Lessons Learned from UNC basketball's capitulation to VCU in the NCAA Tournament

A season that showed so much promise back in November just ended like a balloon popped by a needle.

The UNC basketball program's 2025-26 season ended, like last season, with a loss in the NCAA Tournament's first round. Then, a flawed, small team couldn't keep up with a Power Five team. Now, a team shorn of its star player ended the season on a three-game losing streak. It was like news of Caleb Wilson's thumb surgery took the life force out of the team.

I'm shocked writing those words, because UNC looked like a runaway train early in the second half, expanding their 11-point halftime lead to 19 at one point, before suffering one of the worst meltdowns in NCAA Tournament history.

No use in putting it off anymore, let's dive into some lessons learned from UNC basketball's season-ending loss to Virginia Commonwealth.

Lack of Stevenson

Jarin Stevenson had a promising start to the game, scoring five of UNC's first seven points. But he was whistled for his second foul at the 13:52 mark with the Heels down one, and sat for the rest of the half. He came out with an abundance of energy in the second half, eager to make up for lost time.

Stevenson scored six more points, taking his total to 11, including a big three when UNC's lead shrank to 11 points. You'd hope that would have been enough to steady the ship with seven minutes left in the game, but we knew how that went.

More important than his offense was his defense. We were back to seeing Stevenson at his versatile best, defending multiple positions, and comfortable getting in a stance beyond the three-point line to deny penetrating guards. He had a huge block in overtime to help keep the score tied.

I can't criticize this defense much, Terrence Hill (who scored 34 points on the night) just hits a terrific step-back three:

Would more Stevenson in the first half helped build a larger halftime lead that demoralized VCU sufficiently to let UNC coast to a win? Probably not, but given how he was competing for rebounds and using his length to bother drivers, he would have been better used on the court than on the bench.

(Sigh) Free Throws

I really wanted the Clemson LL to be the last time I brought up free throws this season. But the chickens have come home to roost.

North Carolina shot 12/20 from the free-throw line on the night, leaving eight points off the board. That may have been enough to prevent overtime (some of those misses were after regulation), as UNC got tight in the second half and stopped running an efficient offense. The great Roy Williams teams would use their posts and the free-throw line as a wellspring of points. When sets get jammed up, get the ball into Henri Veesaar's hands and let him pile up 10-12 points from the line.

They didn't do that, and perhaps the Tar Heels couldn't this season. What's worse is that UNC started missing pressure-free throws in the second half. Stevenson missed the front end of a one-and-one with Carolina up 11 with 5:47 left. Veesaar missed one of two free throws with a chance to put UNC up six. Seth Trimble missed the front end of a one-and-one up two with 29 seconds left. Makes at this point would force VCU to score in two possessions. That was a back breaker.

Then, in overtime, Trimble missed another free throw, putting UNC up just one before conceding Hill's go-ahead three-pointer. Veesaar was fouled with four seconds left to hit both tries to play for a second overtime, but missed the first, then missed the rim when trying to force a putback opportunity.

We've talked about free throws all season, and it has killed North Carolina for the last time.

Crawling Into a Shell

North Carolina looked fully energized in the first half. The team defended heroically at times. Luka Bogavac was fighting through screens and staying close to his man. Stevenson was switching and harassing Rams with gusto. Veesaar was bothering shots at the rim. UNC turned five VCU turnovers into eight points, including a patented Seth Trimble breakaway dunk.

On offense, the Tar Heels took care of the ball, with the only turnover coming from Derek Dixon when he handled the ball funny out of bounds.

The start of the second half was just as good!

North Carolina pushed the lead to 19. But then VCU turned the pressure up. Suddenly, Dixon was being bothered on the inbounds pass. Veesaar was needed to help free him from his defender while bringing the ball up, rather than posting up under the basket.

When the lead shrank, turnovers increased, and VCU started to believe it needed somebody to step up and take control. Instead, Dixon started inbounding the ball so he could receive it from a different angle, further slowing the offense. Trimble couldn't help because he's not a true point guard, not one that you want bringing the ball up and initiating offense.

The fact that a guard didn't come get the ball for UNC's final play in regulation, and let Veesaar try to create with his back to the rim at the three-point line, is inexcusable. Somebody with a drive threat needed the ball in his hands, not Veesaar. He's a finisher, not a creator.

When the lights got bright in Greenville, the Tar Heels wilted. That is more disappointing than all of the missed shots and defensive slips put together.