NCAA BASKETBALL: No. 11 VCU rallies from 19 down to force OT, beat No. 6 North Carolina

GREENVILLE, South Carolina — Terrence Hill Jr. delivered a standout performance with a game-high 34 points, including a clutch go-ahead 3-pointer with 15 seconds remaining in overtime, as No. 11 VCU Rams rallied past sixth-seeded North Carolina Tar Heels, 82-78, in a thrilling first-round East Region matchup on Thursday.

Nyk Lewis added 16 points and Lazar Djokovic contributed 15 for VCU (28-7), which mounted a remarkable comeback after trailing by 19 points in the second half. The rally ranks as the sixth-largest in NCAA Tournament history and the second-largest second-half comeback on record.

VCU head coach Phil Martelli Jr. praised his team’s resilience following the win. “That game was the perfect microcosm of who this group has been,” he said. “They’ve shown it time and time again, and today on the biggest stage was one of those days.”

For North Carolina (24-9), Henri Veesaar led the way with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Seth Trimble added 15 points. Derek Dixon and Jarin Stevenson each scored 11 for the Tar Heels, who were eliminated in the opening round for the second consecutive year.

Head coach Hubert Davis expressed disappointment after the loss. “I’ve really enjoyed coaching this team,” he said. “I just wanted this group to experience more.”

Overtime began slowly, with neither team scoring until Lewis converted a layup with 2:08 left to give VCU its first lead since early in the first half. Trimble briefly put North Carolina back in front with free throws, but Hill answered with the decisive 3-pointer. Veesaar had a chance to respond but missed a crucial free throw attempt in the closing seconds, allowing Lewis to seal the victory at the line.

North Carolina appeared in control for much of the second half, extending its lead to as many as 19 points. However, VCU chipped away behind timely shooting and defensive stops, cutting the deficit to single digits midway through the period. A late surge, highlighted by Hill’s scoring and key plays from Lewis, erased the gap and forced overtime.

Hill capped the comeback by scoring aggressively down the stretch, including a game-tying layup with 11 seconds remaining in regulation. North Carolina had one final opportunity, but Trimble’s potential game-winning 3-pointer missed as time expired.

“I wanted to be as aggressive as possible in the second half,” Hill said. “If the plays were there, I was going to make them — and if my teammates were open, I was going to find them.” -Jack Batten, Field Level Media/Reuters