On Saturday night the North Carolina Tar Heels beat the Louisville Cardinals to earn a place in college basketball’s vaunted Final Four. It is both the school’s 17th trip and another chapter in the Triangle’s storied history in one of sports’ largest events.

In the "Modern Era", the Triangle has had a team in 20 of the last 28 Final Fours. Going back further, the Triangle has placed a team in 30 of the last 45 Final Fours, cementing the national event as an important part of our local culture.

The Triangle area is not short on national championships, either. In the last 26 years, 7 have come from the Triangle. Remarkable runs have occurred during that time, too. From 1986 to 1992, Duke only missed the Final Four 1 time (including 5 straight appearances). UNC went 6 times in a 10 year period from 1991 to 2000.

With Roy Williams and Mike Krzyzewski still bringing in outstanding recruiting classes, this part of our culture isn’t likely to fade soon.

Bold indicates National Champion