By R.L. Bynum
It hasn’t always gone smoothly for Puff Johnson in his first season at Penn State, but he made a huge play Wednesday when the Nittany Lions pulled off a huge upset of No. 14 Illinois.
That was one highlight for the former Tar Heels during a week that Caleb Love and Dawson Garcia scored in the 20s while Destiny Adams and Kennedy Todd-Williams each scored 15.
Penn State was down by four with 29 seconds left when Johnson got a huge steal and layup to help the Nittany Lions (13–14, 7–9 Big Ten) beat Illinois 90–89 to end a three-game losing streak.
Playing the home game in tiny Rec Hall, Penn State won it when Zach Hicks made three free throws with three seconds left after rallying from multiple double-digit deficits.
Johnson, who hasn’t started a game since Jan. 13, scored seven points, as did D’Marco Dunn, who has started the last seven games.
For the second time this season, Caleb Love had a big game against Washington State, but it wasn’t enough for No. 4 Arizona to win.
After scoring 28 in a 73–70 loss at Washington State on Jan. 13, Love poured in 27 on Thursday but was 4 of 12 from 3-point range in the Wildcats’ 77–74 setback.
The No. 21 Cougars won their eighth game in a row to take over first place in the Pac-12 from Arizona (20–6, 11–4 Pac-12) by a half-game.
Love’s driving layup with 51.2 seconds left for a three-point play gave Arizona a 74–71 lead, but Washington State’s Jaylen Wells won it on a four-point play with 24.6 seconds remaining.
Garcia collected 22 points and nine rebounds as Minnesota (17–9, 8–7 Big Ten) won its second straight game with an 88–79 home victory over Ohio State. The Gophers are seventh in the Big Ten and are 15–3 at home this season.
It was Garcia’s ninth game with at least 20 points this season and the seventh in conference play.
Todd-Williams’ 15 points, two 3-pointers, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks helped host Ole Miss roll by Georgia on Thursday 73–51 for the Rebels’ third consecutive victory.
Ole Miss (19–7, 9–4 SEC) is tied for third in the SEC behind No. 1 South Carolina (13–0) and No. 13 LSU (10–3).
It continues to be a rough season for Rutgers, but Destiny Adams has been consistent.
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Adams collected 15 points, eight rebounds and three assists before fouling out Wednesday as the Scarlet Knights (8–21, 2–14 Big Ten) lost 81–62 at Maryland. It was her 14th game with at least 15 points and 14th with at least eight rebounds.
In Virginia Tech’s 75–41 Monday home win over Virginia, Tyler Nickel had 13 points, two 3-pointers, a career-high six assists and four rebounds. He has scored in double digits in three consecutive games for the second time this season.
Dontrez Styles had seven points and four rebounds Wednesday as host Georgetown (8–18, 1–14 Big East) lost 90–85 against St. John’s for the Hoyas’ 11th consecutive defeat.
Will Shaver played three scoreless minutes Wednesday in UAB’s 94–71 home loss to Rice.
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan guard
6–1, 180 pounds | Junior | UNC 2023–25 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 38 games, 38 starts, 10.2 points, 41.6 FG%, 37.7 3P%, 69.4 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists
Team record: 35–3; Rank: No. 3
Friday: 90–77 win Midwest Regional Sweet 16 in Chicago vs. No. 18 Alabama — Started; 33:37, 17 points, 6–14 FG, 3–8 3FG, 2–5 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 7 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, +15
Sunday: 95–62 win Midwest Regional final in Chicago vs. No. 23 Tennessee — Started; 34:20, 8 points, 3–7 FG, 1–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, 10 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, +30
Next game — 8:49 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 2 Arizona at Final Four in Indianapolis, TBS
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
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
Season ended with SEC tournament loss
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: 19–12
Season ended with loss in American Conference tournament
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 — 36 games, 19 starts, 9.4 points, 40.9 FG%, 34.3 3P%, 90.0 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 30–7; Rank: No. 13
Friday: 80–75 loss in East Regional Sweet 16 in Washington vs. No. 1 Duke — Didn’t start; 16 minutes, 5 points, 2–8 FG, 1–7 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 assists
Season ended with loss to Duke
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 21–13
Season statistics — 9 games, 1 start, 2.3 points, 33.3 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 6–9 FT, 1.1 rebounds
Season ended with first-round NCAA tournament loss to TCU
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 28 games, 28 starts, 11.4 points, 51.2 FG%, 2–15 3FG, 69.8 FT%, 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Team record: 25–11; Rank: No. 17
Saturday: 76–54 loss in Fort Worth Regional 1 Sweet 16 vs. No. 3 Texas — Started; 31:31, 10 points, 2–8 FG, 0–1 3FG, 6–6 FT, 9 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, -17
Season ended with loss to Texas
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 34 games, 34 starts, 13.6 points, ACC-leading 66.8 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 73.3 FT%, 7.1 rebounds
Team record: 20–14
Season ended with NCAA First Four loss to Texas
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 36 games, 36 starts, 13.5 points, 44.4 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 84.7 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Team record: 27–9: Rank: No. 22
Season ended with loss to No. 4 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA tournament
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
Season ended with left foot injury in February
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
Season ended with loss in Southern Conference tournament
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 31 games, 32 starts, team-leading 19.6 points, 50.0 FG%, 42.2 3P%, 82.6 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Team record: 15–17
Next game — 10:30 Wednesday at College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas vs. Baylor, FS1 (first game since March 11)
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 36 games, 9 starts, 8.9 points, 56.3 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 74.1 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 27–9; Rank: No. 22
Season ended with loss to No. 4 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA tournament
Photo via @ArizonaMBB
