RJ Davis scores 23 points, No. 11 North Carolina knocks off unbeaten No. 7 Oklahoma 81-69
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) RJ Davis scored 23 points, Armando Bacot added 14 points and eight rebounds and No. 11 North Carolina handed seventh-ranked Oklahoma its first loss of the season 81-69 on Wednesday night at the Spectrum Center.
Cormac Ryan had 13 points and Harrison Ingram added 11 for the Tar Heels (8-3), who snapped a two-game losing streak.
Otega Oweh had 23 points and Javian McCollum had 14 for Oklahoma (10-1), which never led. The Sooners’ loss leaves No. 3 Houston, No. 20 James Madison and No. 25 Ole Miss as the only unbeaten teams in Division I basketball.
It was the seventh straight game Davis has led the Tar Heels in scoring. He came into the game averaging 21.6 points per game.
The Sooners cracked The Associated Press Top 10 this week for the first time since February 2021, but struggled from the onset in their first meeting with North Carolina since a 72-60 loss in the 2009 NCAA Tournament’s Elite Eight.
North Carolina's defense gave Oklahoma fits in the early going, holding the Sooners to 0 for 5 shooting from the field and forcing four turnovers while building a 12-2 lead. Davis got it going early with eight points during that stretch, including two 3s.
The Tar Heels led 36-28 at the break, holding the Sooners to 32.3% shooting from the field and 1 of 10 on 3-pointers.
North Carolina extended its lead to 14 with 11 1/2 minutes left when Bacot brought the crowd to its feet, drilling a 3-pointer from the corner - only the third of his five-year career - and Davis scored on a drive to the hole.
But Oklahoma started to heat up from deep and Oweh made two free throws to cut the lead to five with three minutes to go. Davis answered with a clutch 3-pointer, his fifth of the game, from the right wing to push the lead back to eight and the Sooners never threatened again.
The Tar Heels shot 41% from beyond the arc against a Sooners team that entered the game fourth in the nation in 3-point defense, limiting their opponents to 25.6% shooting.
BIG PICTURE
Oklahoma: This was clearly the toughest test this season for the Sooners, who had stormed to a 10-0 start despite being picked to finish 12th out of 14 teams in the Big 12. They fell behind early and struggled to get back in it on a poor shooting night.
North Carolina: The Tar Heels had a much better flow on offense than its previous two games with unselfish passes leading to open looks. This was a big confidence boost for the Tar Heels following losses to Connecticut and Kentucky.
MOMENT OF SILENCE
There was a moment of silence before the game for former Tar Heels center Eric Montross, who died Sunday at the age of 52.
UP NEXT
Oklahoma: Host Central Arkansas on Dec. 28.
North Carolina: Host Charleston Southern on Dec. 29.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Armando Bacot vs. Sam Godwin (Elliot Cadeau gains possession) | |||
20:00 | Armando Bacot vs. Sam Godwin (Elliot Cadeau gains possession) | |||
19:46 | Armando Bacot turnover (bad pass) (Jalon Moore steals) | |||
19:44 | Elliot Cadeau personal foul | |||
19:39 | Javian McCollum misses two point jump shot | |||
19:37 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
19:21 | Harrison Ingram misses two point jump shot | |||
19:19 | Jalon Moore defensive rebound | |||
18:54 | Sam Godwin turnover (bad pass) (Harrison Ingram steals) | |||
18:46 | RJ Davis misses two point jump shot | |||
18:44 | Milos Uzan defensive rebound | |||
18:36 | Jalon Moore turnover (traveling) | |||
18:19 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
18:17 | Sooners defensive rebound | |||
18:02 | Armando Bacot blocks Sam Godwin's two point layup | |||
18:00 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
17:54 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
17:52 | Sam Godwin defensive rebound | |||
17:31 | Jalon Moore turnover (lost ball) (Harrison Ingram steals) | |||
17:12 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot (Harrison Ingram assists) | 3-0 | |
17:02 | Jalon Moore misses three point jump shot | |||
17:00 | Elliot Cadeau defensive rebound | |||
