VCU rallies from 19-point deficit to beat North Carolina 82-78 in NCAA tournament first-round overtime thriller

Virginia Commonwealth University overcame a 19-point second-half deficit to defeat North Carolina 82-78 in overtime in a first-round game 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. led VCU, the No. 11 seed from the Atlantic 10 Conference, with 34 points on 13-of-23 field goal shooting, including 7-of-10 from three-point range.^[2] His three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in overtime gave the Rams an 82-78 lead that they preserved until the final buzzer.

North Carolina, the No. 6 seed from the Atlantic Coast Conference, led by 19 points with 15 minutes left in regulation but missed free throws late and shot 0-for-7 from the field in overtime. VCU shot 62% from the field in the second half (47-36 scoring edge), including 7-of-10 from three-point range, to force the extra period.

With 11 seconds left in regulation, Hill's layup tied the score at 75-75 after North Carolina's Seth Trimble missed a potential game-winning three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining. In overtime, Nyk Lewis' layup with 2:08 left gave VCU a 77-75 lead. Trimble tied it at 77-77 on free throws, but missed the second of two attempts after a foul with 35 seconds left.

Henri Veesaar of North Carolina missed the first of two free throws with 80-78 deficit later in overtime, sealing the outcome for VCU. It marks the Rams' first NCAA tournament victory since a first-round win over UAB in 2016.^[2]

VCU advances to the second round, where the bracket details were not immediately available following the game.

Sources

1. BON SECOURS WELLNESS ARENA
   Arena information
   Accessed October 2024
   https://www.bonsecoursarenagreenville.com/
2. Wikipedia
   VCU Rams men's basketball - NCAA Tournament history
   Accessed October 2024
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VCU_Rams_men%27s_basketball#NCAA_Tournament_history