All Tar Heels

UNC Basketball Forward Jalen Washington Soaks Up Superb Performance

UNC basketball's Jalen Washington gave himself a reason to celebrate, at least for one night.

Matt Giles

Photo credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
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UNC basketball sophomore forward Jalen Washington tallied a career-high 17 points for the ninth-ranked Tar Heels (9-3, 1-0 ACC) in Friday night's 105-60 home win over unranked Charleston Southern. It marked only his third double-digit scoring outing as a Tar Heel.

RELATED: UNC Senior Leapfrogs Former Tar Heel Sharpshooter on All-Time List

And Washington, who averaged only 2.2 points and 1.4 rebounds as a freshman, was notably efficient, shooting 7-for-9 from the field, 2-for-3 from three, and 1-for-2 at the charity stripe across only 16 minutes off the bench. He added seven rebounds and two blocks without committing a single foul or turnover.

Those stats could be a sign of increased production to come from the 6-foot-10, 230-pound former four-star recruit out of Indiana as the team enters the remainder of its ACC slate.

Following his career night, Jalen Washington, now tapping into his loads of potential as an athletic big man with a 7-foot-4 wingspan, expressed his satisfaction to the media:

"I felt like I was rewarded for a lot of hard work. You can really smile finally for a couple of days and then you got to get right back to the drawing board. It's good to reward yourself every once and a while with a good game, but you know, we got bigger plans and bigger goals."

He's now averaging 5.4 points and 2.8 rebounds per game as a sophomore while shooting 74.2 percent from the field, 63.6 percent at the line, and 71.4 percent from three (albeit only seven attempts).

NEXT GAME: at Pitt (9-3, 0-1 ACC), 7 p.m. ET Tuesday (ESPN)

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Matt Giles
MATT GILES

Matt Giles is the editor and publisher of North Carolina Tar Heels on SI, Duke Blue Devils on SI, and NC State Wolfpack on SI, making him a key source for comprehensive coverage of these storied college basketball programs. Since joining UNC on SI in 2023, Matt has been dedicated to providing in-depth analysis, breaking news, and exclusive content on all three teams. He covers everything from game previews and recaps to player profiles and recruiting updates. Matt's expert knowledge of these teams has made his work a go-to resource for fans and followers of Duke, NC State, and UNC. As publisher, he shapes the editorial direction, ensuring that the most relevant and timely information reaches his audience.

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