How ‘J-Wit’ could change the matchups for UNC’s rivalry game against NC State
N.C. State believed it matched up reasonably well with North Carolina the first time the two teams tangled this season.
The game at the Lenovo Center a month ago went down to the final shot — UNC’s Jalen Washington with a block on the Pack’s Jayden Taylor at the buzzer to preserve the Tar Heels’ 63-61 victory.
The two rivals go at it again Wednesday, this time at the Smith Center, and the Wolfpack could potentially face a different matchup problem: the Heels’ Jae’Lyn Withers.
Withers was a nonfactor in the game in Raleigh. He had a scant four minutes of playing time and had two rebounds. That was that. The 6-9 forward mostly sat and watched.
Nor did much happen after the State game. Withers, in the eight games after beating the Pack, did not score more than five points in a game as Ven-Allen Lubin, a 6-9 junior, began getting more minutes and longer looks in games.
Then came Syracuse.
Withers, placed in the starting lineup alongside Lubin, responded with 19 points, hitting seven of his 10 shots. He gave UNC another 3-point threat, hitting three of four, and filled out his stat sheet with six rebounds, three blocks and an assist as the Tar Heels squeezed out an 88-82 road victory.
“It just changes us completely.” UNC coach Hubert Davis said Monday on the ACC coaches media call. “His length and athleticism takes us to another level defensively. And on the offensive end, obviously we have, as a team, struggled to shoot the ball from 3-point range and it’s always good to have another guy who can consistently knock down shots, especially at that power forward position.
“With his ability to run the floor, finish, it changes our team completely when he’s playing like that. … And not just the 3’s that he hit. I thought he made fundamental, sound plays out on the floor and that really helped us against Syracuse.”
Withers was poked in the right eye during practice before the Syracuse game and Davis was not sure at first if he would be able to play. But play he did, and well.
“He had a phenomenal game,” UNC guard R.J. Davis said. “That has to be a boost of confidence for him.”
The question now: Will Davis stick with a bigger lineup against the Pack or go back to a four-guard lineup? More so, are the Tar Heels (15-11, 8-6 ACC) better with a bigger lineup.?
The Wolfpack (10-15, 3-11) has used a four-guard lineup much of this season and did Saturday in beating Boston College to end its nine-game losing skid. The Pack did start two bigs twice — against Texas and later Wake Forest — and that is an option.
The Pack also will see a lot of Lubin and Washington in the game. Not only did Washington have the big block in the first game but also shook free for a dunk moments before that gave the Tar Heels the two-point lead. Washington finished with 12 rebounds, including six of UNC’s 13 offensive boards.
“Offensive rebounds really hurt us,” NCSU coach Kevin Keatts said Monday. “They got so many easy baskets.”
Another thing that hurt the Pack was Ian Jackson’s 3-point shooting. The UNC freshman ignited for four of his five 3-pointers in the second half in scoring 16 of his 21 points.
Withers, a transfer from Louisville, was a 42% shooter from the arc for the Cardinals in 2022-23. He dropped off to 20% (4 of 20) a year ago for the Tar Heels, taking an ill-advised 3 – that he missed – in the final minute of UNC’s loss to Alabama in the NCAA Sweet 16 game.
But Withers is back to being a 42% 3-point shooter again this season (16 of 38), giving the Wolfpack something else to worry about Wednesday. Plus, he has the size to be a problem in the paint.
“It’s the mindset of everybody telling me to shoot,” Withers said after the Syracuse game. “The coaching staff has instilled confidence, the players are instilling confidence. It’s just being aggressive and letting it go whenever I get open. “
Syracuse, he made his ninth start of the season and was in for 24 minutes. He let it go.
“I came out with a little bit of spunk and a little bit of fire,” Withers said.
Hubert Davis could tell, quickly.
“I’ve said a number of times to the guys that you don’t know when, where or how and the manner in which your number is going to be called, but everybody is going to get opportunities,” Davis said. “Your job and responsibility is when your number is called, to be prepared and to be ready, and ‘J-Wit’ was prepared and he was ready.”
This story was originally published February 18, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
