One blue blood has already bitten the March Madness dust.
No. 6 seed North Carolina was taken down by No. 11 VCU in an 82-78 overtime loss on Thursday night in the first round.
Sophomore guard Terrence Hill Jr. sealed the game for the Rams, nailing a step-back 3-pointer with just seconds remaining in overtime.
Terrence Hill Jr. of the VCU Rams reacts after a a game against the North Carolina Tar Heels in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena on March 19, 2026 in Greenville, South Carolina. Getty Images
Despite coming off the bench for VCU, Hill was the game’s leading scorer, racking up 34 points while shooting 7-of-10 from beyond the arc in 40 minutes.
Virginia Commonwealth guard Terrence Hill Jr. looks to shoot against North Carolina during the first half in the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. AP“We were down early at halftime and we just had to settle in,” Hill said in a sideline interview following the game. “My guys, we were just talking, we’ve been here before. I’m just so proud of these guys.
“The coaches and the players trust me to take those big shots, so I had to knock it down to give us the win.”
Freshman guard Nyk Lewis added 16 points, seven rebounds and three steals for the Rams.
VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. praised his players following the win, focusing on their resilience over the entire season.
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) dejects after a loss in over time to Virginia Commonwealth during the first round of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 19, 2026, in Greenville, S.C. AP“That game was the perfect microcosm of who this group has been,” Martelli told reporters. “They’ve been resilient as much as any group I’ve ever been around, and we’ve done it all year.”
The Rams were trailing the Tar Heels early, going down by 11 points at halftime before a late-game comeback forced the game to OT.
“For everybody else watching, this is March,” Martelli added. “This is what March does. I’m really proud of these guys. They make a mediocre coach look good and it’s because of these guys.”
VCU is now set to play the winner of Illinois and Penn in the second round.
