UNC Tar Heels silence critics, dominate San Diego State to win 'First Four' game in NCAA Tournament

Since the NCAA Tournament bracket was announced, the North Carolina Tar Heels person caught tons of backlash, arsenic galore believed they should’ve been near retired of the 68 teams who made "The Dance."

Perhaps those haters person been silenced now. 

The Tar Heels demolished the San Diego State Aztecs successful their "First Four" matchup connected Tuesday night, 95-68, to gain the No. 11 effect successful the South Region. UNC volition determination connected to look No. 6 Ole miss successful the archetypal circular connected Friday. 

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San Diego State Aztecs defender Wayne McKinney III (3) plays the shot defended by North Carolina Tar Heels defender RJ Davis (4) successful the archetypal fractional  at UD Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

UNC was the past squad to get awarded a spot successful the tournament, and they inactive had to play for their effect successful Dayton, Ohio against 1 of the premier defenses successful assemblage basketball. Head manager Brian Dutcher’s Aztecs tin beryllium smothering connected that extremity of the floor, but the Tar Heels didn’t marque it look that mode connected Tuesday night. 

They erupted successful the archetypal half, shooting 60.9% arsenic a squad (14-23) and made each but 2 of their 9 three-pointers successful the process. They besides went 12-of-12 from the foundation stripe to travel distant with 47 points, which were capped by RJ Davis’ three-pointer arsenic the buzzer sounded for halftime. 

NORTH CAROLINA'S NCAA TOURNAMENT BID LEADS TO SOCIAL MEDIA BACKLASH: ‘HOW DID THIS EVEN HAPPEN?’

Meanwhile, the Aztecs were struggling connected the violative extremity to spell on with their antiaircraft shortcomings, shooting conscionable 26.7% successful the archetypal half, and going conscionable 4-of-16 from beyond the arc. They finished the fractional with 23 points, and the 24-point shortage was 1 they couldn’t travel backmost from. 

The 2nd fractional went UNC’s mode arsenic well, outscoring the Aztecs, 48-45, to seashore to victory. 

North Carolina Tar Heels guardant Jae'Lyn Withers (24) controls a rebound successful beforehand of San Diego State Aztecs guardant Pharaoh Compton (5) successful the archetypal fractional astatine UD Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

As a team, the Tar Heels changeable an astonishing 52.6% from the tract and 58.3% from 3 (14-24), portion cashing successful astatine the escaped propulsion enactment with 21-of-24 made. 

It was Davis being the game’s apical scorer with 26 points connected 8-of-12 shooting, including a cleanable 6-for-6 from three-point land. He besides had 2 assists. 

Jae’Lyn Withers besides notched a double-double for UNC, totaling 10 rebounds and 10 points, portion Seth Trimble contributed 16 points disconnected the seat connected 5-of-10 shooting. Ven-Allen Lubin besides had 12 most, 8 of which came from the escaped propulsion line. 

North Carolina Tar Heels defender Elliot Cadeau (3) reacts successful the archetypal fractional against the San Diego State Aztecs astatine UD Arena. (Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images)

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As for the Aztecs, they finished shooting 39.7% from the field, which won’t get it done successful March.

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