RJ Davis posts 20 points, 10 assists, No. 9 North Carolina routs Charleston Southern 105-60
AP
Dec 30, 2023
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) RJ Davis had 20 points and 10 assists to lead No. 9 North Carolina Tar Heels to a 105-60 rout of Charleston Southern Buccaneers on Friday night.
Davis became the first UNC player to have a 20-point, 10-assist, five-steal and zero turnover scoreline in a game.
“The confidence is there, but at the same time, my work is showing. I trust in my work and put a lot of work in this offseason, just with this new team,” Davis said. “I kind of reinvented myself my senior year, and I want to leave it off with a good note.”
Davis was one of six Tar Heels (9-3) to score in double figures. Jalen Washington scored a career-high 17 points, Elliott Cadeau added 13, Armando Bacot and Seth Trimble each scored 12, and Harrison Ingram 10.
It’s the first double-double of the season for Davis, and the first points-assists double-double of his college career. Davis made his first four shots and scored 10 points in the first four minutes of the game.
A’lahn Summer scored 21 points to pace the Buccaneers (4-9). DJ Patrick added 11 points.
“That was a really good team. It was one of the better teams I’ve competed against,” interim Charleston Southern coach Saah Nimley said. “It is what it is. I think we got better tonight against that type of competition. I think we got better regardless of the score.”
UNC never trailed and led by as many as 47 points. The Tar Heels were dominant inside, outscoring the Buccaneers 52-12 in the paint and building a 46-25 edge in rebounding.
“I feel like through the entire non-conference season, we have really seen every style - everything, pretty much,” UNC coach Hubert Davis said. “And I think it puts us in a position to compete against a really strong and really tough ACC conference.”
BIG PICTURE
North Carolina: In their final non-conference game of the regular season, the Tar Heels shook off the rust from an eight-day break and won in impressive fashion. UNC notched a season-high 20 assists and had a season-low five turnovers while shooting a season-best 56.2% from the floor. It was the second time this season UNC topped 100 points.
Charleston Southern: It’s been a rough start to the season for the Buccaneers, who have beaten just one Division I opponent and have already endured a coaching change. Charleston Southern has now played three ACC opponents in their non-conference schedule, losing by an average margin of 31.3 points. The Buccaneers will expect to perform better in the Big South.
MONTROSS REMEMBERED
This was UNC’s first home game in the Dean Smith Center since Eric Montross died on Dec. 17 at 52 after a bout with cancer. The two-time All-American had worked as a radio broadcaster for the Tar Heels and in the Rams Club, the fundraising arm of UNC athletics.
Before the game, the arena went dark, and spotlights were put on Montross’ jersey in the rafters and an empty seat that he usually sat in as a moment of silence was held. The Tar Heels also wore pregame warm-up shirts with Montross’ No. 00 on the back.
NEXT UP
North Carolina: The Tar Heels resume ACC play at Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
Charleston Southern: Big South play begins Wednesday at home for the Buccaneers against Presbyterian.
