{"id":254659,"date":"2025-08-28T03:08:14","date_gmt":"2025-08-28T03:08:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/254659\/"},"modified":"2025-08-28T03:08:14","modified_gmt":"2025-08-28T03:08:14","slug":"unc-basketball-face-first-four-winner-in-joe-lunardis-latest-offseason-bracketology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/254659\/","title":{"rendered":"UNC basketball face First Four winner in Joe Lunardi’s latest offseason bracketology"},"content":{"rendered":"

College football season is here, but before you know it, college basketball season will also be here. In Chapel Hill, the North Carolina Tar Heels<\/a> are eager to prove themselves as an ACC contender once again.<\/p>\n

UNC snuck into this year’s NCAA Tournament as the field’s final team, much to the dismay of high-profile analysts<\/a>. North Carolina quickly proved they belong, stomping San Diego State 95-68, but recurring issues arose during a Round of 64 loss to Ole Miss.<\/p>\n

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Speaking of the Big Dance, let’s take a quick look at Joe Lunardi’s latest 2026 bracketology<\/a>. The Tar Heels are projected to land the East Region’s 6-seed, facing automatic qualifier VCU in the Round of 64.<\/p>\n

If this matchup were to occur, it’d be the first-ever between UNC and the Rams. VCU has a long history of postseason success, reaching the 2011 Final Four under Shaka Smart \u2013 and most recently an 80-71 loss to BYU in March.<\/p>\n

On paper, the 2025-2026 North Carolina roster is one of its deepest in years. Star guard Seth Trimble<\/a> is returning for his senior campaign, giving a new-look team a much-needed familiar face. The Tar Heels added Top-10 recruit Caleb Wilson, a starting point guard in Kyan Evans, wing help in Luka Bogavac and plenty of height, highlighted by 7-footer Henri Veesaar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

UNC’s first game will be an October 24 exhibition at BYU<\/a>, which landed former UNC target AJ Dybantsa, the class of 2025’s top-ranked recruit. North Carolina will face several tough opponents in non-conference play, including Kansas (November 7), Michigan State<\/a> (Nov. 27), Kentucky<\/a> (December 2), Georgetown (Dec. 7) and Ohio State<\/a> (Dec. 20).<\/p>\n

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Where will the Tar Heels land after their regular season concludes? Let’s hope for another National Championship, which UNC desperately needs to turn itself back into a feared program.<\/p>\n

Follow us\u00a0@TarHeelsWire<\/a>\u00a0on X and like our page on\u00a0Facebook<\/a>\u00a0to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina\u00a0Tar Heels<\/a>\u00a0news, notes and opinions.<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC projected to nab 6-seed, face VCU in Joe Lunardi 2026 bracketology<\/a><\/p>\n