UNC Fans Lament March Madness Hopes After Loss vs. Virginia in ACC Tournament

The North Carolina men's basketball team started the season No. 1 in the country with championship expectations after reaching the 2022 national title game.

And now it will probably miss the NCAA tournament.

Virginia defeated the Tar Heels 69-59 in Thursday's ACC tournament quarterfinals game in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Cavaliers were the No. 2 seed in the tournament and earned the win in the rubber match after splitting the two regular-season games with the No. 7 seed Tar Heels.

North Carolina's loss drew plenty of reaction on social media with its tournament hopes seemingly dashed:

The Tar Heels' chances to make the Big Dance served as the biggest storyline entering the contest. After all, this was the No. 1 team in the country in the preseason rankings, but Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller did not have it in the 68-team field in his most recent projected bracket.

UNC likely had to win Thursday's contest to reach the tournament, and it was still well within striking distance with a 25-24 halftime deficit even though the early offense was either R.J. Davis or bust. The guard scored 12 of his team's points in the first half and continued to carry the scoring after intermission on his way to 24.

That wasn't enough to avoid a double-digit deficit in the final 10 minutes, but Caleb Love hit multiple threes to help close the gap and finally provide some secondary scoring after it was almost all Davis for much of the contest.

Yet Virginia iced the win away with clutch free-throw shooting down the stretch. Jayden Gardner led the way with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds, and his team is now two wins away from a conference tourney crown.

Virginia advances to Friday's semifinals game and will face the victor of the quarterfinal matchup between Clemson and North Carolina State.