North Carolina Tar Heels title set for this week's SI Cover

North Carolina fresh off title win, hot off the presses for SI cover

GLENDALE, AZ - APRIL 03: Head coach Roy Williams of the North Carolina Tar Heels throws water on his team following their 71-65 victory against the Gonzaga Bulldogs during the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four Championship at University of Phoenix Stadium on April 3, 2017 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Lance King/Getty Images) /

North Carolina’s sixth NCAA Championship in basketball will be featured on Sports Illustrated’s cover.

After North Carolina’s 71-65 win over Gonzaga in the Men’s National Championship, the team is set to be featured on this week’s cover of Sports Illustrated.

Sports Illustrated tweeted out early Tuesday morning North Carolina’s Kennedy Meeks’ would be featured on the magazine’s cover commemorating the school’s sixth title run.

SI's UNC championship cover. Think you'll be signing this a lot, @Asapmeeks03. The amazing photo by John W. McDonough. pic.twitter.com/D1l3X9uIaU
— Ryan Hunt (@rynhnt) April 4, 2017

Joel Berry II named the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player.

Led by the gutsy title game performance of Joel Berry II, the Tar Heels locked up Roy Williams’ third national title. Berry, who scored a game-high 22 points, won the Final Four’s Most Outstanding Player award and entered the game with injuries to both ankles.

Berry also became the first player since UCLA’s Bill Walton to record 20+ points in consecutive title games.

Clutch when they needed him.

Joel Berry is the first player to score 20+ points in back-to-back title games since Bill Walton (1972-73). pic.twitter.com/7s3YkaXCay
— ESPN (@espn) April 4, 2017

North Carolina is the first school since Butler to appear in back-to-back title games (2010, 2011) . More importantly, they are also the first school since Duke (1990, 1991) to follow a title game loss with a win.

Roster turnover heading into the 2017-18 season?

Meanwhile, roster questions loom for North Carolina’s title defense next season. UNC graduates five seniors off of this year’s title team including big contributors Meeks, Isaiah Hicks, and Nate Britt.

The NBA Draft could take a toll on the roster like graduation is set to do. One hit has already come with Tony Bradley, who said he will enter the draft and consider hiring an agent. The 6’10 talented freshman recorded 7.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game and was a 2016 McDonald’s All-American.

Juniors Berry and Justin Jackson, who were the team leaders in points and minutes per game, can also enter the draft.

Home/March Madness