With both teams somewhat off the radar, not enough was made out of how exciting the North Carolina-Notre Dame was.
The Tar Heels 74-73 win had a little of everything.
It had a little of everything: a young player in Ian Jackson continuing to brighten his star, Notre Dame getting a key cog back in Markus Burton, and a game that came down to the buzzer.
Ian Jackson was the best player on the floor.
Whether Hubert Davis likes it or not, Jackson is the biggest difference-maker on the roster.
Jackson was an efficient 11-18 from the floor for 27 points, plus grabbed six rebounds. One of his most underrated plays was when he walled off Matt Allocco on a drive, grabbed the rebound, attacked Braden Shrewsberry in retreat, and finished with a layup.
The next challenge for Davis is having Jackson find his spots on the floor once Seth Trimble returns. The other question is, who goes to the bench?
Markus Burton’s return makes Notre Dame a threat.
Head coach Micah Shrewsberry chose to bring Burton off the bench in his first game back from injury, and it provided a much-needed punch to the offense.
Burton’s ability to be a threat paid off for the Fighting Irish, but his most significant contribution was getting to the free-throw line. Burton was 7-14 from the floor and 9-10 from the free throw line, with all 10 attempts coming in the second half.
His presence moves Allocco off the ball and back to being a catch-and-shoot player, which will open lanes for B. Shrewsberry.
Down the Stretch
There was a lot made of how the game ended but the calls were correct on both ends.
Allocco’s closeout on Elliot Cadeau was a poor one. When Cadeau created space on the step-back, Allocco immediately contested the shot by jumping forward and not straight up. Once Allocco occupied Cadeau’s landing area, the call was automatic.
Consequently, on the other end, Cadeau reacted differently when Burton attacked his retreat. Instead of jumping into Burton or bringing his arms down, Cadeau stayed vertical and was entitled to the space. Cadeau also jumped away from contact, not into it.
