By R.L. Bynum
Justin McKoy’s long wait for his debut in paradise was worth it, scoring a career-high 15 points — nearly as many points as he scored last season at Carolina — Tuesday night, when Puff Johnson finally made his Penn State debut.
McKoy started and led Hawaii in scoring in an 82–66 season-opening victory Tuesday night over Division II Hawaii Hilo, collecting six rebounds, three 3-pointers and two blocks.
It was only the second time McKoy scored in double figures in 75 career college games after netting 11 points on Nov. 27, 2020, for Virginia in a 61–60 loss to San Francisco in Uncasville, Conn.
In 59 minutes over 11 games last season at UNC, McKoy scored 19 points and four 3-pointers.
McKoy is the fifth former UNC player who transferred in the offseason to start in their debut and score in double figures. Players to do that earlier were Arizona’s Caleb Love (12 points against Morgan State), Georgetown’s Dontrez Styles (15 points against Le Moyne), Rutgers’ Destiny Adams (13 points against Monmouth) and Ole Miss’s Kennedy Todd-Williams (10 points against Queens),
The Rainbow Warriors, who went 22–11 last season, won their opener for the 14th time in 15 seasons.
McKoy plays with a former teammate at Panther Creek High School in Cary, Juan Munoz, a fifth-year Longwood transfer who came off the bench to score nine points. Munoz hit an open McKoy on a skip pass with 12:38 left in the game, and McKoy buried a 3-pointer.
McKoy scored 10 of his points in the second half, with his layup and 3-pointer on back-to-back possessions pushing Hawaii’s lead to 58–41 with 10:17 left.
After missing Penn State’s first three games with an undisclosed injury, Puff Johnson played his first game at his new school as the Nittany Lions beat St. Francis (Pa.) 83–53 on Tuesday night.
He and D’Marco Dunn both came off the bench. Johnson scored six points, including a 3-pointer, with four rebounds in 16 minutes, while Dunn contributed seven points and three rebounds in 17 minutes.
“He’s a high-IQ guy, he plays really hard, he’s physical, he’s always around the ball, but he also can shoot it, put it on the floor a little bit,” first-year Penn State coach Mike Rhoades said of Johnson. “He’s a vet. He’s been through it. He’s gonna make us better. He already has.”
Rhoades said that Johnson still isn’t back to full speed and has dealt with some soreness this week.
Penn State is 3–0 against fairly weak competition. But that changes after facing Morehead State on Friday. At the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla., next week, the Nittany Lions face No. 13 Texas A&M and, potentially, No. 10 Florida Atlantic.
Checking in on 11 former Heels
Destiny Adams, Rutgers forward
6–3 | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
82–63 Wednesday loss at Seton Hall — Started; 27 minutes, 27 points (career-high), 11–15 FG (FG total career-high, FGA total tied career-high), 8 rebounds, 4 fouls, 7 turnovers (career-high), 1 steal, -14, 16.5 game score
Season statistics — 4 games, 4 starts, 15.3 points, 49.0 FG%, 0–2 3FG, 72.2 FT%, 11.3 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 2.8 steals, 1.5 blocks
Next game — noon Saturday vs. Saint Francis
D’Marco Dunn, Penn State guard
6–5, 195 pounds | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
83–53 Tuesday win vs. St. Francis (Pa.) — Didn’t start; 17 minutes, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, +4, 3.0 game score
Season statistics — 3 games, 1 start; 6.2 points, 44.4 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 2.0 rebound, 1.0 assist
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Morehead State, Peacock
Dawson Garcia, Minnesota forward
6–11, 230 pounds | Junior | UNC 2020–21 (part of 1 season)
102–76 Friday win vs. Texas-San Antonio — Started; 34 minutes, 22 points, 7–14 FG, 1–4 3FG, 7–7 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 foul, 2 blocks, 1 steal, +32, 21.3 game score
Season statistics — 2 games, 2 starts; 22.5 points, 45.8 FG%, 28.5 3P%, 91.3 FT%, 10.0 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.5 blocks, 0.5 of a steal
Next game — 9 p.m. Thursday vs. Missouri, Big Ten Network
Puff Johnson, Penn State wing
6–8, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
83–53 Tuesday win vs. St. Francis (Pa.) — (season debut) didn’t start; 16 minutes, 6 points, 2–4 FG, 1–2 3FG, 1–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 foul, +19, 5.2 game score
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday vs. Morehead State, Peacock
Caleb Love, Arizona guard
6–4, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
97–59 Monday win vs. Southern — Started; 26 minutes, 9 points, 2–6 FG, 1–5 3FG, 4–5 FT, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 turnover, 2 steals, +39, 11.5 game score
Season statistics — 3 games; 3 starts; 10.7 points, 33.3 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 92.3 FT%, 4.0 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 0.7 of a block, 1.3 steals
Next game — 11 p.m. Friday vs. Belmont, Pac-12 Network
Justin McKoy, Hawaii guard
6–8, 230 pounds | Graduate student | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
82–66 Tuesday win vs. Hawaii Hilo — (season opener) Started; 31 minutes, 15 points, 6–11 FG, 3–6 3FG, 6 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 assists, 2 blocks, +8, 14.7 game score
Next game — midnight ET Thursday vs. Niagara
Tyler Nickel, Virginia Tech guard
6–7, 225 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
60–44 Wednesday win vs. Campbell — Didn’t play because of an illness
Season statistics — 2 games, 7.0 points, 33.3 FG%, 22.2 3P%, 100 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.0 assist
Next game — 5 p.m. Sunday vs. Wofford, ESPN3
Will Shaver, UAB center
6–10, 270 pounds | Redshirt sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
66–63 Sunday loss to Maryland in Asheville — Didn’t play
Season statistics — 1 game, 0 points, 0–2 FG, 6 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 turnovers
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Alcorn State, ESPN+
Dontrez Styles, Georgetown wing
6–6, 212 pounds | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)
71–57 Wednesday loss at Rutgers — Started; 33 minutes, 15 points, 4–7 FG, 3–5 3FG, 7 rebounds, 4 fouls, 3 turnovers, -10, 9.2 game score
Season statistics — 3 games, 3 starts, 12.3 points, 44.8 FG%, 54.5 3P%, 57.1 FT%, 6.3 rebounds
Next game — noon Saturday vs. Mount St. Mary’s
Kennedy Todd-Williams, Ole Miss guard
6–0 | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
80–63 Wednesday win vs. Temple — Started; 22 minutes, 3 points, 1–4 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 turnover, 1 steal, +11, 1.9 game score
Season statistics — 3 games, 3 starts; 8.3 points, 32.1 FG%, 28.5 3P%, 60.0 FT%, 5.0 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist, 0.6 of a steal, 1.0 block
Next game — noon Saturday vs. Howard in Battle 4 Atlantis (link to bracket) in the Bahamas, Flo Hoops
Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech guard
6–5, 200 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–22 (2 seasons)
56–42 Sunday win vs. San Jose State — Didn’t play
Season statistics — 1 game, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, 1 rebound
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday vs. Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, ESPN+
McKoy photo via @HawaiiMBB; Johnson photo via @PennStateMBB
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