The North Carolina Tar Heels (22-13) and the San Diego State Aztecs (21-9) will meet on Tuesday in the First Four of the NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina is headed to the 2025 NCAA Tournament as a No. 11 seed and part of the First Four in Dayton after narrowly sneaking in following a disappointing season. Gaining admission to the Big Dance should alleviate some of the heartbreak the Tar Heels felt following a heartbreaking loss to Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals.

After North Carolina earned a berth, its athletic director faces questions: Did the Tar Heels receive preferential treatment?

The Tar Heels lost to No. 1 Duke in the ACC Tournament semifinals, but have won eight of their past 10 games and are playing their best basketball of the season.

The Tar Heels, who hold a 1-12 record against Quad 1 teams this season, earned a bid despite a poor showing against the country’s top teams.