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What happened to Jae’Lyn Withers against Notre Dame?
The fifth-year senior has gone from buried on the bench to burying seven three-pointers against the Irish and setting an ACC Tournament record for Carolina.
After starting the first seven games, which included three losses, Withers was relegated to a reserve role where he played well on occasion but barely got into some games. He was averaging about 10 minutes when Hubert Davis went back to a “big” starting lineup at Clemson, where “J-Wit” played well enough in the blowout loss that Davis stuck with him.
Since then, Withers has helped the Heels average making 11 three-pointers a game. As a true power forward who can shoot the 3-ball, Withers has given Carolina the balance to go on an NCAA Tournament run if the Tar Heels can somehow still get into the Big Dance.
Besides having his career scoring game, Withers is enjoying his best college basketball, playing at least 20 minutes and rediscovering his outside shot. Going to Charlotte, he had made 15 of his last 30 attempts from the arc. Helped by teammates penetrating the painted area, he kept getting open looks from the left corner and up top and shot them in rhythm as the Heels blew out the Irish.
Withers’ five 3-pointers in the first half were more than he made in the entire month of January. The only other time UNC played in Charlotte this season, the Tar Heels lost to Florida, which had not become a great team yet. Withers did not start, played less than 10 minutes and scored five points, missing both of his outside attempts.
He had taken a circuitous route back to his home state, after being a consensus 4-star recruit at North Mecklenburg High School, where as a junior he averaged 20 points and 10 rebounds before transferring to Cleveland Heights High in Ohio.
It is unclear whether Roy Williams recruited him from the class of 2020, but Withers listed Arizona, Florida, Texas and Texas A&M as his top choices before signing with Louisville. After Withers redshirted as a freshman, the Cardinals had two terrible seasons in 2022 and ’23 and he entered the transfer portal. He signed with UNC’s new coach and played in all 37 games last season. He started only three and averaged 12 minutes, 4.2 points and made just 4 of 20 three-pointers.
Clearly, Withers’ fast start triggered a great game for the Tar Heels, who went up by double figures and were never challenged. Withers made 5 of the team’s 9 three-pointers in the first half, and finished 7 of 10, had 9 rebounds, an assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks. Ven-Allen Lubin had a double-double of 17 and 10, and Elliot Cadeau dished 11 assists. Their swarming defense held the Irish to 32 percent shooting and switched defenders on Markus Burton, the ACC’ leading scorer who managed just 11 points.
Now, it’s on to Wake Forest.
https://chapelboroaudio.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/2025/03%20-%20March/13/Art%27s%20Notebook%20031325%20-%20FINAL.mp3Featured image via Todd Melet
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.
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