Tar Heels coach Roy Williams joins 800-win club
Add another milestone to Roy Williams' Hall of Fame career.
With North Carolina's 85-68 win against Syracuse on Monday night, the Tar Heels' coach notched win No. 800, becoming the second-fastest Division 1 coach to join the exclusive club. Williams needed 1,012 career games to reach the mark, trailing only former Kentucky legend and fellow Naismith Hall of Famer Adolph Rupp (972 games).
"It's pretty simple ... 200 is more impressive than 100. So when you get to 800, not a lot of guys have done that. I'm human. I've got some feelings about those kind of things," Williams said of his accomplishment. "I hope that I get a few more."
Williams, 66, is the 11th Division 1 coach to reach 800 wins, joining the likes of his mentor, Dean Smith, and longtime rival, Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.
Another member of the club? The very coach he beat on Monday night, Syracuse legend Jim Boeheim.
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While Williams racked up the majority of his wins during his stint at Kansas, he's hit his coaching peak with the Tar Heels. Under Williams, the school won the 2005 and 2009 national titles and made two additional Final Fours, including last season's championship loss to Villanova.
In a ceremony following the historic win, Williams was presented a framed No. 800 jersey and players wore shirts with the milestone etched across the front in big, argyle numbers.
"This is a special moment," Williams said, addressing the Dean Dome crowd. "But you know what I really love? Number 17 for this team."
The Tar Heels improved to 17-3 with the win over Syracuse.
