CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In an impressive display of skill, RJ Davis led North Carolina on Wednesday night with 21 points as they dominated their in-state adversary, N.C. State, winning the game 97-73. Seth Davis also contributed significantly, scoring 15 points on an efficient shooting performance of 6-of-9 from the field.

In terms of further contributions, Ven-Allen Lubin added 13 points, while Ian Jackson chipped in with 12 for North Carolina, which now holds a record of 16-11 and 9-6 in the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). The game started off favorably for the Tar Heels. Just a little over four minutes in, Drake Powell’s layup would establish a lead that they would never relinquish, initiating a 10-0 scoring run. This surge expanded the lead to 16-6 within three minutes.

Despite Trey Parker’s efforts at the line for N.C. State, scoring two free throws, Seth Trimble quickly responded with a jumper of his own. The momentum continued for North Carolina as both Jackson and Jae’Lyn Withers made successful 3-point shots in a strong 12-2 drive, increasing the lead to 18 points midway through the first period. Overall, the Tar Heels exhibited a remarkable shooting performance, hitting 57% of their shots (35 of 61) and controlling the boards with a dominating 40-21 rebound advantage, maintaining a double-digit lead for the last 33 minutes of play.

N.C. State’s top scorer was Jayden Taylor, who put up 19 points, while Dontrez Styles ramped in 18 points on a solid 7-of-10 shooting night. Paul McNeil Jr. also made an impact, successfully netting 14 points off 5-of-8 shooting in just 14 minutes of court time. In contrast, Marcus Hill Jr., who has led the Wolfpack this season with an average of 12.8 points per game, struggled significantly and recorded a season-low of just two points.

Davis, despite his lower shooting efficiency, making only 6 of 18 attempts and a mere 1 of 8 from 3-point territory, made a mark at the free-throw line, hitting all 8 attempts. The loss continues to haunt N.C. State, as they have now dropped 10 of their past 11 games, following their previous win against Boston College (70-62).

The Tar Heels have displayed dominance at home against N.C. State, boasting a streak of seven consecutive victories at the Dean E. Smith Center, and they hold an all-time record of 168-81 against their rival. Looking ahead, North Carolina is set to face Virginia at home on Saturday while N.C. State will also play that day, with Wake Forest coming to visit.