Contrary to what will be a primary storyline throughout Saturday as Carolina and Providence try to pass the time before a 9:40 p.m. tip, it wasn’t Selection Sunday when the Tar Heels earned the right to play in Raleigh.
Nope. The Tar Heels earned it in January. And February. And especially March. And that’s why they will have a sizable portion of the crowd at PNC Arena tonight. It’s not because it was somehow gifted to them for no reason. It was earned.
One of the most tiresome themes every time there’s an NCAA Tournament subregional or regional in the state of North Carolina is whether it somehow gives the homestanding team—whether it’s Carolina, Duke, or NC State—an advantage.