### Ian Jackson Continues to Shine: Freshman Sets Career-High 27 Points in Clutch UNC Win Over Notre Dame
**By Grok Sports Desk | November 25, 2025**
SOUTH BEND, Ind. — In the unforgiving grind of ACC play, where every possession feels like a referendum on a team’s soul, North Carolina freshman guard Ian Jackson has emerged not just as a spark, but as the unrelenting flame propelling the Tar Heels forward. On a frigid January afternoon at Purcell Pavilion, Jackson torched Notre Dame for a career-high 27 points, leading UNC to a heart-stopping 74-73 victory that snapped a mini-slump and reaffirmed his status as one of college basketball’s most electric newcomers.
The win, sealed by Elliot Cadeau’s audacious four-point play in the dying seconds, was a testament to North Carolina’s resilience. But make no mistake: Jackson was the game’s gravitational center, dictating tempo with ferocious drives, laser-like threes, and an unyielding motor that left the Fighting Irish scrambling. His performance—11-of-15 from the field, including 4-of-7 from beyond the arc— wasn’t merely efficient; it was a masterclass in freshman dominance, outscoring Notre Dame’s vaunted backcourt by double digits and single-handedly fueling a 14-2 first-half surge that ballooned UNC’s lead to 11.
“Ian’s just built different,” Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis said postgame, his voice laced with the quiet awe of a veteran coach watching history unfold. “He’s got that rare blend—size, speed, shot creation—that makes defenders hesitate. And when he gets going like that? Good luck stopping him. This kid’s not just playing; he’s imposing his will.”
For Jackson, a 6-foot-5 Brooklyn product ranked as the No. 15 overall recruit in the 2024 class, this outburst marked the culmination of a scorching stretch. Over his previous three games, he’d eclipsed 20 points each time, becoming the first UNC freshman since Tyler Hansbrough in 2005-06 to notch four straight 20-plus scoring nights. Against Notre Dame, he wasted no time asserting himself. Just 90 seconds in, Jackson drained a corner three to knot the score at 4-4, his quick release betraying the Irish’s initial defensive scheme. Minutes later, he capitalized on a turnover with a thunderous transition dunk, igniting the Tar Heels’ bench and sending a ripple through the partisan crowd of 9,149.
By halftime, Jackson had 17 points—outpacing his entire output from UNC’s previous loss to Virginia Tech—while UNC nursed a 39-32 lead. His efficiency was surgical: 7-of-9 shooting, including three threes that stretched Notre Dame’s perimeter defense thin. “I just saw the floor opening up,” Jackson said, flashing a grin that belied his 18 years. “Coach Davis always talks about attacking early, being aggressive. I took that to heart today.”
The second half, though, tested North Carolina’s mettle. Notre Dame, clinging to fading hopes of an at-large NCAA bid, erupted for a 12-0 run capped by 10 points from junior guard Markus Burton, flipping a seven-point deficit into a one-point Irish lead at 48-47. The Purcell Pavilion faithful, sensing vulnerability, turned the volume to deafening levels. UNC’s offense sputtered, with RJ Davis— the team’s senior leader—managing just five points after intermission amid a brutal shooting slump (2-of-12).
Enter Jackson, again. With the game teetering, he ignited a counterpunch, scoring 10 of UNC’s next 14 points during a frantic stretch that reclaimed control. A pull-up jumper from 18 feet silenced the crowd; a hesitation drive and scoop layup drew gasps; and a step-back three with 8:12 left pushed the Tar Heels ahead 61-58. His 11 field goals tied a season high for any Tar Heel, and his six rebounds—matching Jalen Washington for team lead—underscored his two-way impact. Defensively, Jackson harassed Burton into 6-of-18 shooting, swiping two steals that sparked fast breaks.
