TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — RJ Davis sparked a scoring surge with 20 points, while Seth Trimble contributed an impactful 17 points off the bench, guiding North Carolina to a confident 96-85 win over Florida State on Monday night.
Davis was efficient, hitting 5 of his 9 attempts, including three 3-pointers, and showing accuracy with 7 of 8 from the free-throw line. This victory marks the Tar Heels’ fourth consecutive win, bringing their record to 18-11 overall and 11-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference. They are now just a half-game behind Wake Forest and SMU, contending for fourth place, which grants a bye into the tournament’s third round. Trimble’s impressive shooting included 6-for-10 from the field and a pair of 3-pointers.
Jae’Lyn Withers chipped in 11 points, while Elliot Cadeau, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Jalen Washington—all added 10 to the score. Cadeau also contributed by dishing out seven assists, and Lubin was strong on the boards with seven rebounds.
Jamir Watkins was a notable performer for Florida State, leading the team with 26 points. Despite his efforts, the Seminoles fell to ninth place, trailing Pittsburgh by a half-game. The top nine teams are rewarded with first-round byes.
In the first half, North Carolina showcased a balanced attack with nine different players contributing, allowing them to establish a 49-43 lead at halftime with both Davis and Washington notching seven points in this period. Watkins had already scored 18 points for the Seminoles by halftime.
Drake Powell’s layup shortly after the second half began opened up a double-digit lead for the Tar Heels at 55-45. Davis and Cadeau then nailed consecutive 3-pointers, expanding North Carolina’s lead to 61-47 shortly after the half commenced.
The Seminoles managed to narrow the gap to six points on three occasions, finally closing in at 72-66 with a tip-in from Christian Nitu with just under 10 minutes remaining. However, Davis responded with a critical 3-pointer and subsequently led a 15-5 run, pushing North Carolina’s lead to 87-71.
Next up, North Carolina will host Miami, while Florida State faces a challenging matchup at No. 2 Duke on Saturday. Each team has three games left in their regular season schedule.
