UNC's March Madness Bracket Candidacy Discussed By CBB Fans Despite Blowout of SDSU

North Carolina might not have belonged in the 2025 NCAA men's basketball tournament, but it plans on staying awhile if Tuesday's result was any indication.

The Tar Heels cruised past San Diego State 95-68 in the First Four battle of Nos. 11 seeds at UD Arena in Dayton, Ohio. As a result, they will face sixth-seeded Ole Miss in the South Region in the round of 64 in what figures to be a much more difficult challenge.

A long list of contributors spearheaded the win with RJ Davis (26 points and 6-of-6 from deep), Elliot Cadeau (nine points, 12 assists and three steals), Jae'Lyn Withers (10 points and 10 rebounds) and Seth Trimble (16 points) all stuffing the stat sheet.

It was a statement performance from a team that was the focal point of the Selection Sunday debates, and the discussion about what it meant for its overall tournament worthiness continued during the blowout:

North Carolina's inclusion in the Big Dance was controversial to say the least, as it was just 1-12 against Quad 1 opponents and chosen by a selection committee chaired by its own athletic director in Bubba Cunningham. But that also put this game fully under the spotlight as fans tuned in to see how the Tar Heels responded in the face of so much scrutiny.

It's safe to say they responded well.

The ACC representative seized control in the opening minutes as it unleashed a ruthless start on the way to a 24-point halftime lead. It drilled its first five three-pointers and played swarming defense on the other side to cut off any San Diego State momentum before it even began.

Five North Carolina players scored at least six points in the first half alone, as the Aztecs had no answers to the balanced offensive attack. It felt like salt in the wound by the time Davis drained a deep three right before the halftime buzzer and was a reminder of just how dangerous the powerhouse program can be when hitting on all cylinders. 

Perhaps motivated by so many doubting whether they belonged, the Tar Heels made the second half feel like a formality.

Davis was unstoppable with his outside shooting, but he was just part of the show. Trimble provided a spark off the bench with his scoring, Withers found his stroke from deep while also battling for boards, and Cadeau was the conductor with perfectly placed passes as he facilitated for everyone.

Plenty of teams would have taken the foot off the proverbial gas in the second half with such a commanding lead, but North Carolina did the opposite.

It continued to pour in three-pointers and take advantage of fast-break opportunities while building on the lead and leaving even less doubt.

Ole Miss surely took note.

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