Thanks to comeback kids Jackson and Withers for saving UNC men’s basketball’s season in the first of six must-win games.
The newest boost to this Project 6-0 are freshman Ian Jackson and fifth-year grad student Jae’Lyn Withers, who literally came back from nowhere to play their best games in nearly a month (Jackson) and entire season (Withers) in Carolina’s exciting 88-82 win at Syracuse on Saturday.
In most of these cases, there has to be a loser, and the 11-15 Orange likely lost their last chance to earn an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels were winners in a start to must be a late push to get in themselves.
Breaking into the starting lineup midway through the season, Jackson had a scorching hot streak — averaging more than 20 points in six games — before he fell into a slump that ended after a heart-to-heart talk with the head coach. In the Tar Heels’ previous four games, which resulted in three losses and a one-point win, the star freshmen totaled just 19 points, shot 6 for 27 overall and 2 of 11 from outside.
“He was in a nice rhythm and taking good shots and he’s a guy who can score at all three levels, whether it’s from three, mid-range or going to the basket,” Hubert Davis said after the win at Syracuse. “He was able to get some easy looks, and I know this is far away from the Bronx, but he had a number of family and friends here. And I am really proud of him.”
Saturday vs. Syracuse was one of Ian Jackson’s best performances on the road since UNC’s matchup with N.C. State in January, when he poured in 21 points. (Photo via Todd Melet/Chapel Hill Media Group.)
He made his first 3-pointer from the left wing and seemed to loosen up and have fun for the rest of the game, finishing with a team-high 23 points. With the victory assured, Jackson and Withers shared a happy laugh on the bench as the buzzer sounded to run UNC’s record to 15-11 and 8-6 in conference games that, for now, is good for sixth place.
Withers had his best game in Tar Heel blue after transferring from Louisville, where he made the All-ACC freshman team. Until Saturday night, he may have been best remembered by some UNC fans for taking an ill-advised 3-pointer in the final minutes of the Sweet Sixteen elimination loss to Alabama last season.
At Louisville, Withers was known as a good shooter on bad teams by hitting almost 35 percent of his 181 attempts from the arc. Once he changed uniforms, though, he was not nearly as accurate while making 17 of 54 tries. Against ‘Cuse, he went 3-for-4, which helped the Heels build an eight-point lead that disappeared in the second half. “J-Wit” finished with a Carolina season-high of 19 points, plus 6 rebounds and 3 blocks. The last time he was in double figures was 19 games ago when higher in the rotation.
Notably, the Syracuse game was Withers’ second consecutive start, having also gotten the nod vs. Clemson. Hubert Davis put him there for several reasons: mainly to get open and spot up inside the Orange zone, alternating with Seth Trimble — who scored only 4 points, but had 8 rebounds, an assist and 2 steals in the aggressive game. When Withers went to the corners against the zone, he drained two important treys in the second half to rebuild a lead that Syracuse had erased.
After also battling two Syracuse big men, Withers fouled out with less than two minutes remaining and Carolina clinging to a five-point edge. Elliot Cadeau’s basket and four free throws from R.J. Davis and Drake Powell ultimately let the Tar Heels escape up-state New York with an important victory, despite the team missing eight free throws on the night.
The smile says it all ? pic.twitter.com/KkXvFhjsm6
— Carolina Basketball (@UNC_Basketball) February 16, 2025
“J-Wit just came up huge for us in ways like he was rebounding and he hit threes,” Davis said. “He finished around the basket, but where he helped us out the most was defensively with his size, like they couldn’t post up that position and so we didn’t have to double team. And that was because of J-Wit. I think he played his best game of the season and I’m glad he played it tonight.”
Of the 28 three-pointers his team attempted, making 13, Davis said it was because Syracuse used a lot of the zone that was the only defense the Orange played under long-time coach Jim Boeheim.
“Against the zone, that’s pretty much the only thing we could get,” Hubert continued. “They have so much size down low in the middle of the paint it was just difficult for us to get to the basket. And against the zone at the end of the day, you’re gone have to knock down some jump shots. RJ had a couple and then Ian and then Drake hit a timely one and with J-Wit, it was a team effort being able to shoot the ball from three.”
The Heels needed to come back from the blowout at Clemson and had five days to reclaim their confidence.
“I asked them, ‘How are you goanna react and how are you gonna respond,’” Davis said. “And I’ve actually taken it a step further. ‘You don’t have a choice: when you come to Carolina and you put on that jersey and you play for the name on the front, that means you’ve got to compete every day.’ And that’s what the guys did. We had the best three practices — competitive practices — all year leading up to this game and it translated out on the floor in the game tonight.”
Three of UNC’s next five games are at home, beginning with a Wednesday night rematch against struggling N.C. State. The Heels will be favored over all of those foes that have losing ACC records and are in the bottom half of the standings.
And there is no wiggle room about making the NCAA tournament with a 1-10 record against Quad 1 teams. They absolutely have to win the next five – and have 20-11 and 13-6 records – before Duke comes to Chapel Hill for the regular season finale on March 8.
Since the NCAA began rankings teams, 12 with 10 Quad 1 losses have still made the field. Far fewer have made it into the field with just a lone Quad 1 win. Stringing wins together at the end of the season is supposedly important to the selection committee, and that remains UNC’s best bet.
Having more total team efforts like at Syracuse will be crucial in Carolina putting together that 6-0 run to bolster its cause.
Featured image via Carolina Athletic Communications.
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
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