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

College basketball fans are confused as to how North Carolina made the NCAA Tournament. However, athletic director Bubba Cunningham may have the answer.
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham at Loudermilk Center for Excellence.
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham at Loudermilk Center for Excellence. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
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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.

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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.

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.

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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