Written by Mark Bergin, a senior multitplatform producer at WRAL.

Charlotte, N.C.

North Carolina has been awarded the top seed and will face the Wagner Seahawks.

After beating the Howard Bison 71-68 in Tuesday night’s First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio, Wagner advanced to the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament.

The University of North Carolina will face off against the University of North Carolina at Wilmington at approximately 2:45 p.m. on Thursday in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in the West Regional at Spectrum Center in Charlotte. This game will be broadcasted on CBS.

“They’re extremely well-coached,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said of Wagner. “It’s a team that is very confident. They can really shoot. They’re outstanding defensively. They’re excited about the opportunity to play us.”

This is the first time since 2019 that North Carolina has been ranked as the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.

UNC (27-7, 17-3 in the ACC) suffered a 84-76 defeat on Saturday evening in the ACC Tournament finals against NC State. Prior to the championship game, UNC had achieved a winning streak of eight consecutive victories.

The last time UNC competed at the Spectrum Center was on December 20th in an 81-69 victory over Oklahoma at the Jumpman Invitational.

Center Armando Bacot expressed his excitement for the opportunity to play two home games in a beloved and familiar location.

Wagner Seahawks

Wagner (16-15, 7-9 NEC) is scheduled to participate in its second-ever NCAA Tournament. On Tuesday night in North Andover, Massachusetts, the Seahawks defeated their opponent 54-47 in the NEC championship.

In 2003, Wagner last appeared in the NCAA Tournament as a 15 seed. They were eliminated by Pittsburgh in the first round.

Bacot remarked on Tuesday’s game against Wagner, praising their ability to effectively transition. However, he also noted their slower pace in halfcourt play, comparing it to facing UVA where each possession holds significance.

This year is the second for head coach Donald Copeland’s tenure with the team.

Junior guard Melvin Council Jr. leads the team in scoring (14.6 points per game) and rebounding (5.7 rebounds per game).

In the 2023-24 season, Wagner had a record of 0 wins and 2 losses in games in the highest competitive quadrant.

Source: wralsportsfan.com