Trending Now - Unc's NCAA Departure Fuels Speculation on Davis' Future
WHO:
Phil Martelli Jr., VCU head coach, praised student journalists, stating, "I know there's a lot of professional media, our student media, the best in the country. They are unreal."
Ben Rekosh, director and on-air commentator for WVCW Sports, was recognized by Martelli for his coverage.
North Carolina Tar Heels (UNC), VCU Rams, Hubert Davis (UNC coach), Phil Martelli Jr. (VCU coach), Henri Veesaar (UNC player), Terrence Hill Jr. (VCU player), Nyk Lewis (VCU player), Seth Trimble (UNC player)
WHAT:
VCU's victory marked their first NCAA tournament game win since 2016.
Terrence Hill Jr. scored 34 points on 13-of-23 shooting, including 7-of-10 from three-point range, with 23 points coming in the second half and overtime.
VCU's comeback was the largest in the history of the first round of March Madness and tied for the largest collapse in the Round of 64 since the tournament expanded in 1985.
VCU's comeback from a 19-point deficit was the largest in the NCAA tournament since 2018 and tied for the seventh-largest comeback win in tournament history.
Terrence Hill Jr. scored 34 points, with 20 points coming in the second half, and made 7-of-10 from three-point range.
UNC's 19-point lead was the second largest collapse in NCAA Tournament history.
UNC fell to 33-4 in the round of 64, with losses in three of their past five games dating to 2021.
In overtime, Seth Trimble made 1 of 2 free throws with 35 seconds left, putting UNC up 78-77.
Veesaar was fouled with 4.2 seconds left in overtime but missed the first of two free throws and intentionally missed the second.
VCU defeated UNC 82-78 in overtime in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
UNC had a 19-point lead in the second half, which was the second largest collapse in NCAA Tournament history.
VCU scored 23 points to UNC's 8 in the final 10 minutes of regulation.
Terrence Hill Jr. scored 34 points, with 20 points coming in the second half.
UNC missed its final nine shots in regulation and did not score in overtime.
Henri Veesaar led UNC with 26 points and 10 rebounds.
UNC went 0-3 after star Caleb Wilson was ruled out for the season due to injury.
UNC missed eight free throws during the game, including three in overtime.
WHERE:
The game took place in Greenville, North Carolina.
WHEN:
The game took place on March 19th, 2026.
The game occurred on March 19th, 2026.
This was the second consecutive year that UNC lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
WHY:
Hubert Davis stated, "Just because you miss a shot doesn’t mean something’s wrong. We had open looks. We had shots at the basket. We had executed plays."
Davis acknowledged the free throw struggles, saying, "We work on them... but you’re right, throughout the season it’s... and there have been times where we’ve gotten away."
Hubert Davis stated he did not believe fatigue was a factor in the loss.
Davis mentioned that mistakes made by UNC contributed to VCU's comeback.
HOW:
VCU shot 62% from the field in the second half and was 7-of-10 from three-point range during that period.
VCU shot 62% from the field in the second half and was 7-of-10 from beyond the arc during that period.
VCU shot 62% from the field in the second half and was 7-of-10 from three-point range during that period.
UNC utilized a six-man rotation in the second half, as per Davis's decision.
(UPDATED March 20, 2026 19:15 UTC)
In a thrilling NCAA tournament game on March 19, VCU achieved their first tournament victory since 2016, marking a historic comeback that was the largest in the first round of March Madness. Terrence Hill Jr. led the charge with an impressive 34 points, including 23 in the second half and overtime, as VCU shot 62% from the field during that critical period. Head coach Phil Martelli Jr. praised the student journalists for their exceptional coverage, highlighting Ben Rekosh from WVCW Sports for his contributions.
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(UPDATED March 20, 2026 13:20 UTC)
In a stunning NCAA tournament matchup, VCU made a remarkable comeback from a 19-point deficit, marking the largest turnaround since 2018 and tying for the seventh-largest in tournament history, thanks in part to Terrence Hill Jr.'s impressive 34 points. UNC's collapse, which saw them lose a 19-point lead, is now recorded as the second largest in NCAA Tournament history, leaving them at 33-4 in the round of 64 with three losses in their last five games. Despite a late lead in overtime, UNC struggled with free throws, as Hubert Davis noted the team's execution but acknowledged their ongoing challenges at the line.
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(UPDATED March 20, 2026 07:20 UTC)
In a stunning upset, VCU defeated UNC 82 to 78 in overtime during the first round of the NCAA tournament yesterday in Greenville, North Carolina. Despite holding a 19-point lead in the second half, UNC faltered, missing their final nine shots in regulation and failing to score in overtime, while Terrence Hill Jr. of VCU scored 34 points, including 20 in the second half. This marks the second consecutive year that UNC has been eliminated in the first round, with coach Hubert Davis attributing the loss to mistakes rather than fatigue.