Selection Sunday is wrapped up, but not without controversy. The biggest shock? North Carolina’s inclusion in the big dance. Fans were outraged, especially since Tar Heels athletic director Bubba Cunningham is the Chair of the NCAA Tournament Selection Committee. While Cunningham insisted, “I was not in the room for any of that,” it didn’t stop fans from spinning conspiracy theories–especially around his contract details. So what happened, next?

The Tar Heels finished the season with a 22-13 record, tying the mark for the most losses by an at-large selection. Adding to the controversy, Hubert Davis’ squad lost to a Cooper Flagg-less Duke in the ACC semifinals and still made the big dance. They now face San Diego State in a First Four matchup in Dayton, Ohio, on Tuesday night. But did Cunningham really have a hand in their selection?

Basketball insider Adam Zagoria reported that Bubba Cunningham stands to earn $50,000 if the Tar Heels reach the Sweet 16, $75,000 for a Final Four appearance, and $100,000 if they win the championship. This has fans thinking that maybe behind the scenes has taken place, which led to the inclusion of the Tar Heels.

Let’s be real— the Tar Heels don’t look like a team built for a deep tournament run. Why? North Carolina holds a dismal 1-12 record against Quad 1 teams, showing just how shaky they’ve been this season. So in reality, Cunningham likely doesn’t stand to make anything this season. But crazier things have happened in March Madness. If the Tar Heels pull off a Cinderella run like Kevin Keatts and NC State did last year, Cunningham could be looking at a major payday.

But were there more deserving teams left out of the big dance? Let’s take a look at the teams that fans believe should’ve made it over North Carolina.

Teams who should’ve made it ahead of the North Carolina Tar Heels

According to Adam Zagoria, the Vice Chair of the Selection Committee confirmed that North Carolina was the last team to make the field through a contingency vote. He added that if UAB had beaten Memphis in the American Athletic Conference title game, North Carolina would have been the first team left out.

As a result, the first two teams left out were West Virginia and Indiana. The Mountaineers had a 6-10 record in Quad 1 games, while Indiana posted a 4-13 record — both significantly better than North Carolina’s single Quad 1 win. Adding to the frustration, the North Carolina Tar Heels managed to win just two games in the Field of 68 –against UCLA and American.

But there’s a case to be made for Hubert Davis’ squad too. North Carolina, ranked No. 46 overall, had a higher NET ranking (36) than West Virginia (51) and Indiana (54) — which was boosted by a six-game winning streak before their season-ending loss to Duke and a solid showing in the ACC tournament.

There will be plenty of debate about this controversial decision and Boo Cunningham’s role if the Tar Heels pull off a deep run. But for now, they don’t exactly look like a team built to go far. Their inclusion in the big dance was always uncertain, but the committee ultimately deemed them worthy. Only time will tell if they can prove their doubters wrong. Stay tuned for more updates!