UNC legend Tyler Hansbrough ‘not stunned’ by March Madness loss to VCU

UNC during their loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament

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Matthew Couden

By Matthew Couden

Contributing Writer

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The North Carolina Tar Heels looked to be on the verge of securing a double-digit victory in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament, but VCU had other plans.

A 19-point lead evaporated as the Rams fought their way back into the game, forced overtime, and won it on a clutch three-pointer with 15 seconds remaining. Terrence Hill Jr. scored 34 points in the win, hitting seven three-pointers throughout the game to help VCU achieve the first-round upset.

On the other side, questions are mounting regarding the Tar Heels with Hubert Davis as the head coach. It made for the second-straight first-round exit for UNC, and the way it happened was especially disappointing for fans.

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One UNC legend indicated it's nothing new for the Tar Heels, and he's seen this before during their tournament runs, which included a National Championship meltdown against Kansas during Davis's first season as coach.

UNC during their loss to VCU in the NCAA Tournament

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"I'm not stunned," Tar Heels alum Tyler Hansbrough said postgame in his reaction. "I've seen this story. I've seen this happen. They just had some lapses in games where they just go still- offensively, defensively, their competitiveness, just kind of drops a little bit, they get content."

According to Hansbrough, this UNC team "never steps on anybody's throat" when they're playing an opponent and build a big lead. That was certainly the case in their collapse against VCU.

"It's kind of been something all year, but the storylines, a lot of people will say Caleb Wilson didn't play. I was sick of hearing it. The story is VCU played Carolina, not VCU played Caleb Wilson, and this one hurts because there's a lot of expectations. Fan base is hungry, and we haven't lived up to that, recently," he said.

North Carolina has a rich tradition when it comes to winning National Championships. The school is among the top programs when it comes to all-time wins, achieving six, extending back to 1957, with its most recent coming in 2017.

Hansbrough was part of the 2009 Tar Heels team, which featured them defeating the Michigan State Spartans. He then went on to play about seven years in the NBA and multiple seasons overseas before moving to his current commentary and broadcasting roles.

The recent failure by the Tar Heels to live up to expectations will likely be tied to coach Hubert Davis, who, despite bringing various UNC teams to the Big Dance, has been unable to get them another championship during his tenure.