The No. 1-seeded University of North Carolina Tar Heels made it to the Sweet 16 round of this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament. That kind of accomplishment takes not only hard work, sweat, and talent — but something else that UNC player Justin Jackson has noted is the key to success.

“I’m a Christ follower who’s in desperate need of my Savior, Jesus Christ, each and every day,” Jackson, a forward, wrote in his Twitter bio.

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The junior, a Texas native, tweeted in 2016 that “God is the key.”

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“Every time I step on the court I say a prayer and it’s His will, not mine,” Jackson told the Christian Broadcasting Network after North Carolina made it to the Final Four round of the March Madness tournament last year.

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North Carolina fell to Villanova 77-74 in the championship game last year. This year, Jackson and his teammates are ready for a win.

Related: Sweet 16 Michigan Player: ‘Don’t Forget God Is Good’

“For us, that game — that loss — was so important … because it wasn’t just any old loss,” Jackson wrote March 4 in The Players’ Tribune. The loss of that game, he said, is “burned into” the team.

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“And I know this for sure: It’s a daily reminder that Tar Heel Nation has unfinished business,” Jackson continued. “We want a championship.”

“And while we continue to work toward our ultimate goal of winning a national title, this group of guys want to make our families and classmates and this university proud,” he wrote, declaring: “Personally, I play to glorify God. I write message[s] in Sharpie on my shoes — and also on my Instagram and Twitter accounts. I’m truly defined by my savior. And I’m so grateful to my parents who introduced me to my faith because I believe it’s kept me grounded and shown me what’s really important in life.”

Jackson says his family, his relationships, and his faith are important to him.

“I was homeschooled for most of my childhood,” Jackson wrote in The Players’ Tribune. “People are always surprised to find that out. From the fourth grade through high school.”

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Named the 2017 Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year, Jackson said, “It’s an honor and a blessing by my God.”

Related: Michigan State Athlete: Bible Is Life’s Foundation

Jackson’s teammate Nate Britt, a 6’1 senior studying management and society,  points to the same faith. Last year, Britt and his adopted brother, former Villanova player Kris Jenkins, played against each other in the national championship game.

“We wouldn’t be here without Christ,” Britt, a Maryland native, told CBN during last year’s tournament. “You have to give all the praise and glory to Him.”

Not only do these players have faith — the North Carolina student athletes have solid leadership from coaches.

“The most important thing in my life is my relationship with Jesus Christ,” UNC Assistant Coach Hubert Davis told the Christian Broadcasting Network. A former NBA player, Hubert was also a Tar Heel from 1988-1992.

North Carolina plays against Butler on Friday for the chance to move into the Elite Eight round.

To get ready for the game, here’s some more inspiration from this accomplished young man:

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