The UNC men’s basketball team had little trouble with Charleston Southern Friday night in the Smith Center, cruising past the Buccaneers 105-60 in the regular-season non-conference finale. The Tar Heels still have not lost a non-conference home game under head coach Hubert Davis.
𝐇𝐄𝐄𝐋𝐒 𝐖𝐈𝐍.#CarolinaFamily | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/1zNbDDtCnx
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) December 30, 2023
Senior guard R.J. Davis continued to perform at an All-American level, posting his fifth career double-double with 20 points, 10 assists, five steals and zero turnovers. He’s the first Tar Heel ever to post such a stat line.
“I’m lost for words,” Davis said. “A lot of players have come through this program. A lot of big-time players. For me to be the first to ever do it is truly a blessing. I’m honored.”
Friday was also Davis’ eighth straight game scoring at least 20 points and his best career assist-to-turnover ratio in a single game.
“I’m a firm believer in the way you practice is the way you play,” said Davis. “I had a great three practices [leading] up to today’s game.”
Davis was one of six Tar Heels to reach double figures on the night. Armando Bacot, Seth Trimble, Harrison Ingram, Elliot Cadeau and Jalen Washington each also scored 10 or more points. Washington set a new career high by pouring in 17 on 7-9 shooting in just 16 minutes off the bench. As a team, Carolina scored 43 bench points, compared to just six for the Buccaneers.
“It put the biggest smile on my face,” Trimble said of Washington’s performance. “To see him be able to play his game, and see how efficient he was, it was really impressive… as his best friend, as his roommate, as his teammate, I was super proud to see that.”
“The guys that play, those are the minutes they have earned through their preparation and through their practice,” said head coach Hubert Davis. “It’s great that you can have… those guys come off the bench and give you such positive play on both ends of the floor. That’s something that is gonna be needed heading into conference season.”
UNC was at its most efficient Friday, dishing out a season-high 20 assists against a season-low five turnovers. No Tar Heels multiple assists. Carolina shot 41-73 (56.2 percent) from the floor and 21-34 (61.8 percent) in the second half. It’s the first time since the season opener against Radford the Tar Heels have shot better 50 percent in a game.
The game was the first in the Smith Center since the death of Eric Montross earlier in December. The team continued to wear warm-up shirts bearing Montross’ name and No. 00 before tip-off, and the arena held a moment of silence in honor of Montross.
Next, Carolina will begin ACC play in earnest on January 2 when it visits Pittsburgh, where the Tar Heels lost last year. It will be UNC’s first true road game of the season, and it begins a streak of three consecutive road contests. UNC won’t be back home again until January 13.
“I think we’re very ready. Guys are hungry,” Trimble said of the road ahead. “We know that this three-game stretch coming up is very important.”
Featured image via Todd Melet
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