Styles ties career-high, bloodied by elbow; Adams sets career-high; Nickel misses game

By R.L. Bynum

It was another night of career-highs for former Carolina players.

On Wednesday, it was Georgetown’s Dontrez Styles and Rutgers’ Destiny Adams with big games — although both were in losses — one night after Justin McKoy scored a career-high 15 points in his Hawaii debut.

Styles got off to a hot start and tied his career-high of 15 points by halftime. But he went scoreless and took an elbow to the face in the second half of the Hoyas’ 71–57 loss at Rutgers.

Styles, who had to settle for tying the career high he set in the opener against Le Moyne, bled heavily around his left eye after taking an elbow to the face from Rutgers’ Cliffo Omoruyi with 7½ minutes left. The game stopped so that an athletic trainer could attend to him on the bench, but Styles returned 2½ minutes later.

Styles’ three 3-pointers bettered his career-high of two in the Le Moyne game. He made four of seven shots from the floor, including three of five from 3-point range.

A Styles 3-pointer cut Georgetown’s deficit to 33–32 with 1:13 left in the first half. But Rutgers led 38–32 at halftime, then jumped out to a 54–36 advantage early in the second half.

Georgetown (1–2), which has lost two in a row since the opening-game win over Le Moyne, hosts Mount St. Mary’s at noon Saturday.


Adams’ 27 points in Rutgers’ 82–63 loss at Seton Hall easily topped her previous season-high of 17 set in the Scarlet Knights’ 86–43 home win over Wagner last Thursday.

Adams tied her career-high with 15 shots and scored a career-high 11 field goals in addition to pulling down eight assists, which tied for the team-high.

Adams’ point total and field-goal total bettered her previous best of 23 points and 10 field goals for Carolina last season on Nov. 16 against South Carolina State.

Adams, who got a steal and a layup in the game’s first minute, battled foul trouble with four fouls and committed a career-high seven turnovers after turning it over six times in Sunday’s 76–56 loss to Auburn.

Rutgers (2–2) is at home at noon Saturday against Saint Francis.


Tyler Nickel, who averaged 21 minutes and seven points in Virginia Tech’s first two games, missed the Hokies’ 60–44 Wednesday home victory over Campbell because of an illness. The Hokies (2–1) are back at home at 5 p.m. Sunday against Wofford (ESPN3).



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In Thursday games, Dawson Garcia’s Minnesota team (2–0) is at home at 9 p.m. against Missouri (Big Ten Network), Justin McKoy’s Hawaii team (1–0) faces Niagara at 1 a.m. ET at home, Will Shaver’s UAB team (1–2) hosts Alcorn State at 8 p.m. (ESPN+) and Kerwin Walton’s Texas Tech (2–0) team hosts Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at 8 p.m. (ESPN+).


Roster situation Starter
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts, 9.9 points, 42.4 FG%, 37.8 3P%, 70.5 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 29–2, 19–1 Big Ten (clinched regular-season title); Rank: No. 3
Thursday: 71–68 win at Iowa — Started; 30:24, 11 points, 1–3 FG, 9–11 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 9 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 steal, +12
Sunday: 90–80 win vs. No. 8 Michigan State — Started; 33 minutes, 2 points, 1–5 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks, +2
Next game — noon Friday in quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago as No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 Ohio State, No. 9 Iowa, No. 16 Oregon or No. 17 Maryland


Roster situation Starter
Season statistics — 30 games, 30 starts, 8.7 points, 38.3 FG%, 37.1 3P%, 84.6 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Team record: 18–13
Wednesday: 86–68 loss to Florida in first round of the SEC tournament — Started; 19:37, 3 points, 1–5 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1 foul, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, -9
Next game — Awaits possible postseason berth


RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)

Roster situation One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 30 games, 2.3 points, 43.6 FG%, 4–10 3FG, 69.7 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 8 blocks, 12 steals
Team record: 19–11, 11–7 American
Wednesday: 53–41 win at UTSA 10 minutes, 1 point, 0–1 FG, 1–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 turnovers, 1 steal
Saturday: 76–61 loss vs. East Carolina 11 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 0–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 1 steal
Next game — 1 p.m. Thursday in American tournament in Birmingham, Ala., as the No. 4 seed vs. the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 6 UTSA and the winner of Tuesday’s game between No. 7 Temple and No. 10 Tulane


Roster situation Starter, sharing time in a point-guard-by-committee mix
Season statistics — 30 games, 19 starts, 9.8 points, 41.9 FG%, 35.8 3P%, 90.0 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 25–6, 18–2 Big East; Rank: No. 13
Friday: 72–65 win at Seton Hall — Didn’t start; 3 minutes, 3 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Next game — noon Thursday in the quarterfinal of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden vs. winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Butler and No. 9 Providence, Peacock, NBCSN