As the clock wound down, Notre Dame clawed back to tie at 70-70 with 22 seconds left, setting the stage for Cadeau’s heroics. But Jackson’s groundwork made it possible. “Elliot’s shot was huge, but Ian carried us there,” Washington said. “He’s our guy right now.”
This wasn’t a fluke; it’s the latest chapter in Jackson’s meteoric rise. Recruited over blue-blood suitors like Kansas and Duke, Jackson arrived in Chapel Hill as a five-star prospect with a reputation for highlight-reel athleticism honed on New York’s AAU circuits. His high school tenure at Our Savior Lutheran and later Cardinal Hayes produced 30-point explosions and dunk contests that went viral, but whispers of inconsistency lingered—could the wiry guard translate that raw talent to the college grind?
Early signs were promising but uneven. In UNC’s season opener against Northern Iowa, Jackson tallied 12 points in a blowout win, but a 4-of-14 clunker at Pitt exposed growing pains. Then, something clicked. A 23-point gem against UCLA on the road marked his breakout, followed by 26 at Louisville and 24 versus Wake Forest. By Notre Dame, he’d ascended to 13.5 points per game in ACC play, second on the team behind Davis, while shooting 39.5% from three—numbers that have scouts buzzing about his 2026 NBA Draft stock.
Analysts are drawing parallels to past Tar Heel guards like Cole Anthony, whose freshman flair masked deeper maturation. “Jackson’s got that Anthony scoring punch, but with more size and defensive upside,” said ESPN’s Jay Bilas on his podcast. “If he sustains this, UNC’s Final Four ceiling just got higher.” Indeed, with the Tar Heels at 9-6 overall and 2-1 in conference—still smarting from non-con losses to Florida and Auburn—Jackson’s emergence has injected optimism. UNC’s next test: a home tilt against new ACC addition SMU on Tuesday, where Jackson’s 15 second-half points in their non-con meeting foreshadow another duel.
Beyond the box score, Jackson’s story resonates for its grit. Raised in Bed-Stuy, he navigated the city’s basketball trenches, idolizing Kyrie Irving while grinding through injuries that sidelined him as a senior. At UNC, he’s leaned on mentors like Davis, whose pregame film sessions have sharpened his reads. “RJ’s like a big brother,” Jackson admitted. “He sees things I miss—defensive rotations, help-side traps. It’s paying off.”
Teammates rave about his intangibles, too. Freshman wing Drake Powell, who notched nine points off Davis assists, called Jackson “the heartbeat.” Veteran forward Jae’lyn Withers added, “His energy’s contagious. When he dunks, we all feed off it.” Even Notre Dame coach Micah Shrewsberry, whose squad dropped to 7-7, tipped his cap: “That kid’s a problem. Athletic, tough, shoots it like a vet. We blitzed him early, and he just adjusted.”
For Tar Heels fans, starved for sustained excellence since the 2022 national title game heartbreak, Jackson embodies renewal. Chapel Hill’s Dean Smith Center has become his personal coliseum, with students chanting “I-Jack!” during warmups. Social media erupts postgame—clips of his transition slam racked up 500,000 views on UNC’s TikTok within hours. “He’s the next big thing,” one fan tweeted. “Forget lottery pick—top-five lock.”
Yet, Jackson remains grounded, his postgame ritual unchanged: a quiet prayer circle with the team, followed by film review until the arena lights dim. “I ain’t done yet,” he said, eyes fixed on the horizon. “This is just fuel. We got Duke in February— that’s when we really turn up.”
As North Carolina eyes a return to March madness prominence, Jackson’s shine isn’t fleeting; it’s foundational. In a league stacked with lottery-bound talents like Duke’s Cooper Flagg and Clemson’s Chase Hunter, the freshman from Brooklyn is carving his niche, one career-high explosion at a time. If Saturday’s virtuoso act is any indication, the Tar Heels’ faithful might just witness the birth of a legend—one bucket, one bounce pass, one defiant dunk at a time.
(Word count: 1,028)
Leave a Reply