North Carolina found itself trailing red-hot Dayton by 21 points with less than 18 minutes to play Monday night in the opening round of the Maui Invitational.
But instead of continuing to play poorly, the 12th-ranked Tar Heels regrouped and followed the lead of guards RJ Davis and Seth Trimble in roaring back to defeat the Flyers, 92-90, in what is the second largest comeback win in UNC’s fabled history.
Davis led the scoring with 30 points, including hitting 4-for-10 from the perimeter. Twenty of his points came in the second half and he also handed out 5 assists and pulled down 7 rebounds. Trimble netted a career-high 27 points while grabbing a career-high 10 rebounds. 3 of which were offensive in the second half and directly led to 7 points.
The rest of the Tar Heels scored 37 points. Carolina trailed 26-21 on the backboards early in the second half, but ended up outrebounding the Flyers 16-9 for the remainder of the game and finished with a 37-35 advantage.
UNC improved to 4-1 while Dayton dropped to 5-1. The Tar Heels will face Auburn at 11:00 PM on Tuesday night with a trip in the championship game on the line. The fourth-ranked Tigers overcame an 18-point deficit to beat fifth-ranked Iowa State 83-81 to advance.
Here is how UNC’s win happened:
1st Half
TV TO – UNC 12, Dayton 8 with 15:22 left in the half
UNC 4-5 FGs (2-3 from 3)
*RJ 3 changed to a 2
Dayton 409 FGs (0-4 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 5-1
Cadeau 2 rebs, 1 assist, 1 block
Notes: RJ Davis hit a 3 to start the game but it was later ruled a 2. They may look at it again at halftime. Elliot Cadeau had a sequence when he blocked a shot at the rim on one end and penetrated before kicking to Seth Tribmle in the left corner for a three and a 9-8 lead. Trimble had two 3-pointers by the timeout.
TV TO – Dayton 17, UNC 16 with 11:52 left in the half
Dayton that segment 9-6
UNC 6-10 FGs (2-5 from 3)
Dayton 7-17 FGs (1-8 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 9-4
Assists – Dayton 4-2
TOs – UNC 8-1
Pts off TOs – Dayton 8-0
Pts in paint – Dayton 12-6
Fast break pts – Dayton 6-4
Notes: Cadeau with 4 turnovers already and the Tar Heels again having trouble in the paint. Trimble with 8 points. James Brown entered at the 12:37 mark. Washington checked out at 17:34 and has not re-entered.
TV TO – Dayton 26, UNC 22 with 7:36 left in the half
Dayton 9-6 in that segment
UNC 7-16 FGs (2-8 from 3)
Dayton 10-22 FGs (3-10 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 13-7 (2-0 OR)
Pts in paint – Dayton 14-8
2nd chance pts – UNC 4-0
Steals – Dayton 5-1
Washington checked out at 17:34 and re-entered at 9:38
Notes: Sloppy play by the Tar Heels and allowing too many open looks on defense. Heels not closing out on shooters.
TV TO – Dayton 42, UNC 28 with 3:53 left in the half
Dayton 16-6 in that segment
UNC 8-19 FGs (2-9 from 3)
Dayton 15-28 FGs (6-14 from 3)
Rebs – UNC 14-11 (2-1 OR)
Fast break pts – Dayton 11-4
AGAIN – fast break pts – Dayton 11-4
Dayton has 19 points in the last 3:25
Notes: UNC not closing out on shooters, not rotating at all defensively, turnovers allowing the Flyers to get into transition. Trimble now with 2 fouls.
Final Segment:
Dayton 9-5 in the segment.
Notes: Flyers scored 28 points over the final 7:27 of the half. They were 12-for-18 to close the half and at one point sank six consecutive shots from the field in a span of 3:08 and four of them were 3-pointers. UNC’s offensive approach was rag-tag, dribble drive and guards falling to the ground. Not sure what the offensive directive has been so far. Also note that UNC trailed by 20 points in the first half at Kansas and by as many as 19 in the first half in this game.
2nd Half
TV TO – Dayton 58, UNC 41 with 15:16 left
*Cadeau 4 fouls
*Cadeau 6 turnovers
*UNC led 13-7 in rebounds but it’s 19-8 Dayton since
*Davis 3-for-9 from the field, 0-for-3 from 3
*UNC 4 assists & 13 turnovers
*Dayton 19 points off turnovers
*Pts in the paint: Dayton 24-18
*Bench pts – Dayton 28-4
*UNC 7 for last 26 from the floor
Notes: The stats above tell the story.
TV TO – Dayton 62, UNC 49 with 11:49 ;eft
This half…
UNC 6-15 FGs (2-5 from 3)
Dayton 4-16 FGs (2-4 from 3)
Rebs – Dayton 11-9
Game…
UNC 15-37 FGs (4-16 from 3)
Dayton 23-53 FGs (9-22 from 3)
Rebs – Dayton 28-26 (9-6 OR)
2nd chance pts – UNC 13-8
Assists – Dayton 14-6
TOs – UNC 14-7
Pts off TOs – Dayton 21-6
Notes: Carolina’s defensive effort has been better this half and several shots have been challenged. Washington has also been much more active on the backboards and around the basket. As bad as it’s been UNC is still within range to get a win.
TV TO – Dayton 81, UNC 78 with 3:48 left
This half…
UNC 17-29 FGs (5-9 from 3)
Dayton 10-30 FGs (5-9 from 3)
Game…
Pts in paint – UNC 36-32
Fast break pts – UNC 15-11
Rebounds – Dayton 34-31 (13-7 OR)
2nd chance pts – 16-16
Trimble career-high 25 points
Davis 21 points
Notes: Trimble was the best player on the floor for the last couple of segments. He had two offensive rebounds leading to his scores, once drawing a foul with him hitting the free throw. He scored in transition twice drawing fouls and hit the free throws. Davis hit a key three, and Washington had a conventional three-point play and a couple of big boards.
Final Segment:
-UNC 14, Dayton 9
-Davis 2-for-2 on FTs making it 81-80 Dayton
-JWash FTs – 0-2 (still 81-80 Dayton)
-Dayton a 3 – 84-80
-Trimble gets his third offensive board of the half, is fouled and makes both FTs – 84-82
Note: At this point, Dayton is 5-for-22 inside the arc this half but is 6-for-10 from beyond the arc
-Davis hits a step back 3 – 85-84 UNC with 1:52 left
-Dayton another 3 – 87-85 with 1:36 left
-Powell a 3 from Davis kickout from the baseline – 88-87 1:13 left
***Inbound in backcourt with 7 seconds left on the shot clock, Davis with an offensive foul lowering his left shoulder with 27.8 seconds left and UNC leading 88-87. Davis’ 4th foul as well
------Dayton ball --- Flyers miss a 3 from the right wing, Davis rebounds and is fouled with 14.2 seconds left. His two free throws are good making it 90-87
---Dayton ball – 3 from by Dayton’s Nate Santos from left corner was highly contested by Powell – BUT the officials looked the video and Santos’ foot was on the line. The refs reviewed it and determined it was a 2-point shot. So it was 90-89 instead of 90-90 with 6.1 seconds left.
Note: The heavy defense by Powell forced the quick release because Powell was closing hard.
-Davis was fouled in the backcourt and hit both FTs with 4.3 seconds left making it 92-89.
-Trimble fouled before midcourt with 2.0 seconds left. Dayton’s Malachi Smith made the first free throw and intentionally missed the second. But Trimble rebounded it ending the game.
