UNC's historic first round collapse draws record NCAA audience
North Carolina's historic 19-point collapse against VCU became the NCAA Tournament's most-watched first-round game ever.
North Carolina’s season ended with a historic collapse and record audience, as the Tar Heels blew a 19-point lead in an 82-78 overtime loss to VCU in what became the NCAA Tournament’s most-watched first-round game. The Thursday primetime window that featured VCU-UNC and Michigan-Howard averaged 12. 5 million viewers, making it the tournament’s most-watched first round ever, according to March Madness Men’s Basketball TV .
Overall, the day averaged 9. 8 million viewers, up 6% from last year and the tournament’s best opening day on record, per Nielsen ratings. It’s no coincidence that UNC has drawn strong TV numbers, as it has been one of the most-watched teams in the country.
Of the 10 most-viewed games this season , three featured North Carolina, including both of its matchups against Duke. VCU vs North Carolina was the most watched First Round game EVER 🍿 https://t. co/GyV97I63fw — A10 Talk (@A10Talk) March 23, 2026 Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: First round loss to VCU sets NCAA audience record