VCU Takes NC by Surprise With Shockingly Reimagined Team!

North Carolina opens NCAA Tournament play in the South Region on Thursday, and unlike past years when it came in as a No. 6 seed or lower, the Tar Heels draw a dangerous first-round matchup with No. 11 seed VCU .

The Rams have reached the NCAA Tournament 15 times since 2004. In those 15 appearances, they have advanced out of the first round five times, a stretch that includes a win over No. 6 seed Duke in 2007 and their memorable Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2011.

With an expectation of not just making the field but winning games in March, VCU represents a far tougher opening test than many of the Tar Heels’ recent first-round opponents. VCU enters the tournament at 27-7 overall and went 15-3 in Atlantic 10 play, sharing the regular-season title with Dayton. The Rams captured the A-10 tournament championship with wins over Duquesne in the quarterfinals, Saint Joseph’s in the semifinals and Dayton in the title game.

The Rams are 2-5 against Quad 1 opponents, with victories over South Florida and a road win at Dayton, and losses to NC State, Vanderbilt, Utah State and Saint Louis twice. Here are three players from the Rams to keep an eye on. Guard Terrence Hill (6-3, 180) Hill, one of two Rams named first-team All-Atlantic 10, is a combo guard who can score at all three levels and is an effective slasher, adept at creating drive-and-kick opportunities.