Jae'Lyn Withers' double-double lifts UNC men's basketball past Virginia

Jae'Lyn Withers sees the end. 

The graduate forward recognizes it's his last year of college basketball. He understands his future beyond it is uncertain. By seeing the end he has found perspective, even if it took him 20 odd games to get there. 

In the face of a chapter closing, why not give it his all? Why not go back to the player he was recruited to be when he first stepped foot on Roy Williams Court? 

And during UNC's last three games, that's exactly what he has done. 

"It's the last one," Withers said. "It's go big or go home. So [I'm] trying to get everything I can out of it."

The forward led UNC to an 81-66 win over Virginia on Saturday night in the Dean E. Smith Center. Withers recorded his second double-double of the season, scoring 16 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. His 43 points across the last three games mark his highest three-game scoring stretch. Withers went 4-6 from three, tying his career-high and setting a new record in a North Carolina uniform. It's the first time he has ever led in scoring, a title which he shared with first-year guard Ian Jackson on Saturday. 

But it hasn't been easy to find that perspective.

"As a player, you're always going to have ups and downs," head coach Hubert Davis said. "I can't remember a time when I played where everything was going great the entire season. You've always had to persevere through the ups and downs."

Withers entered the 2024-25 season in the starting lineup. Eight games into the season, he wasn't one of the first five on the floor and his minutes started to vary. He averaged 23 minutes in November to just under 10 minutes throughout January. In a two-game stretch against Boston College and Pittsburgh, Withers saw the court for a combined six minutes. 

Everything seemed to be on the decline. Withers didn't know where he fit in. He got "lost in the weeds" trying to do a bit of everything. 

"It was tough at a certain point throughout the season figuring out what I could do that would keep me on the court and get me on the floor," Withers said.

So, he started having conversations. He talked to anyone ranging from Davis, assistant coach Marcus Paige to his dad, Curtis, about where he belonged. 

Through the handful of conversations he had during the toughest parts of the season, Withers picked out what meant most. 

Withers' father told him not to take any moment for granted in his last year. Davis told him to use his wisdom on the court to stay out there and to help younger players. And, most importantly, Paige told Withers whenever he sees the rim or gets open to just let it all go — to be himself without trying to add flare. 

"It's trying to figure out exactly what works for me," Withers said. "Based off my game, that's been a tough adjustment for me to really embrace it more." 

Just over three minutes into the game, a 6-foot-9 Withers found himself guarded by Virginia's 6-foot-4 Isaac McKneely. He used the mismatch to drain a three. He ran back down the court with three fingers over his face.

Junior guard Seth Trimble found him on the wing five minutes later for another triple. 

Withers kept finding places where he could contribute. 

With eight minutes left to play in the second half, Withers grabbed the offensive board and put the shot back up. He flexed and stomped the court. Less than a minute later, he found another opportunity from behind the arc and drew the foul with it. 

"It opens up the floor for a lot of us — for me, for the bigs, for the guards," junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin said. "To have a forward that can really stretch the floor, knock down shots [and] attack the rim at will. The way he's playing with confidence is definitely helping us all around."

And it all came from having those conversations with the people around him and reflecting on an experience that is about to end. The adversity and overcoming it. Firing questionable shots to slowly finding the right ones. Learning to appreciate it all.

Now, he's in a place where he can do it all. 

"It's been more so reminding myself," Withers said. "Just locking into the work that I've put in, how much time, reflecting on everything. I think that it kind of brought me back to level ground."

@_emmahmoon

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