Davis brings UNC with Smith Center-record 42
Feb 26, 2024, 10:08 PM ET CHAPEL HILL, N.C.– After a huge very first half, RJ Davis saw no factor to back off.Davis gathered
4 straight 3-pointers throughout a fascinating second-half stretch on his method to a career-high 42 points, and No. 9 North Carolina held back skidding Miami 75-71 on Monday night.
“I sort of felt great the majority of the game,” Davis stated. “Came out hot. I informed myself since I had a great first half to continue to remain on it. I was aggressive, and shots were falling. For me to have a performance like that tonight means the world to me.”
Davis, a senior guard, set a Smith Center scoring record, exceeding the 40 points by previous Tar Heels All-American Tyler Hansbrough versus Georgia Tech in 2006.
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Davis was the only player for the Tar Heels(22-6, 14-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) to score in double figures, marking just the 4th time in the previous 25 seasons that UNC won a game with only one player in double figures and the first time given that 2011, according to ESPN Statistics & Info research.
“It wasn’t just his points,” Tar Heels coach Hubert Davis said. “I thought he was excellent defensively, looked after the ball. We required every bit of his 42.”
Norchad Omier had 22 points, Bensley Joseph scored 21 and Kyshawn George added 14 to lead Miami (15-14, 6-12), which lost its seventh game in a row.Omier missed a hook shot in the lane that might have tied ball game with about 45 seconds left. Then twice in the last 25 seconds, North Carolina secured offending rebounds off missed out on totally free throws.”That was a worthy effort on our part, “Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. “RJ Davis had a response whenever we made a run.”North Carolina, with three regular-season games staying, stretched its ACC cause 1 1/2 games over second-place Duke.Davis acquired the most points for a Tar Heels player since Shammond Williams scored 42 in a 1998 double-overtime win at Georgia Tech.”He put us on his back and took control of the game, “North Carolina forward Harrison Ingram said.”RJ took the ball and [
let’s] see what he does.” Miami got close after trailing 64-50, even with Davis finishing his outburst with four 3-pointers in slightly more than 3 minutes
for a 13-point UNC lead before the four-minute mark.”I’m simply secured, simply confident in myself and my shot, “he said.Earlier in the 2nd half, North Carolina proceeded 50-38 before Miami rattled
off the next 8 points.Davis, who has actually scored 20 or more points in a half four times this season, moved the Tar Heels to a 37-32 lead at the break.
He scored 18 of North Carolina’s first 28 points.He was coming off his second-lowest point overall(12 )of the season on Saturday at Virginia. “I believe in myself,” Davis said. “I think in my work.
And entering into this game, I understood I was going to be good in regards to shooting the ball.”The game marked the biggest space in North Carolina history in between its leading scorer and second-leading scorer(Ingram had eight points ). The Associated Press added to this report.