The North Carolina Tar Heels are gearing up for their First Four clash against the San Diego State Aztecs on March 18 at 9:10p.m EST. After a close call by the NCAA‘s Selection Committee, the Tar Heels made the 68-team bracket for March Madness, raising many eyebrows around the nation. However, neither RJ Davis nor the rest of the locker room have any doubts about the school’s attributes.
The Tar Heels fell to their archnemesis, the Duke Blue Devils at the ACC Semifinal, leaving their postseason hopes in tatters. In need of a hand from the Committee, the school’s prayers were answered, and UNC will be taking part in the Big Dance.
There is much buzz surrounding the program in Chapel Hill as it is, but if they can’t move past the Aztecs during their First Four matchup, every index finger in the league will point towards the Committee’s verdict.
RJ Davis and the rest of the Tar Heels haven’t been immune to the noise, acknowledging that pressure is mounting ahead of their do-or-die game in Dayton, Ohio. However, pressure is a privilege, and Davis is looking to embrace it.
“For us to be considered an 11 team and to have people asking ‘Do you think you’re a tournament team?’ that irks my soul, because I know we are, and I know what we’re capable of,” RJ Davis firmly stated ahead of the game, per On3. “It’s really just about proving ourselves right than people wrong.“
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Looking to set record straight
The Tar Heels are playing for glory, as is every other college basketball program in March Madness. But there is an extra element brewing within North Carolina’s locker room. The team coached by Hubert Davis will also be playing for pride, as their ego has been put to the test by the recent comments.
If they are able to chanel that red-hot fury into the court during the NCAA Tournament, then the Tar Heels could become a serious threat to any contender in the competition. Guard Seth Trimble voiced a powerful admission prior to tip-off against San Diego State.
Seth Trimble #7 of the North Carolina Tar Heels looks on in the second half of his game against the Florida Gators during the Jumpman Invitational at Spectrum Center on December 17, 2024 in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“I think we’ve all kind of felt the hate, the disagreement, all that, from everybody outside of the Carolina family and fan base. We’re just running with it,” Trimble admitted. “We definitely feel like we’ve got something to prove. We wanted to be better this year, but we deal with the cards at hand. So, absolutely.”
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The Tar Heels cannot afford to take the Aztecs for granted, and vice versa. However, both programs are also aware of who will be waiting for the victor of their matchup in the NCAA Tournament’s First Round. The team that prevails between UNC and SDSU will face Ole Miss on March 21.
Federico O'donnell
Federico O’Donnell is a bilingual sports writer from Argentina, fluent in both Spanish and English. He joined Bolavip US in August 2024 while completing his Journalism degree at Universidad de Ciencias Empresariales y Sociales (UCES). Federico has covered soccer and the NHL for various media outlets, including ExtraTimeTalk and Last Word on Hockey. His extensive knowledge of soccer, NBA, NFL, NCAAF, and NHL, combined with his passion for these sports, allows him to effectively handle breaking news and deliver insightful analysis.