RJ Davis scored 30 points, including four key free throws down the stretch to help No. 12 North Carolina complete a comeback from 21 points down to beat Dayton 92-90 on Monday in the nightcap of opening-round play at Maui Invitational in Lahaina, Hawaii.

After chipping away at the deficit throughout the second half, the Tar Heels (4-1) pulled ahead on a Davis 3-pointer with 1:52 remaining. Dayton (5-1) answered when Malachi Smith connected from beyond the arc on the ensuing possession.

But North Carolina came right back and Davis, driving the baseline, fired a bounce pass to an open Drake Powell in the corner. Powell’s 3-pointer pushed the Tar Heels ahead with 73 seconds to go, 88-87, and they did not relinquish the lead again.

It took video review for North Carolina to avoid a tie, however, as after a pair of Davis free throws, Nate Santos hit a jumper from the corner. The shot under duress was initially called a 3-pointer to tie the game at 90-90.

The officials found Santos’ foot was on the 3-point arc upon review. Davis sank two more foul shots, then the Tar Heels intentionally fouled Smith to avoid Dayton getting another look at a potential game-tying 3-pointer in the final seconds.

Davis shot 10-for-11 at the foul line and 4-for-10 from 3-point range en route to his game-high scoring performance. He also grabbed seven rebounds and dished five assists.

North Carolina’s Seth Trimble shot 10-for-14 from the floor and 5-for-5 at the free-throw line in a 27-point effort. He pulled down 10 rebounds.

Santos led six Dayton scorers in double figures with 15 points. Amael L’Etang added 13 points, Smith had 12 points, and Enoch Cheeks scored 11 points. All four made at least two 3-pointers, as the Flyers went 14-for-32 (43.8 percent) from deep as a team.

Posh Alexander and Zed Key rounded out Dayton’s double-figure scorers with 11 and 10 points, respectively.

Dayton went on an 11-0 run in the first half to take a 33-22 lead, and the Flyers held a 51-33 edge at intermission. Their advantage swelled to 21 points in the early minutes of the second half before North Carolina gradually whittled the gap.

The Tar Heels’ comeback concluded a day in which three of the tournament’s four games were decided by two points. Memphis beat No. 2 Conn in overtime, 99-97; and No. 4 Auburn rallied from down 18 points to beat No. 5 Iowa State 83-81.

North Carolina will oppose Auburn in a Tuesday semifinal, which Dayton will take on Iowa State in the consolation bracket.

–Field Level Media