Ian Jackson busts out of his slump
I was hard on freshman Ian Jackson after his performance at Clemson, and deservedly so. He was scoreless in the win against Pitt, and didn't score a field goal in that brutal loss at Clemson. But if I was effusive with my criticism, I must match that energy with praise.
Ian Jackson was in a New York state of mind for the second time this season, although this performance was upstate instead of in the most famous arena in the world. When Jackson played under the bright lights of Madison Square Garden, he poured in 24 points against UCLA, kickstarting a run of 20+ points per game that lasted four games and elevated the star freshman into the starting line-up.
Against Syracuse, Jackson rediscovered his shooting touch, going 5/10 from three, including a step back three-pointer on his first touch of the game. But just as important as his shooting was, Jackson was active on defense that led to a breakout dunk.
For a while, it seemed that if Jackson wasn't giving UNC points, he wasn't giving them anything. He was a net contributor, adding a block and steal, as well as four rebounds to the cause. His +/- of +6 was third highest on the team, and more than the +5 of Jae'Lyn Withers who went nuclear against the Orange. These are the sorts of contributions Hubert Davis needs from his Bronx bomber.
Add us as a preferred source on Google