16:53 | +2 | Cormac Ryan makes two point layup | 5-0 | |
16:33 | RJ Davis shooting foul (Sam Godwin draws the foul) | |||
16:33 | +1 | Sam Godwin makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 5-1 | |
16:33 | +1 | Sam Godwin makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 5-2 | |
16:15 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point dunk | 7-2 | |
15:55 | Javian McCollum misses two point layup | |||
15:53 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
15:43 | Armando Bacot misses two point hook shot | |||
15:41 | Le'Tre Darthard defensive rebound | |||
15:34 | John Hugley IV misses three point jump shot | |||
15:32 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
15:31 | Otega Oweh personal foul (Harrison Ingram draws the foul) | |||
15:31 | TV timeout | |||
15:15 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point jump shot | 9-2 | |
15:00 | John Hugley IV turnover (bad pass) | |||
14:32 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot | 12-2 | |
14:31 | Sooners 30 second timeout | |||
14:16 | +2 | Otega Oweh makes two point layup | 12-4 | |
14:00 | +2 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes two point hook shot | 14-4 | |
13:43 | Otega Oweh misses two point jump shot | |||
13:41 | Sam Godwin offensive rebound | |||
13:39 | Jae'Lyn Withers personal foul (Sam Godwin draws the foul) | |||
13:32 | Milos Uzan misses two point jump shot | |||
13:30 | Milos Uzan offensive rebound | |||
13:24 | Milos Uzan turnover (lost ball) (RJ Davis steals) | |||
13:24 | Milos Uzan blocks RJ Davis's two point layup | |||
13:22 | Javian McCollum defensive rebound | |||
13:14 | Jae'Lyn Withers shooting foul (Rivaldo Soares draws the foul) | |||
13:14 | +1 | Rivaldo Soares makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 14-5 | |
13:14 | +1 | Rivaldo Soares makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 14-6 | |
13:14 | +1 | Rivaldo Soares makes regular free throw 3 of 3 | 14-7 | |
12:45 | Harrison Ingram misses three point jump shot | |||
12:43 | Rivaldo Soares defensive rebound | |||
12:28 | +2 | Rivaldo Soares makes two point hook shot | 14-9 | |
12:22 | John Hugley IV personal foul | |||
12:17 | Cormac Ryan misses two point jump shot | |||
12:15 | Milos Uzan defensive rebound | |||
12:08 | Le'Tre Darthard misses three point jump shot | |||
12:06 | Jalen Washington defensive rebound | |||
11:52 | +2 | Jalen Washington makes two point hook shot | 16-9 | |
11:28 | +2 | Otega Oweh makes two point layup | 16-11 | |
11:21 | Harrison Ingram turnover (out of bounds) | |||
11:21 | TV timeout | |||
11:04 | +2 | Milos Uzan makes two point jump shot | 16-13 | |
10:52 | +2 | Seth Trimble makes two point layup | 18-13 | |
10:32 | Rivaldo Soares misses three point jump shot | |||
10:30 | Rivaldo Soares offensive rebound | |||
10:22 | Le'Tre Darthard misses three point jump shot | |||
10:20 | Jalon Moore offensive rebound | |||
10:18 | +2 | Jalon Moore makes two point dunk | 18-15 | |
9:58 | Harrison Ingram offensive foul | |||
9:58 | Harrison Ingram turnover (offensive foul) | |||
9:46 | Le'Tre Darthard misses three point jump shot | |||
9:44 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
9:29 | Armando Bacot misses two point hook shot | |||
9:27 | Sooners defensive rebound | |||
9:08 | Milos Uzan turnover (lost ball) | |||
8:51 | +2 | Elliot Cadeau makes two point jump shot | 20-15 | |
8:34 | +2 | Javian McCollum makes two point jump shot | 20-17 | |
8:24 | Paxson Wojcik misses three point jump shot | |||
8:22 | Sooners defensive rebound | |||
8:12 | Javian McCollum misses three point jump shot | |||
8:10 | John Hugley IV offensive rebound | |||
8:05 | John Hugley IV turnover (lost ball) (Harrison Ingram steals) | |||
7:58 | Elliot Cadeau misses two point jump shot | |||
7:56 | Elliot Cadeau offensive rebound | |||
7:54 | Elliot Cadeau misses two point layup | |||
7:52 | Harrison Ingram offensive rebound | |||
7:50 | John Hugley IV shooting foul (Harrison Ingram draws the foul) | |||
7:50 | TV timeout | |||
7:50 | +1 | Harrison Ingram makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 21-17 | |
