YouTube Gold: UNC vs. Maryland In 1984

Which means Jordan vs. Bias

There is an argument that last year’s SEC had the greatest year any conference ever had in college basketball.

Sorry, but it’s not even close to the ACC in the early 1980’s.

First, players stayed longer in the 1980’s. And second, the talent in the ACC in that era was unbelievable.

You had UNC and NC State winning national championships in 1982 and 1983. You had Virginia with Ralph Sampson. You had rising powers at Georgia Tech and Duke and solid programs at Clemson and Florida State.

Take this game between UNC and Maryland, for instance.

UNC had Brad Daugherty, Matt Doherty, Kenny Smith, Sam Perkins and of course Michael Jordan, while Maryland had Ben Coleman, Herman Veal, Adrian Branch, Keith Gatlin and the late, great Len Bias.

UNC was ranked #1, Maryland #5, and featured a game-within-the game between Jordan and Bias, who was basically seen as Jordan’s equal.

UNC won 74-62 though, with Jordan finishing it with the sort of dunk we would get used to during his NBA career.

Bonus: former Duke great Jeff Mullins is the color guy.