You cannot keep an exceptional scorer down for long. R.J. Davis, a North Carolina guard, demonstrated this Monday night.
Davis, who had shot 1-of-14 in the Tar Heels’ victory over Virginia on Saturday, was a flamethrower all evening against Miami in the Dean Smith Center. The senior established an arena record with 42 points on 14-of-22 shooting (7 of 11 from downtown), accounting for more than half of No. 9 North Carolina’s points in a 75-71 win over the Hurricanes.
How’s that for a bounce-back?
“Just all the credit to my work, my work ethic, my confidence,” Davis told ESPN’s Angel Gray afterward before being mobbed by his teammates.
In his fourth season in Chapel Hill, Davis has been the engine that makes this thing go. The New York native is averaging 21.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals and shooting 43.1 percent from the field, 41.1 percent from three and 89.6 percent from the free-throw line.
With five-star freshman Elliot Cadeau serving as the Tar Heels’ primary facilitator, Davis has been tasked with increased scoring responsibilities throughout the season. And at nearly every turn, he has delivered. On Monday, his blend of handles, patience and shotmaking were on full display, as each bucket proved decisive.
“He put the team on his back,” head coach Hubert Davis told reporters.
Indeed he did, and the performance likely clinched ACC Player of the Year for the 6-foot guard. North Carolina has not had a player win the award since Justin Jackson won in 2016-17 — coincidentally, the season in which the Tar Heels won their most recent national title — but Davis is well on his way to doing so.
However, if North Carolina is to repeat the 2016-17 team’s feat, those around Davis must be better. After all, even with those 42 points from the soon-to-be All-American, the Tar Heels struggled to close out the shorthanded Hurricanes. Miami, playing without guards Nigel Pak and Wooga Poplar, mounted a 14-3 run to cut North Carolina’s lead to two with just over five seconds remaining.
