The NCAA Tournament will provide us with memories during this 2024 campaign including stars continuing to shine, new players emerging as stars, and Cinderella teams making runs.
But among the top players entering the NCAA Tournament is RJ Davis, a point guard who won the ACC Player of the Year award and was named to the Associated Press First Team All-American. On Tuesday, Davis was named one of five players by Yahoo! Sports to watch who can lead their team to a tournament.
Here is what Jason Owens wrote on Davis who made his list:
Speaking of RJ Davis. The split with Love has worked out for him as well. In his first season as North Carolina’s undisputed No. 1 scoring option, Davis has erupted as one of college basketball’s most lethal weapons.
Davis now shares the backcourt with freshman Elliot Cadeau, a pass-first point guard who pushes the tempo and sets up his teammates to score. For Davis, that shift has contributed to a career-high 21.4 points alongside 3.8 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game while shooting 40.6% on 7.7 3-point attempts per game.
He broke the Dean Smith’s Center’s single-game scoring record with 42 points in a February win over Miami. He was named ACC Player of the Year and is a lock for First-Team All-America honors. He’s done so while leading North Carolina to an ACC regular-season title and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
North Carolina is balanced with multiple scoring options, including Armando Bacot, Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan. But when the lights are brightest and tension highest, Davis is where the Tar Heels look first when they need a bucket.
Along with Davis, his former teammate and current Arizona guard Caleb Love was also mentioned. Purdue’s Zach Edey, UConn’s Cam Spencer, and Marquette’s Tyler Kolek also made the list.
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