Tar Heels donate to hurricane relief with each dunk

Chapel Hill, N.C. — The University of North Carolina men’s basketball program and head coach Roy Williams donated $23,400 to Hurricane Florence relief efforts Friday evening at Late Night with Roy!, the team’s annual celebration to the start of the college basketball season.

Carolina donated $100 for each of 117 made baskets over a four-minute, 15-second shooting drill during Late Night.

The Tar Heels are donating $11,700 in proceeds from the team’s sale of autographed basketballs. Williams and his wife, Wanda, are matching that with a $11,700 gift of their own. Fifty-percent of the combined proceeds will go to the University’s Disaster Relief Fund and 50 percent will be directed to the Hurricane Florence Student Emergency Fund.

Lynn Blanchard, director of the Carolina Center for Public Service, and Steve Farmer, vice provost for Enrollment Management and Undergraduate Admissions, accepted the check on behalf of the university.

“This is a shooting drill we do many times during the year, but it’s never had the impact on people’s lives like it has tonight,” says Williams. “I had a chance to see the devastation on the coast in person and it was heartbreaking. This is a small way our players, staff, Wanda and I could help bring some relief to so many who are hurting. Even though it has been several weeks since the storm, I encourage everyone to please continue to remember those in need.”