DAYTON, OHIO – MARCH 18: Elliot Cadeau #3 of the North Carolina Tar Heels shoots over Miles Byrd #21 of the San Diego State Aztecs during the First Four round of the 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament held at University of Dayton Arena on March 18, 2025 in Dayton, Ohio. (Photo by Tyler Schank/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)
That was rough.
North Carolina answered criticism of their inclusion in the NCAA Tournament with a dominant win over San Diego State in Tuesday's First Four matchup.
The 95-68 loss ends San Diego State's season, an injury-plagued campaign that still reached the Big Dance for the fifth straight year.
The 27-point defeat is the program's second worst in an NCAA Tournament game. They lost to UConn by 30 in the 2024 Sweet 16.
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North Carolina torched the Aztecs' typically stingy defense — shooting 52.6 percent from the field and making 14 of their 24 attempts from deep.
Senior guard RJ Davis scored a game high 26 points, making all six of his three-point attempts.
San Diego State's struggles extended to the offensive end as well. North Carolina turned it over six times in the first 5:30 of the game, but the Aztecs only managed two points off those giveaways. They went 23-of-58 from the field, connecting on just eight of 27 tries from three-point range.
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UNC also owned a 39-28 edge on the glass.
SDSU trailed by 24 at halftime and never threatened the rest of the way.
Nick Boyd and Wayne McKinney led the team with 12 points.
Dutcher's program had reached consecutive Sweet 16s prior to this year's early exit. The team overcame a foot injury to their top returning player Reese Waters, managing to do enough to reach the Field of 68 as one of the last teams in.
Magoon Gwath played in his first game since suffering a hyperextended knee on Feb. 22. He finished with nine points, five rebounds and two blocks.
The Aztecs have a chance to bring a very talented team back. Waters plans to return, while Miles Byrd plans to test the NBA waters but does not intend to enter the transfer portal. Nick Boyd also has another year of eligibility. The big question will be Gwath, a seven-footer with NBA potential who earned Mountain West Freshman of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. The uniquely talented redshirt freshman would surely garner generous offers in the portal.