7:50 | +1 | Harrison Ingram makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-17 | |
7:30 | Javian McCollum turnover (bad pass) (RJ Davis steals) | |||
7:21 | RJ Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
7:19 | Otega Oweh defensive rebound | |||
7:09 | Otega Oweh turnover (lost ball) (Harrison Ingram steals) | |||
7:04 | +2 | Harrison Ingram makes two point layup | 24-17 | |
6:43 | Javian McCollum misses two point jump shot | |||
6:41 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
6:32 | Zayden High misses two point layup | |||
6:30 | Rivaldo Soares defensive rebound | |||
6:20 | Armando Bacot blocks Rivaldo Soares's two point jump shot | |||
6:18 | Sooners offensive rebound | |||
6:17 | Javian McCollum misses two point jump shot | |||
6:15 | Zayden High defensive rebound | |||
6:04 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point jump shot | 26-17 | |
5:42 | +2 | Otega Oweh makes two point layup | 26-19 | |
5:26 | Tar Heels 30 second timeout | |||
5:24 | +2 | Cormac Ryan makes two point layup (RJ Davis assists) | 28-19 | |
5:24 | Javian McCollum shooting foul (Cormac Ryan draws the foul) | |||
5:24 | +1 | Cormac Ryan makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 29-19 | |
5:07 | Jalon Moore turnover (lost ball) (RJ Davis steals) | |||
5:01 | Sam Godwin shooting foul (Jae'Lyn Withers draws the foul) | |||
5:01 | +1 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 30-19 | |
5:01 | +1 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 31-19 | |
4:53 | Jae'Lyn Withers blocks Javian McCollum's two point jump shot | |||
4:51 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
4:45 | RJ Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
4:43 | RJ Davis offensive rebound | |||
4:38 | Armando Bacot turnover (bad pass) | |||
4:10 | +3 | Javian McCollum makes three point jump shot (Otega Oweh assists) | 31-22 | |
3:53 | Jae'Lyn Withers misses three point jump shot | |||
3:51 | Sooners defensive rebound | |||
3:51 | TV timeout | |||
3:31 | Jae'Lyn Withers shooting foul (Otega Oweh draws the foul) | |||
3:31 | +1 | Otega Oweh makes regular free throw 1 of 3 | 31-23 | |
3:31 | +1 | Otega Oweh makes regular free throw 2 of 3 | 31-24 | |
3:31 | Otega Oweh misses regular free throw 3 of 3 | |||
3:31 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
3:30 | Sam Godwin personal foul (Armando Bacot draws the foul) | |||
3:16 | Cormac Ryan misses two point jump shot | |||
3:14 | Milos Uzan defensive rebound | |||
3:03 | Milos Uzan misses three point jump shot | |||
3:01 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
2:51 | RJ Davis misses two point jump shot | |||
2:49 | Armando Bacot offensive rebound | |||
2:48 | John Hugley IV shooting foul (Armando Bacot draws the foul) | |||
2:48 | Armando Bacot misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
2:48 | +1 | Armando Bacot makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 32-24 | |
2:33 | Seth Trimble blocks Otega Oweh's two point layup | |||
2:31 | Cormac Ryan defensive rebound | |||
2:26 | +2 | Cormac Ryan makes two point layup | 34-24 | |
1:56 | Harrison Ingram blocks Javian McCollum's two point jump shot | |||
1:54 | Sooners offensive rebound | |||
1:52 | Armando Bacot blocks Luke Northweather's two point jump shot | |||
1:51 | Seth Trimble defensive rebound | |||
1:49 | Rivaldo Soares shooting foul (Seth Trimble draws the foul) | |||
1:49 | Seth Trimble misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
1:49 | Seth Trimble misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
1:49 | Rivaldo Soares defensive rebound | |||
1:35 | Otega Oweh misses three point jump shot | |||
1:33 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
1:12 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
1:10 | Otega Oweh defensive rebound | |||
0:58 | +2 | Jalon Moore makes two point jump shot | 34-26 | |
0:29 | Otega Oweh shooting foul (RJ Davis draws the foul) | |||
0:29 | +1 | RJ Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 35-26 | |
0:29 | +1 | RJ Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 36-26 | |
0:03 | +2 | Jalon Moore makes two point dunk (Javian McCollum assists) | 36-28 | |
0:00 | End of period |