"We come out there and lay an egg": RJ Davis reflects on North Carolina choking during 2022 NCAA Championship game against Bill Self's Kansas

North Carolina guard RJ Davis reflected on the Tar Heels' gut-wrenching loss to Bill Self's Kansas Jayhawks in the 2022 NCAA Championship game. On the latest episode of the "Run Your Race" podcast published on Friday, co-host Theo Pinson asked Davis, who was a guest on the show, what prompted the Tar Heels' collapse in that contest.

In that game, UNC looked to be in complete control after the first half as they entered the break with a commanding 40-25 lead over Kansas. But things went south in the second half.

Davis explained what took the game away from them.

“I think we relaxed,” Davis said (Timestamp 8:26). “We took our foot off the gas. We weren’t getting back on defense. They was getting a lot of transition buckets and we just didn’t force our will on them. That allowed them to make a run.”

The 23-year-old admitted that the possibility of winning the NCAA title got into the heads of the Tar Heels players during the halftime interval when they held a 15-point lead against the Jayhawks.

"We in the locker room. I’m like, ‘Brah, do not jinx this.’ But they was like, ‘Yo, we might win a national championship.’ Next thing you know, we come out there and lay an egg, second half bro. I was hurt. Looked up, tears just started falling."

Kansas completed a stunning comeback in the second half, outscoring North Carolina 47-29 during that period to record a 72-69 win and hand coach Bill Self his second national championship.

It was heartbreak, though, for the Tar Heels, who fell short in their bid to win their seventh NCAA title. Davis admitted that he needed a few weeks to recover from the tough loss.

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How RJ Davis fared in the 2022 NCAA title game vs. Kansas

RJ Davis led North Carolina in scoring in the loss to Kansas, dropping 15 points on 5-for-17 shooting. He struggled with his outside shot, though, missing all five of his 3-point attempts in the title game. Davis, who played the entire 40 minutes, knocked down all five of his attempts from the charity stripe.

RJ Davis (#4) of the North Carolina Tar Heels reacts after being defeated by the Kansas Jayhawks 72-69 during the 2022 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament National Championship at Caesars Superdome on April 04, 2022 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Photo: Getty

RJ Davis was one of three North Carolina players to record a double-double in that game against Kansas. He grabbed 12 rebounds, six of which came on the offensive glass. He also had two assists and three turnovers.

Armando Bacot had a monster game for North Carolina, amassing 15 points and 15 rebounds. He shot 3-for-13 from the field and 9-for-13 from the free-throw line. Brady Manek also contributed for the Tar Heels, racking up 13 points and 13 boards.