North Carolina faced a heartbreaker in an 82-78 overtime loss to VCU at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. The Tar Heels seemed to have the game in hand, leading by 19 with just over 14 minutes left. However, VCU mounted a historic comeback, marking the largest in a first-round NCAA Tournament game, second only to Nevada's 22-point rally against Cincinnati in 2018.
VCU's Terrance Hill was the hero of the night, scoring 34 points off the bench. The Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year sealed the game with a clutch 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in overtime. Despite a strong performance from Veesaar, who posted 26 points and 10 rebounds, he missed two critical free throws with four seconds remaining that could have tied the game.
So, what went wrong for North Carolina? The Tar Heels were dominating, leading 70-56 with just over seven minutes to go.
They excelled in transition and had an impressive 18-1 assist-to-turnover ratio in the first 29 minutes. But then, things unraveled.
VCU went on a 12-0 run, and Hill tied the game at 75 with a driving layup, blowing past Derek Dixon. The momentum swung entirely in VCU's favor, and they capitalized in overtime.
Credit goes to VCU and Phil Martelli Jr. for a well-executed game plan and smart adjustments. Hill’s standout performance was complemented by his teammates' timely plays.
However, UNC's struggles were evident. In the final stretch of regulation, they went 0-for-9 from the field and 4-for-9 at the line, while committing seven turnovers and failing to record an assist in the last 16 minutes.
Concerns about UNC’s free-throw shooting and perimeter defense were validated. They shot just 60% from the line and allowed VCU to hit 42% from beyond the arc, including Hill’s decisive 3-pointer.
For the second consecutive year, UNC exits in the first round, marking their third one-and-done in the last four tournaments. This echoes a challenging period from 1976 to 1980 when they faced early exits in four out of five seasons.
Hubert Davis now finds himself in a precarious position. Despite the setback, there was some understanding due to Caleb Wilson’s injury.
However, this collapse has intensified scrutiny. With substantial investment in this season’s roster, leading by nearly 20 points only to be outplayed by VCU has put Davis on a tight leash.
While Davis still holds goodwill from his time as a player and person, expectations are high. He needs a strong season next year to regain confidence from both Carolina’s decision-makers and its passionate fanbase.