The North Carolina Tar Heels are making waves in college basketball, solidifying their NCAA Tournament credentials with a crucial win, despite missing standout freshman Caleb Wilson. Ranked 19th in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll and 18th in the AP Top 15, the Tar Heels (22-6, 10-5 ACC) have shown resilience, particularly with center Henri Veesaar rejoining the starting lineup to help secure victories over Syracuse and Louisville.
Wilson's absence, due to a fractured left hand, hasn't derailed the Tar Heels' momentum. They've managed a 3-1 record without him, highlighted by a significant top-25 victory against the Cardinals at the Smith Center. Senior captain Seth Trimble stepped up in a big way, dropping a career-high 30 points to lead the charge.
Let's dive into the Tar Heels' current NCAA Tournament outlook as of February 25.
UNC Basketball NCAA Tournament Resume
UNC is sitting at 25th in the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings. With 28 games under their belt, the Tar Heels boast a balanced 6-6 record in Quadrant 1 matchups and remain undefeated in Quadrants 2-4 at 16-0.
Their recent win over Louisville could be a catalyst for improving their seed, especially if they maintain this trajectory. To break it down, Quadrant 1 includes home games against teams ranked 1-30, neutral-site games against teams ranked 1-50, and away games against teams ranked 1-75.
Latest NCAA Tournament Projections
Here's how various projections are sizing up the Tar Heels' tournament chances as of Wednesday, February 25:
- USA TODAY: Projects UNC as a No. 5 seed in the South Region, set to face No. 12 Belmont in Portland.
- ESPN: Despite the win over Louisville, Joe Lunardi places the Tar Heels as a No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region, starting in Tampa, Fla., against a First Four winner between No. 11 seed TCU or No. 11 seed New Mexico.
- CBS Sports: Lists UNC as a No. 6 seed in the South Region, matched up with No. 11 seed Miami (Ohio).
- On3: Projects UNC as a No. 6 seed in the South Region, facing a First Four winner between No. 11 Ohio State or No. 11 Santa Clara in San Diego.
- FOX Sports: Positions the Tar Heels as a No. 6 seed in the Midwest Region, facing a First Four winner between No. 11 seed VCU or No. 11 seed Santa Clara in Tampa.
- EvanMiya: Ranks the Tar Heels 20th in resume quality, projecting them as a No. 3-5 seed.
- Torvik: Bart Torvik's T-Ranketology Teamcast has UNC trending towards a 5 or 6 seed, leaning more towards the 6 line.
- Bracket Matrix: This comprehensive formula averages bracketology projections from across the web, placing UNC in all 127 brackets tracked, with most predictions slotting them as a No. 5 or 6 seed, trending towards the No. 6 line.
The Tar Heels are making a strong case for themselves as the tournament approaches, and fans will be eager to see how they capitalize on this momentum.