VCU basketball had emerged as a trendy upset pick in the first round of March Madness, but things weren't going according to plan for the No. 11-seed Rams against North Carolina. The Tar Heels, even without Caleb Wilson, were having their way, racing out to a 19-point lead in the second half.

But The Atlantic 10 champs weren't ready to fold. VCU surged all the way back from that deficit to force overtime on a layup by star guard Terrence Hill Jr. After a slugfest of an extra period, Hill drilled a stepback 3-pointer to give VCU an 80-78 lead with less than 20 seconds to play.

North Carolina big man Henri Veesaar had a chance to tie the game in the last five seconds, but he missed a pair of key free throws and the Rams escaped with an 82-78 victory to move on to the second round.

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For most of the game, VCU had absolutely no answer for Veesaar on the interior. The Arizona transfer dominated the paint, finishing with 26 points and 10 rebounds on 9-for-18 shooting. However, North Carolina struggled late in the game as its guards all struggled from the field.

It was the opposite on the other side of the floor, as Hill had one of his best games of the season in the win. Despite coming off of the bench, the sophomore guard dropped 34 points on 13-for-23 shooting and 7-for-10 from the 3-point line, including the game-winner with the clock winding down in overtime. Whenever the Rams needed a bucket, they went to Hill and he usually delivered.

Now, VCU awaits the winner of Illinois and Penn in the Round of 32 as it seeks its first Sweet 16 appearance since reaching the Final Four all the way back in 2011. The Rams are one of the hottest teams in the tournament after securing their bid in the NCAA Tournament by winning the Atlantic 10 Tournament, so they will be a tough out for whoever they face in the next round on Saturday.