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EspañolNo Caleb Wilson, no problem. In one of their most complete performances on the basketball court this season, the North Carolina Tar Heels downed Louisville, 77-74, in a battle of ranked ACC squads.
UNC (22-6, 10-5), up 16 at one point, watched its lead dwindle down to two points late. Defense came through once again, this time on the final possession, after Derek Dixon sank a crucial free throw. Seth Trimble scored a career-high 30 points, while the Tar Heels beat their fifth ranked opponent in six tries.
As teams inch closer to the NCAA Tournament, North Carolina gained another update in USA TODAY Sports' latest bracketology. UNC snags the fifth seed in Houston's South Region, where it's projected to face 12-seed and current Missouri Valley Conference leader Belmont University, in Portland, Ore.
The Tar Heels previously faced the Bruins (25-4, 15-3 MVC) on November 17, 2013. Belmont won this game in an 83-80 upset.
If North Carolina wins its projected first-round matchup, there's a chance to avenge an early-season loss in the Round of 32. USA TODAY Sports also projects Michigan State, which beat UNC 74-58 on Thanksgiving Day, as the South Region's 4-seed.
The Spartans (22-5, 12-4 Big 10) are the Tar Heels' only ranked loss. North Carolina previously beat Kansas (87-74), Kentucky (67-64), Virginia (85-80) and Duke (71-68).
UNC just got Henri Veesaar back from an achilles injury, with his presence a major boost to the starting lineup. Wilson wants to return sooner than later, though Hubert Davis likely wants his star fully healthy for a March Madness run.
The Tar Heels end their regular season with home games against Virginia Tech (February 28) and Clemson (March 3), followed by a rematch with the ACC-leading Blue Devils (25-2, 13-1 ACC) in Durham (March 7). Regardless of how North Carolina fares in this crucial stretch, it wants to play its best basketball come March.
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC to face Belmont in a 5-12 matchup of latest NCAAT bracketology