North Carolina Tar Heels Favored Over VCU Rams in March Madness 2026 First Round

The Tar Heels are 2.5-point favorites, but the Rams are riding a hot streak heading into the tournament.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 12:36am

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The North Carolina Tar Heels earned a No. 6 seed in the South Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament and will face the No. 11 VCU Rams in the first round. The Tar Heels are 2.5-point favorites, while the Rams are +120 on the moneyline on DraftKings Sportsbook. The total is set at 154.5 points.

Why it matters

This matchup features two teams with contrasting storylines heading into the tournament. North Carolina has dealt with key injuries, while VCU is riding a hot streak and looking to make a deep run in March Madness.

The details

North Carolina could've earned a higher seed if not for injuries to star freshman Caleb Wilson, who broke his left hand and then his right thumb, ending his college season. The Tar Heels went 5-3 to end the regular season, including a narrow defeat to Clemson in the ACC quarterfinals. VCU, on the other hand, needed to win the A-10 to make the tournament, and it did just that, defeating Dayton in the championship game. The Rams have won 16 of their last 17 games, with their only loss coming against No. 18 Saint Louis.

  • North Carolina earned a No. 6 seed in the South Region of the 2026 NCAA Tournament.
  • The Tar Heels will face No. 11 VCU in the first round on March 19, 2026.

The players

Caleb Wilson

A North Carolina freshman forward who broke his left hand and then his right thumb, ending his college season.

VCU

The VCU Rams earned an at-large bid to the 2026 NCAA Tournament after winning the A-10 championship, defeating Dayton in the final.

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What they’re saying

“North Carolina could've earned a higher seed if not for injuries to their star freshman Caleb Wilson. The forward broke his left hand but was on track to return until he broke his right thumb. His college season is over after undergoing surgery.”

— Brendan O'Sullivan, Author (draftkings.com)

“Experience is key in the NCAA Tournament, so returning players will certainly bring an edge to this VCU roster. The Rams are also hot, having won 16 of their last 17 games.”

— Brendan O'Sullivan, Author (draftkings.com)

What’s next

The North Carolina Tar Heels and VCU Rams will face off in the first round of the 2026 NCAA Tournament on March 19, 2026.

The takeaway

This matchup between the Tar Heels and Rams showcases the contrasting fortunes of the two teams heading into the tournament. While North Carolina has dealt with key injuries, VCU is riding a hot streak and looking to make a deep run in March Madness.