Roster situation Reserve
Team record: 20–11, 12–8 Big Ten
Season statistics — 8 games, 1 start, 2.6 points, 33.3 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 6–9 FT, 1.3 rebounds
Wednesday: 94–62 at Penn State and Saturday: Ohio State 91, Indiana 78 — Didn’t play because of a foot injury
Next game — noon Thursday in the third round of Big Ten tournament in Chicago as No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 Iowa, No. 16 Oregon or No. 17 Maryland


Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)

Roster situation Starting forward
Season statistics — 25 games, 25 starts, 11.2 points, 52.1 FG%, 2–13 3FG, 67.9 FT%, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Team record: 23–10; Rank: No. 17
Wednesday: 94–64 win vs. Arkansas in first round of SEC tournament — Started; 22:28, 12 points, 5–5 FG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover, +31
Thursday: 76–61 win vs. Georgia in second round of SEC tournament — Started; 34:10, 14 points, 6–10 FG, 2–4 FT, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers, 1 block, +13
Friday: 87–64 loss vs. No. 3 South Carolina in quarterfinals of the SEC tournament — Started; 24:45, 13 points, 5–12 FG, 1–1 3FG, 2–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, -23
Next game — Awaits Selection Sunday for NCAA tournament berth


Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)

Roster situation Starting center
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts, 13.7 points, ACC-leading 68.4 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 70.6 FT%, 7.1 rebounds
Team record: 19–12, 10–8 ACC
Monday: 93–64 loss vs. No. 1 Duke Started; season-low 12 minutes, 6 points (ties season-low), 3–4 FG, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 turnover
Saturday: 86–84 loss vs. Stanford Started; 34:08, team-high 17 points, 6–8 FG, 5–8 FT, 11 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 turnover, +8
Next game — noon Wednesday in second round of the ACC tournament in Charlotte as No. 7 seed against either No. 15 Pittsburgh No. 10 or Stanford, ESPN or ESPN 2


Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)

Roster situation Starting forward
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts, 13.7 points, 45.7 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 86.3 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Team record: 24–7, 11–7 SEC: Rank: No. 22
Tuesday: 89–86 OT win at Ole Miss — Started; 33:39, 9 points, 2–9 FG, 1–7 3FG, 4–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 block, -1
Saturday: 86–82 win at Tennessee — Started; 29:13, 7 points, 2–3 FG, 1–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers, 2 steals, -2
Next game — 3:30 Friday in quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in Nashville as No. 4 seed vs. Wednesday’s first-round game between the No. 11 seed and No. 14 South Carolina, ESPN


Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)

Season statistics — 20 games, 12 starts, 9.6 points, 39.9 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Team record: 9–21, 2–16 ACC
Suffered a season-ending left foot injury.


Will Shaver, Samford center
6–10, 265 pounds | RS junior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)

Roster situation Reserve minutes
Season statistics — 30 games, 2.6 points, 47.6 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 59.3 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 17 blocks, 7 steals
Team record: 18–14, 11–7 Southern Conference
Saturday: 86–81 loss vs. Furman in first round of the Southern Conference tournament in Asheville — 10 minutes, 2 points, 0–1 FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 2 blocks, 1 steal
Season likely over


Roster situation Starter
Season statistics — 29 games, 29 starts, team-leading 19.7 points, 49.4 FG%, 42.9 3P%, 81.9 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 15–16, 8–12 Big Ten
Wednesday: 77–47 loss at Indiana — Started; 38 minutes, 21 points, 7–14 FG, 3–4 3FG, 4–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers
Saturday: 67–66 win vs. Northwestern — Started; 40 minutes, 15 points, 5–11 FG, 0–3 3FG, 5–5 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, +1
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday in the second round of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago as No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed Rutgers, Big Ten Network


Roster situation Backup center
Season statistics — 31 games, 9 starts, 9.0 points, 56.4 FG%, 29.0 3P%, 72.1 FT%, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 24–7, 11–7 SEC: Rank: No. 22
Tuesday: 89–86 OT win at Ole Miss — Didn’t start; 16:21, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 1–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 5 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover, -4
Saturday: 86–82 win at Tennessee — Didn’t start; 23:37, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 1–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, +1
Next game — 3:30 Friday in quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in Nashville as No. 4 seed vs. Wednesday’s first-round game between the No. 11 seed and No. 14 South Carolina, ESPN

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