In March of each year, college basketball commences the NCAA Division One Basketball Championship. Better known as March Madness, the tournament field includes 68 teams, supposedly the best in the nation. However, the University of North Carolina Tar Heels was included in the tournament this year, a more than questionable decision, due to their inconsistent play.
North Carolina has a long history of basketball success. With stars like Michael Jordan and Vince Carter, North Carolina University is one of the biggest brands in college basketball. North Carolina was one of the top teams heading into the 2024 tournament, but they were upset in the Sweet Sixteen by the University of Alabama Crimson Tide in an 89-87 game. In 2022, they made the finals but lost to Kansas University.
North Carolina’s case to make the tournament this year is less than appealing. They went 22-13, a decent record, but far from excellent. A more shocking statistic is their record in Quad One games. The NCAA uses the NCAA Evaluation Tool, or NET, to judge the schedule and quality of wins for each team. Quad one, while variable, essentially categorizes the teams supposed to be in the tournament. North Carolina finished the regular season 1-12 in those games.
Some fans believe that their selection was because of the marketing and money that North Carolina can bring in for the NCAA. Also, North Carolina’s Athletic Director, Bubba Cunningham, is the head of the selection committee.
AJ Sloyer, a Sophmore, concluded that this had an effect on North Carolina’s selection, and said, “The reason North Carolina got is because their brand is so big, not because of their skill.”
Other teams that were left out of March Madness that could be considered significantly more qualified include West Virginia and Indiana.
Providing his stance, Junior Matthew Shapiro said “North Carolina is a fraudulent team, and there are so many teams out there that are way more talented and deserving of making this year’s tournament over North Carolina.”
On the other hand, in non-Quad one games, North Carolina finished an outstanding 21-1. They had talent and never faltered against inadequate teams.
Brandon Reich, a 10th-grade student, said, “UNC has been an important team for many years in the bracket” and, “In past years, UNC has proven themselves, and I believe it means they should be able to compete this year.”
In the tournament, North Carolina was successful in their play-in game, destroying the San Diego State University Aztecs. However, in a relatively tight battle against the University of Mississippi, or Ole Miss, North Carolina lost by a score of 71-64.
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