University of North Carolina Athletics
Ian Jackson
Photo by: Maggie Hobson
Lucas: NC State Rapid Reactions
January 11, 2025 | Men's Basketball, Featured Writers, Adam Lucas
Quick takeaways from Raleigh.
By Adam Lucas
1. It wasn't pretty, but it counts. Carolina beats State, 63-61. The Heels are 20-6 in the Lenovo Center against the Pack and 39-7 against State in the last 21 seasons.
2. Sometimes you just need the best player on the floor. Saturday, that was Ian Jackson, and the Tar Heels had him. The freshman had his sixth 20+ point game, scoring 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
3. And even the stars need help. One of the biggest helps was the first career double-double for Jalen Washington, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Those 11 points included the go-ahead basket with under 30 seconds to play on a pass from Elliot Cadeau. And then, to top it off, Washington rejected a potential tying shot. What a day for the big man.
4. Carolina's ability to score in transition might have been the difference in the game. On a day when there weren't many easy hoops, the Heels converted 16 fast break points.
5. Carolina struggled to keep State off the offensive glass in the first quarter of the game. The Pack hauled down 10 offensive rebounds on the first 21 shots it took. But the Heels limited State to just two offensive boards on their next 19 attempts. Either way, though, the Tar Heels were fortunate that the Pack wasn't very efficient with those offensive rebounds--they turned a dozen first half offensive rebounds into just four points. State finished the game with 16 offensive boards but only turned them into nine points.
6. They won't be sending that first half to Springfield. Carolina and State combined to play an ugly first 20 minutes that was led by the Tar Heels, 26-20. The two teams combined to go 9-21...on layups alone.
7. It's honestly difficult to accurately depict that first half of "basketball." Some of my favorite numbers: State's Marcus Hill attempted 12 shots in the first 9:30 of the game. The Wolfpack had only one assist and didn't chart one until two minutes remained in the half. Carolina went to the free throw line only twice (there were only seven fouls called in the half as the officials were probably dazed by the quality of play) and missed both of them. The teams combined to shoot 3-21 from three-point range.
8. In a game without many artistic moments, the prettiest play of the evening might have come in the second half. Seth Trimble drove a briefly open baseline that then closed off his advance. He found Drake Powell in the corner, who swung it to Jackson. The freshman had a potential look, but instead made the extra pass to RJ Davis, who knocked in a three-pointer for a five-point Tar Heel lead.
9. We're seeing the Tar Heel rotation narrow. For the second straight game, Cade Tyson didn't play. And Jae'Lyn Withers didn't play in the second half. That complicated who the Tar Heels put on the floor in the closing minutes, because Elliot Cadeau had to go to the bench after committing two straight turnovers in a seven-point game with five minutes left. That left RJ Davis running the point--Davis would probably say he rushed a three-pointer with 3:21 left in a three-point game.
10. State lost a potential difference maker when Brandon Huntley-Hatfield didn't play because of an injury sustained last time out against Notre Dame. Huntley-Hatfield would have been another solid post option for the Pack.
11. Carolina gets a well deserved week at home this coming week, with games against familiar ACC foes Cal and Stanford. The Tar Heels have played seven home games so far this season. Everyone else in the Atlantic Coast Conference has played at least eight, with some (Georgia Tech has played 12, and several schools have played 10) having played significantly more.
12. For the second time this season, the Tar Heels broke out their blue, 1980s throwback jerseys. They also wore them in the win over UCLA at Madison Square Garden.
13. It's true that Trimble isn't back to his early-season form (remember that with the Christmas break, he had a long layoff without game action). But his defense was key in that win, especially on a State possession in a tie game with under a minute to play. State's Marcus Hill (20 points on 10-for-19 shooting) had three straight baskets at that juncture--Trimble locked him up and forced a turnover.
1. It wasn't pretty, but it counts. Carolina beats State, 63-61. The Heels are 20-6 in the Lenovo Center against the Pack and 39-7 against State in the last 21 seasons.
