It's a great time to be the AD at UNC after Tar Heels sneak into NCAA Tournament

Selection Sunday has come and gone, and now college basketball fans are ready to debate who got the short end of the stick when it comes to seeding or missing the NCAA Tournament altogether.

However, one team is probably still celebrating after hearing their name called on Sunday. The North Carolina Tar Heels appeared to be on the outside looking in. Now, the team is gearing up for a First Four matchup with San Diego State.

So, how did the Tar Heels find themselves as an 11 seed in the Big Dance? UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham may be the correct person to ask that question, since he is also the chairman of the selection committee.

Does @UNC_Basketball deserve to be included in the field of 68?@MarchMadnessMBB Chair @BubbaUNC and Vice Chair Keith Gill discuss the decision and the backlash with @KySportsRadio and @MedcalfByESPN pic.twitter.com/4UqJUlRtnm
— ESPN Radio (@ESPNRadio) March 17, 2025

With one quad-one victory on the season for UNC, many wonder how a team like West Virginia, who had six quad-one victories, is now preparing for next season.

Sure, the committee is making sure everyone knows Cunningham wasn't in on the Tar Heels decision; however, the report that the Tar Heels athletic director gets a hefty bonus for the program making the tournament is putting a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

Bubba Cunningham (again, UNC's AD who doubles as Selection Committee Chair) gets $104,000 bonus for UNC making the NCAA Tournament (one month's salary), AND there's another $225,000 in bonuses in play based on what happens in the tournament.

Something to sleep on. https://t.co/0R6psS7jJF
— Chris Anderson (@CMAnderson247) March 17, 2025

This entire situation is smelly, and the NCAA could have avoided all of this by creating a committee that doesn't have active athletic directors on it. However, being the NCAA, they couldn't stay out of their own way, and now, we have a conspiracy theory.

Honestly, none of this is the least bit surprising. It almost feels like things like this happen on purpose to create drama. Whatever the case may be, the Tar Heels may be facing more pressure than anyone in the field.

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