What Happened at UNC vs. Arkansas? Tramon Mark Injury Update, RJ Davis and More

Published 11/25/2023, 4:18 AM EST

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The Tar Heels emerged victorious over Arkansas with a score of 87-72, solidifying a third-place finish in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament, subsequent to a grueling overtime defeat against Villanova. Tramon Mark of the Razorbacks had an exceptional performance, scoring a team-leading 34 points, while RJ Davis led his team with an impressive 30 points. Initially, things looked bad for the Tar Heels as they went for extended periods of time without scoring a field goal. But, fortunately, UNC’s early two-minute lead in the second half caused things to turn around rapidly.

During the second half, RJ Davis scored twenty-one of his thirty points, more than any other player on the squad. The Tar Heels had a lot of positive things happen to them in this game, while it ended poorly for Arizona. Tramon Mark broke his tailbone trying to grasp a board and had to be taken out on a stretcher by the medical staff.

Tramon Mark’s unexpected injury

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Arkansas player Tramon Mark was taken off the court on a stretcher following a heavy fall that occurred during Friday’s game against North Carolina. In the last two minutes of the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament in the Bahamas, Mark reportedly went down and was unconscious for a number of minutes, according to ESPN.

In regards to Mark, Eric Musselman, the Razorbacks’ head coach, mentioned that the assessment was focused on a back injury as opposed to a head or neck problem. Mark’s exceptional performance in Arkansas’ defeat included a career-high 34 points, five rebounds, and a block, despite his injury.

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The incident occurred with 1:12 remaining in the Battle 4 Atlantis third-place game when Mark fell to the floor after an off-balance layup. Reports surfaced that Mark was discharged from a nearby hospital in the Bahamas, which he confirmed on Twitter.

Mark was hurt as he and UNC center Armando Bacot were squabbling over a layup. Arkansas guard Layden Blocker called Mark’s tumble “heartbreaking.” Further, No. 20 Arkansas fell short against No. 14 North Carolina 87-72, despite Mark scoring 34 points.

He is among a select group of four players in the tournament who have achieved 30 points or more, alongside RJ Davis, Eric Dixon, and David Jones. Mark has exceeded his previous career best of 26 points by shooting 13 out of 17 from the field, 4 out of 6 from three-point range, and 4 out of 7 from the free throw line.

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RJ Davis saved the day for UNC

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During his time in college, Davis has made several notable appearances, and his performance on Friday was no exception. During the second half, RJ Davis played a crucial role by executing a series of important moves that made a significant impact on the game. Additionally, Harrison Ingram contributed with an impressive stat line of 13 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists. RJ Davis also matched his career high with 30 points, which was a remarkable achievement.

One of Davis’ standout plays was a floater that he skillfully rimmed in, giving UNC their first lead of the second half. He followed that up with a catch-and-shoot 3-pointer after coming off a screen. Perhaps the play that best exemplified his determination was an unintentional transition layup that he managed to make while falling onto his back. From that point on, Davis seemed to find his rhythm after struggling with missed shots earlier in the game.

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Throughout his college career, Davis has been North Carolina’s main point guard. However, with Cadeau’s debut in the starting lineup, Davis had more opportunities to play as a shooting guard. On the other hand, Ingram stood out in the team’s game against Arkansas by leading them with six assists. Meanwhile, after six games, Davis currently leads the team in shot attempts.

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Written by:

Nima Murugan

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Nima Murugan is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. With a Master's in English Literature, she provides detailed analysis of the games. Nima developed an interest in the NBA after witnessing the greatness of LeBron James and she continues to support the Los Angeles Lakers with passion.
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Edited by:

Yeswanth Praveen