North Carolina blows out San Diego State in NCAA tournament: 3 takeaways

San Diego State’s basketball season came to an end on Tuesday night, falling to North Carolina 95-68 in the First Four of the NCAA tournament.

The Aztecs (21-10) fell behind by 24 points and halftime and saw that deficit grow over the final 20 minutes, ending their fifth consecutive trip to the NCAA tournament after just one game. Guards Nick Boyd and Wayne McKinney (12 points each) were San Diego State’s only players to reach double figures. The Aztecs shot 26 percent from the field in the first half and 40 percent from the game but found their defense get sliced apart from a Tarheel team poised to go on a run.

Here are three takeaways from Tuesday’s game.

NORTH CAROLINA FIGHTS TO KEEP THEIR SEASON ALIVE

San Diego State and North Carolina were the final two teams given at-large bids into this year’s tournament. On Tuesday, it was the Tarheels who played like their season was on the line. The Aztecs led 6-5 in the early going before a 30-5 North Carolina run over an 11-minute period gave the Tarheels a seemingly insurmountable lead.

North Carolina shot 61 percent from the field in the first half including seven of nine from three-point range and 12-12 from the free throw stripe. Star senior guard RJ Davis knocked down a three-pointer from the right wing in the closing seconds, his third of the half, to finish off a dominant 47-23 half.

The Tarheels did not let off in the second half, scoring 48 more points to finish with 95 against a San Diego State team that had not surrendered more than 80 points in a game this season. North Carolina grew the lead to as many as 40 (82-42) with just under eight minutes to play in the game. The Aztecs connected on each of their final seven shots of the game, reaching 45 points over the final 20 minutes to bring the final deficit below 30 points.

REBOUNDING A PROBLEM FOR SAN DIEGO STATE

Rebounding had been a strength for San Diego State in more than one way this season. The Aztecs entered Tuesday’s game having not lost back-to-back games all season. After an early exit from last week’s Mountain West Conference tournament, San Diego State spent the weekend back home awaiting their fate come Selection Sunday. Taking on a North Carolina team that many did not expect to make the tournament, San Diego State looked overmatched from the early minutes, unable to rebound from their previous loss to Boise State.

On the floor, San Diego State had struggled rebounding in the five-plus games towards the end of the year in which standout forward Magoon Gwath was unable to play in. Gwath returned to the starting lineup on Tuesday but did not look like the player that had earned Mountain West’s Defensive Player of the Year and Freshman of the Year during much of this season. North Carolina won the rebounding battle 39 to 28, limiting San Diego State’s opportunities for easy offense.

DEFENSIVE LETDOWN

San Diego State’s defense, ranked No. 15 nationally per KenPom, was no match for North Carolina in Dayton on Tuesday. The Aztecs forced North Carolina into four turnovers in the first four minutes of the game before the Tarheel offense settled in and took over.

North Carolina point guard Elliott Cadeau led the offensive attack with nine points and 12 assists, setting up the other guards to score. RJ Davis, the ACC’s third all-time leading scorer and a veteran of the NCAA tournament had 26 points on 8-12 shooting, knocking down all six of his three-point attempts. Guard Seth Trimble had 16 points while Jae’Lyn Wither finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

The Tarheels shot 14-24 from three-point range for the game, never allowing San Diego State hope to get themselves back in the game after the onslaught in the middle of the opening half.

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