Bob Donnan - Imagn Images
The bracket is out, folks. The 68 teams that will be the center of the sport world as they battle to get to the Final 4, and, ultimately, win the 2025 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship.
The most controversial selection, by far, when the brackets were revealed, was the inclusion of the blue-blood North Carolina Tar Heels. Given the fact that the chairman of the NCAA DIVision I Men’s Basketball Tournament Selection Committee is UNC Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, many are claiming that the Tar Heels were only included due to his influence.
First, here is the bracket.
The 2025 NCAA men's tournament bracket is set!
Let the Madness begin 🏀
— The Athletic (@theathletic.bsky.social) March 16, 2025 at 6:38 PM
North Carolina was the final team into the field, according to an interview on the Selection Show shortly after the bracket was revealed on CBS. According to Cunningham and vice-chairman Keith Gill, had UAB beat Memphis in today’s American Athletic Conference Championship Game, UNC would have missed the tournament, as UAB would’ve stole the bid.
UNC’s metrics in terms of NET Rating and KenPom were great, both in the mid-30s, indicative of a tournament team. But, they were 1-12 in Quad 1 games, albeit playing a tough schedule in those games, as not all Quad 1 games are created equal. They blew a chance to essentially clinch their spot in the Big Dance on Friday, losing to rival Duke in the ACC Tournament Semifinals after a lane violation wiped off a tying free throw to cap off a huge comeback with just seconds remaining. Vegas thought they were going to miss the tournament, as odds shifted heavily against them on Saturday and Sunday.
But, they were selected to play in the First Four against San Diego State on Wednesday, with the winner of that game taking on the Ole Miss Rebels in the Round of 64.
Instantly, people were furious online, especially given Cunningham’s position and the idea that including a Blue Blood in the field is a blatant ploy for television ratings. The fact that athletic directors of schools being discussed must leave the room during the discussion did not persuade many from thinking that there was foul play involved.
Bubba Cunningham needs to be arrested. He just forced his team into the tourney,” one Twitter user said.
“Said all along Bubba Cunningham being committee chair guaranteed UNC a NCAA Tournament berth if they were anywhere close to bubble. Representation on committee is always a major advantage. Not surprising,” another user said.
“Absolute travesty. The committee tells us the games don’t matter putting North Carolina in the field. What a complete joke & catering to a blue blood because the committee chair is the UNC AD,” another said.
Should UNC be in? It depends what you value. Computer rankings definitely say they’re deserving. But, it’s hard to ignore the Quad 1 record.