CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Will Richard led the way with 22 points, while Alijah Martin contributed 19 as the seventh-ranked Florida Gators secured a 90-84 victory against North Carolina in the Jumpman Invitational on Tuesday night, maintaining their perfect season record.
R.J. Davis was a standout for the Tar Heels, scoring 29 points and grabbing eight rebounds. North Carolina, which is currently 6-5, managed to claw back from a significant 17-point deficit in the first half and even took a four-point lead late in the second half.
Florida jumped to an early 35-17 lead, hitting 6 of 12 from beyond the arc, while the Tar Heels struggled, missing their initial 11 three-point attempts. However, they managed to close the gap to 12 points by halftime and ignited the second half with an 11-0 run, applying intense defensive pressure that forced turnovers and led to easy scoring opportunities. The Tar Heels managed to seize the lead at 70-68 when Seth Trimble intercepted a pass and converted it into a layup with just under eight minutes remaining.
Despite the Tar Heels’ strong comeback effort, the Gators held their ground in the closing moments. Richard’s crucial putback after an offensive rebound with 54 seconds left set the stage for Florida’s victory.
Takeaways from the game include Florida’s composure; despite their 11 of 32 performance from three-point range, they stayed calm through the Tar Heels’ resurgence. For North Carolina, the team’s height disadvantage remains a concern; however, they countered this issue by ramping up their defensive intensity in the second half.
A pivotal moment came when North Carolina found itself down by two points, but Davis missed a clear three-point opportunity. In the following possession, Florida grabbed the rebound, and Thomas Haugh successfully hit two free throws with just 7.9 seconds on the clock, sealing the game for the Gators.
Statistically, Florida dominated the boards, out-rebounding North Carolina 46-36.
Looking ahead, both teams will play again on Saturday, with Florida set to face North Florida while North Carolina will go up against No. 21 UCLA.