UNC coach Roy Williams helped to locker room after collapsing on sidelines

North Carolina head coach Roy Williams collapsed on the sideline near the team huddle in the second half of the Tar Heels' ACC matchup at Boston College on Tuesday night.

Williams was arguing with a referee during a TV timeout and fell as he was coming back to address his players. A dizzy Williams was able to walk off the court but was helped back to the locker room.

The eighth-ranked Tar Heels held on to secure a 68-65 road victory against the Eagles. The win snapped a two-game losing streak that removed UNC from No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll.

"I'm alive. I'm kicking. ... I've had some vertigo attacks over the last 17 or 18 years. This is the first time I really had one during a game," Williams said afterward. "I said something to the referee. I didn't respond correctly to his response. I kind of whirled around and that's when it hit."

The 65-year-old said his condition, known as benign positional vertigo, is triggered by those kinds of sudden head movements. Williams had previous bouts with vertigo in the past and felt dizzy when standing up quickly.

"Every attack that I've had is when I've jerked my head quickly," Williams said.

Assistant coach Steve Robinson assumed coaching duties on the sideline for the remainder of the game. Williams received medication in the locker room and remained there until after the game, when he went out to shake Eagles' coach Jim Christian's hand.

He said he wanted to let Christian know that he never intended to be a distraction.

Christian said he was thankful that Williams incident wasn't serious.

"For him to come back out and congratulate our kids on their effort speaks volumes as to why he's a Hall of Fame coach," Christian said. "He really wanted to congratulate them. And deservedly so. Anybody who saw this game today saw a lot of heart, a lot of character."

"I've been diagnosed in Lawrence Memorial Hospital in Kansas, the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, and Chapel Hill Hospital. All three. I don't know that the doctors really care that much about me. I just think they don't want me to die on their watch," Williams deadpanned.

Contributing: The Associated Press