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.

North Carolina is in the NCAA tournament. Did they deserve it? Was it because of their name? Conspiracy theories suggest their AD pulled some strings but there is evidence that is not the case.

The North Carolina Tar Heels were the biggest surprise of Selection Sunday, earning a No. 11 seed and a spot in the First Four in Dayton when their name was called for the 2025 NCAA Tournament. As soon as UNC was named into the tournament,

West Virginia's governor called attention to financial incentives in North Carolina athletics director Bubba Cunningham's contract Monday, implying that they may have played a role in the Tar Heels securing a spot in the men's basketball NCAA Tournament over West Virginia.

Gov. Patrick Morrisey held a news conference one day after the West Virginia Mountaineers were left off the men's bracket unveiled Sunday.