Davis scores 21 points as No. 4 North Carolina beats Louisville 86-70 for 7th straight win
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) RJ Davis scored 21 points and No. 4 North Carolina beat Louisville 86-70 for its seventh straight victory Wednesday night, the Tar Heels’ longest winning streak in five seasons.
Armando Bacot had 19 points, former Louisville player Jae’Lyn Withers set season highs with 15 points and 10 rebounds off the bench, and Cormac Ryan scored 14 for North Carolina (14-3, 6-0 Atlantic Coast Conference).
Under third-year coach Hubert Davis, the Tar Heels are off to their best ACC start in eight years.
And they want more. RJ Davis thinks 40 minutes of dominance should be the goal.
“It’s the next step for us to be great,” he said.
Skyy Clark scored 16 points, Brandon Huntley-Hatfield had 15 and reserve Tre White added 12 for Louisville (6-11, 1-5), which has lost five of six. Even shooting 64% in the second half wasn’t enough for the Cardinals.
“I want these guys to know what it feels like to come into a North Carolina and actually win a game,” coach Kenny Payne said.
RJ Davis, who also had six assists, and Ryan both made four 3-pointers, putting the Tar Heels on their way to winning five consecutive ACC games by double-digit margins for the first time in 16 years.
But there was an uncomfortable stir in the crowd when Louisville scored seven straight points to pull to 53-45. It was 55-50 as the Cardinals hit nine of their first 10 second-half shots from the field.
“We definitely relaxed a little bit and looked up and it was a five-point game,” RJ Davis said.
Withers, in his first season with the Tar Heels, drove for a baseline basket to cap a 7-0 spurt as the lead grew back to 65-52. Then he converted a three-point play on the next possession.
“He was more than pretty good,” Hubert Davis said. “We just don’t win this game without (Withers).”
As disturbed as Hubert Davis was with his team’s defense early in the second half, a positive developed from that.
“I loved how we reacted and we responded,” he said.
North Carolina broke out to leads of 15-4 and 26-9 and was up 46-29 at halftime.
“It’s our preparation and our mindset,” Ryan said. “We understand we can’t take anybody lightly, especially in league play no matter who it is.”
But unlike Saturday’s romp over Syracuse, the Tar Heels had more work to do.
“They wait for you to make mistakes and they burn you,” Payne said.
After losing 22 consecutive true road games, Louisville was trying to win two in a row following last week’s upset at Miami.
BIG PICTURE
Louisville: The Cardinals committed nine first-half turnovers and fell to 0-3 against AP Top 25 opponents this season. ... Louisville has four games in a row with at least eight 3-pointers, but still has the fewest (105) among ACC teams.
North Carolina: Carrying their highest ranking since holding the No. 1 spot in November 2022, the Tar Heels stayed alone in first place in the ACC. They improved to 8-0 at home this season.
UP NEXT
Louisville: Saturday at Wake Forest
North Carolina: Saturday at Boston College.
---
Get poll alerts and updates on AP Top 25 basketball throughout the season. Sign up here.
