April 5, 2005

By JIM LITKE
AP Sports Columnist

ST. LOUIS (AP) - Roy Williams started walking slowly up the sideline as the longest three seconds of his life ticked off the clock. Instead of jumping, shouting or even pumping a fist, he calmly reached up to make sure his glasses sat squarely on the bridge of his nose.

After 17 seasons, 16 NCAA tournament appearances, five Final Fours and two losses in the title game, this was one thing that Williams had to see for himself.

Wave after wave of confetti floated down from the domed roof, over the scoreboard that read North Carolina 75, Illinois 70, and twirled in lazy spirals toward the floor. But Williams had no trouble picking his way through the maze to find the people he owed. What began as a receiving line quickly turned into a mosh pit as first Sean May, then Rashad McCants, and the rest of the Tar Heels wrapped their long-suffering coach in bear hugs.

"I'm just so happy for myself, my family and these seniors who went 8-20 and what they went through for four years," Williams said. "They took me for a heck of a ride."

All through the weekend, Williams was on the defensive, trying to explain why the ball always bounced someone else's way in the big one.