All Tar Heels

UNC Basketball: Blue Devil Silencer Takes Home ACC Honor

Cormac Ryan is now a first-time ACC Player of the Week following his career-high 31 points in UNC basketball's win at Duke.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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UNC basketball sharpshooter Cormac Ryan is this season's final ACC Player of the Week, the conference announced on Monday afternoon. Of course, that's no surprise in light of his 31 points, including a 6-for-8 clip from deep, leading the Tar Heels (25-6, 17-3 ACC) to Saturday night's 84-79 road win over archrival Duke (24-7, 15-5 ACC).

He also recorded 14 points, shooting 2-for-5 beyond the arc, in Tuesday night's 84-51 home win over his former school, Notre Dame.

For the first time this season, UNC has the outright ACC Player of the Week in back-to-back weeks. Senior guard RJ Davis, a four-time winner (twice outright) and frontrunner for ACC Player of the Year, landed the recognition last Monday.

Ryan, a 25-year-old graduate wing from New York and in his first and only campaign with the Tar Heels since transferring from the Fighting Irish, is the fourth 2023-24 UNC basketball player to receive the award, joining Davis, graduate center Armando Bacot (twice), and junior forward Harrison Ingram (once).

It's the first time in program history that four Tar Heels have been ACC Player of the Week at least once in a season. The 2012-13 Blue Devils were the last squad to achieve that feat.

As a full-time UNC starter alongside Davis, Bacot, Ingram, and freshman guard Elliot Cadeau, Cormac Ryan is averaging 11.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 34.3 percent from three and 86.4 percent at the line.

The Tar Heels, outright regular-season conference champs for the first time since 2016-17, next head to the ACC Tournament in Washington, D.C., facing the winner of Wednesday's bout between No. 8 seed Virginia Tech and No. 9 seed Florida State in the quarterfinals at noon ET Thursday.

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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