UNC Opens NCAA Tournament Without Caleb Wilson vs. Surging VCU North Carolina will face a challenge in the opening weekend of the 2026 NCAA Tournament, as the Tar Heels will play without star freshman Caleb Wilson. The No. 6 seed UNC (24-8) will take on No. 11 seed VCU (27-7) at 6:50 p.m. ET Thursday at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, South Carolina. The South Region game will be broadcast on TNT. Wilson, an All-ACC first-team selection, is out for the season after breaking his right thumb. The injury occurred while he was recovering from a previous left hand fracture. His last game was on Feb. 20, and UNC is 5-3 in eight games without him. Coach Hubert Davis expressed disappointment over the injury, stating, “Our team will move forward,” after the regular-season finale against Duke on March 7. Davis also highlighted the emotional impact of the injury, noting, “There’s tremendous sadness for him. He’s a special player and teammate, and his passion for the team and the program is unmatched. It was a dream for him to play in the ACC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament, and my heart is broken he won’t be able to do that.” The winner of the UNC-VCU matchup will face the winner of the Illinois-Penn game on Saturday in Greenville. The South Region includes other notable teams such as No. 1 seed Florida, No. 2 seed Houston, No. 4 seed Nebraska, No. 5 seed Vanderbilt, No. 7 seed Saint Mary’s, No. 8 seed Clemson, No. 9 seed Iowa, No. 10 seed Texas A&M, No. 12 seed McNeese, No. 13 seed Troy, No. 15 seed Idaho, and two No. 16 seeds, Lehigh and Prairie View A&M. UNC enters the tournament on a two-game losing streak, having fallen to Duke in the regular-season finale and lost 80-79 to Clemson in the ACC quarterfinals. Meanwhile, VCU has dominated its recent schedule, winning 16 of its last 17 games.#bon_secours_wellness_arena #vcu #unc #caleb_wilson #keith_gill
