BELT TO AZTEC!
The UNC basketball program came to play on Tuesday night, extending its season at least another game with a very convincing victory over San Diego State.
After a sluggish start (one in which the Tar Heels turned the ball over six times in the first six minutes of action), North Carolina flipped a switch and never looked back.
In fact, by the time the two teams went into the locker room at half time (right after a RJ Davis three-pointer before the buzzer sounded to put North Carolina up 24), it felt like the Tar Heels had a full grip on this game.
That was certainly the case.
Davis was outstanding, tying a program record for most three-pointers in a single NCAA Tournament contest. He finished with 26 points to lead all scorers with 18 of those points coming from beyond-the-arc.
Seth Trimble provided 16 points off the bench while Jae'Lyn Withers made a statement in his first game after what had happened against Duke, posting a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double performance. Ven-Allen Lubin had 12 points of his own while Elliot Cadeau, who played an outstanding game, fell just one point shy of a double-double.
There's no doubt that the Tar Heels have heard all the hate regarding their spot in the NCAA Tournament field. They left little doubt on Tuesday night, actually making it seem like San Diego State was the team that had no business being there.
Based on this performance, it's safe to say that this group has much more to prove before their season comes to a close.
North Carolina now will prepare for their first round meeting against Ole Miss on Friday afternoon. The goal is simple: continue stacking wins, proving all those doubters wrong.
If you haven't looked yet, you'll notice a MUCH different vibe on social media with people talking about the UNC basketball program. To all the haters: it's too late to jump on the bandwagon.