The North Carolina Tar Heels were one of the last teams to sneak into the men’s March Madness tournament bracket on an at-large bid.Their inclusion in the tournament field—which, inherently, meant the exclusion of another team—raised flags and critiques from figures inside and outside of the world of college basketball.

The Tar Heels delivered a message to their critics with an easy victory vs. the Aztecs on the first night of the NCAA Tournament

North Carolina dominated San Diego State in the First Four of the NCAA tournament, solidifying their stance as a team that rightfully belongs in the tournament, despite skepticism from critics who had questioned their inclusion.