The madness of March delivered one of its most jaw-dropping moments Thursday night, as No. 11 seed VCU erased a massive second-half deficit to shock No. 6 seed North Carolina, 82-78, in overtime in the South Region of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament.
At the center of it all was Terrence Hill Jr., who went from a quiet first half to an unstoppable force after the break. Hill buried a stepback 3-pointer with just 15 seconds remaining in overtime—his biggest shot among many—to give VCU the lead for good. He finished with 34 points, including 23 after halftime, and shot a blistering 7-of-10 from beyond the arc.
VCU (28-7) hadn’t won a tournament game since 2016, but this one will be remembered for years. The Rams pulled off a stunning 19-point comeback—marking the sixth-largest comeback in tournament history and one of the biggest second-half rallies ever seen on college basketball’s biggest stage.
For much of the night, it looked like North Carolina was in complete control. Behind dominant play from Henri Veesaar, the Tar Heels built a 19-point lead with just over 15 minutes remaining. The 7-footer from Estonia was nearly unstoppable early, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds while showcasing his versatility in both the paint and from beyond the arc.
Seth Trimble also played a key role in the early dominance, helping North Carolina (25-8) dictate tempo and capitalize on VCU’s sluggish start.
But everything changed in the second half. VCU caught fire—literally. The Rams shot 62% from the field after the break and knocked down 7 of their 10 attempts from three-point range. Down the stretch of regulation, they were nearly flawless, making 15 of their final 19 shots to claw all the way back.
Hill’s driving layup with 11 seconds left tied the game at 75, capping the furious rally. North Carolina had a chance to win in regulation, but a late turnover by Veesaar and a missed running 3-pointer by Trimble sent the game to overtime.
The extra period delivered even more chaos. Trimble gave North Carolina a brief 78-77 lead after splitting a pair of free throws with 35 seconds left. But Hill answered moments later with his clutch go-ahead three from the top of the key.
In the final seconds, Veesaar had a chance to tie the game at the line but missed his first free throw. Forced into desperation on the second attempt, he tried to intentionally miss off the rim—but failed to draw iron, handing possession back to VCU.
Nyk Lewis, who added 16 points, calmly knocked down two free throws to seal the upset.
North Carolina’s collapse was fueled in part by fatigue. Head coach Hubert Davis relied heavily on a six-man rotation in the second half, and the Tar Heels appeared to wear down late.
Meanwhile, VCU grew stronger as the game progressed, matching their energy surge with elite shot-making and defensive pressure.
With the win, VCU advances to face No. 3 seed Illinois in the second round after Illinois’ dominant 105-70 victory over Penn.
For North Carolina, the loss marks another early exit under Davis—failing to reach the Round of 32 for the third time in four seasons. The absence of injured star Caleb Wilson, who was sidelined for the postseason with a broken thumb, loomed large as the Tar Heels struggled to close out the game.
But the night belonged to VCU—and especially to Hill—whose electrifying second-half performance will go down as one of the defining moments of this year’s tournament.
