Ranking UNC’s Top 10 Games of Last Season: No. 9

Continuing the countdown for the best games we witnessed from the Tar Heels last season, No. 9 is a painful one for fans. Although the end result wasn’t what you would hope, there’s no denying that the game was an entertaining one.

No. 9 on the list comes from the first round of the NCAA Tournament, when North Carolina took on VCU in a 6-seed vs. 11-seed matchup that would ultimately send shockwaves through Chapel Hill.

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#9 – North Carolina vs. VCU

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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

North Carolina headed into the first round of the NCAA Tournament as one of the most picked upsets of the first round. Unfortunately, it was for good reason. For the first half of the game, North Carolina looked poised to prove the upset watch wrong, and briefly into the second half, the Tar Heels had a 19-point lead over the Rams.

That lead would ultimately make plenty of headlines, as it became the largest comeback in the first round of an NCAA Tournament game ever. Deep into the second half, the Heels lost momentum and were unable to regain it.

Mar 19, 2026; Greenville, SC, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels center Henri Veesaar (13) 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 | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With two minutes to go in the game, VCU went on a 5-0 run to send the game to overtime. From there, all the momentum of the game was naturally living on the VCU sideline. North Carolina struggled greatly in overtime, ultimately losing 82-78 and sending the Tar Heels back to Chapel Hill, and eliminating North Carolina in the first round of the NCAA Tournament for the second year in a row.

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Publish date : 2026-07-16 12:00:00

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