Davis Named ACC Player of the Week; Also Earns National Honors
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina senior guard RJ Davis earned Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Basketball Player of the Week honors for the third time this season, while Duke guard Jared McCain was selected as ACC Rookie of the Week.
ACC men’s basketball weekly honors are determined by a vote of a 15-member media panel and announced on Mondays throughout the regular season.
Davis averaged 30.0 points per game in North Carolina’s wins over Wake Forest and Florida State. A native of White Plains, New York, Davis hit 23-of-41 (56.1%) from the field, 6-of-16 (37.5%) from behind the arc and 8-of-10 at the free-throw line. He scored a career-high 36 points in the Monday win over Wake Forest, the most by any player in an ACC game since Syracuse’s Cole Swider had 36 versus UNC on Feb. 28, 2022, and the most by a Tar Heel since Brice Johnson had 39 at Florida State on Jan. 4, 2016.
Twenty-three of his points came in the second half as UNC rallied from a halftime deficit. Davis became the first Tar Heel to score 30 or more points and have zero turnovers since Justin Jackson against Kentucky on Dec. 17, 2016. At Florida State, Davis scored 14 of his game-high 24 points in the second half as UNC rallied from a 41-36 deficit to beat the Seminoles, 75-68. Davis hit a twisting shot in the lane with 44 seconds to play to give UNC a four-point lead and iced the win with three free throws in the final 29 seconds.
McCain averaged 15.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals in wins over Louisville and Clemson. The Sacramento, California, native shot 11-of-21 (52.4%) from the field, 5-of-12 (41.7%) from behind the arc and 4-of-4 from the free-throw line. He scored a game-high 21 points on 8-of-12 shooting from the floor, including 3-of-7 from long distance, on Saturday against Clemson, while adding five boards, three steals and two assists. With 2:03 remaining in the contest and Clemson holding a four-point advantage, McCain registered steals on three consecutive possessions to help Duke go on a 5-0 run and take the lead with 15 seconds left. In a road win at Louisville last Tuesday, McCain contributed 10 points, four rebounds and two steals.
2023-24 ACC Players of the Week
Nov. 13 – Armando Bacot, Gr., F/C, North Carolina
Nov. 20 – Quinten Post, Gr., F/C, Boston College
Nov. 27 – Jamir Watkins, R-Jr., F, Florida State; RJ Davis, Sr., G, North Carolina
Dec. 4 – PJ Hall, Sr., C, Clemson
Dec. 11 – Blake Hinson, Sr., F, Pitt
Dec. 18 – Kyle Filipowski, So., C, Duke
Dec. 26 – RJ Davis, Sr., G, North Carolina; Lynn Kidd, Sr., C, Virginia Tech
Jan. 2 – Quadir Copeland, So., G, Syracuse
Jan. 8 – Armando Bacot, Gr., F/C, North Carolina; Kevin “Boopie” Miller, So., G, Wake orest
Jan. 15 – Sean Pedulla, Jr., G, Virginia Tech
Jan. 22 – Reece Beekman, Sr., G, Virginia
Jan. 29 – RJ Davis, Sr., G, North Carolina
2023-24 ACC Rookies of the Week
Nov. 13 – Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt
Nov. 20 – Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt
Nov. 27 – Dennis Parker Jr., G, NC State
Dec. 4 – Baye Ndongo, F, Georgia Tech
Dec. 11 – Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt
Dec. 18 – Baye Ndongo, F, Georgia Tech
Dec. 26 – Baye Ndongo, F, Georgia Tech
Jan. 2 – Markus Burton, G, Notre Dame
Jan. 8 – Carlton Carrington, G, Pitt
Jan. 15 – Braeden Shrewsberry, G, Notre Dame
Jan. 22 – Jaland Lowe, G, Pitt
Jan. 29 – Jared McCain, G, Duke
