CHAPEL HILL – More gifted.
That was the go-to phrase for former UNC basketball coach Roy Williams when the Tar Heels would play an overmatched opponent.
That was the case Friday night as Hubert Davis’ squad ran away from Saint Augustine’s in a 117-53 exhibition victory at the Dean E. Smith Center. RJ Davis scored 17 of his game-high 22 points in the first six minutes.
Even in a scrimmage against a Division II program, No. 19 UNC can pull some positives from its performance that could help it rebound from a season that saw the program miss the NCAA Tournament.
In the Tar Heels’ 101-40 win against Johnson C. Smith last season, UNC shot 31.4% from 3-point range – making 11 of 35 shots from beyond the arc – and had 14 fast-break points.
On Friday, the Heels made 46% of their 3-pointers – draining 10 in the first half – and had 21 fast-break points in the first half. They also had 15 assists on 22 baskets in the first 20 minutes as they carried a 65-26 lead into the locker room.
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UNC opens the regular season Nov. 6 against Radford. Here are some observations from Friday’s exhibition game.
Armando Bacot, RJ Davis joined by newcomers in UNC basketball’s starting lineup
In its first public action against another team, UNC rolled with returning starters RJ Davis, Armando Bacot and three newcomers in Friday’s starting lineup. Notre Dame transfer Cormac Ryan, Stanford transfer Harrison Ingram and Brown transfer Paxson Wojcik joined Bacot and Davis to open the game.
Cormac Ryan injures ankle in first half
The one thing you don’t want to see in an exhibition game is an injury to a starter. Ryan rolled his left ankle in the final minute of the first half as he crossed the half-court line and didn’t return for the Tar Heels. He returned to the bench in the second half with ice wrapped around his ankle.
Elliot Cadeau comes off the bench for Tar Heels
Freshman point guard Elliot Cadeau, voted the preseason ACC Rookie of the Year at the ACC Tipoff, was the first Tar Heel off the bench. Four minutes into the game, Cadeau and fellow freshman Zayden High replaced Ingram and Wojcik. With Ryan injured, Cadeau started the second half. He finished with seven points and four assists.
Jae’Lyn Withers, Seth Trimble out with injuries
Sophomore guard Seth Trimble (lower body) and Louisville transfer Jae’Lyn Withers (upper body) were sidelined with injuries against St. Augustine’s. Withers, a graduate student, averaged 8.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in three seasons with the Cardinals. Trimble played in all 33 games as a freshman last season, averaging 1.8 points, 0.6 assists and 9.8 minutes per game.
Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at [email protected] or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.