North Carolina to Open March Madness Against Wisconsin

Heels receive eight seed in Baylor's region

The North Carolina Tar Heels are headed to Indiana to compete in the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels finished 18-10, 10-6 in the ACC regular season and reached the semifinals of the ACC Tournament.

North Carolina received a No. 8 seed in the South Region and will face No. 9 seed Wisconsin. The Badgers were 17-12, 10-10 in the Big Ten. The winner will likely face No. 1 seed Baylor, who opens play with No. 16 seed Hartford.

Both UNC and Wisconsin had similar outcomes against common opponents. The Tar Heels beat Louisville by 45, while the Badgers won by 37. Both teams lost by double digits to Iowa, UNC by 13 in the ACC Big Ten Challenge. Wisconsin was swept by the Hawkeyes, losing by 15 at home, four on the road and five in the Big Ten Tournament. Both teams also lost to Marquette.

Wisconsin is No. 32 in the country in adjusted offensive efficiency and No. 12 in adjusted defensive efficiency. The Badgers are No. 68 in the country in three-point shooting, which could pose a problem for UNC’s defense.

Wisconsin has lost four of its last five and six of the last eight.

UNC is 3-1 all time against Wisconsin. The Tar Heels won the last game against the Badgers, in the 2016 Maui Invitational, 71-56. The teams have split their last two NCAA Tournament games, with Wisconsin winning the most recent one, 79-72, on its way to the Final Four in 2015. The Heels beat Wisconsin on its way to the 2005 title.

UNC has never played Baylor.