Since the NCAA tournament bracket was announced, North Carolina Tar Heels has caught lots of setbacks that many thought they should have been left out of the 68 teams that made “the dance.”
Maybe these haters have been silenced now.
Takes Heels torn San Diego State Aztecs in their “first four” matchup Tuesday night, 95-68, to serve No. 11-seed in the South region. UNC moves on to No. 6 Ole Miss in the first round on Friday.
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San Diego State Aztecs Guard Wayne McKinney III (3) plays the ball defense of North Carolina Tar Heels Guard Rj Davis (4) in the first half at Out Arena. (Rick osentoski-stated images)
UNC was the last team that was awarded a place in the tournament and they still had to play for their seeds in Dayton, Ohio against one of the leading defense in College Basketball. Head coach Brian Dutcher’s Aztecs can strangle at the end of the floor, but Tar Heels didn’t make it work like Tuesday night.
They broke out in the first half and shoot 60.9% as a team (14-23) and made all except two of their nine three-pointers in the process. They also went 12-AF-12 from the charity stripe to get away with 47 points, which were uncovered by RJ Davis’ three-pointer when the buzzer sounded at the break.
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Meanwhile, the Aztecs struggled at the offensive end to go with their defensive shortcomings, shoot only 26.7% in the first half and only went 4-of-16 out over the arch. They finished half with 23 points and the 24-point deficit was one they couldn’t get back from.
The second half also went UNCS Vej by outsscoring Aztecs, 48-45, to coast to victory.
North Carolina Tar Heels Forward Jae’Lyn Withers (24) controls a rebound in front of San Diego State Aztecs Forward Pharaoh Compton (5) in the first half at Out Arena. (Rick osentoski-stated images)
Like a team, Heels shot fantastic 52.6% off the field and 58.3% from three (14-24), while joining the free-throw line with 21-of-24 made.
It was Davis to be the game’s top scorer with 26 points on 8-of-12-shooting, including a perfect 6-for-6 from three-point ground. He also had two assists.
Jae’lyn Withers also noted a double-double for UNC, a total of 10 rebounds and 10 points, while Seth Trimble contributed 16 points from the bench on 5-of-10 shooting. The friend-all Lubin also had 12 most people, eight of whom came from the free throwing line.
North Carolina Tar Heels Guard Elliot Cadeau (3) responds in the first half to San Diego State Aztecs in Out Arena. (Rick osentoski-stated images)
As for the Aztecs, they had finished shooting 39.7% from the field, which does not get it done in March.
