For a few minutes, it looked like the Tar Heels were going to validate their critics. They committed turnovers on four of their first six possessions against a San Diego State defense ranked 13th in the country on KenPom. UNC's offense should have been good enough to hang with that unit, but it was a bad beginning.

The magic of March Madness centers around the man or men who rise to the occasion, often unexpectedly, to dash dreams, bust brackets and deliver in drama-filled moments. In 2022, for instance, Kansas' fifth-leading scorer — Remy Martin!

The first full day of the men's NCAA Tournament is Thursday, while the women begin play Friday. Here's which local standouts are on the rosters.