Davis' 25 points leads No. 3 North Carolina to 75-72 win over Miami

CORAL GABLES, Fla. — RJ Davis scored 25 points and No. 3 North Carolina held off Miami for a 75-72 victory on Saturday.

Armando Bacot had 10 points and 15 rebounds for the Tar Heels (19-5, 11-2 Atlantic Coast Conference) in their first game since an 80-76 home loss to Clemson on Tuesday. Elliot Cadeau scored 19 points, and Harrison Ingram finished with 13.

The Tar Heels took the lead for good with an 18-7 spurt to start the second half. Bacot’s layup made it 58-48 with 13:11 remaining.

Miami (15-9, 6-7) closed to 73-71 on Wooga Poplar’s layup with 1:10 left. Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan each made a foul shot to increase North Carolina’s lead to 75-71.

Bacot fouled Poplar with two seconds remaining. Poplar made the first free throw and deliberately missed the second for an offensive rebound opportunity. Officials ruled Miami committed a lane violation on Poplar’s attempt.

Norchard Omier and Nijel Pack each scored 20 points for the Hurricanes, who lost 60-38 loss at Virginia on Monday.

Omier and Pack each scored eight points during a 19-5 run late in the first half that erased an eight-point deficit. Pack’s jumper put the Hurricanes ahead 37-33 with 3:01 left.

Davis’ layup in the closing seconds of the half got North Carolina within one at the break.

Bacot set a Tar Heels record by playing in his 156th game, surpassing Leaky Black, who played between 2018 and 2023. The graduate senior also overtook Sam Perkins for third on school’s career points list with 2,149. He also tied Oscar Robertson and Michael Brooks for ninth most double-doubles in NCAA history with 79.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

The loss against Clemson likely will drop the Tar Heels from the No. 3 spot in the AP poll that they’ve held the past three weeks.

UP NEXT

North Carolina visits Syracuse on Tuesday.

Miami visits Clemson on Wednesday.

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