Ian Jackson stats, observations from UNC basketball’s exhibition vs Johnson C. Smith

Posted by Admin October 27, 2024 Basketball

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CHAPEL HILL — UNC basketball closed out its preseason schedule with a 127-63 exhibition against Johnson C. Smith on Sunday afternoon at the Smith Center.

The ninth-ranked Tar Heels, who won at Memphis with RJ Davis sidelined because of a minor injury, returned to Chapel Hill with the reigning ACC Player of the Year in the starting lineup against the Golden Bulls.

Elliot Cadeau, Seth Trimble, Cade Tyson and Jalen Washington were the starters alongside Davis. UNC opens the regular season against Elon on Nov. 4 (9 p.m., ACC Network) before traveling to No. 1 Kansas on Nov. 8 (7 p.m., ESPN2).

Here are some observations from the Tar Heels’ exhibition game against Johnson C. Smith.

Ian Jackson windmill dunk, attacking off dribble

Freshman guard Ian Jackson is at his best when he’s in attack mode. The Bronx native was in attack mode against Johnson C. Smith, getting after it as a defender and putting pressure on the rim. He had a game-high 21 points, including eight free throws and a monster dunk in the second half. Following a steal, Jackson took off on one leg and threw down a windmill dunk to get his teammates and the Smith Center fans out of their seats. Fellow freshman Drake Powell added eight points, nine rebounds and four assists.

RJ Davis stats in UNC basketball game vs Johnson C Smith

Fifth-year guard RJ Davis, who suffered a lower-back contusion in UNC’s Blue-White scrimmage on Oct. 12, watched his teammates beat the Tigers on Oct. 15. It didn’t take long for the All-American to get going against the Golden Bulls as he scored 11 points in 10 minutes to help UNC carry a 59-34 lead into halftime. Davis finished with 15 points as one of seven Tar Heels in double figures.

Seth Trimble not slowing down as consistent contributor

Junior guard Seth Trimble continues to show he’s ready to be one of UNC’s top contributors this season. Trimble, who had 33 points at Memphis, made his first five shots against Johnson C. Smith for 10 first-half points, including four layups. By the time the final buzzer sounded, Trimble had 15 points.

Ven-Allen Lubin playing confident in the post

Vanderbilt transfer Ven-Allen Lubin was UNC’s best big man in the first half, finishing with nine points and four rebounds in nine minutes. Lubin tallied 18 points and 12 rebounds in a double-double performance. Jalen Washington had 10 points and five rebounds to join Lubin in double figures. The Heels finished with 72 points in the paint and 30 free throws.

Cade Tyson’s 3-point shooting

After missing five of his six shots from 3-point range at Memphis, Belmont transfer Cade Tyson looked more comfortable in his shooting stroke against Johnson C. Smith. Tyson knocked down his first two 3-pointers and finished with 10 points. The Heels will need Tyson’s production on the perimeter in the regular season.

Staff writer Rodd Baxley can be reached at rbaxley@fayobserver.com or @RoddBaxley on X/Twitter.