Davis sets Smith Center record with 42 points as No. 9 North Carolina beats Miami 75-71
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) After a huge first half, RJ Davis saw no reason to back off.
Davis poured in four straight 3-pointers during a riveting second-half stretch on his way to a career-high 42 points, and No. 9 North Carolina held off skidding Miami 75-71 on Monday night.
“I kind of felt good most of the game,” Davis said. “Came out hot. I told myself since I had a good first half to continue to stay 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 who set a single-game Smith Center scoring record, had 21 points in each half. He picked up the pace with a dazzling display with less than 7 1/2 minutes to play, and ended up shooting 7 for 11 on 3s.
The only player for the Tar Heels (22-6, 14-3 Atlantic Coast Conference) to score in double figures, Davis went 1 for 2 at the free-throw line with 24.4 seconds remaining to give UNC a 73-70 advantage.
“It wasn’t just his points,” coach Hubert Davis said. “I thought he was great defensively, took care of the ball. We needed 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 could have tied it with about 45 seconds left. Then twice in the last 25 seconds, North Carolina secured offensive rebounds off missed free throws.
“That was a valiant effort on our part,” Miami coach Jim Larranaga said. “RJ Davis had an answer every time we made a run.”
North Carolina, with three regular-season games remaining, stretched its ACC lead to 1 1/2 games over second-place Duke.
Davis racked up 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 over the game,” 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 completing his outburst with four 3-pointers in slightly more than three minutes for a 13-point lead before the four-minute mark.
“I’m just locked in, just confident in myself and my shot,” he said.
Earlier in the second half, North Carolina went ahead 50-38 before Miami rattled off the next eight points.
Davis, who has scored 20 or more points in a half four times this season, propelled the Tar Heels to a 37-32 lead at the break. He scored 18 of North Carolina’s first 28 points.
Davis was coming off his second-lowest point total (12) of the season Saturday at Virginia.
“I believe in myself,” he said. “I believe in my work, and coming into this game I knew I was going to be good in terms of shooting the ball.”
The game marked the largest gap in North Carolina history between its leading scorer and second-leading scorer (Ingram had eight points).
TIP-INS
The previous arena record was 40 points by former Tar Heels All-American Tyler Hansbrough against Georgia Tech in 2006. … Miami guards Wooga Poplar and Nigel Pack weren’t in uniform because of lower-body injuries. Poplar has started 26 games this season. Pack sat out his fourth straight.
BIG PICTURE
Miami: The Hurricanes were already assured a losing conference record for the fourth time in six seasons. They fell to 1-4 against AP Top 25 teams this season.
North Carolina: Began a three-game homestand and gave Hubert Davis a victory in his 100th game (71-29) as head coach. It took time for the energy level to rise in the building, but RJ Davis made sure to provide enough thrills.
UP NEXT
Miami: At home March 6 vs. Boston College.
North Carolina: At home Saturday vs. North Carolina State.
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Time | Team | Play | Score | |
---|---|---|---|---|
20:00 | (Hurricanes gains possession) | |||
19:46 | +3 | Norchad Omier makes three point jump shot (Kyshawn George assists) | 3-0 | |
19:25 | Armando Bacot misses two point layup | |||
19:23 | Norchad Omier defensive rebound | |||
19:15 | Matthew Cleveland misses two point layup | |||
19:13 | Elliot Cadeau defensive rebound | |||
19:05 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot | 3-3 | |
18:54 | Armando Bacot blocks Norchad Omier's two point layup | |||
18:52 | Norchad Omier offensive rebound | |||
18:42 | Christian Watson misses three point jump shot | |||
18:40 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
18:20 | Harrison Ingram misses three point jump shot | |||
18:18 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
18:05 | Matthew Cleveland misses two point jump shot | |||
18:03 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
17:42 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
17:40 | Armando Bacot offensive rebound | |||
17:33 | Harrison Ingram misses two point jump shot | |||
17:31 | Bensley Joseph defensive rebound | |||
17:26 | +3 | Kyshawn George makes three point jump shot | 6-3 | |
17:13 | +3 | Cormac Ryan makes three point jump shot (Harrison Ingram assists) | 6-6 | |
16:52 | +3 | Kyshawn George makes three point jump shot | 9-6 | |
16:26 | Harrison Ingram misses two point hook shot | |||
16:24 | Norchad Omier defensive rebound | |||
16:05 | Norchad Omier misses two point layup | |||
16:03 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
15:52 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
15:50 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
15:41 | Norchad Omier turnover (Harrison Ingram steals) | |||
15:33 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point layup | 9-8 | |
15:10 | Bensley Joseph misses two point jump shot | |||
15:08 | Hurricanes offensive rebound | |||
15:06 | TV timeout | |||
14:55 | Matthew Cleveland misses two point jump shot | |||
14:53 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
