UNC basketball began its trip to Hawaii with an 87-69 road victory over the Rainbow Warriors, but the 10th-ranked Tar Heels have some concerns heading into the Maui Invitational.
UNC (3-1) saw its guard trio of RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble combine for 48 points. But the Tar Heels need to be better at rebounding and defending the post if they want to win a championship Thanksgiving week in Lahaina, starting with undefeated Dayton (5-0) on Monday (11:30 p.m., ESPN2).
In the first half against undefeated Hawaii (4-1), UNC allowed 10 offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points. That’s the most UNC has allowed in a game this season.
The Rainbow Warriors were +9 on rebounds in the first half and had a 20-18 advantage in points in the paint, including eight layups. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Hawaii won the rebounding battle (40-27) and had a 14-5 advantage in second-chance points on 15 offensive rebounds.
Carolina needs to tighten things up in those areas before facing a Maui field that features a trip of top five teams, including two-time defending national champion UConn (4-0).
Here are some other observations from UNC’s win in Hawaii.
UNC Basketball’s RJ Davis shakes off shooting struggles against Hawaii
In the first three games of his fifth season, UNC guard RJ Davis shot 31.9 percent from the floor, including 20 percent from 3-point range. Davis overcame that slow start with a more efficient performance in Hawaii, scoring 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He also had four assists and three rebounds.
Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble assist and steal the Tar Heels
Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble, Davis’ backcourt teammates, helped their fifth-year leader by starting the Tar Heels in transition with their activity on the defensive end. UNC had 19 fast break points, eight steals and 16 assists against Hawaii. Cadeau had 17 points, four assists and two steals. Trimble added 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
UNC remains elite at getting to the free throw line
After finishing 13 of 16 from the free throw line in its opener against Elon, UNC made a concerted effort to pound the paint for more opportunities at the charity stripe. The Tar Heels have attempted at least 30 free throws in each of their last three games, making at least 24 free throws each time. Against the Rainbow Warriors, UNC made 26 of 34 on free throws. Nine Tar Heels went to the line against Hawaii, led by Trimble, who made six of his seven attempts.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and NC State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Do you have questions about these teams? Send them to [email protected].
This article was originally published on The Fayetteville Observer: RJ Davis and UNC basketball defeat Hawaii ahead of Maui Invitational
