On March 16, 2017, the Wofford Terriers stepped onto the court in Chapel Hill and pulled off a 79‑75 victory that still resonates in college basketball circles.
The opponent, the University of North Carolina, entered the game as the fifth‑seeded defending national champion, a team many expected to cruise through the early rounds.
At the heart of Wofford’s surprise was senior guard Fletcher Magee, who poured in 27 points and kept the Terriers ahead throughout the contest.
A Rare Triumph
The win was more than a statistical anomaly; it was a narrative shift that challenged the assumption that seasoned coaches inevitably lose their edge as they age.
Roy Williams, who had guided UNC for decades, would later see his program stumble, posting a 14‑19 record in 2019‑20 and an 18‑11 finish in his final season, a slump many linked to the lingering effects of the COVID‑19 pandemic.
Two years later, Wofford returned to Chapel Hill and repeated the upset, this time edging UNC 68‑64, further cementing the Terriers’ reputation as a thorn in the side of college basketball’s elite.
The back‑to‑back achievements underscore how a smaller program can rewrite expectations, proving that under the right circumstances, a lower‑ranked team can not only compete but triumph over a top‑ranked opponent.