The North Carolina Tar Heels clinch at least a share of the ACC regular-season title with a commanding 84-51 victory against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. RJ Davis leads the Tar Heels with 22 points and five assists, solidifying their position at the top of the ACC standings.
North Carolina Tar Heels Clinch Share of ACC Title with Dominant Win over Notre Dame
( Credit to: Reuters )
The North Carolina Tar Heels secured at least a share of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular-season title with a commanding 84-51 victory against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Tuesday night. The No. 7 Tar Heels now hold a one-game lead over second-place Duke as they head into their final regular-season game against the No. 9 Blue Devils in Durham, North Carolina.
RJ Davis, the leading scorer in the ACC, once again showcased his talent with a stellar performance in his final home game. Davis contributed 22 points and five assists to lead the Tar Heels to victory. Armando Bacot and Cormac Ryan also had impressive outings, scoring 14 points each. Harrison Ingram added a double-double with 11 points and 14 rebounds.
On the opposing side, Tae Davis was the only player for Notre Dame to reach double figures, finishing with 11 points. Markus Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry chipped in with nine points apiece. The Fighting Irish had won five of their previous six games but were unable to keep up with North Carolina's dominant performance.
In their lone regular-season matchup this year, the Tar Heels never trailed against Notre Dame. They pulled away in the final 10 minutes of the first half to establish a 41-25 lead at halftime. Although Burton briefly cut the deficit to two points for the Fighting Irish, North Carolina responded with an 8-0 run to take a 26-16 lead. From there, the Tar Heels maintained control of the game.
North Carolina continued to build on their lead in the second half, starting with a 16-0 run that extended their advantage to 57-25. Notre Dame struggled to mount a comeback and never got closer than 20 points for the remainder of the game.
The Tar Heels showcased their defensive prowess, holding Notre Dame to just 30.5 percent shooting from the field. In contrast, North Carolina made 45.1 percent of their field goal attempts.
With their share of the ACC regular-season title secured, the Tar Heels now turn their attention to their highly anticipated matchup against Duke. Both teams will be vying for the top spot in the conference as they battle it out in their regular-season finale.
The North Carolina Tar Heels have proven themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the ACC, and their dominant win over Notre Dame only solidifies their status as one of the top teams in the conference. As the regular season comes to a close, all eyes will be on the Tar Heels as they aim to continue their winning streak and secure the ACC title outright.