Terrence Hill Jr. hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds left in overtime to give VCU an 80-78 lead, capping a comeback from a 19-point deficit as the No. 11 seed Rams defeated the No. 6 seed North Carolina Tar Heels 82-78 in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.
The game took place on March 19, 2026, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.[1] North Carolina led by 19 points with 15 minutes remaining in regulation, but VCU outscored the Tar Heels 47-36 in the second half, shooting 62% from the field and 7-for-10 from three-point range to force overtime.
In overtime, Nyk Lewis gave VCU a 77-75 lead with a layup at the 2:08 mark. Seth Trimble tied the score for UNC and was fouled, but missed the subsequent layup attempt despite contact, making one of two free throws to trail 77-76. Later, with VCU leading 80-78, Henri Veesaar missed the first of two free throws for North Carolina.
Hill led VCU with 34 points on 13-of-23 field goal shooting, including 7-of-10 from three-point range. Earlier, Hill's layup with 11 seconds left in regulation tied the game at 75-all after UNC missed free throws. Trimble's steal led to an airballed three-point attempt at the regulation buzzer.
Virginia Commonwealth University (Richmond, Virginia) competes in the Atlantic 10 Conference.[2] The Rams had not won an NCAA tournament game since defeating Florida State 72-71 in the 2011 Sweet Sixteen en route to the Final Four.[2]
North Carolina (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Atlantic Coast Conference.[3]
Sources
- Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Wikipedia. Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Secours_Wellness_Arena
- Virginia Commonwealth Rams men's basketball. Wikipedia. Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virginia_Commonwealth_Rams_men%27s_basketball
- North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball. Wikipedia. Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men%27s_basketball