Takeaways from the UNC Men's Basketball Exhibition vs. Johnson C. Smith (2024) - Chapelboro.com

Takeaways from the UNC Men’s Basketball Exhibition vs. Johnson C. Smith (2024) – Chapelboro.com

Posted by Admin October 27, 2024 Basketball

Carolina defeated Johnson C. Smith 127-63 in an exhibition at the Smith Center on Sunday afternoon. It was UNC’s final exhibition of the preseason before the regular season begins on November 4.

Here are a few takeaways from the game:

Ian Jackson’s athleticism is worth the price of admission. Jackson, a highly-touted freshman from New York, gave Tar Heel fans a glimpse of why so many schools around the country – most notably Kentucky – were competing for his services. Jackson got to the rim multiple times, including a jaw-dropping missed dunk in the second half which ended with him taking a hard fall. No matter: Jackson took a steal all the way for a highlight-reel windmill dunk just a few seconds later. He finished with 21 points.

“I think he has an ability to put major pressure on the rim, whether it’s in transition or a one-on-one situation,” said head coach Hubert Davis. “I was really proud of his effort today on both ends of the floor.”

Drake Powell has the tools to be an NBA lottery pick. Another piece of a strong Carolina recruiting class, Powell has the potential to go from Northwood High School in Pittsboro to the NBA in just two seasons, with Chapel Hill as a stepping stone. The freshman’s wingspan gives him defense which surpasses his 6-foot, 6-inch height. With game-changers such as Duke’s Cooper Flagg looming on the UNC schedule, Powell’s defensive capability is worth monitoring. Powell finished with eight points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks and a steal off the bench.

Filling in for Armando Bacot will take a village. Channeling its inner ‘Moneyball,’ Carolina is not looking to simply replace Armando Bacot, but rather to rebuild him in the aggregate. The Tar Heels totaled 54 rebounds, but none had more than 12 (Ven-Allen Lubin). Lubin, Jalen Washington and James Brown split time at the center position, with Washington starting the game.

“I keep telling them, Armando and Harrison [Ingram] are not coming through that tunnel,” Davis said. “The number one determining factor for us, in terms of the outcome, is rebounding the basketball.”

“He doesn’t put any rebounding drills [in practice],” Lubin said of Davis. “He says, ‘You guys gotta crash the glass in order to play for us.’ That’s something that I want to do, because I want to play for this team.”

Seth Trimble has put the coaching staff on notice. Following his 33-point outburst at Memphis earlier in the month, Trimble once again earned a start against Johnson C. Smith — this time alongside R.J. Davis, who missed the Memphis game. Trimble paid off Hubert Davis’ confidence, finishing with 15 points on 6-7 shooting. It’s safe to say Trimble has made his case for a full-time starting role once the regular season begins.

Carolina played with the pace Hubert Davis asked for. During the preseason, Hubert Davis said he wants the Tar Heels to be the fastest team in the nation. In fact, the head coach even installed a new rule during practice: get the ball beyond the half-court line in three seconds, or it’s an automatic turnover. Carolina heeded that rule against Johnson C. Smith: the Tar Heels outscored the Golden Bulls 34-0 in fast-break points.

“This is the fastest team I’ve ever played with,” Trimble said. “As soon as there’s a missed shot, a steal, a turnover, Ian’s out. I’m out. Elliot [Cadeau] is pitching the ball ahead. R.J.’s out. The bigs are out. It’s really fun being able to run and create plays.”

Featured image via Todd Melet

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