VCU overcomes 19-point deficit to defeat North Carolina 82-78 in overtime in NCAA tournament first round
No. 11 seed VCU Rams defeated No. 6 seed North Carolina Tar Heels 82-78 in overtime during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 19, 2026, at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.
North Carolina led by 19 points with 15 minutes remaining in regulation. VCU rallied in the second half, outscoring the Tar Heels 47-36 while shooting 62 percent from the field and 7-of-10 from three-point range.
Terrence Hill Jr. scored a layup with 11 seconds left in regulation to tie the score at 75. Seth Trimble's steal led to an open three-point attempt for North Carolina with 2.9 seconds remaining, but the shot missed.
In overtime, VCU's Nyk Lewis made a layup with 2:08 left for a 77-75 lead. Trimble tied the game after being fouled, then was fouled again with 35 seconds left. His layup rimmed out, and he made 1 of 2 free throws.
Hill then made a three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining to give VCU an 80-78 lead. Henri Veesaar missed the first of two free throws for North Carolina after being fouled, and VCU closed out the victory.
Hill led VCU with 34 points on 13-of-23 field goals, including 7-of-10 from three-point range. North Carolina shot 0-for-7 in overtime.
The Bon Secours Wellness Arena has a seating capacity of 15,951 and has hosted NCAA tournament first-round and second-round games in previous years.[1]
VCU, from the Atlantic 10 Conference, advances to the second round.[2] North Carolina, from the Atlantic Coast Conference, was eliminated.[3]
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Bon Secours Wellness Arena", accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Secours_Wellness_Arena
- Wikipedia, "VCU Rams men's basketball", accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VCU_Rams_men%27s_basketball
- Wikipedia, "North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball", accessed October 2024, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_Carolina_Tar_Heels_men%27s_basketball
