North Carolina vs San Diego State and Stephon Castle's impact on Tennessee Basketball
March Madness is upon us, and the excitement is palpable as celebrities and former players share their bracket predictions. Among them is current San Antonio Spurs rookie and former UCONN star, Stephon Castle, who has revealed his bracket, expressing high hopes for the Volunteers. Castle's bracket, shared by NCAA March Madness, reflects his expectations for the tournament.
Meanwhile, in the First Four, the North Carolina Tar Heels are set to face off against the San Diego State Aztecs. UNC, with a record of 22-13, secured their spot after winning seven of their last nine games. Their only recent losses came against rival Duke Blue Devils. On the other side, San Diego State, standing at 21-9, has experienced some setbacks, losing three of their last six games. Despite this, they have a history of consistently making the NCAA Tournament, with five consecutive appearances.
San Diego State boasts an impressive non-conference resume, including a notable overtime victory against the No. 2 Houston Cougars and a double-digit win over the No. 21 Creighton Blue Jays. The winner of the UNC-San Diego State matchup will advance to the Round of 64 in the South Region to face the six-seed Ole Miss Rebels. The game is scheduled for Tuesday, March 18, at 9:10 p.m. ET at UD Arena in Dayton, OH, and will be broadcast on truTV and available for streaming on fuboTV.
According to FanDuel Sportsbook, North Carolina is favored with a moneyline of -164, while San Diego State stands at +136. The spread is set at North Carolina -3.5 (-110) and San Diego State +3.5 (-110), with a total of 142.5 (over -110/under -110). Injury reports indicate that North Carolina has no publicly reported injuries, while San Diego State's Reese Dixon-Waters is out with a foot injury.
Historically, North Carolina holds a 2-0 all-time record against San Diego State. The upcoming game is anticipated to be closely contested, with San Diego State's defensive prowess, ranking first in opponent field goal percentage (37.8 percent), posing a significant challenge to UNC. RJ Davis, UNC's leading scorer, will need to deliver a strong performance, as will ACC All-Freshman Ian Jackson. Davis has averaged over 18 points per game in UNC's nine Quad 1 and 2 victories this past regular season and the ACC Tournament last week.
