By R.L. Bynum
It was a good opening night for former Carolina players, with Destiny Adams and Dawson Garcia both putting up double-doubles, Caleb Love playing an efficient game in his Arizona debut and Kennedy Todd-Williams enjoying a solid debut at Ole Miss.
The best game of the night, though, was from Adams (top photo). Rutgers was hoping for big things when she decided to transfer there, and she provided them in her debut at the school in her home state of New Jersey.
It was the first career double-double for Adams, with 13 points and a career-high 17 rebounds in the Scarlet Knights’ 56–51 home win over Monmouth.
“Destiny, she’s a matchup nightmare,” Rutgers coach Coquese Washington said. “She’s so versatile; we can move her around and put her at different spots.”
Adams had plenty of family members at the game.
“It’s really great to be back. I think it’s definitely family but I think it’s also being here,” said of the reasons she transferred. “I think starting fresh, a whole new culture, playing with more freedom, playing like myself. I’m just I’m glad I made the decision to come home.”
Love scored 12 points and two 3-pointers, but also had three rebounds, four assists and no turnovers in 21 minutes as No. 12 Arizona coasted to a 122–69 home victory over Morgan State. The 63-point margin was one shy of the largest in program history. It was the first time the Wildcats had eight players in double figures since the 1996–97 season.
Love started at the two spot with Jaden Bradley starting at point guard for the Wildcats, whose 35-point halftime lead was their largest since 1998. After they had 24 turnovers in an exhibition win over Division II New Mexico Highlands, they had only seven against Morgan State.
On Monday, Love made the watch list for the Naismith Player of the Year along with former teammates Armando Bacot and RJ Davis and current teammate Oumar Ballo.
Next up for the Wildcats is a 7 p.m. game Friday at No. 2 Duke (ESPN2).
Dawson Garcia had 23 points, 14 rebounds, six assists (tying his career-high) and one block in Minnesota’s 80–60 home victory over Bethune-Cookman as he began his second season with the Gophers. Garcia made 14 of 16 free-throw attempts, both numbers career-highs.
“We’ve got a lot of potential to be very good,” Garcia said. “As players, we hold each other accountable, and that’s the biggest thing. If the players are doing that, you’ve got a chance to be special.”
It was Garcia’s sixth career double-double and fourth at Minnesota.
In the second half, Garcia made all 11 free-throw attempts and scored 15 points in 17 minutes.
In her debut with No. 12 Ole Miss, Kennedy Todd-Williams had 10 points, seven rebounds and two assists in the Rebels’ 91–41 home win over Queens.
She got off to a slow shooting start, making only 2 of 8 first-half shots, but was 2 of 3 in the second half.
Ole Miss, which outscored Queens 28–3 in the third quarter, is at home against Oklahoma at 6 p.m. Thursday (SEC Network).
Tyler Nickel came off the bench in Virginia Tech’s 100–55 home victory over Coppin State to contribute 12 points, two 3-pointers and seven rebounds.
D’Marco Dunn came off the bench to contribute three points, two rebounds and two assists in 16 minutes as Penn State took a 79–45 home win over Delaware State.
Puff Johnson is recovering from an unspecified injury and didn’t play. Coach Mike Rhoades said that Johnson has to be 100% before he will play but he’s getting close.
On Friday, the Nittany Lions host Lehigh, which plays at Carolina on Sunday.
Will Shaver didn’t play for UAB in its 73–71 loss to Bradley.
Dontrez Styles makes his Georgetown debut at home Tuesday at 7 p.m. against Le Moyne.
The first game of Kerwin Walton’s second season at Texas Tech is Wednesday night at home against Texas A&M-Commerce.
Justin McKoy’s first game at Hawaii isn’t until Tuesday, Nov. 14, against Hawaii Hilo.
Checking in on 11 former Heels
Destiny Adams, Rutgers forward
6–3 | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
56–51 Monday win vs. Monmouth — Started; 31 minutes, 13 points, 5–15 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3–5 FT, 17 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 block, 2 steals, +1
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday vs. Wagner
D’Marco Dunn, Penn State guard
6–5, 195 pounds | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
79–45 Monday win vs. Delaware State — Didn’t start; 16 minutes, 3 points, 1–4 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 1 steal, +6
Next game — 7:30 Friday vs. Lehigh, B1G+
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota forward
6–11, 230 pounds | Junior | UNC 2020–21 (part of 1 season)
80–60 Monday win vs. Bethune-Cookman — Started; 35 minutes, 23 points, 4–10 FG, 1–3 3FG, 14–16 FT, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 block, +23
Next game — 7:30 Friday vs. Texas-San Antonio, Peacock
Puff Johnson, Penn State wing
6–8, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
79–45 Monday win vs. Delaware State — Didn’t play, getting close to being 100% as he recovers from an unspecified injury
Season opener — 7:30 Friday vs. Lehigh, B1G+
Caleb Love, Arizona guard
6–4, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
122–59 Monday win vs. Morgan State — Started; 21 minutes, 12 points, 3–8 FG, 2–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 turnovers, 1 block, +32
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday at No. 2 Duke, ESPN2
Justin McKoy, Hawaii guard
6–8, 230 pounds | Graduate student | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
2022–23 statistics (UNC) — 11 games, 1 start, 59 minutes, 19 points, 6–13 FG, 2–6 3FG, 5–5 FT, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 blocks
Season opener — 1 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, vs. Hawaii Hilo
Tyler Nickel, Virginia Tech guard
6–7, 225 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
100–55 Monday win vs. Coppin State — Didn’t start; 20 minutes, 12 points, 4–9 FG, 2–6 3FG, 2–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1 block, +20
Next game — 9:30 Friday vs. South Carolina in Charlotte, ACCN
Will Shaver, UAB center
6–10, 270 pounds | Redshirt sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
73–71 Monday loss vs. Bradley — Didn’t play
Next game — 8:30 Friday vs. Clemson in Asheville, ESPN+
Dontrez Styles, Georgetown wing
6–6, 212 pounds | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
94–57 Tuesday win vs. Le Moyne — Started; 31 minutes, 15 points, 6–13 FG, 2–4 3FG, 1–2 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 4 turnovers, 1 block, +34
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Holy Cross, FS2
Kennedy Todd-Williams, Ole Miss guard
6–0 | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
91–41 Monday win vs. Queens — Started; 21 minutes, 10 points, 4–11 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–4 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, +29
Next game — 6 p.m. Thursday vs. Oklahoma, SEC Network
Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech guard
6–5, 200 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–22 (2 seasons)
73–46 Wednesday win vs. Texas A&M-Commerce — 8 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, 1 rebound, +2
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. San Jose State, ESPN+
Photo via @RutgersWBB
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