Davis preseason AP All-American; UNC faces three of other five selections

R.L. Bynum,

By R.L. Bynum

As if No. 2 Alabama’s visit to No. 9 North Carolina on Dec. 4 for the ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge wasn’t already big enough, it just got bigger when the Tide’s Mark Sears and the Tar Heels’ RJ Davis were named to the AP preseason All-America team.

Davis, the preseason ACC Player of the Year and reigning AP All-American who turned 23 Monday, was picked on 51 of 55 ballots, while Sears got 54 votes.

Davis averaged 21.1 points. 3.6 rebounds and 3.5 assists for last season’s Sweet 16 team and could challenge Tyler Hansbrough’s all-time ACC scoring record this season.

A 6–1 guard, Sears was second-team AP All-American last season after averaging 21.5 points, 4.2 rebounds and 4.0 assists and scoring 18 points in Alabama’s 89–87 victory in Los Angeles over UNC in the West Regional semifinals.

Carolina will also play two other first-team members: Kansas center Hunter Dickerson and Duke freshman Cooper Flagg. Carolina visits No. 1 Kansas on Nov. 8 and faces the No. 7 Blue Devils on Feb. 1 and March 7.

Joining them on the first team are former UNC guard Caleb Love of No. 10 Arizona, last season’s Pac-12 Player of the Year, and Auburn forward Johni Broome. There are six players because Love and Flagg tied for the final spot.

UNC schedule

DateMonth/dayTimeOpponent/event
(current ranks)		TV/
record
October
15TuesdayW, 84–76at MemphisExhibition
27Sunday2 p.m.vs. Johnson C. Smith
(exhibition)		ESPN3
November
4Monday9 p.m.vs. ElonACCN
8Friday7 p.m. ETat No. 1 KansasESPN2
15Friday8 p.m.vs. AmericanACCN
22Friday12:30 a.m ETat HawaiiESPN2
Maui Invitational
25Monday11:30 p.m. ETDaytonESPN2
26Tuesday8:30 or 11 ETNo. 11 Auburn or
Iowa State		ESPN or
ESPNU
27Wednesday2:30 ET, 5 p.m.,
9:30 or midnight		Memphis, No. 3 UConn,
Colorado or Michigan State		ESPN or
ESPN2
DecemberACC/SEC
Men’s Challenge
4Wednesday7:15vs. No. 2 AlabamaESPN
—————————
7Saturday2 p.m.vs. Georgia TechACCN
14Saturday4 p.m.vs. LaSalleThe CW
Jumpman Invitational
in Charlotte
17Tuesday7 p.m.No. 21 FloridaESPN
CBS Sports Classic
at Madison Square Garden
21Saturday3 p.m.UCLACBS
—————————
29Sunday8 p.m.vs. CampbellACCN
January
1WednesdayTBAat LouisvilleACCN
4SaturdayNoonat Notre DameCBS
7Tuesday9 p.m.vs. SMUACCN
11Saturday4 p.m.at N.C. StateACCN
15Wednesday7 p.m.vs. CalACCN
18Saturday2:15 vs. StanfordThe CW
21Tuesday9 p.m.at Wake ForestESPN
25Saturday2:15 p.m.vs. Boston CollegeThe W
28Tuesday9 p.m.at PittsburghESPN
February
1Saturday6:30 p.m.at No. 7 DukeESPN
8Saturday4 p.m.vs. PittsburghESPN or
ESPN2
10Monday7 p.m.at ClemsonESPN
15Saturday6 p.m.at SyracuseESPN
19Wednesday7 p.m.vs. N.C. StateESPN or
ESPN2
22Saturday4 p.m.vs. VirginiaESPN
24Monday7 p.m.at Florida StateESPN
March
1SaturdayNoonvs. MiamiESPN or
ESPN2
4Tuesday7 p.m.at Virginia TechESPN, ESPN2
orESPNU
8Saturday6:30vs. No. 7 DukeESPN
11–
15		Tues.–Sat.ACC tournament
Spectum Center, Charlotte

UNC roster

No.ClassPlayerPos.HgtWgt
2FreshmanJames Brown (4 star)56–8225
11FreshmanIan Jackson (5 star)26–5185
9FreshmanDrake Powell (5 star)26–6195
3Soph.Elliot Cadeau PG6–1180
22JuniorVen-Allen Lubin46–8230
5JuniorCade Tyson36–7205
13JuniorJalen Washington56–10230
7JuniorSeth Trimble26–3195
0SeniorTyzhaun Claude46–8226
4GraduateRJ DavisPG6–0180
24GraduateJae’Lyn Withers 46–9215
Walk-ons
15FreshmanJohn Holbrook46–823p
14SophomoreRussell Hawkins26–1175
6SeniorElijah Davis26–4197

Photo via @UNC_Basketball

Published by R.L. Bynum

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