North Carolina desperately needed to be on the other side of the bracket
SMU losing on Saturday to Florida State did the UNC basketball program no favors.
There were scenarios where the Tar Heels would have fell to the No. 6 seed in the ACC Tournament, a fall that would have placed them on the lower end of the bracket.
What's the difference, you ask?
The better chance at Quad 1 opportunities.
North Carolina would have had the potential of playing against both Clemson and Louisville before even getting to a potential title game berth, as victories against both of those teams would have greatly helped their NCAA Tournament resume.
Wins against those very good teams wouldn't be a guarantee by any stretch of the imagination, but the quality of the wins (if North Carolina secured them) would've been much more impressive than what they'd accomplish through their first two games in the upper portion of the bracket.
With where they are seeded, there is a potential Quad 1 opportunity the semifinals... but...