Davis Heard the Chants, Will Wait on Making a Decision

CHAPEL HILL – Whether or not Tuesday night was the last time RJ Davis will ever play basketball in the Smith Center remains to be seen. And if he knows anything, he isn’t letting on.

Davis and the Tar Heels closed out the home portion of their schedule with an 84-51 win over Notre Dame, and with him being a senior, it would typically be his final game inside the massive hoops hall. But Davis can use his Covid year and return for another season.

Maybe that is why he didn’t cry when taking part in Senior Night ceremonies, even though shedding tears is often a part of this ritual.

“Nah, it felt weird because I usually cry; I cried for everybody else on senior night,” Davis said after the game, in which he scored 22 points. “But for me, I was more like just cheering and happy. It’ll probably hit me once I get back into my locker and just sit down and think about it.”

Having the option to return yet taking part in Senior Night is certainly different from the pre-Covid world of college hoops. Leaky Black went through the senior stuff two years ago but returned last season. Armando Bacot went through it a year ago, and truly played his final game at the Dean Dome on Wednesday night.

So just maybe the door still being open kept the 6-foot native of White Plains, NY, from unleashing his emotions. There was nothing conclusive about Tuesday night.

“Yeah, but I’m not really an emotional person I don’t think,” he said. “The last time I think I was really emotional was the national championship.”

Carolina lost to Kansas in the national title game two years ago after leading by 15 points at halftime. The goal for Davis and his teammates is to get back there and cut down the nets this time. With at least a co-ACC regular season title now secured, and a chance at a No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCAA Tournament, Davis’ decision could depend on how the next few weeks play out.

Or maybe not.

He certainly knows what the fans want. “One more year” chants serenaded Davis multiple times on the night, and he definitely heard them.

“I love our fans, I love the students here,” Davis said. “Throughout the whole year, they’ve showed a lot of love for me, and I saw the ‘one more year (signs).’”

Not in the stands showering her boyfriend with pleas to come back was Deja Kelly, a star on the UNC women’s team, who was already in Greensboro getting ready for the women’s ACC Tournament this week.

But, if she was in the stands, would Kelly have been a part of the chorus?

“Yeah, for sure,” Davis said, smiling.

A senior, Kelly can also use her Covid year and return.

“She has one more year, too,” he said, still smiling.

As for when Davis makes a decision isn’t known at this time. He gave no appearance of simply fending off the question, he said the same thing he has over the last week when the question has come up.

Included is the timeline for when he’ll decide.

“I don’t know, I don’t have a time table,” Davis said. “Gonna finish out this year, go into the ACC Tournament, do well in March Madness, and then see how everything else plays out.”

UNC fans are hoping it plays out that the ACC’s leading scorer gives Chapel Hill one more year.