North Carolina, one of college basketball's most storied programs, has found itself at the center of controversy regarding its place in the NCAA Tournament. Despite boasting six national championships, the team did not secure the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Tournament title and missed an automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. Instead, the Tar Heels' fate hinged on the NCAA Tournament's selection committee's evaluation of their worthiness.
With a 22-13 record, North Carolina's season was scrutinized heavily. The team's performance against the most valuable opponents was particularly concerning, as they held a 1-12 record in such matchups. Despite this, their schedule was ranked as the nation's 25th-toughest according to ESPN ratings, and they managed an impressive 8-0 in "Quad 2" games. However, their record against "Quad 1" competition was less favorable compared to other teams that did not make the cut.
The selection committee's decision to include North Carolina as the last team in the bracket has been met with controversy. The team's athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, serves as the chair of the selection committee, raising questions about potential bias. Keith Gill, vice chair of the committee, clarified that during such discussions, "require the AD of any school to recuse themselves and actually leave the room for those discussions and they're not allowed to participate in the vote, as well."
A pivotal moment came with the outcome of the American Athletic Conference championship game between Memphis and UAB. Had UAB emerged victorious, it would have secured an additional berth for the AAC, pushing North Carolina out of contention. Ultimately, North Carolina secured its spot following a "contingency vote" on Saturday night.
The decision sparked discontent among other teams left out of the tournament, such as West Virginia, Ohio State, Boise State, and Indiana. West Virginia's athletic director expressed his dissatisfaction stating, "our resume was better than several teams in the field."