By R.L. Bynum
Caleb Love came through in the clutch against a ranked team for the second time this season for No. 3 Arizona.
The senior guard scored a team-high 17 points, split a pair of free-throw attempts with 24.6 seconds left and made a key late steal as the Wildcats beat No. 21 Michigan State 74–68 on Thursday in Palm Desert, Calif.
Michigan State inbounded a pass down four points with 12 seconds left, but Love stole the ball and threw it ahead to K.J. Lewis for a dunk to put the game away for Arizona (6–0).
His big game comes nearly two weeks after hitting four clutch late free throws and scoring 11 points in the Wildcats’ 78–73 victory at Duke.
Love was 7 of 20 from the floor and 2 of 9 from 3-point range, but one of his 3-pointers with 0.8 of a second left in the first half gave Arizona a 40–30 halftime lead. He dished out four assists against two turnovers and had one steal in a team-high 37 minutes.
Puff Johnson came a point away from his career high with 15 points in Penn State’s 89–51 loss Thursday in the first round of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla.
In only his third game of the season, he was 5 of 8 from the floor, scored a 3-pointer and pulled down four rebounds for the Nittany Lions (4–1) in their first loss of the season.
D’Marco Dunn contributed five points and a rebound in eight minutes.
Penn State faces Butler at 1:30 Friday in a losers’ bracket game.
After playing in only three of Texas Tech’s first four games for 13 total minutes, Kerwin Walton was on the court for 15 minutes Thursday, including in crunch time, in the Red Raiders’ 72–70 win over Northern Iowa in a losers’ bracket game at the Battle 4 Atlantis.
Walton, who played two scoreless minutes in Texas Tech’s 85–69 first-round loss to Villanova, hit a 3-pointer with 6:28 left for his only points to pull the Red Raiders within three points against Northern Iowa. They rallied and led by four with 2:52 remaining before holding on for the victory.
Texas Tech (4–1) faces Thursday night’s Michigan-Stanford winner at 6 p.m. Friday for fifth place.
Tyler Nickel collected 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, a block and a steal in Virginia Tech’s 82–75 win over Boise State in the first round of the ESPN Events Invitational in Kissimmee, Fla. The Hokies (4–1) face Iowa State in the semifinals at 5:30 Friday (ESPN2).
It was Nickel’s second consecutive 14-point game after missing a game with an illness.
In Minnesota’s 86–67 home win Tuesday over Arkansas-Pine Bluff, Dawson Garcia had 19 points, nine rebounds and two assists for the Gophers (4–1).
On Tuesday night, Justin McKoy collected 11 points and seven rebounds in Hawaii’s 70–61 home victory over Northern Arizona as the Rainbow Warriors moved to 3–0.
Will Shaver played five scoreless minutes, missing his only shot, in UAB’s 58–57 Tuesday night win at Middle Tennessee.
In the Battle 4 Atlantis women’s championship game on Monday night, No. 24 Ole Miss beat Michigan 60–49. Kennedy Todd-Williams had eight points and four rebounds.
Destiny Adams contributed nine points and four rebounds in Rutgers’ 78–54 Monday home loss to Fairfield, dropping the Scarlett Knights to 3–3.
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan guard
6–1, 180 pounds | Junior | UNC 2023–25 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting point guard ahead of sophomore L.J. Cason
Season statistics — 15 games, 15 starts, 10.2 points, 46.7 FG%, 42.6 3P%, 67.6 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 2.3 turnovers
Team record: 14–1, 4–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 2
Tuesday: No. 2 Michigan 74, (at) Penn State 72 — Started; 27:29, 9 points, 3–8 FG, 1–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, +3
Saturday: Wisconsin 91, No. 2 Michigan 88 — Started; 25 minutes, 19 points, 6–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 5–5 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 1 turnover, +2
Next game — 10:30 Wednesday at Washington, Big Ten Network
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 15 games, 15 starts, 8.9 points, 44.6 FG%, 39.7 3P%, 78.3 FT%, 1.8 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Team record: 14–3, 1–2 SEC
Sunday: (at) No. 8 Oklahoma 95, Mississippi State 47 — Started; 28:39, 7 points, 2–11 FG, 1–5 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, -39
Thursday: No. 23 Tennessee 90, Mississippi State 80 — Started; 31 minutes, 9 points, 3–6 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 3 turnovers, -14
Next game — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 18 Ole Miss, SEC Network
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 15 games, 2.1 points, 43.8 FG%, 2–4 3FG, 69.6 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 7 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 11–4, 3–0 American
Tuesday: Tulsa 94, Temple 82 — 6 minutes, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, +/- of 0
Friday: Tulsa 76, (at) Tulane 73 — 6 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–1 3FG, 1 block
Next game — 6 p.m. Tuesday at East Carolina, ESPN+
Ian Jackson, St. John’s guard
