Freshman Ian Jackson has made an immediate impact for North Carolina basketball.

The former five-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting cycle is second on the team in scoring to fellow guard and veteran team leader RJ Davis, providing the Tar Heels (13-9, 6-4 ACC) with a secondary scorer. On Saturday, UNC takes on rival No. 2 Duke (18-2, 10-0).

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Jackson has seven 20-point performances for UNC this season. The Tar Heels will need a strong performance from Jackson to have a chance at an upset road victory in the Tobacco Road Rivalry, with the game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and broadcast on ESPN.

Here's everything to know about Jackson ahead of Saturday's rivalry matchup between North Carolina and Duke:

Who is Ian Jackson?

Jackson was a five-star recruit in the 2024 recruiting cycle. During that time, he was ranked the No. 8 overall player and the No. 2 guard. Jackson became the first freshman in Tar Heel history to score 23 or more points in four straight games when he did so between Dec. 21 and Jan. 4, with UNC going 3-1 in that span.

During his streak, Jackson had a 24-point performance against No. 24 UCLA, a 26-point performance vs. Campbell, 23 points vs. Louisville and a career-high of 27 vs. Notre Dame. He shot Jackson 35-of-62 (56.4%) during that span. He has seven 20-point games this season.

Jackson, who is listed at 6-foot-4, has hit a bit of a freshman wall since, with three single-digit scoring games in the last four games, including a nine-point performance on 4-of-10 shooting in a 73-65 loss to Pitt on the road on Tuesday.

Ian Jackson recruiting

• Star rating: 5 stars

• National ranking: No. 8 overall

• Positional ranking: No. 2 Guard

• State ranking: No. 2 in New York

According to 247Sports' Composite rankings, Jackson was a five-star in the 2024 recruiting class. The 6-foot-4 guard out of Our Saviour Lutheran School in Bronx, New York, was the fourth-ranked guard in the recruiting class and the second-best player in the state, behind only Baylor's VJ Edgecombe.

Jackson committed to the Tar Heels on Jan. 15, 2023, citing head coach Hubert Davis as the main reason for his decision.

Ian Jackson stats

Here's a look at Jackson's stats from his freshman season with the Tar Heels:

• 2024: 14.7 points per game, 3.5 rebounds per game, 0.9 assists per game, 0.6 steals per game, 48.7% field goals and 38.2% 3-point shooting

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Who is Ian Jackson? What to know about UNC guard ahead of game vs Duke