UNC blows big lead in NCAA Tournament loss to VCU
Another UNC season ends with a whimper.
Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard Seth Trimble (7) reacts after losing to the VCU Rams in overtime of a first round game of the men's 2026 NCAA Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images UNC’s season ended Thursday night with an 82-78 loss to VCU in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels played a strong first half before crumbling halfway through the second half.
They managed to survive long enough to send it to overtime before their poor free throw shooting and poor shot selection doomed them. The story was Terrence Hill Jr. , who scored 34 points off the Rams’ bench.
The Tar Heels had no answer for him defensively as he made seven three-pointers. After VCU struggled to guard UNC in the first half, the script flipped in the second. Carolina led 39-28 at halftime and they were out-scored 47-36 in the second half and 7-3 in overtime.
Free throws have been a struggle for this team all season and they shot just 60% from the line in this one. They left eight points out there, including some critical ones late. That is certainly not helpful, but it’s also not the main reason they lost.