By R.L. Bynum
The sensational seasons for two former UNC backcourt teammates continue as Caleb Love keeps matching or topping RJ Davis and vice versa. Meanwhile, Destiny Adams finished her first season at Rutgers with a record-breaking effort.
Two nights after Davis helped the Tar Heels earn at least a share of the ACC regular-season title, Love helped No. 6 Arizona clinch the Pac-12 regular-season title outright in the last season of the conference.
Love, the favorite to be the Pac-12 Player of the Year just as Davis is for ACC Player of the Year, had 17 points, two 3-pointers, three rebounds and two assists as the Wildcats rolled to an 88–65 victory Thursday night at UCLA.
Arizona will be the top seed for the final Pac-12 tournament, playing a quarterfinal game at 3 p.m. Thursday in Las Vegas. The Wildcats earned the regular-season title outright, thanks to Washington upsetting No. 18 Washington State 74–68 on Thursday.
“We’re going to celebrate this for probably tonight and a little bit tomorrow,” Love said on Thursday. “But we came here to get the sweep.”
Arizona (24–6, 15–4 Pac-12) will earn the sweep he’s talking about (two wins in Los Angeles) with a victory against Southern Cal on Saturday night.
“I rushed my first two shots, and then I just had to settle into the game to see what they were giving me,” Love said.
The Bruins had won five in a row at Pauley Pavilion against Arizona and hung tough early, but Love scored the first 12 points during a 29–12 Wildcats run to take a 44–27 halftime lead.
Love’s 3-pointer from in front Arizona bench with 16:22 left pushed Arizona’s lead to 55–33.
Adams scored 31 points and pulled down a career-high 24 rebounds in Rutgers’ season-ending 77–69 loss to Minnesota in the first round of the Big Ten tournament in Minneapolis on Wednesday.
Adams broke the tournament single-game rebounds record, in addition to dishing out three assists and registering a block and a steal. She broke the record of another former UNC player, Stephanie Mavunga, who set the previous mark for Ohio State in 2018 with 21 rebounds in a win over Minnesota.
Adams’ 31 points set a school record for the tournament, but Rutgers finished the season 8–24.
Justin McKoy collected 14 points, eight rebounds and two assists Wednesday in Hawaii’s 72–70 home win over Cal State, Northridge. His senior night game for the Rainbow Warriors (18–13, 10–9 Big West) is at midnight (ET) Saturday against CSU Bakersfield.
In Virginia Tech’s 80–64 Tuesday win at Louisville, Tyler Nickel scored 13 points and three 3-pointers after combining for three points in the previous three games for the Hokies (17–13, 9–10 ACC).
Dontrez Styles collected 13 points and eight rebounds Tuesday in Georgetown’s 71–58 home loss to Providence. The Hoyas (9–21, 2–17 Big East) finish the regular season with a road game against St. John’s at noon on Saturday (Fox).
Dawson Garcia registered his fourth double-double of the season with 12 points and 12 rebounds Wednesday in Minnesota’s 70–58 home loss to Indiana. The Gophers (18–12, 9–10 Big Ten) finish the regular season Saturday at 9 p.m. at Northwestern (Big Ten Network).
Kerwin Walton had four points and three rebounds in Texas Tech’s 75–58 Tuesday win at Oklahoma State. His senior night game for the Red Raiders (21–9, 10–7 Big 12) is Saturday night against No. 11 Baylor.
Will Shaver played two scoreless minutes in UAB’s 100–72 win Thursday at Temple.
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 @ArizonaMBB
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