NCAA FIRST FOUR
UNC 95, SAN DIEGO STATE 68
MARCH 18, 2025
UD ARENA, DAYTON, OHIO
UNC Scoring Leader: RJ Davis 26
UNC Rebound Leader: Jae’Lyn Withers 10
UNC Assist Leader: Elliot Cadeau 12
Team Records: UNC 23-13, San Diego State 21-10
• It was Carolina’s ninth win in its last 11 games.
• RJ Davis tied the all-time UNC record for three-pointers in an NCAA Tournament game with six. He is the fourth Tar Heel to six in an NCAA Tournament game.
Most Three-Pointers by a Tar Heel in an NCAA Tournament Game
6 by RJ Davis vs. San Diego State, 2025 First Four
6 by Caleb Love vs. UCLA, 2022 Sweet 16
6 by Love vs. Marquette, 2022 First Round
6 by Marcus Paige vs. Indiana, 2016 Sweet 16
6 by Shammond Williams vs. Charlotte, 1998 Second Round
• RJ Davis was 6 for 6 from three-point range, setting a UNC record for highest percentage in an NCAA Tournament game. Hubert Davis was 5 for 5 vs. Eastern Michigan in 1991 in the Sweet 16.
• RJ Davis tied the UNC record for all games for most three-pointers made without a miss. Jason Capel also was 6 for 6 in the 2001 ACC Tournament quarterfinals vs. Clemson.
• Carolina became the first team in NCAA Tournament history to score 95 points and shoot 50% or better from the floor (52.6%), 50% from three (58.3%) and 85% from the free throw line (87.5%).
• Carolina set a school record for three-pointers made in an NCAA Tournament game with 14. Six different Tar Heels made threes (six by RJ Davis, three by Ian Jackson, two by Jae’Lyn Withers and one each by Elliot Cadeau, Drake Powell and Dante Mayo Jr.
Most Three-Pointers by UNC in an NCAA Tournament Game
14 vs. San Diego State
13 vs. Marquette, 2022 First Round
12 vs. Alabama, 2024 Sweet 16
12 vs. Oakland, 2005 First Round
11 six times
• UNC’s 27-point victory is the second-largest win by a team in the First Four (which began in 2011). The previous high was a 31-point win by FGCU over Fairleigh Dickinson in 2016.
• Carolina led by as many as 40 points (82-42 with 7:30 to play). It was the second-largest lead this season (beat American by 52 points on November 15).
• It was the second-straight year UNC won its first game in the NCAA Tournament by 25 or more points (beat Wagner 90-62 in the first round last season).
• Carolina is 8-2 under Hubert Davis in NCAA Tournament play.
• Carolina is 32-2 under Davis when it scores 90 or more points.
• Carolina has won 134 NCAA Tournament games, the most by any school. Kentucky is second with 130.
• Carolina is 3-0 all-time against San Diego State. This was the first time the teams played in the NCAA Tournament.
• UNC is 2-2 all-time in the NCAA Tournament in Dayton, having last played in Dayton in 2006.
• Carolina is 6-1 all-time against 11 seeds in the NCAA Tournament. San Diego State was the first 11 seed UNC faced since playing Providence in the 2014 first round.
• Carolina shot 52.6% from the floor, its highest field goal percentage in an NCAA Tournament game since shooting 54.4% against Butler in the 2017 Sweet 16.
• San Diego State came into the game No. 1 in the nation in field goal percentage defense at 37.8% and No. 13 in defensive efficiency.
• Carolina scored the most points (previous 80 by Gonzaga), shot the highest from the floor (51.0% by UNLV), shot the highest from three (50.0% by UNLV) and had the most assists (16 by two teams) against the Aztecs all season.
• The Tar Heels’ 14 three-pointers were the second most vs. SDSU this season (15 by San Jose State).
• Carolina is 12-1 this season and 35-1 under Hubert Davis when it shoots 50% from the floor.
• UNC made 14 of 24 from three for a season-high 58.3%. It was the fifth time UNC shot at least 50% from three this season (also wins over SMU, Virginia, Miami and Virginia Tech).
• Carolina’s percentage from three (58.3%) was its highest ever on a minimum of 20 three-point attempts in NCAA Tournament play.
• It was Carolina’s highest three-point percentage on a minimum of 20 attempts in any game since shooting 64% (11 of 17) at Wake Forest on 2/16/2019.
• Carolina made 10 or more threes for the 11th time this season (UNC is 10-1 record when it makes 10 or more threes).
