North Carolina's AD Being on NCAA Tournament Committee Led to Lots of Jokes From Fans

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham is the chairperson on the NCAA tournament selection committee. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The North Carolina Tar Heels are heading to the men's NCAA tournament as they were the last team to get into the field when the bracket was revealed on Sunday night. Hubert Davis's squad finished the year 22-13 but were 1-12 in Quad 1 games. Their last game was a loss to Duke, which was without Cooper Flagg, in an ACC tournament semifinal on Friday night.

North Carolina will meet San Diego State on Tuesday at 9 p.m. in one of the First Four showdowns. The winner will advance to face Ole Miss who is the No. 6 seed in the South.

One of the biggest storylines about the Tar Heels making the tournament is that their athletic director, Bubba Cunningham, is the chairperson on the NCAA tournament selection committee. He explained after the bracket was released that he wasn't in the room when the decision was being made and that "all the polices and procedures were followed."

North Carolina went 1-12 in Q1 games this year.

They were considered to be on the bubble.

Their Athletic Director is the head of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee.

They made the tournament.

🤔 pic.twitter.com/gDwQWg2E9p

— DraftKings (@DraftKings) March 16, 2025

Despite everything being above board, just being on the committee led to lots of jokes and side-eyes from hoops fans:

"How did North Carolina get in over Indiana?"

Bubba Cunningham: pic.twitter.com/mW70IhMem1

— Chris Meister (@cmeis1991) March 16, 2025

This was what Bubba Cunningham “leaving the room” for the North Carolina discussions looked like pic.twitter.com/HeYDI9rVmd

— The Gare (@TheGare7) March 16, 2025

Bubba Cunningham on his way out of the NCAA Selection Committee room while they debated North Carolina: pic.twitter.com/ioSn4mErMX

— Randy Gyorko (@GooseGyorko) March 16, 2025

North Carolina AD Bubba Cunningham wasn’t in the room and had no say in UNC getting into March Madness bracket.

Yeah. pic.twitter.com/JSiqZ3bDBh

— MidwestMark (@TundraGators) March 16, 2025

North Carolina basketball fans can send all your love for making the NCAA Tournament in the form of NIL donations to AD Bubba Cunningham

— Trey Wallace (@TreyWallace_) March 16, 2025

Bubba on the other side of the door as the committee discussed North Carolina https://t.co/JC94sDgQdR pic.twitter.com/gnozvotIs1

— Projection Sports (@ProjSports) March 17, 2025

North Carolina’s AD who heads the selection committee putting them in the tourney pic.twitter.com/JbFF8K9JTR

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) March 16, 2025

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