R.J. Davis, Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble combined for 48 of Carolina’s 87 points at Hawai’i on Friday night, as the Tar Heels fought off the Rainbow Warriors 87-69. UNC will stay on the islands for the Maui Invitational next week.

Davis led all scorers with 18 points. In the process, the reigning ACC Player of the Year passed UNC legend Sam Perkins to move into fourth place on the school’s all-time scoring list. While Davis did much of his scoring in the first half, Cadeau and Trimble combined for 23 in the second, helping Carolina push a seven-point halftime lead to as large as 21 late in the game.

Though UNC led for the entire night, Hawai’i had gotten as close as 35-32 late in the first half. The Tar Heels answered with three-pointers from Davis and Ian Jackson, then opened the second half on an 11-2 run to push their lead firmly into double digits. Jackson scored 11 points off the bench after missing UNC’s previous game against American last week.

Hawai’i dominated on the glass, finishing the night with a 40-27 rebounding advantage. Two Rainbow Warriors finished with 10 rebounds, while no Tar Heel had more than five. Hawai’i outscored UNC 14-5 in second-chance points.

Carolina, meanwhile, held decisive advantages in fast-break points (19-1) and points in the paint (44-26). UNC forced 13 Hawai’i turnovers, which led to 17 Tar Heel points.

UNC has now scored 80 or more points in each of its first four games, something the team hasn’t done since the 2021-22 season. The Tar Heels are also unbeaten in six all-time meetings against Hawai’i, including a similar game in the Warriors’ arena during the 2016-17 season, when UNC went on to win the Maui Invitational and the national championship.

Carolina is now 3-1 on the young season. The Tar Heels will be back in action in the Hawai’ian islands when it faces Dayton in the first game of the Maui Invitational on Monday night at 11:30 p.m.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Charlie Riedel

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
UNC's Drake Powell Declares for NBA Draft
UNC freshman wing Drake Powell has declared for the 2025 NBA Draft. Powell made the announcement on his Instagram page Wednesday afternoon. View this post on Instagram A post shared by D R I Z Z Y (@drakepoww) While playing at Pittsboro’s Northwood High School, Powell became a five-star prospect across all major recruiting services. […]
Here's a List of Who is Transferring Out of the UNC Men's Basketball Program (2025)
The college basketball transfer portal opened March 24, and several Tar Heels have entered their names in. Here’s a list of which players have expressed their intention to leave Chapel Hill this offseason: F Ven-Allen Lubin Lubin announced his entry into the portal April 21, but with a catch: the big man said his “full […]
Seth Trimble Confirms His Return for A Senior Season With UNC Men's Basketball
Guard Seth Trimble posted on Instagram with the UNC men's basketball account Tuesday confirming he is planning to play a fourth season in Carolina blue.
'We've Got to Get Bigger': Highlights from Hubert Davis' Final Radio Show of the Season
UNC men’s basketball head coach Hubert Davis recorded his final radio show of the season Wednesday night. Davis addressed multiple topics during the hour-long broadcast, including next steps for his program, goals in the transfer portal and his recruiting process during the offseason. Here are some of Davis’ comments, which have been lightly edited for […]
Chansky's Notebook: Just Too Small
UNC head coach Hubert Davis and new general manager Jim Turner need to turn over the roster again to return the Tar Heels to relevance.
UNC's Season-Ending Loss Showed the Tar Heels' Identity, For Better And For Worse
UNC ended the season much the same way it began it: consistently inconsistent, and falling a few plays short of a signature win.
Ole Miss Holds Off Comeback, Ends UNC Men's Basketball's Season in NCAA 1st Round
Chapelboro.com’s coverage of UNC in the NCAA Tournament is proudly presented by Town Hall Grill in Southern Village, and High & Rubish Insurance Agency. UNC fell behind early and never recovered against No. 6 seed Ole Miss in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Friday afternoon in Milwaukee, falling to the Rebels 71-64. The Tar Heels’ […]
Chansky's Notebook: Dour Dancing
The ACC needs more than one team to advance into the second round, or it would underscore criticism of the underperforming conference.
The UNC Fan's Travel Guide to Milwaukee
Chapelboro.com’s coverage of UNC in the NCAA Tournament is proudly presented by Town Hall Grill in Southern Village, and High & Rubish Insurance Agency. UNC men’s basketball fans have flocked to Milwaukee to support the Tar Heels in the first and second rounds of the NCAA Tournament this weekend. It’s a rare trip to Wisconsin for the […]
UNC Men's Basketball NCAA Tournament Opponent Breakdown: Ole Miss
Chapelboro.com’s coverage of UNC in the NCAA Tournament is proudly presented by Town Hall Grill in Southern Village, and High & Rubish Insurance Agency. After beating San Diego State in the First Four Tuesday night in Dayton, Carolina is moving on to the Round of 64 in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels will face No. […]
›