What we learned from UNC's historic collapse in first round loss to VCU
UNC’s 19-point collapse and OT loss to VCU exposes old issues with free throws, perimeter defense and Hubert Davis. Here are the key takeaways.
North Carolina lost an 82-78 overtime thriller to VCU on Thursday night at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S. C. The Tar Heels led for more than three-quarters of the game and were up by 19 with just over 14 minutes left, but the Rams stormed back to win in overtime.
I t’s now the largest comeback in a first-round game in NCAA Tournament history and the second-largest rally overall, trailing only No. 7 seed Nevada’s 22-point comeback against No. 2 seed Cincinnati in 2018.
VCU guard Terrance Hill scored 34 points off the bench. The Atlantic 10 Sixth Man of the Year also hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in the overtime period. Despite posting another double-double with 26 points and 10 rebounds, Veesaar missed both of his free-throw attempts with four seconds left that would have tied the game.
Here are the takeaways for the final time this hoops season. What the heck happened? North Carolina led 70-56 with just over seven minutes remaining and had clear control of the game.