The North Carolina Tar Heels blew past the San Diego State Aztecs in their First Four game by a final score of 95-68, earning them a spot in the Round of 64.
Junior guard Seth Trimble recorded 16 points in 27 minutes of game action. He discussed how the Tar Heels were able to block out the recent noise regarding their controversial selection to be in the 2025 NCAA Tournament.
“We know we deserved to be here. We’re not looking to send a message to anybody else. We’re just looking to compete as a team and be the team that we know that we’re capable of being. I think we did that tonight,” Trimble said during the postgame press conference. “We hear what people say. We don’t really care. It is what it is. We’re focused on us.”
Senior guard RJ Davis, who went six for six from beyond the arc on his way to a 26-point outing, echoed Trimble’s sentiments.
“I think one thing about us, yes, we hear the noise but we don’t really pay any attention to it. We stay within ourselves, and I think Coach Davis sets a good example for us,” he said. “In order to play at this level, he always uses this reference, horses have blinders going into races, and that’s to avoid any distraction that doesn’t allow them to be their best in the race. I think that reference sits well with the team. We’re just focused on what we have to do, not really paying too much attention to what’s being said about us and whatnot.”
North Carolina put up 95 tonight against San Diego State and shot 52.6% from the field and 58.3% from three-point range.
As good as anyone has ever played offensively against the Aztecs under Brian Dutcher.
Ole Miss is up next for the Tar Heels.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 19, 2025
RJ Davis then described how it felt to not know if UNC would even make the tournament.
“I mean, it’s a whirlwind of emotions, especially leading up to the Selection Show,” he said. “We were watching as a team in the lounge, and we didn’t know where we were going to land at as a team… But I think one thing about the team, we’re all grateful for the opportunity. Yes, there’s a lot of emotions on a Sunday and just traveling, getting here. But I think at the same time we were ready, mentally and physically.”
Fourth-year head coach Hubert Davis concluded the press conference talking about how the team can continue to build on this momentum and take it into the Round of 64.
“What I think can carry over is the defense, the taking care of the basketball, and the rebounding,” he explained. “Now, it would be great if we hit 14 threes on Friday; I’ll take that. But the reason why I consistently tell the team the three boxes that we have to check is defense, rebounding, taking care of the basketball is because those are things that travel, and those are the things you can take care of, you’re in control of. Making, missing shots, those things go in and out. But if you defend, you rebound, you take care of the basketball, it doesn’t matter who you play, you’re going to be in the game.”
Up next, the 11-seed Tar Heels will face the sixth-seeded Ole Miss Rebels in Milwaukee, Wisconsin at 4:05 p.m. EST on March 21st. The victor will face the winner of the Iowa State-Lipscomb game.
