Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) came from 19 points down to defeat the University of North Carolina (UNC) 82-78 in overtime during the first round of the 2026 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament on March 19 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina.[1]
Terrence Hill Jr. scored 34 points on 13-of-23 field goals, including 7-of-10 from three-point range, for the 11th-seeded Rams of the Atlantic 10 Conference.[2] His three-pointer with 15 seconds left in overtime sealed the victory after VCU had trailed by 19 points with 15 minutes remaining in regulation.
UNC, the No. 6 seed from the Atlantic Coast Conference, held a 75-75 tie after Hill's layup with 11 seconds left in regulation. Seth Trimble's steal led to an airballed three-point attempt at the buzzer.[3]
In overtime, VCU took a 77-75 lead on Nyk Lewis' layup with 2:08 remaining. Trimble tied the score at the free-throw line but missed the second attempt after a fouled layup rimmed out. Henri Veesaar then missed the first of two free throws with VCU leading 80-78, allowing the Rams to close out the win.[4]
VCU shot 62% from the field in the second half (47-36 scoring edge), including 7-of-10 from three-point range, to force overtime. UNC went 0-for-7 from the field in the extra period.
The win marked VCU's first NCAA tournament victory since 2016. Bon Secours Wellness Arena, a frequent host for first- and second-round NCAA games, hosted the matchup in the doubleheader format typical of the tournament's opening rounds.[1][5]
Sources
- Wikipedia. "Bon Secours Wellness Arena". Accessed October 2024. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bon_Secours_Wellness_Arena
- VCU Athletics. "Men's Basketball". Accessed October 2024. https://vcuathletics.com/sports/mens-basketball
- University of North Carolina Athletics. "Seth Trimble". Accessed October 2024. https://goheels.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/seth-trimble/25148
- University of North Carolina Athletics. "Henri Veesaar". Accessed October 2024. https://goheels.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/henri-veesaar/2600
- NCAA. "Men's Basketball Tournament". Accessed October 2024. https://www.ncaa.com/march-madness
