Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Basketball

Ian Jackson talks about his homecoming game during UNC’s upset win over UCLA

Ian Jackson’s big game for UNC Saturday came in his hometown.

The North Carolina Tar Heels still have plenty of basketball season left, but they went a long way towards easing doubts about their season on Saturday.

UNC upset the 18th-ranked UCLA Bruins, 76-74, in a game where it trailed by double-digits during the second half. Saturday was North Carolina’s first ranked victory (Dayton was unranked in the Maui Invitational), which will go a long way towards deciding its NCAA Tournament fate come March.

Star freshman Ian Jackson, who came into Chapel Hill a 5-star McDonalds All-American, led the Tar Heels with 24 points.

What you may not know about Saturday’s game, though, is that Jackson’s breakout came in his hometown. Jackson grew up in The Bronx, a northern borough of New York City – and played his high school ball there.

As you can imagine, Jackson was excited about playing in his hometown. Check out what he said after North Carolina’s upset victory:

“The energy here was electric,” Jackson told InsideCarolina’s Jeremiah Holloway. “It felt like a home game, definitely. It was a tough place that I’ve never played before… It was always a place that I feel like I want to play. Anywhere in New York, Barclays, here. Just one of those places where, as a kid growing up watching basketball, you just want to be a part of how much is going on in this building.”

Jackson was definitely a big part of what occurred on Saturday inside Madison Square Garden. Jackson should definitely start for UNC going forward, as it could be the key roster decision UNC to make the NCAA Tournament.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

This odd stat from UNC-UCLA shows the Tar Heels’ winning record with more turnovers

UNC’s turnover total against UCLA improved an odd game history under Hubert Davis.

They finally did it. On Saturday afternoon, the North Carolina Tar Heels beat a ranked basketball opponent.

UNC came back from yet another double-digit deficit – in the second half – to beat 18th-ranked UCLA, 76-74. Ian Jackson enjoyed the game of his life in his hometown, with North Carolina’s star freshman guard scoring a career-high 24 points, on 8-of-13 shooting.

In the Tar Heels’ season-saving win, however, they turned the ball over 18 times. Normally, this would be bad for any team – but not UNC.

In an odd stat provided by college basketball analytics expert Evan Miyakawa, North Carolina is now 3-1 in games under Hubert Davis, in which it turns the ball over exactly 18 times.

We obviously want to see the Tar Heels take better care of the ball, but their aggressive, up-tempo offense will lead to turnovers. UNC struggles to make the perimeter shot, so driving to the basket – especially with its backcourt – is the way to get points.

North Carolina only turned the ball over once in the final five minutes, a big reason it was able to come back against the hot Bruins (10-2). In the Tar Heels’ loss to Florida in the Jumpman Invitational, turnovers cost them the game late.

UNC gets Christmas Week off, then will treat fans to a Holiday Special on Sunday, December 29 at 8 p.m., as it welcomes Campbell to the Dean Dome. North Carolina and the Camels (5-7) will be meeting for the first time.

I feel confident North Carolina takes better care of the basketball against the Camels, but if they struggle, can they have 18 turnovers?

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Upset win over UCLA shoots UNC basketball double-digit spots up latest NET rankings

UNC’s upset over UCLA helped itself in multiple ways.

Entering Saturday’s big slate of college basketball games, no team needed a ranked victory more than the North Carolina Tar Heels.

UNC failed in previous attempts against Kansas, Auburn, Michigan State and Florida, causing concern about UNC’s ability to play with good teams.

North Carolina finally succeeded on Saturday, December 21, winning 76-74 and upsetting the 18th-ranked UCLA Bruins. Tar Heels (7-5, 1-0 ACC) freshman guard Ian Jackson fueled the victory, scoring a career-high 24 points in his hometown, while UNC weathered another big outing from UCLA (10-2, 2-0 Big 10) star Tyler Bilodeau (26 points).

In the latest NET rankings, which play a major factor in deciding who makes the NCAA Tournament in March, North Carolina jumped to 33rd. The Tar Heels, who climbed 13 spots from the previous week, found themselves sandwiched between a surprising Penn State (32nd) squad and Wisconsin (34th).

Beating UCLA proved to be important in multiple ways for UNC. Not only did North Carolina get its first win over a ranked team (Dayton is now ranked, but wasn’t in the Maui Invitational), but North Carolina picked up its second Quad 1 victory. These also play big roles in deciding who makes the NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels nearly had a couple other Quad 1 victories earlier in the season, but they collapsed against Kansas, Florida and Michigan State.

UNC likely won’t have another chance at a Quad 1 win until February, when it plays a ranked Duke squad. North Carolina’s Jan. 7 matchup against SMU is one to keep an eye on, as the Mustangs are currently 10-2 (2-0 ACC), but a weak ACC won’t help the Tar Heels.

Instead of relying on the NET rankings, UNC needs to do just one thing to make the NCAA Tournament: win games.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Tar Heels come back from double-digits to upset UCLA

North Carolina earns a big win over UCLA on Saturday in Madison Square Garden.

