the ball.”

Luther Moore ’69, team manager at the time: “He earned it. Mike O’Neill was on him and had his hand in his face.”

Moser: “It wasn’t like O’Neill was playing bad defense.”

Bobby Vagt ’69, former Davidson president: “Pain. Agony.”

Tony Orsbon ‘69: “It’s an image that sticks with you, and that’s an image I’ll never forget, Charlie Scott going up in the key.”

Charlie Scott UNC ’70: “There was no doubt who was going to take that last shot. I wasn’t going to pass it. A lot of the Davidson guys are still upset about that. That’s North Carolina basketball, though -- people got long memories.”