I'm a N.C. State student and a UNC fan.
I know what you're thinking: how in the world can that be possible? I mean the teams are rivals. Believe it or not I've found a happy medium where I can pull for both.
That being said, the basketball season for both teams ended this weekend in the second and third rounds of the NCAA Tournament respectively. Since both my schools are out I'm out of the tournament as well: I'm no longer going to watch a single game for the duration of the tournament. I guess it's my way of biting back at the tournament which I've been more upset with this year anyway.
Why?
Well the tournament selection committee did a terrible job with its set up of the field this year. Looking away from the Pack and Heels for a second, Oregon (the PAC-12 champion) received a 12-seed to the tournament while UCLA (who didn't even win the championship) received a 6-seed. I know the first argument against what I've said would be "you have to look at the whole season." Well, I thought Oregon played much better basketball than UCLA did overall.
Focusing back on State and Carolina, both should've received a higher seed in my opinion. The Pack had an underperforming year for sure but I didn't think the team deserved an 8-seed. Same thing with Carolina. The Heels had an up-and-down year but played really well heading into the ACC Tournament; where it finished as the conference runner-up to Miami (FL). Despite that, UNC also received an 8-seed in the NCAA Tournament.
The draws for both teams were horrible. The Pack had a pretty tough task playing Temple then, if it had won, State would've had to play the 1-seed Indiana Hoosiers. Same thing with UNC: the Heels played a tough (and surging) Villanova team. Carolina won that game and advanced to play the 1-seed Kansas Jayhawks.
Now there are so many story lines that go along with that game. Perhaps the biggest storyline is the fact that UNC's coach, Roy Williams, had coached at Kansas before he left to come back to UNC. Believe it or not, there are apparently some "sore losers" who still hold a grudge 10 years later.
The NCAA Selection Committee knew this yet it put UNC in that matchup with the Jayhawks. What's worse? The game took place in Kansas City, Missouri, right in Kansas' home turf. Obviously, most of the arena was full of Jayhawks fans, which made the already tough task of defeating Kansas even tougher.
When asked by multiple sources, the committee chair said that it was merely a "coincidence." I'm sorry but you can't sit there and tell me that was a "coincidence" and nothing more. The committee knew the history behind this game and the committee also knew this game would bring in an early ratings boost for the tournament.
I'm not trying to complain or make excuses as to why N.C. State and UNC lost. However, I do know something was fishy with the draw for both teams. As I've said before I'm totally done watching the NCAA Tournament this year. I know my measly little viewership is nothing to the NCAA but I'm mad as fire that my two teams didn't even get a chance!
Oh well, great season Pack and Heels. Can't wait for both of you to kick some butt next year!
And one more thing...
#ScrewTheNCAA
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