Can UNC still make March Madness after loss to Virginia?

The UNC Tar Heels were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament. Do they still have a chance to make it into March Madness?

The North Carolina Tar Heels entered the 2022-23 season with such high expectations. Let’s not forget, they sent Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski in the Final Four and made it to the National Championship Game in a losing effort to the Kansas Jayhawks. They were the No. 1 ranked team in the preseason.

Instead, they drastically underperformed and finished the regular season with a 20-13 overall record and just an 11-9 record in the conference.

Looking to get into March Madness, North Carolina was aiming to make a run in the ACC Tournament. After all, they did defeat Boston College 85-61 on Wednesday. But in the quarterfinals one day later, the Tar Heels were officially eliminated from the tournament after losing 68-59 to the Virginia Cavaliers.

So what are the chances that Tar Heels make it into the big March Madness tournament?

Can UNC still make it into March Madness after loss to Virginia?

What we can confidently say is, it’s not looking good for the Tar Heels.

Entering the game, the Tar Heels were a dreadful 1-9 against Quadrant 1 teams, which is what put them on the March Madness Bracketology bubble near the end of the regular season. On Thursday, North Carolina was listed in the “First Four Out” in ESPN’s Joe Lunardi’s latest Bracketology.

North Carolina’s best shot at making the NCAA Tournament was to win the ACC Tournament. The winner of each conference championship would earn a berth into the huge 68-team tournament. Now, their chances are looking grim.

Now, North Carolina is in danger of becoming the first team that was ranked No. 1 in the preseason to miss out on the NCAA Tournament since the 1974-75 North Carolina State Wolfpack.

Tar Heels fans will be holding out hope that the selection committee puts the team in the NCAA Tournament. But, given what has transpired this season for the team, fans should be prepared to not hear North Carolina’s name called.