North Carolina had a one seed almost locked up thanks to Gonzaga's shocking loss to BYU at home. But now the Virginia Cavaliers have changed all that by defeating unc 53-43 in a defensive masterpiece. With the NCAA tournament around the corner, questions about the bubble and championship contenders abound. Another question lingers: Does UNC still deserve a one seed after this loss?
North Carolina's Resume.
Prior to the Virginia loss, North Carolina had quality wins over nine opponents ranked the RPI top 50. Among the notable teams were Notre Dame, Louisville, and Florida State.
They had five losses prior to Monday night's loss to Tony Bennett's squad. With six losses, it's probably safe to say that UNC will now be knocked off the top line. If the Tar Heels did manage to win the ACC tournament, however, they would still likely be a lock for a one seed.
Potential Replacements.
Gonzaga's loss to BYU didn't disqualify them from being considered for a one seed. With North Carolina's loss, it's now a virtual certainty that the Bulldogs will be seeded on the top line if they win the WCC tournament. Other potential teams that could take the place of North Carolina include UCLA, which has just three losses this season. In fact, the winner of the Pac-12 could easily get a one seed in the tournament.
Oregon, Arizona, and UCLA are all hovering around the two line and would likely move up to the top line with an impressive performance in their conference tournament.
North Carolina's Future.
A loss on the road against a tough Virginia team isn't the end of the world. North Carolina should still be seen as a championship contender and should not be ignored when tournament time comes around.
The sheer size of the Tar Heels is enough to overwhelm most opponents and Roy Williams' team will be looking for revenge after losing to Villanova on a buzzer beater last season. When Selection Sunday comes around, North Carolina probably won't be a one seed, but they should be seen by every college basketball fan as a potential national championship contender.
