VCU rallies from 19 down, knocks out UNC in OT

Intelligence report synthesized for precision. Verified source updates below.
Detailed Report
VCU rallies from 19 down, knocks out UNC in OT
-->
Skip to main content Skip to navigation
< >
VCU rallies from 19 down, knocks out UNC in OTVCU Rams2hUNC's Davis: Fatigue not to blame for collapseNorth Carolina Tar Heels1hDavid HaleDuke dodges scare, tips cap to McNamara, SienaDuke Blue Devils7hDavid HaleJohnston, High Point stun 5th-seeded BadgersHigh Point Panthers8hRyan McFaddenTexas overcomes Dybantsa's 35 points, tops BYUBYU Cougars2h'Storybook ending': Nebraska ends NCAA droughtNebraska Cornhuskers8hBrooke PryorVandy rallies for first NCAA tourney win since '12Vanderbilt Commodores5hTCU backs up its tough talk, bounces BuckeyesTCU Horned Frogs8hDavid M. HaleUK's Pope offers little on Lendeborg's money talkKentucky Wildcats10hBen BabyJay Bilas predicts every game of the 2026 NCAA tournamentDuke Blue Devils4dJay BilasNBA debut to March Madness: Sandfort surprises brother in Nebraska winNebraska Cornhuskers3hBrooke PryorRanking the top 50 men's college basketball players who could define March MadnessDuke Blue Devils2dJeff Borzello and Myron MedcalfCoaches predict the men's NCAA tournament champion, potential Cinderellas, moreArizona Wildcats2dJeff BorzelloMen's coaching carousel tracker: All the intel entering the NCAA tournamentBoston College Eagles10hJeff BorzelloBoozer, Dybantsa, Peterson, Wagler: Coaches break down freshmen built for MarchDuke Blue Devils17hJason JordanJoe Lunardi's ultimate guide to men's March Madness 2026Duke Blue Devils3dJoe Lunardi60 ESPN personalities pick their men's Final Four, national championsArizona Wildcats2dSachin ChandanMen's March Madness Giant Killers: Most probable first-round NCAA tournament upsetsVCU Rams1dKeith LipscombMen's March Madness 2026 bracket: Get to know all 68 teamsDuke Blue Devils4dMyron MedcalfMarch Madness 101: NCAA tournament format, history, factsUConn Huskies11hDana E. Lee and Alonzo Olmedo2026 Tournament Challenge guide to team mascots, school colors and famous alumni3dSach ChandanMen's tournament: Duke, Michigan, Arizona the favored as UConn, Purdue odds improveDuke Blue Devils15hDoug GreenbergMen's tournament: Odds, spreads totals and BPI projections for opening-round games15hESPNESPN News ServicesMultiple AuthorsMar 19, 2026, 09:57 PM ETEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsGREENVILLE, N.C. -- Terrence Hill Jr. made a stepback 3-pointer with 15 seconds left in overtime, and 11th-seeded VCU erased a 19-point second-half deficit to stun sixth-seeded North Carolina 82-78 on Thursday night in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Hill finished 7-for-10 from 3-point range and scored 20 of 34 points after halftime as VCU (28-7) won its first NCAA tournament game since 2016.
It marked the largest comeback in the NCAA tournament since 2018, when Nevada came back from a 22-point deficit to beat Cincinnati in the round of 32. Overall, it was tied for the seventh-largest comeback win in tourney history.
Nyk Lewis added 16 points, including two clutch free throws, to seal the game for the Rams, who'll face the winner of No. 14 Penn and No. 3 Illinois in the second round Saturday.
Henri Veesaar had 26 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels (25-8), who went 0-3 after star Caleb Wilson was ruled out for the season because of an injury. The Tar Heels fell to 33-4 in the round of 64, with losses in three of their past five games dating to 2021.
In overtime, Seth Trimble made 1 of 2 free throws with 35 seconds left to put the Tar Heels up 78-77.
But Hill made his crucial 3-pointer from beyond the top of the key to give VCU an 80-78 lead.
Veesaar was fouled with 4.2 seconds left, but missed the first of two free throws. He was forced to try to throw the ball off the rim with the second shot, but missed and VCU got the ball underneath the North Carolina basket.
Lewis was fouled and hit two free throws to ice the game.
North Carolina built a 19-point lead with 15 minutes left before VCU stormed back to tie it at 75 with 11 seconds left on a driving layup by Hill.
After the Tar Heels called a timeout, Veesaar lost the ball out of bounds in the frontcourt with 2.4 seconds left, giving VCU a chance to win. Trimble stole the inbounds pass and had a chance to flip the script but missed a running 3-point try at the buzzer, sending the game to OT.
VCU shot 62% from the field in the second half and was 7-of-10 from beyond the arc in the second half.
VCU had no answer early for the 7-foot Veesaar in the pick-and-roll and pick-and-pop. The Estonia native had 13 points and five rebounds in the first half as the Tar Heels built a 15-point lead. When Veesaar wasn't scoring while rolling to the basket, he was making open 3s from the top of the key.
But, the big man seemed to tire as the game went on and mistakes followed. He finished with three turnovers.
Information from ESPN Research and The Associated Press was used in this report.



