Selection Sunday had its fair share of controversy, as it does every year leading into March Madness. Perhaps the largest talking point was North Carolina earning an NCAA Tournament bid, despite going 1-12 in Quadrant I wins, over a team like West Virginia. It certainly didn't quiet the noise that North Carolina's athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, was the chair of the selection committee.
That's not to say the Tar Heels are getting a cakewalk in the NCAA Tournament. They have to play an extra game, as they take on the San Diego State Aztecs in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday night. But even before the game, they are dealing with issues.
North Carolina missed out on their scheduled media availability on Monday night due to travel issues. That's because the NCAA-provided charter flight arrived at RDU International Airport in Morrisville, N.C. late, according to The News and Observer. The flight left at 5:12 p.m. ET and arrived at 6:29 p.m. ET. It was originally set to arrive at 4:00 p.m. ET.
North Carolina Tar Heels deal with travel issues ahead of First Four matchup
A near two hour delay isn't exactly ideal for the Tar Heels, especially since they have to play on short notice. They were originally set to hold their practice at 6:35 p.m. and instead took the court at 8:11 p.m. due to the travel issues, per The News and Observer.
Travel issues aside, North Carolina is in Dayton looking to earn the No. 11 seed in the South Region. If North Carolina picks up the win, they will take on an Ole Miss Rebels team that was 20-11 on the year and 10-8 in SEC play.
For the Tar Heels, they will look to make a miracle run in the NCAA Tournament after losing in brutal fashion in the ACC Tournament semifinals to the Duke Blue Devils. Plus, they will undoubtedly want to silence the critics who don't believe they belong in the NCAA Tournament to begin with. First things first, they will have to get past San Diego State on Tuesday night, with tipoff scheduled for 9:10 p.m. ET, and can be viewed on truTV.