Claims of bias and corruption hovered around the NCAA Tournament selection committee’s decision to insert North Carolina basketball in the 68-team bracket, with their 1-12 record in Quad 1 matchups not looking the part of a truly formidable squad. The Tar Heels responded by obliterating San Diego State, 95-68, in the First Four on Tuesday.
RJ Davis, who has put together an inconsistent fifth season with North Carolina, was masterful in University of Dayton Arena. He led the way with 26 points and shot a perfect 6-of-6 from beyond the arc, pacing the team on a night in which it made 14 3-pointers (new program NCAA Tournament record). Seth Trimble made sure to pack a strong offensive punch himself, though, posting 16 points in 27 minutes off the bench while also playing stalwart defense.
But he did not just make an impact on the scoreboard. The junior guard continues to wield an invaluable leadership presence, and his postgame remarks effectively convey the hard-nosed mindset the Tar Heels aim to maintain in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. He is not concerned with the public’s opinion of North Carolina’s credentials, nor is he interested in gloating following a runaway victory.
North Carolina basketball seems locked-in
“We know we deserved to be here,” Trimble said, per InsideCarolina.com’s Jeremiah Holloway. “We’re not looking to send a message to anybody else. We’re just looking to compete as a team and be the team that we know that we’re capable of being. I think we did that tonight. We’ll go through that when we get to Milwaukee and go from there. We hear what people say. We don’t really care. It is what it is. We’re focused on us.”
That is a mature response from someone who knows the job is not close to being finished. Given all the noise that he and his teammates have surely heard in the lead-up and aftermath of Selection Sunday, it would have been easy to give an antagonistic answer. Trimble is looking towards the Ole Miss Rebels, though, not the doubters.
If the No. 11-seeded Tar Heels can vanquish the No. 6 seed in the South Region, the chatter will likely die down by a considerable amount. Results-oriented thinking is not an ideal philosophy to abide by, but Carolina did not look out of place in its play-in game.
Although the road should get much harder against the gritty Rebels, this talented group is dangerous when it is knocking down 3-pointers. That is an area where Seth Trimble has struggled in this season, but rest assured, he will find ways to contribute.
North Carolina basketball as a whole would be wise to follow his philosophy. This does not have to be a Tar Heels revenge tour. A successful business trip is the only statement they need to make. It continues in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday.
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