Where does freshman Ian Jackson's focus lie ahead of the Duke rivalry?
As North Carolina approaches one of their biggest games of the season freshman Ian Jackson and Drake Powell are mentally preparing for their first game inside of Cameron Indoor Stadium, the home of UNC's archrival, Duke.
Ian Jackson had this to say as he stared down this matchup with his team's historic rival, via Inside Carolina.
I would say, for me, just focus on us. There's going to be a lot of other things going on, the crowd and the history that these two schools have. But just go in there and focus on us and what we can do to win the game.
Jackson is still averaging the second-most points on the team at 14.7 points per game, but his recent shooting slump heading into this game against Duke is undeniable. After reaching 20+ points in six out of seven straight games, he has since failed to tally double-figures even in four of the team's last five games.
He had six points against Stanford in the 72-71 loss; he had seven points on 3-of-11 shooting in the Wake Forest loss; and he had nine points on 4-of-10 shooting in the Pitt loss.
However, Jackson doesn't seem like his recent slump is affecting him in a quote captured after Thursday's practice from Inside Carolina.
It's just that kind of stretch. It's basketball, it happens. The same way I've been scoring 20, the same way it can go bad a little bit. But I'm all right. I'm fine. My confidence is still super high. My teammates trust me, I trust them. I'm going to go out there and believe and play my game. I believe in the work I put in, and I think I'm the best player on the floor every time I step on the floor.
As Jackson gears up for this game, the entire Tar Heels fan base waits in suspense as this could be a "make it" game for the team and the season if they are able to pull off a miraculous upset against one of the country's best here tonight.
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