CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Leading up to Tuesday night, it had been over a calendar month since Kyan Evans had last scored in double figures. North Carolina’s starting point guard finished with 15 points in the conference-opening victory over Florida State, tying his season-high from the season opener against Central Arkansas. 

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The Colorado State transfer did his damage exclusively from beyond the arc, shooting 5-of-12 from 3-point range, season-highs in both makes and attempts. 

“I think my teammates are doing a good job of finding me, and I think I’m finding shots,” Evans said after the win. “I’ve just got to knock them down”

Coming to Chapel Hill with the reputation of a 3-point marksman, the Kansas City native has been mostly quiet offensively in his first season as a Tar Heel. 

Last season in Fort Collins, Evans shot 44.6 percent from deep, averaging 10.6 points per game. This season in Chapel Hill, Evans is hitting at a 32.3 percent clip through 14 games while averaging 6.4 points per game. 

“He’s a really good shooter, and you know, my conversations with him are, those are good shots, and I want him to continue to take it,” Hubert Davis said. “I want him to be confident in his shot.”

Before his outburst against Florida State, Evans averaged 3.3 points per game across the Tar Heels’ six December contests, shooting 4-for-16 from three-point range. That included three total points on 1-for-5 shooting in the last two games (Ohio State, ECU).

With the emergence of Derek Dixon as a capable point guard, questions about Evans’ confidence naturally surfaced, but Tuesday’s performance suggested otherwise.

“Kind of everybody just talking to me, just letting me know that they’re with me and they want me to stay aggressive,” Evans said.

Don’t be surprised if Evans turns it around, however, as streaky shooting was also a theme last season. Over Colorado State’s first 10 games, he shot 9-for-33 from three-point range (27%) before finishing the season 61-for-124 (49%) the rest of the way.

North Carolina doesn’t need Evans to be a superhero, only to continue hitting “singles,” as Hubert Davis has often emphasized. According to KenPom, Evans’ assist rate sits at 24.4 — an uptick from 20.3 last season and a mark that would have ranked second on UNC a year ago.

“I think one of the things for him is also moving him off the ball and using his ability to shoot the basketball, make plays coming off of flares, wide pins — being able to mix that up for him or put them even more in a better situation to be successful and consistent on offensive end,” Davis said on Monday. 

To date, this UNC team — shooting 32.9 percent from three as a unit — hasn’t been beating many opponents from deep, but if Evans can rediscover the groove he found last season, it gives defenses something else to consider beyond the Tar Heels’ elite frontcourt.