VCU Stuns North Carolina in NCAA Tournament Upset

The Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Rams pulled off a stunning upset in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, defeating the University of North Carolina Tar Heels 82-78 in overtime on Thursday evening. VCU overcame a 19-point second-half deficit to secure the victory, marking the sixth-largest comeback in NCAA Tournament history [1].

Dramatic Comeback Fueled by Hill Jr.’s Performance

Terrence Hill Jr. Led the Rams with 34 points, including a crucial stepback 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in overtime that gave VCU an 80-78 lead [1]. Hill finished 7-for-10 from the 3-point range, scoring 20 of his 34 points after halftime [1]. Nyk Lewis added 16 points, including two clutch free throws to seal the game for VCU [1].

Tar Heels Fall Short Despite Veesaar’s Efforts

Henri Veesaar led the Tar Heels with 26 points and 10 rebounds [1]. Although, North Carolina struggled after losing star Caleb Wilson to a season-ending injury [1]. Veesaar missed the first of two free throws with 4.2 seconds left in overtime, and his attempt to intentionally miss the second shot failed [1].

Game Details and Tournament Implications

VCU (28-7) secured its first NCAA tournament win since 2016 [1]. The Rams will face the winner of the Penn vs. Illinois game in the second round on Saturday [1]. North Carolina (25-8) fell to 33-4 in the round of 64 [1].

Canadian Viewers Missed Dramatic Finish

Canadian viewers on TSN experienced a frustrating interruption during the game. With the score tied 75-75 and 2.4 seconds remaining in regulation, TSN cut away to a curling broadcast [2]. The finish was available on TSN4 and the streaming service TSN+, but the switch left many viewers unable to witness the dramatic conclusion to the game.