8:34 p.m.: One of the jarring things about watching this game is how many open shots Carolina gets.

The Tar Heels have just scored in six of seven possessions, and most come on relatively easy shots.

Marcus Ginyard scored two baskets in transition. A State defender? No one close.

But it has been that way for much of this game. State is last in the league in field-goal percentage defense in conference games at 47.5 percent, which is a pretty dismal mark considering Maryland leads the conference at 41.7.

It takes athletic ability to play defense, of course, but it also takes hustle, grit, determination and coordination. For all the talk about State's inconsistency at point guard and Brandon Costner's disappointing season, the Pack's inability to stop people is probably its biggest weakness.

Carolina scored easily in the first half in Chapel Hill and is doing the same again here tonight.

While it's an open question as to whether Carolina is truly a great team - it may be a very good team with a great player - it's clear State is not an NCAA Tournament contender.

That defense starts with defense, as tonight's thrashing is, again, demonstrating.