After days and weeks of wondering whether it would end up on the right side of the men’s NCAA Tournament bubble, one of the most historically decorated teams in men’s college basketball heard its name called on Selection Sunday.

The fact it did, though, has generated some controversy.

North Carolina was among the most debated teams heading into the NCAA Tournament selection show, with 22 wins and the pedigree of being one of the sport’s blue bloods. 

REQUIRED READING: Men’s March Madness live updates: Selection Sunday bracket predictions, schedule

Coach Hubert Davis’ team ultimately didn’t have to wait long to learn its fate, with the Tar Heels’ name showing up on the 68-team bracket in the first region that was revealed on CBS’ selection show. North Carolina will head to Dayton, Ohio to take on fellow No. 11 seed San Diego State in the First Four, with the winner advancing to face No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the tournament’s first round.

It’s a silver lining for a North Carolina program that has suffered through a disappointing 2024-25 season. After coming into the season No. 10 in the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll after earning a No. 1 seed in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels limped to a 14-11 start, but caught fire to end the season, winning eight of their final 10 games, with the only two losses coming to No. 1 Duke.

Like many bubble teams, though, there were plenty of holes to find on their resume.

REQUIRED READING: CBS pays tribute to Greg Gumbel on March Madness Selection Sunday bracket reveal show

North Carolina went just 1-12 in Quadrant One games. While it stacked up some wins late in the final month of the season, none of its eight victories since Feb. 15 have come against a team ranked in the top 65 of the NCAA’s NET rankings.

Adding to whatever anger, frustration and shock there was over North Carolina’s making the field is that the chair of the NCAA Tournament selection committee was Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham. While it could understandably be viewed as a conflict of interest, Cunningham was unable to be in the room while North Carolina was being discussed.

This year marks the 19th time the Tar Heels have made the NCAA Tournament the past 21 times the event was held.

UNC basketball makes NCAA Tournament: Social media reactions

Prior to this season, the Tar Heels had never received lower than a No. 8 seed to the NCAA Tournament.

The high school basketball season is complete in the Tar Heel State, with champions in four classifications crowned by the North Carolina High School Athletic Association.

Here is a look at what happened.

4-A

North Mecklenburg 59, New Hanover 56

Carson Evans scored 24 points and Chadlyn Traylor had 22 as North Mecklenburg rallied to beat New Hanover for the second year in a row in the state championship game.

Ashton Pierce had 8 points and 7 rebounds for the Vikings, who finished the season with a 30-3 record.

New Hanover stormed to a 14-0 lead. The Vikings rallied, cutting the lead to seven in the second quarter. They went ahead in the third quarter.

Rodmik Allen led the Wildcats with 14 points while Kellum Brown had 13 points and C.J. Kornegay had 10 points.

It was the second straight season of heartbreak for the Wildcats, who are 62-2 with both losses coming to North Mecklenburg in the state championship game.

3-A

Ben L. Smith 64, Southern Durham 62 (OT)

Jyi Dawkins scored 29 points, including two free throws in the final seconds of overtime, as the Golden Eagles prevailed.

Dawkins, who had 7 rebounds and made 8-of-9 free throws, was named MVP.

The Golden Eagles’ Tayshawn Mann had forced overtime on a driving layup with 30 seconds remaining in regulation. 

Kenny Miller Jr. had 13 points and 5 rebounds for the Golden Eagles. Mann had 6 points, 4 assists and 4 steals.

A.J. Morman Jr. and Jackson Keith each scored 23 points to lead Southern Durham.

2-A

Reidsville 71, Northwood 54

The nationally ranked Rams capped off the season with a 60-game winning streak and two consecutive state championships. Reidsville is 90-1 over the last three seasons, with the loss coming in the 2023 state championship game.

Dionte Neal led the Rams with 24 points. Kendre Harrison, the Rams’ 6-foot-7, 243-pound junior forward who has committed to Oregon for football, had 16 points on 8-of-10 shooting, 11 rebounds and 6 blocks.

Cam Fowler led Northwood with 27 points and 8 rebounds.

1-A

Corvian Community 58, Southern Wake Academy 55 (OT)

R.J. Moore scored a game-high 26 points, including the game-winning 3-pointer at the buzzer, as the Cardinals won the state championship. Moore, a 6-foot-5 sophomore guard, was named MVP.

Corvian (25-7) battled from behind to win its first state championship.

Malachi McCutcheon added 15 points for the Cardinals.

Sophomore guard Kobe Plata led the Lions (29-5) with 19 points.

4-A

Lake Norman 43, Wakefield 41

Lake Norman won its first state championship in dramatic fashion, defeating Wakefield 43-41 when Rayana Minard made a bucket at the buzzer. A pass from Alexis Shehan set up the game-winner.