2. Sometimes you just need the best player on the floor. Saturday, that was Ian Jackson, and the Tar Heels had him. The freshman had his sixth 20+ point game, scoring 21 points on 8-for-15 shooting.
3. And even the stars need help. One of the biggest helps was the first career double-double for Jalen Washington, who had 11 points and 12 rebounds. Those 11 points included the go-ahead basket with under 30 seconds to play on a pass from Elliot Cadeau. And then, to top it off, Washington rejected a potential tying shot. What a day for the big man.
4. Carolina's ability to score in transition might have been the difference in the game. On a day when there weren't many easy hoops, the Heels converted 16 fast break points.
5. Carolina struggled to keep State off the offensive glass in the first quarter of the game. The Pack hauled down 10 offensive rebounds on the first 21 shots it took. But the Heels limited State to just two offensive boards on their next 19 attempts. Either way, though, the Tar Heels were fortunate that the Pack wasn't very efficient with those offensive rebounds--they turned a dozen first half offensive rebounds into just four points. State finished the game with 16 offensive boards but only turned them into nine points.
6. They won't be sending that first half to Springfield. Carolina and State combined to play an ugly first 20 minutes that was led by the Tar Heels, 26-20. The two teams combined to go 9-21...on layups alone.
7. It's honestly difficult to accurately depict that first half of "basketball." Some of my favorite numbers: State's Marcus Hill attempted 12 shots in the first 9:30 of the game. The Wolfpack had only one assist and didn't chart one until two minutes remained in the half. Carolina went to the free throw line only twice (there were only seven fouls called in the half as the officials were probably dazed by the quality of play) and missed both of them. The teams combined to shoot 3-21 from three-point range.
8. In a game without many artistic moments, the prettiest play of the evening might have come in the second half. Seth Trimble drove a briefly open baseline that then closed off his advance. He found Drake Powell in the corner, who swung it to Jackson. The freshman had a potential look, but instead made the extra pass to RJ Davis, who knocked in a three-pointer for a five-point Tar Heel lead.
9. We're seeing the Tar Heel rotation narrow. For the second straight game, Cade Tyson didn't play. And Jae'Lyn Withers didn't play in the second half. That complicated who the Tar Heels put on the floor in the closing minutes, because Elliot Cadeau had to go to the bench after committing two straight turnovers in a seven-point game with five minutes left. That left RJ Davis running the point--Davis would probably say he rushed a three-pointer with 3:21 left in a three-point game.
10. State lost a potential difference maker when Brandon Huntley-Hatfield didn't play because of an injury sustained last time out against Notre Dame. Huntley-Hatfield would have been another solid post option for the Pack.
11. Carolina gets a well deserved week at home this coming week, with games against familiar ACC foes Cal and Stanford. The Tar Heels have played seven home games so far this season. Everyone else in the Atlantic Coast Conference has played at least eight, with some (Georgia Tech has played 12, and several schools have played 10) having played significantly more.
12. For the second time this season, the Tar Heels broke out their blue, 1980s throwback jerseys. They also wore them in the win over UCLA at Madison Square Garden.
13. It's true that Trimble isn't back to his early-season form (remember that with the Christmas break, he had a long layoff without game action). But his defense was key in that win, especially on a State possession in a tie game with under a minute to play. State's Marcus Hill (20 points on 10-for-19 shooting) had three straight baskets at that juncture--Trimble locked him up and forced a turnover.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
G
/ Men's Basketball
G/F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's Basketball
F
/ Men's BasketballCarolina Insider: Rapid Reactions – Men’s Basketball vs. Virginia Tech – February 28, 2026
Sunday, March 01
UNC Men's Basketball: Veesaar, Tar Heels Hold Off Hokies, 89-82
Sunday, March 01
UNC Baseball: Diamond Heels Roll to Third Straight Run-Rule Victory, 12-2
Sunday, March 01
UNC Softball: Barbee, Heels Walk Off Eagles in Game 2, 5-4
Saturday, February 28