The inevitability that hung over the North Carolina-Navy game Thursday–and there was a lot of it–was created four days earlier, when the NCAA announced its tournament pairings.
Maybe that’s why the Tar Heels looked so uninterested in the first half, when they led by 10, which is a lot by human standards but not by Carolina standards. But much is expected of those who are given a lot of high school All-Americans. By the second half, North Carolina woke up, got involved and won 88-52 to advance to the second round of the East Regional.
The Tar Heels meet in-state rival UNC-Charlotte Saturday in the first game between the two schools.
No. 5 seed Princeton beat No. 12 seed UNLV 69-57 in another first-round game Thursday.
A No. 16 seed has never beaten a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, and while the Tar Heels were in no danger of going down, it took them awhile to find some inspiration.
“The first game in the NCAA tournament, especially after you win the ACC tournament, it’s always tough to get going,” coach Bill Guthridge said. “You get so emotionally charged up for those (ACC) games. They’re really important. I just think we struggled a little bit.”
North Carolina (31-3) broke open the game by going on a 19-2 run in the second half, with All-American Antawn Jamison scoring eight of his game-high 17 points in that span. Four other Tar Heels scored in double figures.
Princeton used a 20-0 run in the first half to demoralize the Rebels. The Tigers trailed 20-15 with 8:53 left in the first half when Gabe Lewullis hit a three-pointer to start the run.
Princeton scored 18 points off turnovers, UNLV none.
