Ian Jackson's quiet day comes at the worst time
Since ACC play started in earnest (with the away loss at Louisville), Ian Jackson has averaged 21.8 points per game. With his ascension to the starting line-up, Jackson has given UNC's offense some balance, as the Tar Heels don't have to rely too much on RJ Davis to create something out of nothing.
It was an unfortunate time for Jackson to have an off-day shooting. The freshman guard was 1/8 from the field and 0/5 from downtown. He only reached six points by making all four of his free throws.
North Carolina cannot afford more nights like this. With Quad 1 wins hard to come by, and two losses to Duke looking more and more likely, UNC needs to avoid bad losses. With RJ Davis unable to hit the highs he did last season, Hubert Davis needs Ian Jackson to deliver scoring volume to 1.) keep UNC in games and 2.) open up space for Jalen Washington and Ven Allen-Lubin, who are just starting to show green shoots.
Expect Ian Jackson to bounce back quickly at Wake Forest. He's too talented not to.