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In a battle of two top-20 teams with numerous talented matchups all over the floor, all eyes were on the battle of the big men and the All-American forwards. UNC's Armando Bacot and Indiana's Trayce Jackson-Davis came into this year as preseason All-Americans and favorites to win their leagues Player of the Year. On Wednesday, they squared off.

In Indiana's 77-65 win over North Carolina, it was Jackson-Davis who outplayed Bacot and outperformed the ACC big man in nearly every category.

It was a battle to start the game with the ball going in to both bigs early and often. Both players converting, while seeing double teams on almost every touch. But the double teams and the versatility that Jackson-Davis has opened the entire offense up for Indiana.

"The issue was Trayce Jackson-Davis, they have a player that they can run offense through that can generate points for them on every possession," UNC head coach Hubert Davis said postgame. "Not only can he score, he's a gifted passer and so if you shrink the floor, you double team now you're leaving open shooters."

Jackson-Davis ended with 21 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and four blocks. He also had zero turnovers in 31 minutes. On the other hand, Bacot struggled with the athleticism and versatility of the entire Indiana front court.

He finished with 12 points on just 4-of-10 from the field and 10 rebounds.

In total, Indiana outscored North Carolina 50 to 24 in the paint.

"I think it's huge for us honestly. That's Coach Woodson, since he got the job, he always said play inside-out," Jackson-Davis said. "We knew North Carolina was going to ice ball screens. Guys like X and Fino getting them downhill in situations where they can make plays was huge for us. They made big plays all night."

"I thought Trayce had a hell of a game . . . We got some pretty good inside players," Mike Woodson said. "Malik missed a lot of bunnies around the hole that he normally makes. Trayce was solid again around the bucket. We got Race, who can post it as well. I feel good about our inside-out game with any team."

Despite a good and effective start, it was the first few possessions of the second half where Jackson-Davis made his biggest impact -- almost putting a stronghold on any momentum North Carolina wanted to gain coming out of halftime.

Jackson-Davis scored on a hook shot to get the second half started, drew a foul on Bacot on the next possession, blocked Bacot on the other end of the floor two possessions later and then converted in transition three possessions later to push the lead to 11. Indiana never looked back.

"It was really Trace Jackson-Davis," Davis said. "Anytime that they needed a shot, they can get it to him and they could create a shot whether they made it or not, I felt like through him they can get the shot that they want on pretty much every possession."

"Because he's a big-time player," Jalen Hood-Schifino said. "And that's what big-time players do."

In a statement game, Jackson-Davis made sure he made a statement. And he did. His stat line of 20+ points, 10+ rebounds, 4+ assists, 4+ blocks and 0 turnovers was the first time in the last 25 years that a Division I players did that against an AP Top 25 opponent.

"We're going to fight and battle. That's what we're going to do," Jackson-Davis said. "We go at each other every day just to put on a show in front of these fans. I thought the crowd was electric. It was a great atmosphere to play in."

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