CHAPEL HILL - Dick Vitale's first "Welcome Back" came well before the start of the Duke-North Carolina game.

College basketball's signature analyst-ambassador arrived at the Smith Center on Wednesday about five hours before he was to return to the air after two months away while he underwent and recovered from throat surgery.

And Vitale couldn't believe the reception he received.

As he turned the corner toward the media entrance, Vitale was suddenly in the middle of the North Carolina students already in line to get the prime seats for the game against their archrival.

"Dickie V. Dickie V."

The students, who have been known for changing his nickname to "Dukie V." on occasion because of some perceptions that he favors the "other" school in the rivalry, were genuinely excited to see the man who coined so many phrases that have become part of the lexicon of college basketball.

"Get a T-O, baby."

"This game's an M&Mer."

"You're a P-T-Per."

"Shoot the rock."

The more the students cheered and chanted, the closer Vitale got to crying and eventually the tears streamed down his face. And tipoff for the ESPN telecast between No. 2 Duke and No. 3 North Carolina was still hours away.

"This is unbelievable. It's been like this since Dec. 5 when I found out about the lesions in my throat," said Vitale, a man who admits he's emotional most of the time anyway. "The phone calls, the notes and letters, the gift baskets. How lucky can a man be? On Dec. 5, I never thought I'd be here again."

ESPN's telecast was not available to viewers in the Triangle, which received the Raycom feed.

After Duke beat North Carolina, 89-78, Vitale walked across the court with a huge smile on his face and summed the day up as only he can:

"It was awesome, baby."