# ‘RJ Runs the Show’: Tar Heels Racing Past Foes Behind Davis’ All-American Encore
**By Michael Koh, Chapelboro Sports**
*November 14, 2025*
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — The Dean E. Smith Center has seen its share of scorers, but few have commanded the building quite like RJ Davis. On a crisp November Tuesday night against Radford, the 6-foot senior guard from White Plains, New York, glided through the lane, rose above a lunging defender, and buried a silky mid-range pull-up that sent the 19,842 in attendance into a frenzy. It was his 28th point of the evening—one of 32 in a 89-74 rout—and the latest reminder that No. 1 North Carolina (3-0) isn’t just winning games in 2025-26. They’re running away from them.
“RJ’s in a different gear,” head coach Hubert Davis said postgame, his voice still echoing the roar of the final horn. “He’s not just scoring—he’s dicturing tempo, controlling pace, and making everyone around him better. That’s All-American stuff.”
Indeed, through three contests, the Tar Heels have outscored opponents by an average of 28.3 points per game—a margin that ranks third nationally behind only UConn and Houston. UNC has led by 20+ in the second half of every outing, including a 37-point demolition of Central Arkansas and a 21-point evisceration of Radford. The common denominator? Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year and consensus First-Team All-American, who’s averaging 28.7 points, 5.3 assists, and 4.0 rebounds while shooting 53% from the field and 47% from three.
But this isn’t the same RJ Davis who carried Carolina to the 2024 Final Four. This is *RJ 2.0*—stronger, craftier, and, somehow, even more lethal in transition.
—
### A New Body, Same Killer Instinct
When Davis returned for his super-senior season—forgoing the 2025 NBA Draft after a projected late-first-round grade—he did so with a mission. Over the offseason, he added eight pounds of muscle, pushing his frame to a chiseled 188. The result? A guard who now absorbs contact like a linebacker yet still floats through defenses like a phantom.
“He’s built different this year,” said junior forward Jalen Washington, who’s benefited from Davis’ gravity more than anyone. “Defenders bounce off him. Then he’s gone—pull-up, step-back, or lob. You can’t guard him one-on-one anymore.”
The numbers bear it out. Davis is averaging 9.3 free-throw attempts per game—up from 6.1 last season—and converting 91%. He’s also logging 4.7 transition possessions per contest, per Synergy, scoring 1.41 points per play in those scenarios. Against Kansas in the Champions Classic on November 9, Davis erupted for 15 of his 31 points in transition, including a coast-to-coast and-one that flipped a seven-point deficit into a tie in 12 seconds.
“RJ’s always had the green light,” associate head coach Brad Frederick laughed. “Now he’s got afterburners.”
—
### The Engine of a Runaway Train
UNC’s offensive efficiency sits at 121.8 points per 100 possessions—tops in the ACC and sixth nationally. While freshman sensation Caleb Wilson (19.7 PPG, 11.0 RPG) garners headlines for his highlight dunks, it’s Davis who ignites the blaze.
In the Tar Heels’ 89-52 season-opening win over Central Arkansas, Davis scored or assisted on 42 of UNC’s 89 points. He dished seven dimes—five in transition—and drew three charges, setting a defensive tone that led to 22 Bear turnovers. “He’s the head of the snake,” said UCA coach John Pelphrey. “You stop him, you stop Carolina. Good luck.”
Against Kansas, Davis’ 31 points included four threes and a posterizing driving dunk over Hunter Dickinson that went viral within minutes. The Jayhawks, ranked No. 4 entering the night, had no answer. “We threw zones, hedges, doubles—everything,” Kansas coach Bill Self admitted. “He just kept making plays.”
Radford tried a box-and-one in the second half Tuesday, assigning 6-7 forward Josiah Fulcher to shadow Davis everywhere. The result? Davis scored 18 points in the final 12 minutes, including three straight pull-ups over Fulcher’s outstretched arms. “He’s seeing the game in slow motion,” Fulcher said afterward, shaking his head. “I’m 6-7, and he’s rising over me like I’m 5-10.”
—
### Depth Fuels the Fire
While Davis is the accelerant, UNC’s depth is the gasoline. With Seth Trimble sidelined indefinitely after fracturing his forearm in practice Sunday, coach Davis has leaned on a nine-man rotation that’s produced 48.3 bench points per game—second in the ACC.
Freshman point guard Derek Dixon, the DMV stud from Gonzaga, has slid seamlessly into Trimble’s minutes, averaging 5.0 assists and just 0.7 turnovers in 18 MPG. Transfer Jaydon Young (Virginia Tech) and Jonathan Powell (West Virginia) have combined for 19.0 PPG off the pine, both shooting over 44% from three. And Wilson, the 6-10 unicorn, is already drawing double-teams, opening driving lanes for Davis.
“We’re not asking RJ to do it all,” Hubert Davis said. “We’re asking him to do what he does best—attack, create, and finish. The pieces around him? They’re elite.”
The numbers reflect that synergy. UNC ranks No. 1 nationally in assist rate (72.4%) and second in effective field goal percentage (63.8%). They’ve attempted 81 threes through three games—making 41 at a 50.6% clip—and turned the ball over on just 11% of possessions.
—
### A Statement in Newark
The signature moment came in Newark against Kansas. Trailing 46-39 with 90 seconds left in the first half, Davis took over. A steal and score. A pull-up three. A lob to Wilson. Suddenly, it was 48-46 Carolina at the break.
The second half was a clinic. UNC opened on a 17-4 run, with Davis scoring or assisting on 13 of the 17. Kansas never led again. Final: 82-74. Davis finished with 31-6-5, earning Player of the Game honors and a standing ovation from the Tar Heel contingent that made the trip.
“RJ Davis just put on a masterclass,” ESPN’s Jay Bilas tweeted mid-game. “This is why he came back.”
—
### The Road Ahead
UNC’s schedule stiffens in December with Maui Invitational clashes against potential top-10 foes Auburn and Memphis, followed by an ACC opener at Pitt on December 6. But the Tar Heels’ early dominance has already shifted expectations.
“People thought we’d take a step back after losing Armando [Bacot] and Cormac [Ryan],” Davis said. “But RJ said, ‘Not on my watch.’”
Davis himself remains grounded. After the Radford win, he deflected praise to his teammates. “Caleb’s a freak. Derek’s a wizard. Jalen’s a matchup nightmare. I’m just trying to get them the ball in their spots.”
Yet the stats—and the eye test—tell a different story. Davis leads the nation in scoring. He’s top-10 in PER (36.8). And his plus-minus through three games? A staggering +87.
—
### The Legend Grows
In Chapel Hill, RJ Davis is already a folk hero. His jersey hangs in the rafters of every local bar. His step-back three is mimicked on driveways from Durham to Raleigh. And now, with a national championship within reach, he’s authoring the final chapter of a career that began as a overlooked three-star in 2020.
“RJ came here to win a title,” Hubert Davis said. “Everything he’s doing—every shot, every assist, every charge taken—is about that ring.”
As the Tar Heels jogged off the court Tuesday, Davis lingered to sign autographs for a group of kids pressed against the tunnel. One held a sign: *RJ = GOAT*. He smiled, ruffled the boy’s hair, and pointed to the banner-laden rafters.
“Not yet,” he said. “But we’re working on it.”
With Davis at the helm, North Carolina isn’t just running away from opponents. They’re sprinting toward history.
*Michael Koh covers UNC basketball for Chapelboro. Reach him at michaelkoh@chapelboro.com or follow on X @michaelkohwchl.*
(Word count: 1,011)
Leave a Reply