The North Carolina Tar Heels entered Saturday’s game at Madison Square Garden with a golden opportunity to earn a big non-conference win against UCLA for their NCAA Tournament resume.

And while Saturday’s game started with UNC falling behind in the first half and then by 14 in the second half, it ended differently than other games.

UNC was able to close this game out, coming back from 16 points down in the second half to get the 76-74 win. And it was a pair of New York natives that got the job done.

R.J. Davis and Ian Jackson led North Carolina’s comeback in the second half as the Tar Heels turned it on at the right time. Trailing by 14 with 10:28 left, Drake Powell hit a big three-pointer to cut it to 61-50. From there, Jackson and Davis helped power the Tar Heels to within a basket a few times before they took the lead late.

After Seth Trimble missed a three-pointer, Jalen Washington grabbed the board and put it back to tie it at 72.  UCLA got two free throws to go ahead 74-72 and after Davis made one of two free throws, the Bruins had the chance to seal it. But a Dylan Andrews turnover on a nice play by Trimble gave UNC life and Davis made two free throws to go ahead 75-74.

Another defensive stop including a key rebound by Elliot Cadeau with .1 sealed the deal for the Tar Heels.

The Tar Heels closed it out by holding UCLA without a field goal for the final 3:45 of the game.

Jackson led UNC with 24 points including 8-of-13 shooting from the field while Davis had 17 points in the win. Trimble added 12 points as well.

The win moves UNC to 7-5 on the year and is their first win over a AP Top 25 program this season. They now have two quad 1 wins as they head into their non-conference finale with Campbell a week from Sunday.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

Former UNC basketball National Champion kicking off broadcasting career Sunday

Theo Pinson’s basketball journey isn’t over quite yet.

It’s been awhile since the UNC basketball program won a National Championship.

A year after losing to Villanova at the buzzer, North Carolina made it back to the 2017 NCAA Title Game, finishing the job against Gonzaga. This Tar Heels squad carried four future NBA players: Isaiah Hicks, Tony Bradley, Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson.

Hicks is playing pro ball in South Korea, Bradley is currently in the NBA G-League, while Jackson and Pinson aren’t playing basketball.

Starting on Sunday, December 22, one of the above four National Championships will begin his National TV broadcasting career.

Pinson, who became the first UNC player to ever average 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in a season, will call the American-Virginia basketball game on Sunday, December 22.

According to Ross Martin of 247Sports/CBS Sports, Sunday isn’t the only time Pinson will be on Natironal TV. Pinson will also call the Georgia Tech-SMU ACC basketball matchup on Saturday, January 11.

Pinson now joins a loaded ACC Network lineup, which includes play-by-play announcer Wes Durham and host/announcer Taylor Tannebaum.

We have no record of Pinson calling past games, but if you look at his recent tweets, he recently say down to talk Tar Heels basketball with Jackson and Raymond Felton.

Imagine if North Carolina had Pinson on this year’s squad. UNC is still trying to discover itself, but the outlook is bleak now in December. The Tar Heels are just 1-5 against ranked teams – and while they beat non-Power 4 opponents with ease, it’s the ranked wins that’ll help come Selection Sunday.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

UNC basketball watching Class of 2026’s top shooting guard at Holiday Tournament

Can UNC lock in its first Class of 2026 basketball commitment this weekend?

While the North Carolina Tar Heels try and break out of their rut this college basketball season, they’re also trying to recruit for the future.

It’s nearly Christmas, making it the perfect time to watch prospects, as cities across the nation hold Holiday Tournament.

Some of the UNC coaching staff is getting a piece of the recruiting pie this December, currently spending time at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Fla.

There’s one particular star North Carolina has its eye on: Caleb Holt, the Class of 2026’s third-ranked player, Georgia’s top-ranked player and the nation’s top-ranked shooting guard.

The Tar Heels are in hot pursuit to land a commitment from Holt, whom they offered back in July. Holt is one of six players with a 2026 offer from UNC, which also extended offers to 5-star power forwards Tyran Stokes and Miikka Muurinin, 5-star small forwards Cameron Holmes and Cole Cloer, plus a fellow 5-star shooting guard in Jordan Smith.

If North Carolina wants to land a commitment from Holt, it’ll have to beat out 19 other schools looking at him, including two elite SEC programs in Auburn and Kentucky.

Holt, who now plays his high school basketball for Grayson High in Loganville, Ga. originally hails from Alabama. Holt’s first season at his new school is off to a solid start, as he has the Rams off to a 9-0 start.

Being able to land Holt would re-assure every UNC fan of Hubert Davis’ recruiting abilities. Despite landing 5-stars Drake Powell and Ian Jackson in the 2024 class, North Carolina is falling behind in the Class of 2025, with just two commitments from Isaiah Denis and Derek Dixon. 

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

UNC basketball continues fall in NET rankings

Here’s how far the UNC basketball program fell in the NET rankings.

North Carolina fell to 6-5 on the season and 0-4 against ranked opponents with their 90-84 loss to Florida. It was another slow start for the Tar Heels against the Gators, falling behind by 17 in the first half.

