All Tar Heels

UNC Basketball: RJ Davis Battling Former Tar Heel for National Award

UNC basketball's RJ Davis and Arizona's Caleb Love are arguably the top two contenders for the Jerry West Award.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports
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On Tuesday night, UNC basketball star RJ Davis boosted his standing for ACC Player of the Year and various national honors. The 6-foot guard tallied 22 points and six assists, shooting 4-for-6 beyond the arc, to lead the No. 7 Tar Heels (24-6, 16-3 ACC) to an 84-51 home win over unranked Notre Dame (12-18, 7-12 ACC) on his Senior Night.

Hours earlier, Davis landed among the five finalists that the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced for the prestigious Jerry West Award, presented annually to the premier Division I shooting guard.

The other four players remaining in the race are Kansas' Kevin McCullar Jr., Kentucky's Antonio Reeves, Michigan State's Tyson Walker, and RJ Davis' former Tar Heel teammate in Arizona senior Caleb Love.

Davis and Love, perhaps the two frontrunners for the distinction, arrived together in Chapel Hill as part of the celebrated 2020 UNC basketball recruiting class.

Four years later, the 6-foot-4 Love, a former five-star prep who transferred to the Wildcats following his third season with the Tar Heels, is averaging 19.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.5 assists for No. 5 Arizona (23-6, 14-4 ACC). And Davis, a former four-star, is putting up 21.5 points, 3.8 boards, and 3.5 dimes per game.

Neither has missed a single outing for their respective teams.

NEXT UNC BASKETBALL GAME: at No. 9 Duke (24-6, 15-4 ACC), 6:30 p.m. ET Saturday (ESPN)

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Hubert Davis Reacts to Questions About UNC Senior's Future

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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