It was only a matter of time before star UNC guard RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year and preseason pick for the same award, enjoyed the offensive breakout we became accustomed to last season.
Davis enjoyed his breakout game on Tuesday night, as North Carolina lost 90-84 to Florida in the Jumpman Invitational.
Despite shooting just 3-of-11 from deep, Davis led all scorers with 29 points. He shot 10-of-19 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.
What you may not know, though, is Davis climbed the Tar Heels’ (6-5, 1-0 ACC) all-time scoring list with his big game Tuesday. Davis, who now has 2,332 points according to GoHeels, passed Phil Ford for third in UNC history.
Tuesday was just the third time Davis scored over 20 points on North Carolina’s young season. Davis dropped 24 in the Tar Heels’ opener against Elon, then set a season-high with 30 against Dayton in the Maui Invitational.
With 29 points tonight, RJ Davis just passed Phil Ford for third in UNC history in career scoring. pic.twitter.com/fsIvmSIXwU
— Carolina Basketball Stats & Info (@UNCMBBStats) December 18, 2024
Ford played at North Carolina from 1974-1978, then played seven NBA seasons after being the second overall pick in 1978.
Davis got scoring help on Tuesday night, particularly from his backcourt teammates. Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble each scored 11 points starting alongside Davis, while Ian Jackson added 11 off the bench.
In short, UNC’s guards combined for 62 of their 84 (73.8 percent) points. Without Davis’ production, Tuesday’s score looked significantly worse.
The Tar Heels still have plenty of season left to go, but their early returns are concerning. If North Carolina wants to turn its season around, it’ll need Davis to deliver more vintage performances like Tuesday’s.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.