6–5, 195 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter, sharing time in a point-guard-by-committee mix
Season statistics — 15 games, 8 starts, 11.1 points, 43.4 FG%, 35.6 3P%, 90.3 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 11–5, 4–1 Big East
Tuesday: Providence 77, St. John’s 71 — Started; 22 minutes, 7 points, 2–8 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2–3 FT, 1 rebound, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 3 steals
Saturday: St. John’s 90, (at) Creighton 73 — Started; 23 minutes, 12 points, 4–8 FG, 2–3 3FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 1 block
Next game — 6:30 Tuesday vs. Marquette, Peacock/NBCSN
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 14 games, 14 starts, 11.0 points, 54.9 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 70.7 FT%, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Team record: 16–2, 3–1 SEC; Rank: No. 6
Sunday, Jan. 4: No. 6 Kentucky 74, Missouri 52 — Started; 22:10, 5 points, 2–6 FG, 1–2 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, +10
Thursday: (at) Alabama 64, No. 6 Kentucky 51 and Sunday: No. 6 Kentucky 63, No. 5 Oklahoma 58 — Missed both games recovering from a dislocated elbow
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday vs. Florida
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 17 games, 17 starts, 12.7 points, 67.2 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 71.9 FT%, 6.6 rebounds
Team record: 12–5, 3–1 ACC
Tuesday: N.C. State 79, (at) Boston College 71 — Started; 23:38, 7 points, 3–5 FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 assist, 1 block, -1
Saturday: N.C. State 113, (at) Florida State 69 — Started; 25:48, 19 points, 6–7 FG, 7–8 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, career-high 4 blocks, +29
Next game — noon Saturday vs. Georgia Tech, The CW
Plays UNC —7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, ESPN or ESPN2
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 16 games, 16 starts, 15.0 points, 52.6 FG%, 47.5 3P%, 80.8 FT%, 3.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Team record: 16–0, 3–0 SEC: Rank: No. 11
Wednesday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 96, No. 13 Alabama 90— Started; 26:50, 12 points, 4–8 FG, 1–4 3FG, 3–4 Ft, 1 rebound, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 1 block, +1
Saturday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 84, LSU 73 — Started; 19 minutes, 19 points, 6–12 FG, 4–10 3FG, 3–3 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, +17 (first career double-double)
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Texas, ESPN2
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 16 games, 10 starts, 10.7 points, 41.3 FG%, 25.4 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Team record: 7–10, 0–5 ACC
Sunday: (at) N.C. State 91, SMU 54 — Started; 29 minutes, 6 points, 3–11 FG, 0–4 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, -40
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Virginia Tech, ACCN Extra
Plays UNC — 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12, at Carmichael Arena, ACCN
Will Shaver, Samford center
6–10, 265 pounds | RS junior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Reserve minutes
Season statistics — 15 games, 2.5 points, 50.0 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 50.0 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 12 assists, 6 blocks, 2 steals
Team record: 9–8, 2–2 Southern Conference
Wednesday: Samford 82, Western Carolina 77 — 21 minutes (tied career-high), career-high 11 points, 4–7 FG (4 FGs career-high), 1–1 3FG, 2–2 FT (2 FTs ties career-high), 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 block, +7
Saturday: (at) Chattanooga 88, Samford 79 — 6 minutes, 1 rebound
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Furman, ESPN+
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 16 games, 16 starts, 21.6 points, 50.5 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 80.7 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Team record: 10–6, 3–2 Big Ten
Tuesday: Minnesota 70, No. 19 Iowa 67 —Started; 32:24, 16 points, 5–12 FG, 2–5 3FG, 4–6 FT, 5 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 2 steals, +/- of 0
Friday: USC 70, Minnesota 69, OT —Started; 45:00, 20 points, 5–16 FG, 3–9 3FG, 7–10 FT, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 foul, 1 turnover, -1
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Wisconsin, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 16 games, 1 start, 10.1 points, 60.7 FG%, 31.6 3P%, 78.1 FT%, 5.3 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Team record: 15–0, 2–0 SEC: Rank: No. 11
Wednesday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 96, No. 13 Alabama 90— Didn’t start; 9 points, 1–4 FG, 7–10 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 turnover, 2 blocks, +5
Saturday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 84, LSU 73 — Didn’t start; 26 minutes, 11 points, 3–4 FG, 1–2 3FG, 4–5 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, =/- of 0
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Texas, ESPN2
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