---
AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball
Copyright 2024 STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | Jump ball. Armando Bacot vs. Hercy Miller (RJ Davis gains possession) | |||
19:38 | Harrison Ingram misses three point jump shot | |||
19:36 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield defensive rebound | |||
19:11 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield misses two point layup | |||
19:09 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
19:05 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point dunk (Harrison Ingram assists) | 0-2 | |
18:40 | +2 | Danilo Jovanovich makes two point jump shot | 2-2 | |
18:31 | Cormac Ryan misses two point layup | |||
18:29 | Mike James defensive rebound | |||
18:29 | Harrison Ingram personal foul | |||
18:12 | Hercy Miller turnover (lost ball) (RJ Davis steals) | |||
18:04 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point layup (Harrison Ingram assists) | 2-4 | |
17:43 | Mike James misses two point layup | |||
17:41 | Mike James offensive rebound | |||
17:38 | Mike James misses two point layup | |||
17:36 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield offensive rebound | |||
17:32 | +2 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield makes two point layup | 4-4 | |
17:23 | +2 | Harrison Ingram makes two point jump shot | 4-6 | |
17:10 | Danilo Jovanovich misses three point jump shot | |||
17:08 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
17:00 | +3 | Cormac Ryan makes three point jump shot (Armando Bacot assists) | 4-9 | |
16:35 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield misses three point jump shot | |||
16:33 | Tar Heels defensive rebound | |||
16:14 | Harrison Ingram misses two point jump shot | |||
16:12 | Mike James defensive rebound | |||
16:05 | Armando Bacot personal foul | |||
16:00 | Tre White misses three point jump shot | |||
15:58 | Tar Heels defensive rebound | |||
15:58 | TV timeout | |||
15:41 | +3 | Cormac Ryan makes three point jump shot (Elliot Cadeau assists) | 4-12 | |
15:20 | Skyy Clark misses two point layup | |||
15:18 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
15:05 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot (Harrison Ingram assists) | 4-15 | |
15:03 | Cardinals 30 second timeout | |||
14:41 | Seth Trimble blocks Ty-Laur Johnson's two point jump shot | |||
14:39 | Cormac Ryan defensive rebound | |||
14:38 | Ty-Laur Johnson personal foul | |||
14:15 | Seth Trimble misses three point jump shot | |||
14:13 | Cardinals defensive rebound | |||
14:01 | +2 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield makes two point layup | 6-15 | |
13:42 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point hook shot | 6-17 | |
13:18 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield misses two point jump shot | |||
13:16 | Jae'Lyn Withers defensive rebound | |||
13:09 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point layup | 6-19 | |
12:52 | Ty-Laur Johnson misses two point jump shot | |||
12:50 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
12:42 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point layup (RJ Davis assists) | 6-21 | |
12:19 | +2 | Tre White makes two point jump shot | 8-21 | |
12:06 | +2 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes two point layup (Armando Bacot assists) | 8-23 | |
11:50 | +3 | Curtis Williams makes three point jump shot (Ty-Laur Johnson assists) | 11-23 | |
11:35 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot (Armando Bacot assists) | 11-26 | |
11:13 | Ty-Laur Johnson misses three point jump shot | |||
11:11 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
11:01 | RJ Davis turnover (bad pass) (Mike James steals) | |||
10:49 | Armando Bacot blocks Mike James's two point layup | |||
10:47 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
10:45 | Seth Trimble misses two point layup | |||
10:43 | Ty-Laur Johnson defensive rebound | |||
10:43 | Ty-Laur Johnson turnover (lost ball) (Armando Bacot steals) | |||
10:42 | RJ Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
10:42 | Cardinals defensive rebound | |||
10:42 | TV timeout | |||
10:35 | Curtis Williams turnover (lost ball) (Elliot Cadeau steals) | |||
10:32 | Tre White shooting foul (Jae'Lyn Withers draws the foul) | |||
10:32 | Jae'Lyn Withers misses regular free throw 1 of 2 | |||
10:32 | +1 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 11-27 | |
10:10 | Jalen Washington personal foul (Kaleb Glenn draws the foul) | |||
10:09 | Ty-Laur Johnson turnover (bad pass) (Elliot Cadeau steals) | |||
9:58 | Paxson Wojcik misses three point jump shot | |||
9:56 | Curtis Williams defensive rebound | |||
9:52 | Curtis Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
