Jae'Lyn Withers reveals who has sparked North Carolina's energy during winning streak

North Carolina is heating up in the final stretch of the regular season. The Tar Heels have won four games in a row, most recently defeating Florida State 96-85. After the game, UNC forward Jae’Lyn Withers revealed which players have sparked the Tar Heels’ uptick in energy during their surge of success.

“I think it varies. I think sometimes it’s me, RJ [Davis], Elliot [Cadeau], [Jalen Washington] — guys that just have an energetic side,” Withers said. “That’s how we usually start it but if we need a little push, [head coach Hubert Davis] and the other staff members give us one.”

It’s been a necessary turnaround for the Tar Heels, who lost five of their seven games between Jan. 18 and Feb. 10. For a moment, it looked like North Carolina would have one of the hardest paths in the ACC Tournament.

However, with the win on Monday, North Carolina is only a half-game behind Wake Forest and SMU for fourth place in the ACC standings. The top four teams receive byes into the third round of the conference tournament.

The Tar Heels haven’t won the ACC tournament since 2016 and doing so would do wonders for their seeding in the NCAA Tournament. If North Carolina carries its current momentum into the postseason, it’s more than capable of doing damage.

In UNC’s 96-85 victory over FSU, six Tar Heels scored double figures. Veteran guard RJ Davis led the team with 20 points and five assists while shooting 3-5 from the field. Seth Trimble trailed closely behind, adding 17 points off the bench.

As a team, North Carolina shot an efficient 32-58 (55.2%) from the floor and 10-26 (38.5%) from beyond the arc. The Tar Heels’ intensity showed in the stat sheet as they hauled in 13 offensive rebounds compared to FSU’s mere four.

In turn, North Carolina scored four times as many second-chance points as the Seminoles. After UNC’s win over Virginia on Saturday, Hubert Davis discussed what his team is doing different during their string of wins.

“Our attention to detail has been more consistent,” Davis said. “Defensively, we’ve been better and consistent. I think getting to the offensive glass has been a huge change for us. We’ve gotten second-chance opportunities.”

North Carolina will have a chance to build on its win streak on Saturday when it squares off against Miami at noon ET.