North Carolina’s Justin Jackson nailing his 3-pointers
No. 9 UNC at Georgia Tech
When: Noon Saturday
Where: McCamish Pavilion, Atlanta
Online/Radio: ACC Network Extra, 106.1-WTKK
Projected starting lineups
North Carolina (12-2, 0-0 ACC)
G Joel Berry 14.4 ppg, 4.8 apg
G Kenny Williams 6.7 ppg, 3.7 rpg
F Justin Jackson 17.5 ppg, 4.8 rpg
F Isaiah Hicks 12.6 ppg, 5.2 rpg
F Kennedy Meeks 13.1 ppg, 9.2 rpg
Georgia Tech (8-4, 0-0)
G Justin Moore 6.1 ppg, 3.9 apg
G Tadric Jackson 12.1 ppg, 2.5 rpg
F Josh Okogie 13.3 ppg, 3.8 rpg
F Quinton Stephens 10.1 ppg, 8.1 rpg
F Ben Lammers 14.9 ppg, 10 rpg
Three things to know
▪ UNC has won its past seven consecutive games against the Yellow Jackets, dating to the 2011-12 season. The last time the Yellow Jackets beat UNC? That was Jan. 16, 2011, in Atlanta. The Tar Heels have won in their past three trips to McCamish Pavilion, which before its renovation was once something of a house of horrors for UNC. During UNC’s seven-game winning streak in the series, only one of those seven games was decided by single-digits – the Tar Heels’ 86-78 victory last year in Chapel Hill.
▪ It’s a rebuilding year for Georgia Tech under first-year coach Josh Pastner.
Pastner inherited a fairly bare cupboard when he arrived at Georgia Tech from Memphis. The Yellow Jackets lost their top four players from a season ago, and the their offense has taken a hit, especially. Last season Georgia Tech ranked 38th nationally in offensive efficiency, according to kenpom.com. Through their first 12 games this season, they’re 269th in that category. Georgia Tech never operated very quickly under former coach Brian Gregory and the Yellow Jackets haven’t become much faster. They’re 240th nationally in adjusted tempo.
▪ Justin Jackson will attempt to continue his unprecedented perimeter shooting success.
How’s this for a stat, courtesy of UNC basketball sports information director Steve Kirschner: Jackson has already made 33 3-pointers this season. Last season, he made his 33rd 3-pointer during the national championship game in early April. Jackson made five 3-pointers during the first half of UNC’s 102-74 victory against Monmouth earlier this week. He finished with 28 points. Jackson has made 40.7 percent of his 3-point attempts. That ranks second on the team behind Joel Berry (41.4 percent.)
Andrew Carter
This story was originally published December 30, 2016 at 5:14 PM with the headline "North Carolina’s Justin Jackson nailing his 3-pointers."