By R.L. Bynum
LOUISVILLE — With defenses hyper-focused on making RJ Davis work for every basket and the fifth-year guard having difficulty finding his shooting rhythm, North Carolina will have to lean on freshmen Ian Jackson and Drake Powell.
What made the final minutes of the 83–70 loss at Louisville more of a challenge is that Powell fouled out with 4:17 left, and Jackson barely touched the ball in the final minutes.
Is not getting the ball to your best offensive player when you badly need a basket a coaching issue? Is it a product of Elliot Cadeau, who struggled in the game, and others not creating opportunities for Jackson?
Whatever the problem is, the Tar Heels (8–6, 1–1 ACC) will have to fix it for Saturday’s noon matchup (CBS) at Notre Dame (7–6, 1–1).
Jackson never played more than 28 minutes before averaging 34½ minutes and 24.3 points in the last three games, scoring eight 3-pointers and showing improvement on defense.
“We’ve got to figure out how to get guys good shots,” said Jackson, who has shown the ability to blow past defenders and create his shot easily when given the chance.
“I put in the work, and I think I can get by anybody,” Jackson said. “I think I can score on anybody. So, I was out there just playing basketball, taking advantage. If it wasn’t there, give it to my teammates, but just playing basketball.”
Again, UNC didn’t have Seth Trimble, who made a key defensive play in the 76–64 victory on Dec. 21 in New York over No. 15 UCLA. His defense could have made the difference down the stretch against Louisville.
After the Louisville game, Coach Hubert Davis only said that “there is no update” on Trimble, which suggests he won’t play against the Irish. RJ Davis said he hoped Trimble would be back soon, but they want to ensure he’s healthy and ready to go.
“Having Seth away is a huge miss for us,” RJ Davis said. “He contributes so much to this team, offensively and defensively, and he’s a focal point for this team. He does a lot of the little things that we all need. A lot of his energy and effort plays. But that doesn’t excuse for the way we should have closed out the game [Wednesday].”
The Irish have also been missing a key player: sophomore 6–0, 190-pound point guard Markus Burton. He was the team’s leading scorer at 18.2 points per game through six games, but hasn’t played since suffering a right knee injury on Nov. 26 against Rutgers. He didn’t require surgery and is progressing, but it’s not clear when he’ll be back.
With Burton out, the scoring load has fallen on junior 6–9, 215-pound forward Tae Davis (16.6 points, 5.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists) and sophomore 6–5, 200-pound guard Braeden Shrewsberry (16.2 points). Fifth-year 6–4, 190-pound guard Matt Allocco, a Princeton transfer, averages 10.2 points and 3.8 assists.
NOTES — The Irish have lost to two opponents that UNC beat: at home 84–77 on Nov. 22 against Elon and in their last game on Dec. 31 at Georgia Tech 86–75. … UNC is 30–9 all-time against Notre Dame, winning 84–51 on March 5 in Chapel Hill in the only meeting last season. UNC is 6–4 at Notre Dame, including a 63–59 victory in the last visit on Feb. 22, 2023. … The Tar Heels have won three straight and 12 of the last 14 against Notre Dame. … This will be UNC’s first Quad 2 game. … In Carolina’s last three losses, it has made only 14 of 72 3-point attempts (19.4%).
UNC season statistics
Notre Dame season statistics
KenPom comparison
| Category | UNC | Notre Dame |
| Overall ranking | 35 | 91 |
| Offensive efficiency | 118.0 (26) | 113.2 (61) |
| Defensive efficiency | 99.7 (66) | 105.1 (141) |
| Effective FG% | 53.0 (93) | 54.2 (70) |
| Turnover % | 14.7 (33) | 15.7 (73) |
| Offensive rebound % | 28.0 (241) | 29.7 (196) |
| FTA/FGA | 39.1 (54) | 29.1 (278) |
| Strength of schedule | 7 | 143 |
Series: UNC 30, Notre Dame 9
| Team | League | Overall | NET* |
|---|---|---|---|
| No. 3 Duke | 0–0 | 10–0 | 2 |
| California | 0–0 | 10–1 | 59 |
| No. 11 Louisville | 0–0 | 9–1 | 11 |
| No. 12 North Carolina | 0–0 | 9–1 | 20 |
| No. 23 Virginia | 0–0 | 9–1 | 21 |
| Virginia Tech | 0–0 | 10–2 | 58 |
| Miami | 0–0 | 9–2 | 31 |
| SMU | 0–0 | 9–2 | 41 |
| Stanford | 0–0 | 8–2 | 109 |
| Notre Dame | 0–0 | 9–3 | 67 |
| Clemson | 0–0 | 8–3 | 28 |
| Wake Forest | 0–0 | 8–3 | 48 |
| N.C. State | 0–0 | 7–4 | 36 |
| Georgia Tech | 0–0 | 6–4 | 202 |
| Syracuse | 0–0 | 6–4 | 92 |
| Florida State | 0–0 | 5–5 | 131 |
