By R.L. Bynum
Justin McKoy’s best game of his career wasn’t enough to carry Hawaii on Thursday night.
McKoy scored 22 points and six 3-pointers (both career-highs) but took only one shot in the second half (a 3-point attempt he made) as the Rainbow Warriors lost 79–71 at Long Beach State.
The point total topped his previous career-best of 18 on Jan. 4 at Cal State Bakersfield, and his 3-pointers total was double his previous best of three (three times earlier this season.)
Hawaii (10–8, 2–4 Big West) couldn’t overcome 75% shooting from Long Beach State, which built a 17-point halftime lead.
Dawson Garcia collected 22 points and nine rebounds in Minnesota’s 76–66 Thursday loss at Michigan State as Coach Tom Izzo earned his 698th victory.
The Gophers (12–6, 3–4 Big Ten) were playing without guard Elijah Hawkins (ankle injury), who leads the Big Ten in assists.
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 — 21 games, 21 starts, 10.1 points, 44.7 FG%, 42.0 3P%, 69.0 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.6 turnovers
Team record: 20–1, 10–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Tuesday: 75–72 win vs. No. 5 Nebraska — Started; 32:55, 7 points, 2–8 FG, 2–6 3FG, 1–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 fouls, 8 turnovers, 2 steals, +9
Friday: 83–71 win at No. 7 Michigan State — Started; 30:19, 17 points, 5–8 FG, 3–5 3 FG, 4–5 FT, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 turnovers, +4
Next game — 6:30 Thursday vs. Penn State, FS1
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts, 9.5 points, 40.5 FG%, 39.6 3P%, 87.2 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Team record: 16–7, 3–6 SEC
Thursday: 77–62 win at No. 15 Tennessee — Started; 32 minutes, 15 points, 4–9 FG, 3–7 3FG, 4–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, 3 steals, +18
Sunday: 88–80 loss vs. Missouri — Started; 32 minutes, 35 minutes, 18 points, 6–15 FG, 6–13 3FG, 1 rebound, 3 fouls, 4 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Next game — 6:30 Thursday at No. 2 South Carolina, 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 — 21 games, 2.1 points, 45.5 FG%, 2–5 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 8 blocks, 6 steals
Team record: 15–6, 7–2 American
Tuesday: 77–48 win vs. Florida Atlantic — 16 minutes, 6 points, 1–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, 4–4 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 assists, 1 block
Saturday: 74–69 2 OT win vs. Memphis — 8 minutes, 0–1 FG
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Wichita State, 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 — 21 games, 14 starts, 11.1 points, 44.4 FG%, 37.2 3P%, 90.7 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 16–5, 9–1 Big East; Rank: No. 25
Wednesday: 92–70 win vs. Butler — Started; 25 minutes, team-high 18 points, 5–11 FG, 3–6 3FG, 5–5 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 3 assists, 1 turnover, +19
Next game — 8 p.m. Tuesday at DePaul, Peacock
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 14–7, 6–5 Big Ten
Season statistics — 3 games, 2.3 points, 40.0 FG%, 1–2 3FG, 2–3 FT, 1.7 rebounds
Monday: 84–78 win vs. Penn State — 13 minutes, 2 points, 1–3 FG, 0–1 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 turnover
Saturday: 92–82 loss at Wisconsin — 12 minutes, 5 points, 1–2 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 turnover
Next game — 8:30 Thursday at Maryland, FS1
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 15 games, 15 starts, 11.3 points, 53.6 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 66.7 FT%, 6.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 18–5, 5–4 SEC; Rank: No. 16
Sunday: 93–73 win at Arkansas — Started; 32:08, 15 points, 5–12 FG, 5–10 FT, 10 rebounds, 1 foul, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, +14
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts, 13.5 points, 68.2 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 73.4 FT%, 7.0 rebounds
Team record: 16–6, 7–2 ACC
Tuesday: 88–68 win vs. Syracuse — Started; 26:14, 18 points, 8–8 FG, 2–2 FT, 9 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 assists, +9
Saturday: 96–78 win at Wake Forest — Started; 28:10, 12 points, 5–8 FG, 2–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 foul, 3 assists, +12
Next game — 9 p.m. Tuesday at SMU, ESPN2
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 — 22 games, 22 starts, 16.6 points, 50.7 FG%, 45.0 3P%, 83.9 FT%, 3.2 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Team record: 19–3, 6–3 SEC: Rank: No. 18
Tuesday: 80–55 win vs. Kentucky — Started, 28:20, 19 points, 7–14 FG, 2–6 3FG, 3–3 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 steals, 1 block, +14
Saturday: 71–68 win vs. Ole Miss — Started, 28:15, 5 points, 2–7 FG, 1–5 3FG, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, +2
Next game — 3:30 Saturday vs. Oklahoma, SEC Network
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 19 games, 11 starts, 9.6 points, 39.7 FG%, 23.6 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Team record: 8–14, 1–9 ACC
Thursday: 83–54 loss at Clemson — Didn’t start; 21 minutes, 7 points, 3–10 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 1 steal, -19
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Wake Forest, 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 — 21 games, 3.0 points, 51.1 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 58.8 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 15 assists, 9 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 11–12, 4–6 Southern Conference
Thursday: 78–73 loss at Furman — 12 minutes, 4 points, 2–2 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 1 block, 1 steal
Sunday: 88–74 win at Western Carolina — 8 minutes, 4 points, 1–2 FG, 2–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 assist, 2 turnovers
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday vs. The Citadel, ESPN+
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 21 games, 21 starts, 19.9 points, 50.0 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 80.1 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Team record: 10–12, 3–8 Big Ten
Wednesday: 67–63 loss at Wisconsin — Missed game with an ankle injury suffered in the Jan. 24 loss to Nebraska
Sunday: 77–75 loss at Penn State — 28 minutes, 17 points, 3–8 FG, 0–4 3FG, 11–12 FT, 5 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 2 turnovers
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. No. 7 Michigan State, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 22 games, 3 starts, 8.9 points, 58.0 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 72.3 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 19–3, 6–3 SEC: Rank: No. 18
Tuesday: 80–55 win vs. Kentucky — Started; 16:45, 0 points, 0–5 FG, 0–1 3FG, 9 rebounds, 5 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 block, +11
Saturday: 71–68 win vs. Ole Miss — Started, 16:21, 4 points, 1–1 FG, 2–3 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, -2
Next game — 3:30 Saturday vs. Oklahoma, SEC Network
Photo via @HawaiiMBB
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