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NCAA Tournament: Two former Tar Heels set to meet in Round of 64

By Blake Cockrum

CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 27: Walker Kessler #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts as time expires during their game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Dean Smith Center on February 27, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 78-70. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 27: Walker Kessler #13 of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts as time expires during their game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Dean Smith Center on February 27, 2021 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 78-70. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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A pair of former UNC basketball players are set to meet in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 64.

When the 2022 NCAA Tournament bracket was announced on Selection Sunday, North Carolina Tar Heels fans immediately took to social media to react to their team’s seeding and Round of 64 matchup with the Marquette Golden Eagles.

And while their main concern lies with the Tar Heels — how they stack up against Shaka Smart’s new squad and how scary a possible second-round date with a 1-seed sounds — a few of them also noticed an interesting game between one of the Midwest Region’s highest seeds and one of its lowest.

That game, one that features a pair of former Tar Heels, is the 2/15 pairing that pits the Auburn Tigers against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks, and the players in question are Walker Kessler and Brandon Huffman.

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Although Kessler and Huffman weren’t at North Carolina at the same time, it’s still an intriguing storyline for UNC fans that continue to follow the former Tar Heels through their respective collegiate journeys.

Kessler, a sensational sophomore big man that was recently named first-team All-SEC and SEC Defensive Player of the Year, arrived at North Carolina shortly after Huffman left for Jacksonville State. Kessler spent just one season at North Carolina, primarily as a reserve that had to fight to get on the court, which ultimately played a huge part in his decision to leave.

Huffman averaged just over one point and one rebound per contest in a UNC career that spanned three years and 70 games. He, too, was in search of more time on the court before his days in college came to an end. In two seasons with the Gamecocks, Huffman has started 56 of his 57 games played and averaged 9.6 points and 4.6 rebounds while shooting nearly 62 percent.

Kessler’s Tigers will be massive favorites in this game, and they may well run away with it, but it’ll still be fun for UNC fans to watch the two big men and former Tar Heels duke it out in the paint for the opportunity to play at least one more game this season.

Next. Tar Heels' history as an 8-seed. dark

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