9:50 | Elliot Cadeau defensive rebound | |||
9:40 | Jalen Washington misses two point jump shot | |||
9:38 | Curtis Williams defensive rebound | |||
9:29 | Skyy Clark misses two point layup | |||
9:27 | Kaleb Glenn offensive rebound | |||
9:22 | Kaleb Glenn misses two point layup | |||
9:20 | Jalen Washington defensive rebound | |||
9:20 | Elliot Cadeau turnover (bad pass) | |||
9:01 | +2 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield makes two point layup | 13-27 | |
8:54 | Harrison Ingram misses two point jump shot | |||
8:52 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield defensive rebound | |||
8:47 | Tre White turnover (lost ball) | |||
8:29 | Paxson Wojcik misses three point jump shot | |||
8:27 | Tar Heels offensive rebound | |||
8:12 | Elliot Cadeau misses two point layup | |||
8:10 | Harrison Ingram offensive rebound | |||
8:07 | Harrison Ingram misses two point layup | |||
8:05 | Cardinals defensive rebound | |||
7:54 | +2 | Tre White makes two point jump shot | 15-27 | |
7:33 | Kaleb Glenn shooting foul (Paxson Wojcik draws the foul) | |||
7:33 | TV timeout | |||
7:33 | +1 | Paxson Wojcik makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 15-28 | |
7:33 | +1 | Paxson Wojcik makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 15-29 | |
7:11 | +2 | Mike James makes two point jump shot | 17-29 | |
6:57 | Elliot Cadeau turnover (lost ball) (Zan Payne steals) | |||
6:50 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield offensive foul | |||
6:50 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield turnover (offensive foul) | |||
6:39 | Brandon Huntley-Hatfield personal foul (Armando Bacot draws the foul) | |||
6:34 | +3 | Cormac Ryan makes three point jump shot (RJ Davis assists) | 17-32 | |
6:19 | +2 | Skyy Clark makes two point jump shot | 19-32 | |
6:07 | Armando Bacot misses two point jump shot | |||
6:05 | Tre White defensive rebound | |||
5:57 | Elliot Cadeau shooting foul (Mike James draws the foul) | |||
5:57 | +1 | Mike James makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 20-32 | |
5:57 | +1 | Mike James makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 21-32 | |
5:25 | Tar Heels turnover (shot clock violation) | |||
5:12 | Skyy Clark turnover (bad pass) (Elliot Cadeau steals) | |||
5:04 | +2 | Elliot Cadeau makes two point dunk | 21-34 | |
4:42 | Harrison Ingram shooting foul (Tre White draws the foul) | |||
4:42 | +1 | Tre White makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-34 | |
4:42 | Tre White misses regular free throw 2 of 2 | |||
4:42 | Jae'Lyn Withers defensive rebound | |||
4:27 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point jump shot (Armando Bacot assists) | 22-36 | |
4:15 | Tre White misses three point jump shot | |||
4:13 | Jae'Lyn Withers defensive rebound | |||
4:07 | Kaleb Glenn personal foul (Armando Bacot draws the foul) | |||
4:07 | TV timeout | |||
3:56 | +3 | Cormac Ryan makes three point jump shot (Armando Bacot assists) | 22-39 | |
3:34 | Armando Bacot blocks Mike James's two point jump shot | |||
3:32 | Jae'Lyn Withers defensive rebound | |||
3:24 | Armando Bacot misses two point layup | |||
3:22 | Kaleb Glenn defensive rebound | |||
3:11 | +2 | Curtis Williams makes two point jump shot | 24-39 | |
3:05 | Skyy Clark personal foul (RJ Davis draws the foul) | |||
3:05 | +1 | RJ Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 24-40 | |
3:05 | +1 | RJ Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 24-41 | |
2:46 | Kaleb Glenn turnover (RJ Davis steals) | |||
2:42 | Seth Trimble turnover (lost ball) | |||
2:26 | Tre White misses three point jump shot | |||
2:24 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
2:11 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
2:09 | Skyy Clark defensive rebound | |||
1:59 | Mike James misses two point layup | |||
1:57 | Mike James offensive rebound | |||
1:54 | +2 | Mike James makes two point layup | 26-41 | |
1:38 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point layup (RJ Davis assists) | 26-43 | |
1:38 | Kaleb Glenn shooting foul (Armando Bacot draws the foul) | |||
1:38 | +1 | Armando Bacot makes regular free throw 1 of 1 | 26-44 | |
1:22 | Curtis Williams misses three point jump shot | |||
1:20 | Seth Trimble defensive rebound | |||
1:12 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
1:10 | Skyy Clark defensive rebound | |||
1:06 | Skyy Clark turnover (bad pass) (Jae'Lyn Withers steals) | |||
0:58 | +2 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes two point layup | 26-46 | |
0:39 | Cormac Ryan personal foul | |||
0:32 | +3 | Skyy Clark makes three point jump shot | 29-46 | |
0:24 | Tar Heels 30 second timeout | |||
0:02 | RJ Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | Jae'Lyn Withers offensive rebound | |||
0:00 | End of period |