To add to the matter, the tournament selection committee was chaired by North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham, creating more anger among college hoops fans.

North Carolina was the last team to make the field as a surprise to many who projected the Tar Heels would miss the cut.

Even in the least divisive years, there’s usually at least one semi-debatable inclusion or a seeding issue that seems worth discussing. And then there are some years, like this one, that result in a full-blown controversy — one that could have been easily avoided.