UNC Basketball Rookie Bounces Back in Big Way Against Boston College

One explanation for the UNC basketball team's two-game losing streak entering Saturday afternoon's home bout against the Boston College Eagles was the back-to-back single-digit scoring performances by Ian Jackson after the electrifying Tar Heel freshman had routinely reached 20 points across the previous four weeks.

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Likewise, one reason UNC managed to snap its skid with a 102-96 overtime win over the Eagles was Jackson's reemergence as a big-time bucket-getter.

Jackson finished with 19 points in UNC's dramatic must-have victory, shooting 8-for-13 from the field, 2-for-3 beyond the arc, and 1-for-3 at the foul line. He added one assist and one steal, committing zero turnovers across his 28 minutes as a starter.

And if not for the 19-year-old's 15 points in the second half, including a critical three-point play to pull the Tar Heels to within one point of Boston College at 82-81 with 3:25 remaining on the clock, fourth-year UNC basketball head coach Hubert Davis might have some serious explaining to do right now.

After all, the Eagles (9-11, 1-8 ACC) sit No. 17 in the 18-team ACC standings, having now lost six straight, and their only win in conference action was against the still-winless Miami Hurricanes.

UNC (13-8, 6-3 ACC) will now gear up for a road battle against the Pitt Panthers (13-6, 4-4 ACC) at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday (ESPN).

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