By R.L. Bynum
Caleb Love helped No. 4 Arizona rebound from a loss with 28 points to score his 2,000th career point, and Justin McKoy scored career-highs of 26 points and six 3-pointers in a Hawaii victory. Meanwhile, Kerwin Walton scored 18 points in a loss for No. 23 Texas Tech, D’Marco Dunn helped Penn State get a big win, and Dontrez Styles played well as Georgetown ended an 11-game losing streak.
Love was 9 of 19 from the floor and 5 of 10 from 3-point range with seven rebounds, five assists and two steals as the host Wildcats knocked off Washington 91–74 on Saturday, two days after losing 77–74 to No. 21 Washington State.
Love came into the game needing 28 points to become the 22nd active player to reach 2,000 points and had 20 by halftime.
“I wanted to do it at home, God willing, but everything worked out, and I got it. If I didn’t get it, I would have been happy to do it at their place,” Love said, referring to Arizona State, the Wildcats’ next opponent on Wednesday night.
Love reached 2,000 points on a 3-pointer with 1:25 left in the game.
“I just give all my glory to God and the help of my teammates,” Love told CBS in a postgame interview. “Even my teammates at North Carolina, I give thanks to them. They assisted a lot of those, so I’m just grateful right now.”
McKoy was 10 of 14 from the floor, including 6 of 11 from 3-point range with six rebounds in the Rainbow Warriors’ 73–65 home victory over Long Beach State for their sixth win in the last eight games.
The six 3-pointers were one more than his total of 3-pointers in 41 games for UNC.
McKoy scored seven points in the first five minutes of the game and had 15 points at halftime to lead Hawaii (18–10, 10–6 Big West) to a 40–33 halftime lead. McKoy’s 3-pointer to start the second half gave the Rainbow Warriors their first double-digit lead.
It was McKoy’s fourth game this season with at least 18 points
Walton was 6 of 12 from the floor and 4 of 9 from 3-point range and pulled down two rebounds as the Red Raiders (19–8, 8–6 Big 12) lost 75–61 Saturday at Central Florida. It was his fourth game with at least 18 points this season.
Dunn scored 13 points and two 3-pointers as host Penn State beat Indiana 83–74 Saturday to even its record at 14–14. Puff Johnson had eight points and two 3-pointers for the Nittany Lions (8–9 Big Ten).
Dontrez Styles collected 12 points, three rebounds and two steals before fouling out as Georgetown ended an 11-game losing streak with a 77–76 Saturday win at DePaul. It was the first win for the Hoyas (9–18, 2–14 Big East) since their 68–65 victory over the Blue Demons (3–24, 0–16) on Jan. 6.
Destiny Adams had 11 points and nine rebounds in Rutgers’ 93–57 loss at Michigan State on Saturday. She added three steals for the Scarlet Knights (8–22, 2–15).
Tyler Nickel played 31 scoreless minutes, missing all six shots, in Virginia Tech’s 79–64 Saturday loss at Pittsburgh. He had a rebound, an assist and a steal for the Hokies (15–12, 7–9 ACC).
Dawson Garcia scored 10 points and pulled down eight rebounds before fouling out Sunday in Minnesota’s 73–55 loss at Nebraska
Will Shaver didn’t play in UAB’s 78–67 Sunday win at Tulane.
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 — 12 games, 12 starts, 9.8 points, 46.1 FG%, 45.8 3P%, 60.9 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.3 turnovers
Team record: 12–0, 2–0 Big Ten; Rank: No. 2
Monday: No. 2 Michigan 112, McNeese 71 — Started; 17 minutes, 7 points, 2–3 FG, 2–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 steal ,+30
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday vs. USC, Peacock
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 13 games, 13 starts, 8.2 points, 42.4 FG%, 40.4 3P%, 77.8 FT%, 1.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Team record: 13–1
Sunday: Mississippi State 112, Samford 54 — Missed game with illness
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Auburn
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 12 games, 2.4 points, 50.0 FG%, 1–2 3FG, 69.6 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals
Team record: 8–4
Sunday, Dec. 21: Tulsa 74, (at) Florida 67 — 6 minutes, 2 rebounds, 1 foul
Next game — 6:30 Tuesday vs. 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 — 12 games, 5 starts, 11.6 points, 47.1 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 87.0 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 8–4, 1–0 Big East
Tuesday, Dec. 23: St. John’s 85, Harvard 59 — Started; 25 minutes, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 4–8 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 1 block
Next game — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Georgetown, FS1
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 12 games, 12 starts, 11.0 points, 55.9 FG%, 1–10 3FG, 71.1 FT%, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
Team record: 13–1; Rank: No. 11
Sunday: No. 11 Kentucky 80, Hofstra 42 — Didn’t play to manage lingering injury after a fall
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday at No. 5 LSU
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 13 games, 13 starts, 13.2 points, 69.0 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 69.8 FT%, 6.8 rebounds
Team record: 9–4
Sunday, Dec. 21: N.C. State 76, Ole Miss 62 in Greensboro — Started; 31:17, 15 points, 7–8 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–1 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 2 steals, =/- of 0
Next game — noon Wednesday vs. Wake Forest, 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 — 13 games, 13 starts, 14.8 points, 52.4 FG%, 48.5 3P%, 83.3 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Team record: 13–0: Rank: No. 11
Monday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 96, New Haven 53 — Started; 31 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–5 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, +42
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday at South Carolina, ESPNU
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 13 games, 7 starts, 10.2 points, 40.3 FG%, 24.0 3P%, 75.0 FT%, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Team record: 7–7, 0–2 ACC
Monday: (at) Virginia 76, SMU 52 — Started; 34 minutes, 14 points, 6–15 FG, 1–7 3FG, 1–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, -16
Next game — 1 p.m. Thursday at No. 13 Louisville, 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 — 12 games, 2.0 points, 44.4 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 2–5 FT, 2.4 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals
Team record: 7–6
Friday, Dec. 19: Samford 85, Reinhardt 49 — 21 minutes, 4 points, 2–4 FG, 0–1 3FG, 0–1 FT, 8 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 3 turnovers
Next game — 1 p.m. Thursday at VMI
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 13 games, 13 starts, 21.9 points, 53.4 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 81.3 FT%, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Team record: 8–5, 1–1 Big Ten
Monday: Minnesota 60, FDU 43 —Started; 29 minutes, 12 points, 5–10 FG, 1–5 3FG, 1–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, +1
Next game — 5 p.m. Saturday at Northwestern, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 13 games, 1 start, 10.2 points, 62.9 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 78.0 FT%, 5.1 rebounds
Team record: 13–0: Rank: No. 11
Monday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 96, New Haven 53 — Didn’t start; 23 minutes, 21 points, 9–11 FG, 3–4 FG, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal, +7
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday at South Carolina, ESPNU
Photo via @ArizonaMBB
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