By R.L. Bynum
Going home is working out very well so far for Destiny Adams.
Before transferring to Rutgers to play in her native New Jersey after two seasons at UNC, she never had produced a double-double. She’s 2-for-2 so far as a member of the Scarlet Knights.
Adams collected 17 points, 10 rebounds, a career-high five assists, five steals and three blocks (tying her career-high) for a 26.0 game score in 24 minutes as Rutgers rolled to an 86–43 home victory Thursday night over Wagner. That followed up a 13-point, 17-rebound effort with an 11.0 game score in her Rutgers debut on Monday.
Adams, who grew up in Manchester, N.J., 68 miles from Rutgers, was effective in transition, whether it was making long outlet passes or finishing at the rim.
“Destiny is like a Swiss army knife,” Rutgers coach Coquese Washington said. “She does a lot of things for us. She can start the transition, she can rebound and push it. She gets out on the front and she can finish. She knocks down free throws, and she’s a pretty good passer as well. So, her versatility is something that we’re gonna try to exploit and find all the ways we can to use her in different spots in different ways because I think her versatility gives us a lot of options out there on the floor with the various lineups we can play.”
Rutgers (2–0) led by as many as 51 points.
Kennedy Todd-Williams’ No. 12 Ole Miss team faced a much more formidable opponent in Oklahoma on Thursday, and the Rebels lost to the reigning Big 12 champion Sooners in a home game 80–70.
Todd-Williams had 13 points, five rebounds, two blocks and a steal in 29 minutes.
Many former UNC men’s players play Friday, highlighted by Caleb Love’s No. 12 Arizona team (1–0) playing at No. 2 Duke (1–0) (read more about that here).
Lehigh (0–1), which visits No. 19 UNC (1–0) at 2 p.m. Sunday, plays at Penn State (1–0) — with D’Marco Dunn and Puff Johnson — at 7:30 Friday night. Johnson missed the Nittany Lions’ opening-game win over Delaware State with an unspecified injury.
In other Friday action, Dawson Garcia’s Minnesota team (1–0) is at home at 7:30 against Texas-San Antonio (Peacock), Tyler Nickel’s Virginia Tech team (1–0) is in Charlotte at 9:30 (ACC Network) to face South Carolina and Will Shaver’s UAB team (0–1) faces Clemson in Asheville at 8:30 (ESPN+).
On Saturday, Dontrez Style’s Georgetown team (1–0) is at home against Holy Cross at 8 p.m. (FS2). On Sunday, Kerwin Walton’s Texas Tech team (1–0) faces San Jose State at 2 p.m. (ESPN+).
Checking in on 11 former Heels
Destiny Adams, Rutgers forward
6–3 | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
86–43 Thursday win vs. Wagner — Started; 24 minutes, 17 points, 6–12 FG, 5–6 FT, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 foul, 3 blocks, 5 steals, +35, 26.0 game score
Season statistics — 2 games, 2 starts, 15.0 points, 40.7% FG, 0–1 3FG, 73.7 FT%, 13.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 3.5 steals, 2.0 blocks
Next game — 5 p.m. Sunday vs. Auburn, Big Ten Network
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 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)
80–70 Thursday loss vs. Oklahoma — Started; 29 minutes, 13 points, 4–13 FG, 2–5 3FG, 3–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 2 blocks, 1 steal, -2, 8.0 game score
Season statistics — 2 games, 2 starts; 12.5 points, 33.3 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 62.5 FT%, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.0 steal, 1.0 block
Next game — 6:30 Wednesday vs. Temple, 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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