North Carolina continued its late-season surge Monday night, cruising to a 96-85 victory over Florida State behind RJ Davis’ 20 points and a strong bench performance from Seth Trimble, who added 17 points.
Davis led the Tar Heels (18-11, 11-6 ACC) by shooting 5-of-9 from the field, including three 3-pointers, while converting 7-of-8 free throws. Trimble provided a spark off the bench, hitting 6-of-10 shots, including two from beyond the arc.
The win marks North Carolina’s fourth straight victory, pulling the Tar Heels within a half-game of Wake Forest and SMU for fourth place in the ACC standings. The top four teams in the conference receive byes into the third round of the ACC Tournament, making every remaining game crucial.
North Carolina displayed impressive depth, with six players scoring in double figures. Jae’Lyn Withers contributed 11 points, while Elliot Cadeau, Ven-Allen Lubin, and Jalen Washington each added 10 points. Cadeau also dished out seven assists, and Lubin grabbed seven rebounds to help the Tar Heels control the game.
The Tar Heels built a 49-43 halftime lead, with Davis and Washington leading a balanced scoring effort. Nine different players contributed in the opening 20 minutes, keeping Florida State off balance.
Florida State (16-12, 7-10 ACC) was led by Jamir Watkins, who scored a game-high 26 points. However, his efforts weren’t enough to keep the Seminoles from dropping into ninth place in the conference standings, a half-game behind Pittsburgh. The top nine seeds earn first-round byes in the ACC Tournament, putting added pressure on Florida State heading into the final stretch of the regular season.
The Seminoles made a push in the second half, closing within six points on three occasions, the last coming when Christian Nitu’s tip-in cut North Carolina’s lead to 72-66 with 9:29 remaining. However, Davis responded with a clutch 3-pointer, sparking a 15-5 run that put the game out of reach at 87-71.
North Carolina will look to continue its momentum when it hosts Miami on Saturday, while Florida State faces a tough test on the road against No. 2 Duke. With just three games left in the regular season, both teams are jockeying for position ahead of the ACC Tournament.