• Carolina is 10-1 this season when it makes 40% or better from three. The Tar Heels have shot 40% or better in eight of the last 13 games.
• Carolina 21 for 24 from the free throw line, the 21st time this season UNC has attempted at least 20 free throws. UNC is 16-5 when it attempts 20 or more free throws.
• The Tar Heels’ free throw shooting (87.5%) was their second-highest on a minimum of 20 attempts this season (90.3% on 31 attempts at Kansas).
• It was the 11th time UNC has led by double digits at halftime this season and the second time the Tar Heels have led by at least 20 points at the half (led NC State in Chapel Hill by 28).
• UNC shot 60.9% from the floor in the first half, its highest in a half in the NCAA Tournament since shooting 62.9% in the second half against Iona in the 2019 first round.
• San Diego State’s 23 points were the second-fewest first-half points by an opponent this season (NC State had 20 in Raleigh on January 11).
• It was Carolina’s highest first-half shooting percentage of the season and its highest first-half percentage since shooting 74.2% against Florida State on 2/12/2022.
• The Aztecs shot 26.7% from the floor in the first half, the lowest in a half by an NCAA Tournament opponent since St Peter’s shot 22.6% in the first half in the 2022 Elite Eight.
• SDSU’s first-half shooting was the seventh time this season the Tar Heels held an opponent under 30% in a half (UNC 6-1 in those games with the only loss at Wake Forest when the Deacs shot 29.6% in the first half).
• For the game, SDSU shot 39.7% from the floor. Carolina is 11-0 this season and 45-4 in four seasons under Davis when it holds the opponents under 40% from the floor.
• Carolina has won 16 in a row when holding an opponent below 40% from the floor.
• Carolina outrebounded the Aztecs, 39-28. It was the sixth time in the last 10 games UNC outrebounded an opponent by at least 10 and the Tar Heels have won all six of those games.
• UNC went on an 11-0 run. It marked the 18th time in 36 games UNC had at least one run of 10 or more points.
• RJ Davis’ 6 for 6 from three was the sixth time ever a Tar Heel shot 100% on at least five three-point attempts, the first time since Joel Berry II was 5 for 5 vs. Duke on 3/4/2017.
• Davis led UNC with 26 points. It was the 17th time this season and 62nd time in his career he led the Tar Heels in scoring. UNC is 41-21 all-time when Davis leads in scoring.
• Davis scored 25 or more points for the 19th time as a Tar Heel (UNC 14-5).
• This was the eighth time in 11 NCAA Tournament games Davis scored in double figures and the fourth time he scored 20 or more (30 vs. Baylor in 2022 second round, 22 vs. Wagner in 2024 first round and 20 vs. Michigan State in 2024 second round).
• Davis (2,710 points) joins UNC’s Tyler Hansbrough and Duke’s JJ Redick as the third player in ACC history to score 2,700 career points.
• Elliot Cadeau had 12 assists, which equaled the second most by a Tar Heel in an NCAA Tournament game. They were the most assists in an NCAA Tournament game since RJ Davis had 12 in the first round against Marquette in 2022.
Most Assists by a Tar Heel in an NCAA Tournament Game
14 by Kendall Marshall vs. Washington, 2011 second round
12 by Elliot Cadeau vs. San Diego State
12 by RJ Davis vs. Marquette, 2022 first round
12 by Kenny Smith vs. Notre Dame, 1987 Sweet 16
11 five times
• This was Cadeau’s sixth game this season with at least 10 assists (UNC 5-1).
• Cadeau had three steals. This was the first time a Tar Heel ever had 12 assists and three steals in an NCAA Tournament game.
• Jae’Lyn Withers (10 points and 10 rebounds) had his fourth double-double of the season, sixth as a Tar Heel and 11th of his career. UNC is 6-0 the last two seasons when Withers has a double-double.
• Seth Trimble scored 16 points, the 24th time this season he has scored in double figures (UNC 16-8).
• Ven-Allen Lubin scored 12 points, his 10th consecutive double-figure game. It is the longest double-figure scoring streak of his career.
• Lubin was a career-best 8 for 8 from the free throw line. He was 7 for 7 from the line against Florida last season while playing for Vanderbilt.
• Dante Mayo Jr. made the 14th three-pointer to set the UNC record in an NCAA Tournament game. It was Mayo’s second field goal and second three-pointer this season.
Next Game: vs. No.6 seed Ole Miss, NCAA first round, Friday, March 21, in Milwaukee, Wis. (4 p.m., TNT)
