Key Players and Their Performances

R.J. Davis led the way with an outstanding 30 points. His three-pointer with 1:52 to go gave UNC an 85-84 lead, which was their first of the second half. Seth Trimble also had a significant impact, adding 27 points on 10-14 shooting from the floor and 10-11 shooting from the free throw line. Overall, Carolina finished 27-34 from the foul line, compared to 12-15 for Dayton.

Elliot Cadeau was the only other Tar Heel to finish in double figures, scoring 10 points despite being saddled with four fouls early in the second half. Powell and Ian Jackson combined for 11 points off the bench, providing valuable support.

The First Half: Dayton's Dominance

The Flyers had their way with the Tar Heels early in the game. Using a 31-13 run, they turned a 20-20 tie into a 51-33 lead in the final nine minutes of the first half. Dayton shot 51 percent from the floor and made seven threes in the half, taking advantage of several UNC miscues. UNC turned the ball over 12 times in the first half alone, more than it had in the entire previous game against Hawai’i.

The 18-point halftime deficit was UNC’s largest since the 2022-23 season. It grew to 21 points at 56-35 early in the second half, making it seem like an almost impossible task to come back.

The Second Half: A Comeback in Progress

But the Tar Heels didn't give up. Buckets from Elliot Cadeau, Davis and Trimble steadily chipped away at the seemingly insurmountable lead. The Flyer advantage dipped under 10 points midway through the half on a three from Davis, and the game stayed tight the rest of the way.

Dayton held a 78-71 lead with 5:25 to go when UNC made its most consequential move. Jalen Washington converted a key and-1 opportunity, scoring all nine of his points in the second half. Free throws from Davis and Trimble got UNC to within 84-82 before Davis’ three put Carolina in front.

Dayton’s Malachi Smith answered with a three of his own, but freshman Drake Powell knocked in the biggest bucket of his young career to give Carolina the lead once again at 88-87. After Davis made two more free throws, the Flyers’ Nate Santos appeared to tie the game with a three with six seconds remaining, but replay review showed his toe touching the line, meaning the basket was a two-pointer. Two more Davis free throws gave UNC its three-point lead back at 92-89, and the Flyers couldn’t piece together a miracle in the final seconds.

Second-Half Statistics and Team Performance

UNC shot 19-32 (59.4 percent) from the floor in the second half after posting a 9-22 clip in the first. The Tar Heels also turned the ball over just three times in the half following their sloppy showing in the opening 20 minutes. Trimble led all players with 10 rebounds to register a double-double.

Upcoming Match: Against No. 4 Auburn

Carolina will be back in action when it faces No. 4 Auburn in the tournament’s second round on Tuesday night at 11 p.m. Fans will be eager to see if the Tar Heels can continue their winning streak and build on this remarkable comeback.