UNC basketball started its Hawaii trip with an 87-69 road win against the Rainbow Warriors, but the 10th-ranked Tar Heels have some concerns ahead of the Maui Invitational.
UNC (3-1) saw its guard trio of RJ Davis, Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble combine for 48 points. But the Tar Heels have to be better at rebounding and defending the post if they want to make a championship run Thanksgiving week in Lahaina, starting with undefeated Dayton (5-0) on Monday (11:30 p.m., ESPN2).
In the first half against previously-unbeaten Hawaii (4-1), UNC allowed 10 offensive rebounds and 12 second-chance points. That’s the most UNC has allowed in a game this season.
The Rainbow Warriors were plus-9 on the boards in the first half and had a 20-18 advantage on points in the paint, including eight layups. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Hawaii won the rebounding battle (40-27) and had a 14-5 edge in second-chance points on 15 offensive boards.
Carolina has to tighten things up in those areas before facing a Maui field that features a trip of top-five teams, including two-time reigning national champion UConn (4-0).
Here are other observations from UNC’s win at Hawaii.
UNC basketball’s RJ Davis shakes shooting struggles vs Hawaii
In the first three games of his fifth season, UNC guard RJ Davis shot 31.9% from the floor, including 20% from 3-point range. Davis shook off that slow start with a more efficient showing at Hawaii, scoring 18 points on 6-of-14 shooting. He also had four assists and three rebounds.
Elliot Cadeau, Seth Trimble assists and steals rev up Tar Heels
Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble, Davis’ backcourt mates, aided their fifth-year leader by getting the Tar Heels going in transition with their activity on the defensive end. UNC had 19 fast-break points, eight steals and 16 assists against Hawaii. Cadeau had 17 points, four assists and two steals. Trimble added 13 points, four assists, three rebounds and two steals.
UNC remains elite at getting to free-throw line
After finishing 13-of-16 from the free-throw line in its opener against Elon, UNC has made a concerted effort to pound the paint in an effort to get more opportunities at the charity stripe. The Tar Heels have attempted at least 30 free throws in each of their last three games, making at least 24 freebies each time. Against the Rainbow Warriors, UNC was 26-for-34 on free throws. Nine Tar Heels went to the line against Hawaii, led by Trimble, who made six of his seven attempts.
Rodd Baxley covers Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding those teams? Send them to rbaxley@fayobserver.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: RJ Davis, UNC basketball beat Hawaii ahead of Maui Invitational