They battled back and even took the lead with under five minutes to go in the second half. But UNC couldn’t close it out as poor rebounding, late-game execution and more doomed the Tar Heels, again. And now, they are still left searching for answers.

With that loss, the Tar Heels also fell in the NET rankings. They went from No. 36 to No. 37 with that loss and although it’s just one spot, the team is trending in the wrong direction.

The glaring note on the NET rankings is that UNC is 1-5 in Quad 1 games, with that only win coming against Dayton in the Maui Invitational. UNC had to come back from double-digits to win that game as well.

UNC has the chance for another Quad 1 win when they face off against UCLA on Saturday in the CBS Sports Classic. But after that, there won’t be many more opportunities this season.

The ACC is having another down year and outside of the two games against Duke, there will be limited opportunities for UNC as of now. So this game against UCLA feels like a must-win.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

RJ Davis passes another UNC basketball legend on All-Time Scoring List against Florida

RJ Davis moved up UNC’s all-time scoring list on Tuesday night against Florida.

It was only a matter of time before star UNC guard RJ Davis, the reigning ACC Player of the Year and preseason pick for the same award, enjoyed the offensive breakout we became accustomed to last season.

Davis enjoyed his breakout game on Tuesday night, as North Carolina lost 90-84 to Florida in the Jumpman Invitational.

Despite shooting just 3-of-11 from deep, Davis led all scorers with 29 points. He shot 10-of-19 from the field and 6-of-7 from the free throw line.

What you may not know, though, is Davis climbed the Tar Heels’ (6-5, 1-0 ACC) all-time scoring list with his big game Tuesday. Davis, who now has 2,332 points according to GoHeels, passed Phil Ford for third in UNC history.

Tuesday was just the third time Davis scored over 20 points on North Carolina’s young season. Davis dropped 24 in the Tar Heels’ opener against Elon, then set a season-high with 30 against Dayton in the Maui Invitational.

Ford played at North Carolina from 1974-1978, then played seven NBA seasons after being the second overall pick in 1978.

Davis got scoring help on Tuesday night, particularly from his backcourt teammates. Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble each scored 11 points starting alongside Davis, while Ian Jackson added 11 off the bench.

In short, UNC’s guards combined for 62 of their 84 (73.8 percent) points. Without Davis’ production, Tuesday’s score looked significantly worse.

The Tar Heels still have plenty of season left to go, but their early returns are concerning. If North Carolina wants to turn its season around, it’ll need Davis to deliver more vintage performances like Tuesday’s.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

PHOTOS: UNC falls to Florida in Jumpman Invitational

UNC basketball falls to Florida in Jumpman Invitational.

The North Carolina Tar Heels didn’t get this week off to a good start. With two ranked games on the schedule this week, the Tar Heels went to Charlotte to face off against Florida in the Jumpman Invitational.

The unbeaten Gators jumped out to an early lead, building it out to 17 points in the first half. But North Carolina battled back and even took a four-point lead in that second half.

However, Florida pulled through as they outscored the Tar Heels 13-3 in the final couple minutes for the 90-84 win. It was another tough loss for the Tar Heels who now fall to 6-5 on the season and a date with No. 18 UCLA on tap.

Let’s look at some photos from the game:

UNC basketball only program to have two Top 10 Games of the Week

The UNC-Florida and UNC-UCLA games are must-watch college basketball this week.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are still trying to discover themselves on the basketball court, but Saturday’s win over La Salle showed how good they can be.

UNC (6-4, 1-0 ACC) beat the visiting Explorers, 93-67, on an afternoon unofficially known as the Cade Tyson breakout game. North Carolina’s top offseason transfer, who developed into a perimeter shooting ace at Belmont, broke out for a game-high 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting.

The Tar Heels’ 2-game winning streak is about to be tested, though, as they face Florida (Tuesday) and UCLA (Saturday) in their next two games.

With plenty of marquee college basketball matchups on tap the week before Christmas, UNC-Florida and UNC-UCLA were named two of the country’s Top 10 matchups.

College basketball analyst Andy Katz tabbed UNC-UCLA the fourth-ranked game, then UNC-Florida fifth.

On Tuesday, December 17 at 7 p.m., North Carolina will face the Florida Gators in the Jumpman Invitational. Florida (10-0) is favored, rightfully so, but Tar Heels guard RJ Davis expects the Spectrum Center (Charlotte, NC) to feel like a home-court advantage.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DDpaCkxuqTb/

On Saturday, Dec. 21 at 3 p.m. from New York City’s famed Madison Square Garden, UNC will take on a much-improved UCLA (9-1) squad. The Bruins are off to a 2-0 start during their first season in the Big 10, beating Oregon and Washington in consecutive games.

North Carolina has a 1-4 record against Power 4 opponents on its young season, with the Tar Heels’ lone victory coming against Georgia Tech in their ACC opener.

Alabama blew out UNC in the ACC-SEC Challenge, while Auburn did the same in the Maui Invitational. North Carolina nearly came back to beat then-top ranked Kansas on the road, then took Michigan State into overtime.

If the Tar Heels want to prove they’re a good team this season, beating Florida and UCLA will go a long way towards that goal.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.