RJ Davis scored 30 points, including four key free throws down the stretch to help No. 10 North Carolina complete a comeback from 21 points down and beat Dayton 92-90 on Monday in the nightcap of the opening game at the Maui Invitational in Lahaina , Hawaii.

After erasing the deficit throughout the second half, the Tar Heels (4-1) took the lead 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 left, 88-87, and they never relinquished the lead.

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

Upon review, officials found that Santos’ foot was on the three-point arc. Davis drained two more foul shots, then the Tar Heels intentionally fouled Smith to prevent Dayton from getting another look at a potential 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 provided 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 grabbed 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 three-pointers, while the Flyers as a team hit 14-for-32 (43.8 percent) from deep.

Posh Alexander and Zed Key rounded out Dayton’s double-digit 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 lead at intermission. Their lead grew to 21 points in the opening minutes of the second half before North Carolina gradually closed the gap.

The Tar Heels’ comeback capped a day in which three of the tournament’s four games were decided by two points. Memphis defeated 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 face Auburn on Tuesday, with Dayton taking on Iowa State in the consolation round.

–Field-level media