North Carolina opens NCAA Tournament play in the South Region on Thursday, and unlike past years as a No. 6 seed or lower, the Tar Heels are facing a formidable first-round opponent in No. 11 seed VCU.
The Rams have been to the NCAA Tournament 15 times since 2004. Of those 15 appearances, they have won in the first round five times, including a win over No. 6 seed Duke in 2007 and, of course, their Cinderella run to the Final Four in 2011. Given that the program expects to make the NCAA Tournament and win games to survive and advance, VCU will be no slouch compared to some of the first-round opponents the Tar Heels have faced over the years.
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Here are some things you need to know about VCU.
How has VCU fared this season?
Former Xavier commit Nyk Lewis (1) was the A-10 Rookie of the Year this season at VCU. He helped lead the Rams to the A-10 Tournament title.
VCU has a 27-7 overall record and finished with a 15-3 record in Atlantic 10 play, sharing the regular season title with Dayton. The Rams won the A10 Conference Tournament by defeating Duquense in the quarterfinals, St. Joseph’s in the semifinals and Dayton in the championship game.
The Rams are 2-5 against Quad 1 opponents with wins over South Florida and a road win iover Dayton and losses to NC State, Vanderbilt, Utah State and St. Louis two times.
Who is VCU’s head coach?
Mar 20, 2025; Cleveland, OH, USA; Bryant University Bulldogs head coach Phil Martelli Jr coaches during the NCAA Tournament First Round Practice at Rocket Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images
Phil Martelli Jr. is doing a fantastic job in his first year on the job, which is an understatement given what the Rams have accomplished. Before he came to VCU, he was the head coach at Bryant, where he led the Bulldogs to a 43-25 overall record and the Northeast Conference Tournament title last season, earning a berth in the NCAA Tournament.
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If you’re wondering why his name sounds familiar, he is the son of Phil Martelli, the longtime head coach at Saint Joseph’s. The elder Martelli led the Hawks to a 30-2 record in 2003-04 and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before they lost to Oklahoma State in the Elite Eight on a team that featured
The younger Martelli played for his father at St. Joe’s from 1999-2003.
Stat leaders
Mar 15, 2026; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; VCU Rams guard Terrence Hill Jr. (6) brings the ball up court against the Dayton Flyers during the first half in the Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament Championship game at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Points: Terrance Hill (14.4, 44.6% FG, 35.5% 3FG)
Rebounds: Lazar Djokovic (5.4)
Assists: Terrance Hill (2.8)
Strengths
VCU Rams forward Jadrian Tracey (2) reacts after making a three-point basket against the Saint Joseph’s Hawks during the first half in an Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament semifinal game at PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
VCU’s offense is one of the best in the country, averaging 81.6 points per game and shooting 36.7% from 3-point range, which ranks 37th nationally. North Carolina, meanwhile, has allowed opponents to shoot 34.5% from beyond the arc, which ranks 238th nationally and 14th in the ACC. The Tar Heels were last in conference play in 3-point defense, allowing opponents to shoot 38.5% from long range.
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VCU also has plenty of depth. The Rams have nine players who have appeared in at least 27 games and average at least 10 minutes. They rank seventh nationally in bench points at 34 per game, and all but one of those rotation players average more than 5.5 points.
Weaknesses
Mar 20, 2025; Denver, CO, USA; Rodney, mascot for the VCU Rams, performs during the second half against the Brigham Young Cougars in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Ball Arena. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images
The Rams have a solid defense, allowing 71.5 points per game on 43.1% shooting from the field, which ranks 111th and 104th nationally, respectively, out of more than 360 Division I programs. But they do not force many turnovers, ranking 154th at 11.9 per game, and they foul often. VCU commits 17.3 fouls per game, which ranks 168th nationally.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC basketball: What to know about VCU
