University of North Carolina Athletics
Lucas: Where It Began
January 18, 2016 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
By Adam Lucas
It's hard to imagine now that the Dean Smith Center could ever have opened against any opponent other than Duke. Of course the Blue Devils had to be the first opponent on Jan. 18, 1986, thirty years ago today (vote on your top Smith Center moments here). That's the only possible way to open a new building for North Carolina basketball.
But that was never the plan. The idea was to open the doors for what was then known as the Student Activities Center for the season opener of the 1985-86 season. That game would be against powerhouse UCLA, which would be in its second season under coach (and Bruin letterman) Walt Hazzard and featured the high-scoring Reggie Miller.
Construction on the $34 million building was completely financed by private donations (which would be worth approximately $73 million in today's dollars). Over two thousand individuals donated, everything from the pocket change of schoolchildren to Maurice Koury's generous leadership gift that resulted in the adjacent Koury Natatorium.
In today's era of government- and taxpayer-financed sporting facilities, it's almost unthinkable to imagine a program undertaking the fundraising all on its own. But that's exactly what the Tar Heels—spearheaded by Hargrove “Skipper” Bowles—did, and a tiny two-month delay in the opening was a small price to pay. The UCLA game was played in Carmichael instead.
The delay also allowed the Tar Heels to close Carmichael Auditorium against N.C. State, with Jim Valvano memorably whisking away the game ball away from the official after the Wolfpack's loss and shooting a layup because he wanted to make the final basket in the building that had so often tormented him.
“When you all ask the great trivia question, 'Who made the last basket at Carmichael,' make sure you say the Italian guy from Queens,” Valvano said after his team's 90-79 loss. “That's James Thomas Anthony Valvano. I actually took the ball away from Dean. So I guess he got the last turnover in Carmichael.”
(On the video above, make sure you note the band playing “Carolina Victory” during game action with about 30 seconds left—in that era, it was played when the win was definitely in hand, and was a very popular virtual victory cigar at Tar Heel home games).
Few recognized it at the time, but the rivalry with Valvano's Wolfpack was waning at the same time the rivalry with Duke was ascending. The Blue Devils had climbed into the nation's top five, making the opening game at the newly christened Smith Center—named for Smith against his wishes, and only after he was persuaded naming it after him would honor all of his former players—a battle of the unbeaten and No. 1 Tar Heels against unbeaten and No. 3 Duke.
Because Smith had been so opposed to having his name on the building, no one was sure exactly what it should be called. The television broadcast and PA announcer Kearney Andrews refer to it as the “Dean Smith Student Activities Center,” but ESPN noted the wacky UNC students were calling it “the Dean Dome.”
Jefferson Pilot announcers Marty Brennaman and Billy Cunningham (both Carolina alums) showed up in tuxedos, as did the cheerleaders. A few touches from Carmichael, where the Tar Heels compiled a 169-20 record, made their way across campus, including the familiar flip scoreboard near the UNC bench.
Although the surroundings were new, the game was vintage Dean Smith. Holding a 48-43 halftime lead, Smith tweaked his starting lineup for the second half, subbing in 6-foot-2 Jeff Lebo for seven-footer Warren Martin, who had scored the first Tar Heel basket in the new building. The change gave Carolina favorable matchups, and Steve Hale proceeded to get three key backdoor layups as the Tar Heels stretched the lead to 64-48. Hale finished with 28 points before fouling out, and Brad Daugherty (23 points and 11 rebounds) contributed a double-double. Duke had to score the game's last seven points to get the final margin to 95-92.
Smith was typically understated, telling the media, “It's just a home ACC win,” after the victory.
