A look at the West subregional meeting between Weber State and North Carolina Thursday at Key Arena in Seattle:North Carolina (3) vs. WSU (14)
Tarheels Nickname Wildcats
24-8 Overall record 24-7
Atlantic Coast Conference Big Sky
10-6 Conf. record 13-3
6-4 Last 10 games 9-1
6 RPI 61
13 AP ranking --
NOTABLE: North Carolina is making an ongoing NCAA-record 25th straight tournament appearance. The Tarheels, who have played 313 consecutive games ranked in the AP Top 25, have not lost in the first round since 1990. This year's team strength is rebounding. N.C. has outrebounded the opposition by 9.5 per game this season. Ademola Okulaja (13.9 ppg, 8.4 rpg) is the go-to guy on this year's squad. He's a 3-point threat as well -- connecting on 43.1 percent of his shots . . . Though four years have passed, Weber State's last NCAA appearance is still a memorable one. The Wildcats upset Michigan State before losing a heartbreaker to Georgetown. Big Sky Player of the Year Harold Arceneaux, who averages 22 points per game, tops this year's cast -- winners of seven straight games entering the tournament. This could be the swan song for head coach Ron Abegglen. In 35 years of coaching, at the prep, junior college and university levels, he has never had a losing season.