#11 North Carolina vs #11 San Diego State NCAAB Pick: UNC Aims to Quiet Doubters (Mar 18)

• North Carolina fell to Duke in the ACC semifinals, losing by a score of 74-71.
• San Diego State exited the Mountain West tourney after losing to Boise State.
• This game will be very the first matchup between the Tar Heels and the Aztecs.

North Carolina and San Diego State narrowly crept into the tournament field, despite some protests. They’ll face off in a First Four matchup that UNC is slightly favored in. Our North Carolina vs San Diego State pick showcases the superb and underrated talent on both teams.

North Carolina Hopes to Quiet Doubters

North Carolina earned one of the final four spots in the NCAA Tournament, despite holding a 1-12 record against Quadrant 1 opponents. The Tar Heels were the beneficiaries of a top-5 non-conference schedule difficulty and top-35 ranking in the metrics. Yet, many question their bid.

In order to prove the doubters wrong, North Carolina needs to overcome a San Diego State team that defeated 1-seed Houston. UNC’s recent loss to Duke was a very competitive effort, but a loss nonetheless. The Tar Heels will rely on veteran RJ Davis to break into the win column.

San Diego State Eyes Up Another Run

San Diego State played a top-10 non-conference schedule in difficulty and seemed on pace to make the field easily for most of the season. A recent skid, however, dropped the Aztecs into a First Four matchup. They have some signature wins under their belts, most notably Houston.

In order to post another run like their trip to the Championship Game in 2023, San Diego State needs to find some offensive consistency. Their defense ranks 13th in the nation, but their offense is 111th. FAU transfer Nick Boyd leads the way in scoring and will be key in this game.

North Carolina vs San Diego State Pick

Contrary to what most expected, we had North Carolina in the field in every iteration of our Bracketology. While a 1-12 record in Quadrant 1 doesn’t inspire a ton of confidence, it does showcase how many skilled opponents they have faced. Most importantly, the Tar Heels have won 8 of their last 10 games while the Aztecs have lost 3 of their last 6. North Carolina wins it.