Ian Jackson's 16 points in UNC men's basketball's win over UVA continues hot stretch

Assistant coach Marcus Paige had a conversation with Ian Jackson 12 days ago. 

Jackson struggled from the floor during UNC’s 20-point loss to then No. 23 Clemson. The first-year guard shot 0-of-8 from the field and 0-of-3 from beyond the arc. His only points came from three made free throws.

But the former UNC point guard had one message for Jackson: “It’s probably never gonna get this bad again.”

And since that conversation, Jackson’s play has only gotten better.

“I don’t think there was a stretch where I ever had to deal with that,” Jackson said. “And then he talked to me, I dealt with it and now I got past it. Those games are behind me and now I’m rolling again.”

On Saturday, the first-year guard scored 16 points in North Carolina's 81-66 win over the Cavaliers at the Dean E. Smith Center. Jackson went 5-of-7 from the field and 3-for-3 beyond the arc. It marked his third straight game with 12 or more points.

For the first 11 games of the season, Jackson found himself coming off the bench. He struggled to make an impact initially. Against Alabama in December, Jackson finally showed the scoring threat he's been know for since high school. He scored 23 points. 

He worked his way into the starting lineup during junior guard Seth Trimble’s absence due to a concussion. And throughout the first few games in the starting lineup, Jackson was dominant, recording 18 or more points in the first six games he started. 

But then his performances dipped. Against the Tigers, he found himself back on the bench again. Over a six game stretch that ended at Clemson, he only reached double figures once. He went 6-of-27 from the field during that span. 

Even when he started to struggle, Jackson stayed mature. He stayed poised. He came into practice and took one day at a time.   

“He was just trying to figure himself out,” junior forward Ven-Allen Lubin said. “As a freshman, knowing that you go on droughts like that, it’s pretty hard to understand what’s going on and just how can I get myself out of it.”

And coming off the bench against UVA, Jackson looked like he figured it out again. 

With 14:05 remaining in the first half, Jackson checked into the game for the first time. Less than three minutes later, sophomore guard Elliot Cadeau kicked the ball to Jackson in the corner. 

Jackson caught the ball as he sidestepped away from a UVA defender. He pulled up. Nothing but net. 21-2 North Carolina. 

“He’s just still being aggressive, being himself,” first-year forward Drake Powell said.

Minutes later, Jackson’s aggressive nature showed again.

Graduate guard RJ Davis swung the ball to Jackson, who put his head down and dribbled toward the basket. But Jackson stopped, putting UVA’s Taine Murray on skates. Jackson stepped back behind the 3-point line and buried it. 

Coming off the bench, Jackson provides the Tar Heels with what head coach Hubert Davis called a “boost.”

“Obviously I know things could be better,” Jackson said. “But I feel like I’m a great scorer. When I get things flowing and shots are going in, this team is a whole different, completely different team.”

Jackson's recent performances — and in effect, the team’s — all trace back to that one conversation with Paige.

And so far, Paige has been right: it won't get worse than that day at Clemson. 

@mdmaynard74

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