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1st Half
CHSO
Buccaneers
28
UNC
Tar Heels
51
Time
Team
Play
Score
20:00
Reginald Duhart Jr. vs. Armando Bacot (RJ Davis gains possession)
19:42
+2
RJ Davis makes two point jump shot (Armando Bacot assists)
0-2
19:24
Taje' Kelly misses two point jump shot
19:22
Harrison Ingram defensive rebound
19:14
+2
Armando Bacot makes two point layup (Harrison Ingram assists)
0-4
19:02
+3
Daren Patrick makes three point jump shot (Reginald Duhart Jr. assists)
3-4
18:49
Harrison Ingram misses three point jump shot
18:47
RJ Johnson defensive rebound
18:25
Taje' Kelly turnover (bad pass) (RJ Davis steals)
18:23
+3
RJ Davis makes three point jump shot
3-7
17:59
+2
Daren Patrick makes two point jump shot
5-7
17:43
Harrison Ingram misses two point jump shot
17:41
RJ Johnson defensive rebound
17:27
RJ Johnson misses three point jump shot
17:25
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
17:19
Armando Bacot misses three point jump shot
17:17
Taje' Kelly defensive rebound
17:02
+2
A'lahn Sumler makes two point jump shot (Daren Patrick assists)
7-7
16:50
Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot
16:48
A'lahn Sumler defensive rebound
16:43
A'lahn Sumler misses three point jump shot
16:41
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
16:29
+3
RJ Davis makes three point jump shot
7-10
16:00
+2
Taje' Kelly makes two point jump shot
9-10
15:43
+2
RJ Davis makes two point layup
9-12
15:18
Reginald Duhart Jr. misses three point jump shot
15:16
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
15:04
+2
Cormac Ryan makes two point jump shot (Elliot Cadeau assists)
9-14
14:46
Daren Patrick misses two point jump shot
14:44
Cormac Ryan defensive rebound
14:30
TV timeout
14:17
Daren Patrick shooting foul (Harrison Ingram draws the foul)
14:17
Harrison Ingram misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:17
+1
Harrison Ingram makes regular free throw 2 of 2
9-15
14:14
Buccaneers 30 second timeout
13:59
RJ Johnson turnover (lost ball) (RJ Davis steals)
13:55
RJ Davis misses two point layup
13:53
Taje' Kelly defensive rebound
13:44
Daren Patrick misses two point jump shot
13:42
Jalen Washington defensive rebound
13:25
Harrison Ingram misses two point layup
13:23
Jalen Washington offensive rebound
13:20
+2
Jalen Washington makes two point layup
9-17
13:00
Taje' Kelly misses two point jump shot
12:58
Tar Heels defensive rebound
12:57
Gaddis Heath III personal foul (Jae'Lyn Withers draws the foul)
12:47
+3
Jalen Washington makes three point jump shot (RJ Davis assists)
9-20
12:24
RJ Johnson misses two point jump shot
12:22
Seth Trimble defensive rebound
12:08
RJ Davis misses two point jump shot
12:06
Jalen Washington offensive rebound
12:01
+2
Jalen Washington makes two point layup
9-22
11:53
Jaiden Thompson turnover (lost ball) (RJ Davis steals)
11:48
+2
Seth Trimble makes two point layup (Jae'Lyn Withers assists)
9-24
11:21
Daren Patrick misses three point jump shot
11:19
RJ Davis defensive rebound
11:08
Cormac Ryan misses two point jump shot
11:06
Taje' Kelly defensive rebound
10:46
Jalen Washington blocks Taje' Kelly's two point layup
10:45
Buccaneers offensive rebound
10:45
TV timeout
10:40
+3
A'lahn Sumler makes three point jump shot (RJ Johnson assists)
12-24
10:21
Elliot Cadeau turnover (lost ball)
10:03
Jae'Lyn Withers blocks Taje' Kelly's two point jump shot
10:01
Jalen Washington defensive rebound
9:42
Elliot Cadeau misses three point jump shot
9:40
A'lahn Sumler defensive rebound
9:31
Jalen Washington blocks A'lahn Sumler's two point layup
9:29
Seth Trimble defensive rebound
9:21
Paxson Wojcik misses three point jump shot
9:19
Seth Trimble offensive rebound
9:09
+2
Seth Trimble makes two point layup
12-26
8:43
RJ Johnson misses three point jump shot
8:41
Seth Trimble defensive rebound
8:36
Seth Trimble misses two point jump shot
8:34
Daren Patrick defensive rebound
8:21
A'lahn Sumler misses three point jump shot
8:19
Armando Bacot defensive rebound
8:11
RJ Johnson blocks Elliot Cadeau's two point layup
8:09
Elliot Cadeau offensive rebound
8:02
Seth Trimble misses two point layup
8:00
A'lahn Sumler defensive rebound
7:45
Taje' Kelly turnover (lost ball) (Armando Bacot steals)
7:24
Paxson Wojcik misses three point jump shot
7:22
Armando Bacot offensive rebound
7:05
Paxson Wojcik misses three point jump shot
7:03
Reginald Duhart Jr. defensive rebound
6:46
+2
RJ Johnson makes two point jump shot
14-26
6:28
+2
Armando Bacot makes two point layup (Seth Trimble assists)
14-28
6:28
Taje' Kelly shooting foul (Armando Bacot draws the foul)