AP player of the week: North Carolina's RJ Davis sets Smith Center scoring record

Updated Mar. 5, 2024 3:02 p.m. ET

Associated Press

The Associated Press national player of the week in men’s basketball for Week 17 of the season:

RJ DAVIS, NORTH CAROLINA

The 6-foot senior guard broke the 38-year-old Dean Smith Center record by scoring 42 points in a 75-71 win over Miami on Monday. Davis scored the most points by a North Carolina player since 1998 and outscored the rest of his teammates by nine points, the first time a Tar Heels player outscored the rest of the team since Michael Jordan in 1983. Davis hit 14 of 22 shots and went 7 for 11 from the 3-point arch. He followed with 14 points in a win against North Carolina State to pass Brad Daugherty for 10th on North Carolina's all-time scoring list.

RUNNER-UP

Baylor Scheierman, Creighton. The 6-7 senior averaged 23 points, 13.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 2.5 steals in a pair of wins last week. Scheierman had 20 points and 11 rebounds in an 85-64 win over Seton Hall and followed with 26 points and 16 rebounds in an 89-75 win over No. 8 Marquette. He is third in the Big East in scoring at 18.5 points per game and second in rebounding at 8.9 per game.

HONORABLE MENTION

Deivon Smith, Utah; Jordan King, Richmond; Tylor Perry, Kansas State.

KEEP AN EYE ON

Dalton Knecht, Tennessee. The Vols are within reach of their first SEC title under coach Rick Barnes and Knecht has been a big part of the run. The 6-6 senior had 39 points and made 5 of 8 from 3-point range in a 92-84 win over No. 13 Auburn after scoring 13 points in an 81-74 win at No. 16 Alabama. Knecht and the Vols can clinch their first regular-season title in six years with wins over No. 17 South Carolina and No. 15 Kentucky this week.

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AP voters: Aaron Beard, Cliff Brunt, Gary B. Graves, Beth Harris, Mike Marot, John Marshall, Eric Olson, Dave Skretta, Teresa M. Walker.

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AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball

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