| Boston College | 0–0 | 5–6 | 181 |
| Pittsburgh | 0–0 | 5–6 | 167 |
* — Through Sunday games
Saturday’s results
No. 12 North Carolina 80, USC Upstate 62
Miami 104, Louisiana-Monroe 79
Massachusetts 103, Florida State 95
Notre Dame 82, Evansville 58
Clemson 70, Mercer 63
No. 11 Louisville 99, Memphis 73
Hofstra 70, Syracuse 69
Villanova 79, Pittsburgh 61
California 79, Northwestern State 70
No. 19 Kansas 77, N.C. State 76, OT
Stanford 86, San Jose State 82
LSU 89, SMU 77
Sunday’s results
Virginia Tech 83, Maryland Eastern Shore 53
Wake Forest 111, Queens 73
Tuesday’s games
Lipscomb at No. 3 Duke, 6 p.m., ACC Network
No. 11 Louisville at No. 20 Tennessee, 7 p.m., ESPN
Florida State at Dayton, 7 p.m., CBS Sports Network
South Carolina at Clemson, 7 p.m., ESPN2
Florida International at Miami, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Marist at Georgia Tech, 7:30, ACCN Extra
East Tennessee State at No. 12 North Carolina, 8 p.m., ACC Network
Wednesday’s games
Longwood at Wake Forest, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Mercyhurst at Syracuse, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Binghamton at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Texas Southern at N.C. State, 7 p.m. ACCN Extra
UT Arlington at Stanford, 10 p.m., ACCN Extra
Friday’s games
Mississippi Valley State at Florida State, 7 p.m., ACCN Extra
Morgan State at California, 10 p.m., ACCN Extra
Saturday’s games
Montana at No. 11 Louisville, noon, ACCN Extra
Lafayette at Georgia Tech, 2 p.m., ACCN Extra
Elon at Virginia Tech, 2 p.m., ACCN Extra
Ohio State vs. No. 12 North Carolina in CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta, 3 p.m., CBS
Northeastern at Syracuse, 4 p.m., ACCN Extra
Maryland at No. 23 Virginia, 6 p.m., ESPN
No. 3 Duke at No. 16 Texas Tech, 8 p.m., ESPN
Stanford at Colorado, 8 p.m., ESPNU
| Date | Month/day | Time | Opponent/event (current ranks) | TV/ record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | ||||
| 24 | Friday | L, 78–76 | vs. No. 10 BYU in SLC | Exhib. |
| 29 | Wednesday | W, 95–53 | vs. Winston-Salem St. | Exhib. |
| November | ||||
| 3 | Monday | W, 94–54 | vs. Central Arkansas | 1–0 |
| 7 | Friday | W, 87–74 | vs. No. 17 Kansas | 2–0 |
| 11 | Tuesday | W, 89–74 | vs. Radford | 3–0 |
| 14 | Friday | W, 97–53 | vs. N.C. Central | 4–0 |
| 18 | Tuesday | W, 73–61 | vs. Navy | 5–0 |
| Fort Myers Tip-Off | ||||
| 25 | Tuesday | W, 85–70 | vs. St. Bonaventure | 6–0 |
| 27 | Thursday | L, 74–58 | vs. No. 9 Michigan State | 6–1 |
| December | ACC/SEC Men’s Challenge | |||
| 2 | Tuesday | W, 67–64 | at Kentucky | 7–1 |
| ————————— | ||||
| 7 | Sunday | W, 81–61 | vs. Georgetown | 8–1 |
| 13 | Saturday | W, 80–62 | vs. USC Upstate | 9–1 |
| 16 | Tuesday | 8 p.m. | vs. East Tennessee State | ACCN |
| CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta | ||||
| 20 | Saturday | 3 p.m. | vs. Ohio State | CBS |
| ————————— | ||||
| 22 | Monday | 8 p.m. | vs. East Carolina | ACCN |
| 30 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Florida State | ESPN2 |
| January | ||||
| 3 | Saturday | 2:15 | at SMU | The CW |
| 10 | Saturday | 6 p.m. | vs. Wake Forest | ACCN |
| 14 | Wednesday | 9 p.m. | at Stanford | ACCN |
| 17 | Saturday | 4 p.m. | at California | ACCN |
| 21 | Wednesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Notre Dame | ESPN2 |
| 24 | Saturday | 2 or 2:30 | at No. 23 Virginia | ESPN or ESPNU |
| 31 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | at Georgia Tech | ACCN |
| February | ||||
| 2 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. Syracuse | ESPN |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | vs. No. 3 Duke | ESPN |
| 10 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at Miami | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 14 | Saturday | 2 p.m. | vs. Pittsburgh | ESPN |
| 17 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | at N.C. State | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 21 | Saturday | 1 p.m. | at Syracuse | ABC |
| 23 | Monday | 7 p.m. | vs. No. 11 Louisville | ESPN |
| 28 | Saturday | 6:30 or 8:30 | vs. Virginia Tech | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| March | ||||
| 3 | Tuesday | 7 p.m. | vs. Clemson | ESPN or ESPN2 |
| 7 | Saturday | 6:30 | at No. 3 Duke | ESPN |
| 10–14 | Tues.-Sat. | ACC tournament | Spectrum Center, Charlotte |
Photo courtesy of UNC Athletics
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