Overshadowed by the loss, UNC basketball’s RJ Davis continues to make program history

R.J. Davis is putting together quite the resume for ACC and National Player of the Year.

The UNC basketball star is currently averaging 21.3 points per game this season to go along with 3.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds and shooting 41% from three-point range. Davis’ great play has been consistent since he arrived on campus, which was evident when he made some program history on Tuesday night. 

Unfortunately the main focus after the battle against Clemson on Tuesday was the upset the Tigers pulled off in the Smith Center. After losing two of the last three contests and the ACC regular season race tightening up, it can be difficult to identify any positives.

However, Davis deserves some recognition for quite the accomplishment.

Davis entered the game with 1,767 career points, just 16 points behind Tar Heel legend Michael Jordan. He got off to a slow start, only scoring six points prior to halftime, but came alive in the second half. He put up 16 points in the final twenty minutes and passed Jordan on North Carolina's all-time scoring list by sinking a free throw. He finished with 22 points on the night, totaling his career points to 1,794. 

It is worth noting that Michael Jordan scored 1,788 career points in just three seasons, while Davis is currently in his fourth season at North Carolina. However, anytime you pass Michael Jordan on any list, regardless of how long it took, that is an impressive feat. 

After jumping Jordan, R.J. Davis now sits at No. 15 on the UNC basketball program's all-time scoring list. Davis still has a COVID year if he chooses to return to Chapel Hill for a fifth season. There has already been some speculation that will be the case. If it is, Davis will continue to climb the list and could find himself within the top 10 scorers in North Carolina basketball history.