Shehan led the Wildcats with 13 points. Minard scored 10 points and was named MVP.

Lake Norman (30-1) lost only to Hebron Christian Academy, a nationally ranked Georgia school.

3-A

Western Alamance 76, Stuart Cramer 58

Western Alamance used balance to overcome a sensational individual effort by Stuart Cramer star Oshauna Holland.

Senior guard Tina Bowers scored 26 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to lead the way for Western Alamance. Another senior guard, Allie Sykes, had 22 points and 5 assists.

That was enough to offset the 5-foot-8 Holland, who scored nearly every point for the Storm. Holland finished with 49 points, making 15-of-29 field goal attempts. She was 17-of-17 from the free throw line.

It was close early but Western Alamance built a 20-point lead by the third quarter and coasted to victory.

Western Alamance (28-4) dominated in the playoffs, winning by no less than 14 points in the Warriors’ six games.

2-A

Southeast Alamance 43, North Wilkes 33

Southeast Alamance won’t even have a senior class until the 2025-26 school year but that didn’t stop the Stallions from winning a state championship in the new school’s second year.

Clara LaChappelle led the way with 14 points and 10 rebounds, earning MVP honors. Shaniya Paylor had 12 points and Natalie Lopez had 9.

Ralee Bare led North Wilkes with 16 points but 

1-A

Cherokee 84, East Bladen 48

Defending champion Cherokee turned a close game into a rout in the second half with a 41-8 run.

Whitney Rogers led the Braves with 33 points. Dvdaya Swimmer posted a double-double of 15 points and 10 rebounds. She also had 6 assists and 5 steals.

Laila Smith led East Bladen with 24 points while Nene Ward had 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Cherokee (28-2) lost only to nationally ranked Georgia school Hebron Christian and Winston-Salem Prep’s national team.

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

Severe weather is expected in Western North Carolina beginning tonight, Saturday, March 15.

National Weather Service forecasts call for showers and thunderstorms as well as gusty winds Saturday night through Sunday night. A wind advisory and hazardous weather outlook have been issued, warning residents of the area of possible danger brought by the storm front.

Here’s what we know about the hazards beginning Saturday night.

Heavy wind warning

A wind advisory issued by the NWS at 1:56 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, is affecting Buncombe, Graham, Haywood, Macon, Madison, Northern Jackson, Southern Jackson and Swain Counties. The advisory, in affect from 6 p.m. Saturday until 2 p.m. Sunday, warns of south winds reaching 20-30 mph with gusts of 40-50 mph expected in the valleys. Winds will gust as high as 70 mph on high peaks and ridgetops.

Winds of this force may blow around unsecured objects and blow down tree limbs, potentially resulting in some power outages. Extra precaution is also advised for drivers, as driving may be more difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

Thunderstorms, possible flooding, tornadoes

A hazardous weather outlook issued by the NWS at 2:53 p.m. on Saturday, March 15, is affecting northeast Georgia, WNC and Upstate South Carolina. Also in affect 6 p.m. Saturday to 2 p.m. Sunday, the outlook warns of a powerful storm system that will bring heavy rain and severe storms.

Main hazards mentioned in the outlook included damaging wind gusts, as well as “a strong tornado or two” possible in the affected region during the storm. In a Friday report from the Citizen Times, NWS Meteorologist Chris Horne said that while no widespread or severe flooding is expected, some areas of WNC could see heavy or excessive rainfall that could lead to isolated flooding. This was reiterated in the outlook, with highest possibility for flooding in the S.C., Georgia and southwest N.C. mountains.

Strong to severe storms may redevelop Sunday afternoon, but NWS confidence is currently low.

More: When is the last day of school? Here’s when summer break starts at 19 Western NC districts

Asheville weekend weather

Saturday, March 15 – Showers and possibly a thunderstorm beginning overnight. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 57 degrees. Breezy, with a south southeast wind 16 to 21 mph and gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Sunday, March 16 – Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 12 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 12-1 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 71 degrees. South southeast wind around 14 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A 40 percent chance of showers remains between 7 p.m.-1 a.m. Mostly cloudy Sunday night, with a low around 35 degrees. North northwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Hendersonville weekend weather

Saturday, March 15 – Scattered showers, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm after 1 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Low around 58 degrees. Breezy, with a south wind 17 to 24 mph and gusts as high as 45 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Sunday, March 16 – Showers and thunderstorms before 12 p.m., then a slight chance of showers between 12-1 p.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog between 7-8 a.m. High near 69 degrees. Breezy, with a south southwest wind 17 to 21 mph and gusts as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible. A 20 percent chance of showers continues before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy overnight, with a low around 37 degrees. West wind 7 to 14 mph becoming north northwest after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph.

More: Trump’s approval ratings are in: Here’s how he scores according to U.S., NC polls

Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.