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North Carolina Sneaking Into Men’s NCAA Tournament Had Hoops World Sounding Off

Ryan Phillips

North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis argues with an official.
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis argues with an official. / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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North Carolina made the 2025 men's NCAA tournament despite having an extremely weak resume. Many believed the Tar Heels were set to miss the big dance but wound up included as a First Four selection and will face San Diego State in Dayton.

UNC making the field was extremely controversial and many were shocked they wound up being included. The reaction to their inclusion was swift and strong.

The Tar Heels finished the season 22-13 but were 1-12 in Quad 1 games. They were battling teams like Xavier, Texas, and Indiana to get into the tournament. Conventional wisdom claimed UNC's record against top teams would keep it out of the big dance.

Entering Sunday, North Carolina was No. 36 in the NET rankings, 33rd in KenPom and had the 42nd-ranked strength of schedule.

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Ryan Phillips
RYAN PHILLIPS

Ryan Phillips is a senior writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He has worked in digital media since 2009, spending eight years at The Big Lead before joining SI in 2024. Phillips also co-hosts The Assembly Call Podcast about Indiana Hoosiers basketball and previously worked at Bleacher Report. He is a proud San Diego native and a graduate of Indiana University’s journalism program.

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