UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham, the selection committee's chairperson, promised normal procedures were followed as the Tar Heels surprisingly made the NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels lost to No. 1 Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, but have won eight of their past 10 games and are playing their best basketball of the season.

As the clock ticks toward Selection Sunday, the North Carolina Tar Heels find themselves in an unfamiliar position on the bubble. Despite their storied basketball legacy, UNC’s 22-13 record and underwhelming performance against top competition have left their March Madness hopes hanging by a thread.

While the focus will undoubtedly skew toward Duke — with or without Cooper Flagg — UNC, Clemson and Louisville are coming off thrilling finishes in their own quarterfinals.

No. 1 seed Duke won three games in three days in Charlotte, North Carolina this week to capture the 2025 ACC Tournament championship for the 23rd time in program history and first since 2023. Duke defeated No.