North Carolina
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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North Carolina
Duke beats North Carolina in low-scoring affair to advance to first Elite Eight in over a decade
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – The rivalry between Duke and North Carolina is well documented, but Friday afternoon brought a new moment — the first-ever meeting in the NCAA Tournament. And the stakes were plenty high, with the winner advancing to its first Elite Eight in over a decade.
There were few surprises in the third meeting of the season, resulting in the lowest combined point total of the three games (85). In the end, Duke continued its winning streak and prevailed 47-38 to advance to its first Elite Eight since 2008.
Friday’s matchup was a defensive struggle, with both teams shooting under 35 percent from the field and under 60 percent from the free-throw line. The Tar Heels seized control early, jumping out to an 11-0 lead in the first quarter. But Duke settled in and outscored North Carolina by a 47-27 margin in the final 34 minutes for the win.
For North Carolina, the shooting struggles of its top players was the storyline. The Tar Heels’ top four scorers on the season, Maria Gakdeng, Alyssa Ustby, Lexi Donarski and Reniya Kelly, combined for just 22 points.
Duke’s Ashlon Jackson’s eight second-half points led all scorers. Jackson’s 10 total points finished second only to sophomore Oluchi Okananwa, who led all players in scoring and rebounding with 12 points and 12 rebounds.
The Blue Devils (29-7) will play the winner of South Carolina-Maryland on Sunday at 2 p.m. ET.
Duke’s win is a milestone moment in Kara Lawson’s tenure
In 2020, Lawson took over a Blue Devils program that had missed the NCAA Tournament three times in the previous five years. What immediately followed was a COVID-19-shortened season of just four games. Five years later, Duke will play for its first Elite Eight since 2003.
“Playing for her, it’s everything for me,” Jackson said Thursday. “I pretty much can speak for everyone that wears a jersey that says Duke.”
Lawson reached another important milestone a few weeks ago, capturing the ACC Tournament title, the first ACC championship for Duke since 2013. Success inside of the ACC has translated to success in the NCAA Tournament, reaching the Sweet Sixteen a year ago and advancing at least one stage farther in 2025.
Momentum is on the Blue Devils’ side, with nine straight wins after Friday’s triumph. With one more win, Duke can reach its first Final Four since 2003.
Pair of bench players paced Duke to Elite Eight
The decisive advantage for Duke came from bench points, where a stark 26-6 advantage helped pave the way for a win. The catalysts were senior Vanessa de Jesus and sophomore Okananwa, whose 18 combined first-half points, out of 28 total for Duke, brought the Devils out of an early shooting slump. Duke had failed to score a basket in the first six minutes of the game until both players entered.
De Jesus’ impact was felt most in the first half with eight points on 4-5 shooting. Elsewhere, Okananwa’s impact is understood as the 2024 ACC Sixth Player of the Year. And she showed again why she’s an X-factor for Duke with an impressive 12-point, 12-rebound statline, her third double-double of the season.
Eventually, starters like Jackson found their scoring rhythm, but Duke’s depth was the leading storyline. The Blue Devils will need it in the Elite Eight, regardless of their opponent, as the competition level continues to rise.
(Photo: Gary Cosby Jr. / USA Today via Imagn)
North Carolina
Duke-North Carolina free livestream: Where to watch women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16, TV, time
The No. 2 Duke Blue Devils play against the No. 3 North Carolina Tar Heels in a women’s NCAA Tournament Sweet 16 game today. The matchup will begin at 1:30 p.m. CT on ESPN. Fans can watch this game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
The Blue Devils enter this matchup with a 28-7 record, and they defeated No. 10 Oregon 59-53 in their second-round game.
During the victory, Ashlon Jackson led the Duke offense. She scored 20 points and shot 5-9 from three-point range, so she will look to continue her offensive success today.
The Tar Heels enter this matchup with a 29-7 record, and they defeated No. 6 West Virginia 58-47 in their second-round game.
During the victory, Alyssa Ustby led the North Carolina offense. She scored 21 points and shot 7-11 from the field, so she will try to perform similarly this afternoon.
Notably, Ustby leads the team in rebounds and assists this season.
Fans can watch this Sweet 16 game for free online by using the free trials offered by DirecTV Stream and Fubo TV. Alternatively, Sling offers a first-month discount to new users.
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