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Coby White continues to play well and earn the love of Chicago Bulls fans. He scored season-highs of 31 points and eight 3-pointers to lead Chicago to back-to-back wins for the first time this season two nights after scoring 23 points in an upset victory over Milwaukee.
Caleb Love continues to be the leading scorer on a balanced Arizona attack, and the unbeaten No. 2 Wildcats will likely be No. 1 when the new AP Top 25 poll comes out on Monday.
CHAPEL HILL — Carolina flipped the switch with its pressure defense midway through the second half, and Florida State was helpless to do anything about it. No. 17 North Carolina turned a 12-point deficit into a 14-point edge with a 30–4 run as the Heels rebounded from a sluggish first half to earn a 78–70 victory over the Seminoles, thanks to 12 points off turnovers after halftime.
CHAPEL HILL — Newcomers have injected some important intangibles missing last season into North Carolina’s roster. During the Tar Heels’ 2022 run to the national championship game, Brady Manek was fiery, didn’t hesitate to call out teammates or throw things in disgust. After nobody filled that role last season, transfers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan are bringing an intensity level and physical play to the team that’s making a big difference.
Without two of Chicago’s best players, Coby White came up with the clutch shots the Bulls needed to pull off an upset Thursday night. White scored 23 points and four 3-pointers, with seven assists, four rebounds, a steal and a block, as the Bulls pulled away in overtime for a 120–113 home victory over the Milwaukee Bucks to snap a five-game losing streak.
CHAPEL HILL — With freshman point guard Elliot Cadeau deftly creating offense with his dazzling passing, senior RJ Davis is flourishing as more of a catch-and-shoot two-guard, and it has North Carolina’s offense in overdrive. Davis followed up a 30-point game in Friday’s 87–72 victory over Arkansas in the Bahamas with 27 points Wednesday in the No. 17 Tar Heels’ 100–92 victory in the ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge at the Smith Center.
The Orlando Magic and Cole Anthony continue to be on a roll. Late in the game, the fourth-year pro took a pass and threw down a memorable alley-oop dunk.
CHAPEL HILL — Fans who screamed, smiled and enjoyed the show, particularly before halftime, were left to wonder what the ceiling is for Coach Hubert Davis’ fourth Carolina team. It could be much higher than the roof if the Tar Heels can avoid rough stretches like the one they endured late in the second half.
Coby White and Cam Johnson had big games but Harrison Barnes and Sacramento were the big winners as the Kings advanced to the quarterfinals of the inaugural In-Season Tournament. Nassir Little’s Suns also advanced, but he had a bigger off-the-court life moment.
CHAPEL HILL — UNC coach Hubert Davis and Harrison Ingram talked at a Tuesday press conference about the Tar Heels’ performance in winning two of three games at the Battle 4 Atlantis and looked ahead to Wednesday’s home game against Tennessee.
After winning two of three games in the Bahamas at the Battle 4 Atlantis, North Carolina fell three spots to No. 17 in the latest AP Top 25 men’s basketball poll.
Cole Anthony scored nearly a point a minute while pouring in 30 points to lead Orlando to its seventh consecutive victory Sunday. Chicago’s Coby White had a big game but in a loss to Cam Johnson, Day’Ron Sharpe and Brooklyn.
Dontrez Styles had another big game for Georgetown in Saturday night’s 88–81 home victory over Jackson State in the Hoyas’ third straight win.
Cameron Johnson and Coby White are playing well heading into Sunday’s Brooklyn-Chicago game, while Cole Anthony, Harrison Barnes and their teams are on a roll.
North Carolina did so much with so little from some normal key sources of production that the third-place finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis ought to make the Tar Heels feel pretty good if not fortunate. Headlining the performance was guard RJ Davis, who poured in 30 points as the No. 14 Tar Heels defeated No. 20 Arkansas 87-72 with a strong second half on the final day of the three-day tournament in Nassau, Bahamas.
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