14:42 | Michael Nwoko personal foul | |||
14:35 | +3 | Harrison Ingram makes three point jump shot (Armando Bacot assists) | 9-11 | |
14:02 | +2 | Michael Nwoko makes two point dunk (Bensley Joseph assists) | 11-11 | |
13:48 | Jae'Lyn Withers misses three point jump shot | |||
13:46 | Armando Bacot offensive rebound | |||
13:35 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point layup | 11-13 | |
13:04 | Kyshawn George misses two point layup | |||
13:02 | Jae'Lyn Withers defensive rebound | |||
12:55 | Michael Nwoko personal foul | |||
12:48 | RJ Davis misses three point jump shot | |||
12:46 | Michael Nwoko defensive rebound | |||
12:39 | Bensley Joseph misses two point jump shot | |||
12:37 | Seth Trimble defensive rebound | |||
12:23 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
12:21 | Michael Nwoko defensive rebound | |||
12:12 | Norchad Omier offensive foul | |||
12:12 | Norchad Omier turnover (offensive foul) | |||
11:57 | Michael Nwoko personal foul | |||
11:56 | TV timeout | |||
11:40 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
11:38 | Jae'Lyn Withers offensive rebound | |||
11:34 | +2 | Jae'Lyn Withers makes two point layup | 11-15 | |
11:19 | Bensley Joseph misses three point jump shot | |||
11:19 | AJ Casey personal foul | |||
11:07 | +2 | Elliot Cadeau makes two point layup | 11-17 | |
10:51 | Seth Trimble personal foul | |||
10:33 | +2 | Kyshawn George makes two point layup | 13-17 | |
10:09 | Jae'Lyn Withers misses two point layup | |||
10:07 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
10:03 | Jae'Lyn Withers blocks Matthew Cleveland's two point layup | |||
10:01 | Cormac Ryan defensive rebound | |||
9:58 | Cormac Ryan offensive foul | |||
9:58 | Cormac Ryan turnover (offensive foul) | |||
9:39 | +3 | Bensley Joseph makes three point jump shot (Paul Djobet assists) | 16-17 | |
9:30 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point layup | 16-19 | |
9:16 | Norchad Omier misses two point jump shot | |||
9:14 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
9:06 | Cormac Ryan turnover (Paul Djobet steals) | |||
8:56 | +3 | Kyshawn George makes three point jump shot (Paul Djobet assists) | 19-19 | |
8:30 | RJ Davis misses two point jump shot | |||
8:29 | Armando Bacot personal foul | |||
8:12 | Norchad Omier turnover (RJ Davis steals) | |||
8:05 | RJ Davis misses two point layup | |||
8:03 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
7:59 | TV timeout | |||
7:47 | Kyshawn George turnover (RJ Davis steals) | |||
7:42 | RJ Davis misses two point layup | |||
7:40 | Matthew Cleveland defensive rebound | |||
7:36 | Matthew Cleveland turnover (Elliot Cadeau steals) | |||
7:29 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point layup (Elliot Cadeau assists) | 19-21 | |
7:05 | Kyshawn George misses three point jump shot | |||
7:03 | RJ Davis defensive rebound | |||
6:57 | Cormac Ryan misses three point jump shot | |||
6:55 | Paul Djobet defensive rebound | |||
6:45 | Bensley Joseph turnover (RJ Davis steals) | |||
6:45 | Bensley Joseph personal foul | |||
6:32 | +2 | RJ Davis makes two point layup | 19-23 | |
6:11 | Norchad Omier misses three point jump shot | |||
6:09 | Jae'Lyn Withers defensive rebound | |||
6:01 | Elliot Cadeau turnover (Christian Watson steals) | |||
5:58 | Elliot Cadeau personal foul | |||
5:47 | Armando Bacot blocks Norchad Omier's two point layup | |||
5:45 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
5:37 | Harrison Ingram misses two point jump shot | |||
5:35 | Norchad Omier defensive rebound | |||
5:25 | Hurricanes 30 second timeout | |||
5:15 | +3 | Matthew Cleveland makes three point jump shot (Bensley Joseph assists) | 22-23 | |
4:58 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot (Elliot Cadeau assists) | 22-26 | |
4:36 | Matthew Cleveland misses two point layup | |||
4:34 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
4:29 | Paul Djobet personal foul | |||
4:29 | +1 | RJ Davis makes regular free throw 1 of 2 | 22-27 | |
4:29 | +1 | RJ Davis makes regular free throw 2 of 2 | 22-28 | |
4:09 | +3 | Bensley Joseph makes three point jump shot | 25-28 | |
3:47 | +2 | Armando Bacot makes two point dunk (RJ Davis assists) | 25-30 | |
3:21 | Christian Watson misses two point layup | |||
3:19 | Armando Bacot defensive rebound | |||
3:09 | Armando Bacot turnover (Norchad Omier steals) | |||
3:01 | +3 | Norchad Omier makes three point jump shot (Bensley Joseph assists) | 28-30 | |
2:43 | RJ Davis turnover (Jakai Robinson steals) | |||
2:43 | TV timeout | |||
2:16 | Kyshawn George misses two point jump shot | |||
2:14 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
2:05 | Harrison Ingram turnover (Christian Watson steals) | |||
1:55 | Norchad Omier misses two point jump shot | |||
1:53 | Harrison Ingram defensive rebound | |||
1:38 | +2 | Cormac Ryan makes two point jump shot | 28-32 | |
1:28 | Seth Trimble personal foul | |||
1:20 | +2 | Matthew Cleveland makes two point dunk | 30-32 | |
1:03 | Harrison Ingram misses three point jump shot | |||
1:01 | Armando Bacot offensive rebound | |||
0:58 | +2 | Elliot Cadeau makes two point layup (Cormac Ryan assists) | 30-34 | |
0:43 | Cormac Ryan personal foul | |||
0:35 | +2 | Bensley Joseph makes two point layup | 32-34 | |
0:16 | +3 | RJ Davis makes three point jump shot (Elliot Cadeau assists) | 32-37 | |
0:00 | Matthew Cleveland misses three point jump shot | |||
0:00 | End of period |