UNC Loses to Ole Miss in NCAA First Round

North Carolina's NCAA tournament run ended with a 71-64 loss to Ole Miss despite a valiant second-half comeback attempt. The Tar Heels trailed by 18 at halftime and as many as 22 in the second half, but rallied to bring the game within two points with just over a minute remaining. Ole Miss's Sean Pedulla secured the victory with a crucial three-pointer and subsequent free throws, contributing 20 points in total. This marks only the fifth time UNC has lost in the first round of the tournament since the 64-team format was adopted. The loss contributes to a disappointing showing for the ACC, which ended the first weekend of March Madness with a 1-3 record. Ole Miss advances to face Iowa State in the second round.