News Release

CHAPEL HILL -- Fans are invited to the Dean E. Smith Center Tuesday afternoon to celebrate the NCAA Championship the UNC men's basketball team claimed Monday night in St. Louis with a win over Illinois. Doors to the Smith Center will open at 3:30 p.m. and the celebration is expected to begin between 4:30 and 5 p.m upon the team's arrival home to Chapel Hill.

Bus shuttle service to the Smith Center will be available from University Mall (next to Dillard's) and from the Friday Center. Shuttle service, which is free, begins at 2:30 p.m.

Fans are encouraged to use the shuttles, as traffic on campus is expected to be heavy Tuesday afternoon and parking will be very limited. The team's arrival time will occur during regular business hours on campus and will coincide with normal shift change times for UNC hospitals. Some spaces will be available in the parking lots surrounding the Smith Center, however the majority of the available space will be in the Ramshead Deck ($2) and Dogwood Deck ($2) on campus.

The University is operating on a normal schedule. Classes have not been canceled. Employees who wish to attend the event should arrange for leave in advance with their supervisors

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News Services contacts: Lisa Katz, (919) 638-0474, lisa_katz@unc.edu (on site); Karen Moon, (919) 218-2467 (on site)
Smith Center contacts: Clara Andrews (919) 962-7777