The No. 3 UNC men’s basketball program was in action Monday night, taking on the Wake Forest Demon Deacons.
It was a slow start to the game, as both teams struggled to find a rhythm, going a combined 5 for 23 in the first seven minutes of action. However, it didn’t take long for the shots to start falling as UNC and Wake Forest traded buckets.
In the first half the Tar Heels leaned on their guard play, with [autotag]RJ Davis[/autotag] and [autotag]Elliot Cadeau[/autotag] wowing the crowd. Davis drives to the buckets resulting in tough finishes, while Cadeau’s defense and ankle tanking boosted cheers in the Dean Dome.
Unlike the recent ACC teams UNC faced, Wake Forest didn’t need physicality to keep pace. Instead, they matched their offensive output. The second half continued to about the guard play as Cadeau and Davis kept attacking Wake’s defense, slowly creating separation in the process.
What was a close game, quickly ballooned to a sizable lead in the Tar Heels favor mid-way through the second period after a 26-11 run. Wake Forest’s attempt at any runs was quickly squashed, as the home crowd gave UNC everything and more, pushing the Tar Heels to their ninth straight win.
Player of the Game
There’s no question Davis is the player of the game after another remarkable scoring output. Davis finished with a career-high 36 points while breaking Justin Jackson’s record for most consecutive games (16) with multiple three-pointers. Davis’s impressive outing echoes the belief that he should be in the running for player of the year.
What’s Next
UNC will enjoy a four-day break before their ACC road matchup against FSU on Saturday. The Tar Heels already claimed a victory over the Seminoles earlier in the season, winning 78-70 in Chapel Hill. FSU has shown to be beatable at their house with a 7-4 home record, giving UNC a good chance at extending their win streak to 10 games.
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