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2025 NCAA Tournament: Rooting guide for UNC basketball fans
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- 2025 NCAA Tournament: Rooting guide for UNC basketball fans
The season is officially over for the North Carolina Tar Heels following a loss to Ole Miss on Friday in Milwaukee .
With North Carolina bowing out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament, the focus now shifts to the offseason which will be a very important one. There will be a lot of tough decisions to make as well as uncomfortable conversations.
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It's going to be very interesting to see how it all shakes out. But for UNC fans who still plan on watching the NCAA Tournament, we decided to put together a rooting guide for the rest of the way.
Arizona Wildcats
This one is simple. Former UNC guar Caleb Love is in his final year of college eligibility and he has the Wildcats playing some of their best basketball. While Love opted to transfer two years ago, there really hasn't been much hatred and UNC fans have enjoyed watching him play.
Let's see if Love can make another run at the Final Four before his career comes to a close.
Next game: vs. Oregon (Sunday in Round of 32)
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Texas Tech Red Raiders
Mar 20, 2025; Wichita, KS, USA; Texas Tech Red Raiders guard Kerwin Walton (24) reacts after a basket in the first half of a first round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the North Carolina-Wilmington Seahawks at Intrust Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
Another former UNC player in the NCAA Tournament is Texas Tech guard Kerwin Walton . The three-point specialist is off to a hot start with seven made three-pointers in the Red Raiders first game. Walton spent two seasons at North Carolina before transferring to Texas Tech.
Next game: vs. Drake (Saturday in Round of 32)
Florida Gators
Florida Gators guard Walter Clayton Jr. (1) reacts during the first half against the Florida Gators at Lenovo Center.
The Gators don't have a former Tar Heel on their roster but they are one of the best teams in this tournament as a No. 1 seed. They could be one of the few teams that can beat Duke in this tournament so rooting for them to make it far is probably of the best interest for UNC fans.
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They have a fun roster led by Walter Clayton Jr. and can really score the basketball in a hurry.
Next game: vs. UConn (Sunday in Round of 32)
Purdue Boilermakers
Mar 22, 2025; Providence, RI, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) reacts after a basket during the first half of a second round men’s NCAA Tournament game against the McNeese State Cowboys at Amica Mutual Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
The national runner-up a year ago is a No. 4 seed with a fun roster that can do some damage in this tournament in the Midwest Region. Matt Painter is one of the best coaches to have never won a title and they are back looking to win it all.
Purdue's roster is fun to watch with some good three-point shooters and a legit big man in Trey Kaufman-Renn .
Next game: vs. McNeese State (Saturday in Round of 32)
Anyone but the Duke Blue Devils
Mar 16, 2023; Orlando, FL, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer looks on during the first half against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports
This is simple. Root against Duke and root for whoever is playing them. You want any other team to win the tournament except Duke.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC Basketball: Rooting guide for rest of 2025 NCAA Tournament
