DAYTON, OH (WNCN) — Despite the controversy surrounding their selection into the NCAA Tournament, the North Carolina Tar Heels’ play proved worthy of a postseason berth.
UNC (23-13) routed San Diego State (21-10) in the second game of the First Four play-in round in Dayton on Tuesday night, winning by a final score of 95-68.
RJ Davis led all scorers with 26 points, going 6 of 6 from behind the three-point line. Jae’Lyn Withers, who made an error at the end of the Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament semifinal game against Duke that cost UNC the game-tying free throw, recorded a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds for the Tar Heels.
Nick Boyd and Wayne McKinney III both scored 12 points apiece to lead the Aztecs.
The Tar Heels, who claimed sole possession of the No. 11 seed in the South region with the win, now move on to play No. 6 Ole Miss in Milwaukee on Friday.
Davis’ six 3-pointers tied Caleb Love’s program record for an NCAA Tournament game. Love had six against UCLA in 2022. Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis went 5 for 5 from deep against Eastern Michigan in 1991.
The 14 made 3-pointers were the most for North Carolina in an NCAA Tournament game. The Tar Heels hit 13 against Marquette in 2022.
Seth Trimble had 16 points for North Carolina in a matchup of No. 11 seeds.
North Carolina shot 61% in the first half and went 7 of 9 from 3-point range. Davis’ long 3 just before the halftime buzzer gave the Tar Heels their largest lead to that point, 47-23.
San Diego State (21-10) led the nation in field goal percentage defense, but had no answer for the Tar Heels.