By R.L. Bynum
Tyler Nickel showed off the potential UNC fans all knew he had in helping Virginia Tech pull off an upset of No. 21 Clemson on Wednesday night.
In 28 minutes, Nickel scored 24 points and five 3-pointers, both career-highs, and added four rebounds and a block as the host Hokies beat the Tigers 87–72 to give Clemson its second consecutive loss.
Nickel scored eight consecutive Virginia Tech points, the last two on a pair of free throws with 3:51 left, expanding the Hokies’ lead to 10. He hit back-to-back jumpers, the second a 3-pointer, during that stretch.
“We just played better basketball tonight,” Virginia Tech coach Mike Young said. “It helps when the ball goes in the basket, but I thought we shared, and Tyler Nickel had his best game in a Hokie uniform. It was just one of those team wins when everybody played well.”
Sean Pedulla led the way for the Hokies (10–5, 2–2 ACC) with career-highs of 32 points and six 3-pointers.
Nickel and Pedulla combined to go 17 of 27 from the floor and 11 of 17 from 3-point range.
Nickel’s best game as a Tar Heel was 16 points and three 3-pointers in a win over The Citadel on Dec. 13, 2022.
Kerwin Walton scored 16 points and two 3-pointers with five rebounds Tuesday in Texas Tech’s 90–83 home win over Oklahoma State. The Red Raiders (13–2, 2–0) are in a three-way tie for the Big 12 lead with No. 14 Baylor and Kansas State.
In Penn State’s 77–72 Wednesday home loss to Northwestern, Puff Johnson and D’Marco Dunn each scored six points. Dunn had two 3-pointers and Johnson missed all all four 3-point attempts. The Nittany Lions fell to 8–7 overall and 2–2 in the Big Ten.
In Georgetown’s 74–70 Tuesday home loss to Seton Hall, Dontrez Styles had four points, two rebounds and two assists for the Hoyas (8–8, 1–4 Big East).
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 — 24 games, 24 starts, 9.9 points, 43.1 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 69.0 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 turnovers
Team record: 23–1, 13–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Wednesday: 87–75 win at Northwestern — Started; 22:14, 9 points, 3–9 FG, 3–6 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 7 assists, 5 turnovers, team-low -17
Next game — 12:45 Saturday vs. UCLA, CBS
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, 9.2 points, 40.1 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 87.5 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Team record: 17–8, 4–7 SEC
Thursday: 85–71 win vs. Georgia — Started; 11 points, 4–7 FG, 3–5 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, +14
Next game — 7:30 Monday at Arkansas
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 24 games, 2.0 points, 42.9 FG%, 3–8 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 8 blocks, 7 steals
Team record: 16–8, 8–4 American
Wednesday: 72–60 loss at South Florida — 15 minutes, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Next game — 2 p.m. Saturday at Florida Atlantic, 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 — 24 games, 17 starts, 10.5 points, 43.0 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 19–5, 12–1 Big East; Rank: No. 17
Monday: 87–82 OT win vs. Xavier — Started; 11 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday at Providence, TNT, truTV
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 16–8, 8–6 Big Ten
Season statistics — 4 games, 3.8 points, 57.1 FG%, 3–4 3FG, 4–5 FT, 1.3 rebounds
Wednesday: 89–82 win vs. USC — 15 minutes, 8 points, 2–2 FG, 2–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 fouls, 1 steal
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 15 Virginia in Nashville, Tenn., Fox
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 18 games, 18 starts, 11.7 points, 52.9 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 64.7 FT%, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 19–7, 6–6 SEC; Rank: No. 18
Monday: 64–53 loss vs. No. 4 Texas — Started; 30:10, 8 points, 3–9 FG, 2–5 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 6 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, team-low -16
Thursday: 75–55 win vs. Texas A&M — Started; 25:35, 7 points, 2–8 FG, 3–4 FT, 11 points, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 2 blocks, +14
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 14 Ole Miss, SEC Network
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 25 games, 25 starts, 13.6 points, ACC-leading 68.0 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 70.8 FT%, 7.0 rebounds
Team record: 18–7, 9–3 ACC
Monday: 118–77 loss at No. 24 Louisville — Started; 25:42, 20 points, 7–10 FG, 0–1 3FG, 6–7 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 block, -18
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday vs. Miami, ESPN2
Plays UNC —7 p.m. Tuesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, ESPN
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, 14.4 points, 49.0 FG%, 44.1 3P%, 82.9 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 20–4, 7–4 SEC: Rank: No. 19
Tuesday: 84–76 win at Auburn — Started, 32:37, 10 points, 3–12 FG, 2–6 3FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 assist, +5
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Texas A&M, SEC Network
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
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: 8–17, 1–12 ACC
Suffered 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 — 24 games, 2.9 points, 51.0 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 61.9 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 20 assists, 13 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 14–12, 7–6 Southern Conference
Wednesday: 97–80 win vs. Wofford — 14 minutes, 2 points, 1–1 FG, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 block
Next game — noon Saturday at ETSU, ESPNU
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, team-leading 19.4 points, 49.1 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 81.6 FT%, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Team record: 11–13, 4–9 Big Ten
Wednesday: 76–73 win vs. No. 7 Michigan State — 38 minutes, 17 points, 4–12 FG, 3–7 3FG, 6–7 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Sunday: 67–62 loss vs. Maryland —37 minutes, 12 points, 3–7 FG, 2–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 block, 1 steal
Next game — 9 p.m. Saturday at Washington, NBCSN, Peacock
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 24 games, 5 starts, 9.3 points, 60.2 FG%, 30.8 3P%, 74.2 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 20–4, 7–4 SEC: Rank: No. 19
Tuesday: 84–76 win at Auburn — Started, 27:53, career-high 22 points, 7–8 FG, 2–2 3FG, 6–6 FT, 5 rebounds, 5 fouls, 3 turnovers, 1 block, team-high +16
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Texas A&M, SEC Network
Photo via @HokiesMBB
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