UNC Basketball: 3 takeaways from a first-round NCAA Tournament win over Wagner

3. Jae'Lyn Withers played his best game of the season

In the ACC Tournament final, Davis and Bacot received next to no help from their supporting cast. This was the primary reason for the loss, and was a major cause for concern for Carolina fans in the lead-up to the Big Dance.

Harrison Ingram has been UNC's most reliable third option this year, but the Stanford transfer sometimes has long stretches where he goes invisible. Cormac Ryan was on fire in the Heels' win over Duke at Cameron Indoor Stadium, but he's been streaky all year on the offensive end. Seth Trimble is primarily a defensive stopper, and though Elliot Cadeau has had stretches of brilliance in his freshman year, he's also had times where he's looked like a first-year player.

To a large extent, Jae'Lyn Withers has been the forgotten man in Hubert Davis' rotation, but he made sure that would no longer be the case with a memorable, energetic performance on Thursday. Withers was all over the court against the Seahawks, putting up season highs in points, rebounds, and assists with a 16-10-3 double-double.

Wagner had no answer for Withers' athleticism, sending him to the line for nine free throws. Going forward, this could be a huge development for Carolina, who will need more than just Davis and Bacot to get to the Final Four and have a chance to hang another banner in the Dean Dome.