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North Carolina basketball: Will Tar Heels make the NCAA Tournament?

By Bre'ana Singleton

Jan 26, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams (middle) talks to his team before a game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 26, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams (middle) talks to his team before a game against the Pittsburgh Panthers at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
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While blue blood teams continue to struggle this college basketball season, do the North Carolina Tar Heels still have a chance to make the NCAA tournament?

One of the most discussed storylines this college basketball season has been the fact that teams known historically for competing for championships have had a difficult time winning games. The death of blue blood basketball in 2021 has caught many by surprise. The year has been a tough one to get through will COVID-19 forcing postponements and cancellations all over the country. Still, March is just around the corner and programs are beginning to prepare for tournament play.

Teams like Duke and Kentucky will most likely miss the NCAA tournament this year but what about North Carolina?

Assessing North Carolina basketball’s NCAA Tournament chances

Roy Williams and the Tar Heels currently sit at 12-6 overall after just edging out Coach K and Duke by four points on Saturday.

UNC has missed three tournaments since 2001 and would have definitely missed the 2020 tournament if it hadn’t been canceled due to COVID-19. They’re in once trouble again this year but can still make it happen. Williams and his team’s best wins have come against Kentucky and Duke who won’t make the tournament.

The Tar Heels still have a slim chance to make the tournament and are currently the last team in. They have a few chances to grab big wins against the likes of No. 9 Virginia, No. 18 Virginia Tech, and No. 17 Florida State to end the season. Securing these wins would give the Tar Heels the best chance to save themselves a spot on the dance floor, but it’s not looking very likely they sweep that trio.

UNC players will need to be more responsible if they want to have a shot at playing in March. Two of Williams’s men were caught partying without masks over the weekend. North Carolina’s game with Miami, which could’ve given them a much-needed chance to add a quality win, has since been canceled.

Will UNC’s bubble burst before tournament play? It still remains to be seen but the likely outcome has the Heels making the Big Dance as a No. 8-10 seed.

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