In the UNC basketball program’s second trip to Allen Fieldhouse in history, looking to snap a four-game losing streak against fellow blueblood Kansas, the visiting No. 9-ranked Tar Heels (1-0, 0-0 ACC) held their own early versus the No. 1 Jayhawks (1-0, 0-0 Big 12).

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UNC jumped out to a 7-2 lead behind five points out the gates from the Tar Heels’ defending ACC Player of the Year in graduate guard RJ Davis. And head coach Hubert Davis’ fourth squad trailed Bill Self’s Kansas bunch by only one point over seven minutes into the contest.

However, the Jayhawks boosted their advantage from there, as Kansas shot 59.5 percent from the field before the break to take a 53-38 lead. UNC hit only 35.5 percent of its field goal attempts in the first half while committing seven turnovers and getting outrebounded, 21-18.

The series record between UNC basketball and Kansas stands at 6-6. Again, though, the Jayhawks have won four straight against the Tar Heels, including their most recent meeting prior to Friday night, a 72-69 Kansas victory in the 2022 national championship game.

Following the second half in Lawrence, Kan., the Tar Heels will return to Chapel Hill and have a week off before hosting the American Eagles (0-1, 0-0 Patriot League) at 8 p.m. ET next Friday (ACC Network).

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