Arizona upset on rough night for Love; Garcia scores 30 in loss; McKoy hits 23 on senior night

By R.L. Bynum

Caleb Love suffered the second-worst scoring and shooting night of his career as No. 6 Arizona got upset, while Dawson Garcia had a huge night in a Minnesota loss and Justin McKoy finished the regular season by leading Hawaii to a big senior night win.

Love was 1 of 10 from the floor and missed all six 3-point attempts as Arizona lost 78–65 at unranked USC in the regular-season finale Saturday.

The Pac-12 regular-season champion Wildcats (24–7, 15–5) open play at the final Pac-12 tournament at 3 p.m. Thursday with a quarterfinal game against either Washington or USC.

The only career game worse statistically for Love was UNC’s 83–70 home loss to Marquette on Feb. 24, 2021, when he scored one point and was 0 of 6 from the floor and 0 of 4 from 3-point range.

The only other time this season that Love, who played 31 minutes, failed to score in double digits was when he scored nine points in Arizona’s 97–59 win over Southern on Nov. 13, when he only played 26 minutes.


It was another tough loss for Minnesota (18–13, 9–11 Big Ten), but Garcia collected 30 points, nine rebounds and three blocks in the Gophers’ 90–66 loss at Northwestern.

Garcia has scored at least 30 points three times this season, netting 36 in an 84–74 Dec. 3 defeat at Ohio State and 30 in an 86–77 Jan. 15 home loss to Iowa.

Minnesota is the No. 9 seed in the Big Ten tournament in Minneapolis and will face Michigan State in a second-round game at noon Thursday.


McKoy, one of six players honored on Hawaii’s senior night in a 74–57 win over Cal State Bakersfield, scored a game-high 23 points on 6 of 9 shooting from the floor while making all 10 free-throw attempts. The number of free throws made was a career-high. He also had eight rebounds, two turnovers, and two steals.


Kennedy Todd-Williams had two solid games for Ole Miss in the SEC tournament. She had 18 points, five rebounds, five assists, three blocks and two steals in Friday’s 84–74 quarterfinals win over Florida. The Rebels (23–8) lost 75–67 to No. 8 LSU in the semifinals on Saturday, but she had 16 points, seven rebounds, two assists and two steals before fouling out.


Tyler Nickel scored 15 points and two 3-pointers and pulled down four rebounds Saturday as Virginia Tech beat Notre Dame 82–76 in its home finale.

The Hokies (18–13) play in the second round of the ACC tournament in Washington at noon Wednesday as the No. 8 seed against Florida State (ESPN or ESPN2). With a win, they would meet No. 1-seed North Carolina in a quarterfinal game at noon on Thursday (ESPN or ESPN2).


Puff Johnson came off the bench to collect 13 points and five rebounds Sunday in Penn State’s 78–69 home win over Maryland. D’Marco Dunn had five points and three rebounds.

The Nittany Lions (14–16, 8–11 Big Ten) are seeded No. 11, facing Michigan in the first round of the Big Ten tournament in Minneapolis at 9 p.m. Wednesday.


Dontrez Styles had 11 points, four rebounds and three assists as Georgetown finished the regular season with an 86–78 loss Saturday at St. John’s. The Hoyas (9–22, 2–18 Big East) play a first-round game in the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden at 6:30 Wednesday against the No. 7 seed.


Kerwin Walton had eight points and four rebounds as Texas Tech finished its regular season with a 78–68 senior day victory over No. 11 Baylor. The Red Raiders (22–9, 11–7 Big 12) play at 12:30 Thursday as the No. 4 seed in the Big 12 tournament in Kansas City, facing BYU, Central Florida or Oklahoma State.


Will Shaver had two points and a rebound in UAB’s 74–70 Sunday home win over SMU. The Blazers (20–11, 12–6 American) are the No. 4 seed in the American Conference tournament in Fort Worth, Texas, meeting either Memphis, Rice or Wichita State at 3:15 Friday.


Checking in on 11 former Heels

Destiny Adams, Rutgers forward

6–3 | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)

77–69 Wednesday, March 6, loss vs. Minnesota in first round of Big Ten tournament Started; 38 minutes, 31 points, 12–24 FG, 0–1 3FG, 7–12 FT, career-high 24 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers, 1 block, 1 steal, -11, 16.7 game score
Season statistics — 32 games, 32 starts, 15.6 points, 50.1 FG%, 1–8 3FG, 68.3 FT%, 7.9 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.6 steals, 0.8 of a block
Record 8–24; season over


D’Marco Dunn, Penn State guard

6–5, 195 pounds | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)

61–59 Thursday, March 13, loss vs. Indiana in second round of Big Ten tournament Didn’t start; 25 minutes, 9 points, 2–5 FG, 1–2 3PFG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, -11, 4.9 game score
Season statistics — 33 games, 12 starts; 6.8 points, 39.5 FG%, 36.6 3P%, 73.8 FT%, 1.8 rebounds, 0.6 of an assist
Record 16–17; season over


Dawson Garcia, Minnesota forward

6–11, 230 pounds | Junior | UNC 2020–21 (part of 1 season)

73–72 Tuesday win at Butler in the first round of the NIT Started; 34 minutes, 25 points, 11–19 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers
76–64 Sunday loss at Indiana State in the second round of the NIT Started; 28 minutes, 6 points, 2–5 FG, 2–2 FT, 12 rebounds, 4 fouls, 4 turnovers, 2 blocks
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts; 17.6 points (led team), 48.6 FG%, 31.9 3P%, 80.2 FT%, 6.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.0 block
Record 19–15; season over


Puff Johnson, Penn State wing

6–8, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)

61–59 Thursday, March 13, loss vs. Indiana in second round of Big Ten tournament Started; 31 minutes, 16 points, 4–11 FG, 2–6 3PFG, 7–7 FT, 8 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 steals, -5, 12.1 game score
Season statistics — 29 games, 12 starts; 7.3 points, 42.2 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 78.5 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 0.7 of a steal
Record 16–17; season over


Caleb Love, Arizona guard

6–4, 205 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)

85–65 Thursday win over Long Beach State in the first round of NCAA tournament quarterfinals in Salt Lake City — Started; 34 minutes, 18 points, 6–17 FG, 3–12 3FG, 3–5 FT, 11 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 block, 2 steals, +24, 18.0 game score
78–68 Saturday win vs. Dayton in the second round of NCAA tournament in Salt Lake City Started; 35 minutes, 19 points, 6–15 FG, 3–8 3FG, 4–6 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 5 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 block 1 steal, +6, 11.8 game score
Season statistics — 35 games, 35 starts; 18.1 points (leads team), 41.8 FG%, 34.3 3P%, 83.6 FT%, 4.9 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.1 steals
Record 27–8; Rank No. 6; Next game — 7:09 Thursday vs. Clemson in NCAA Sweet 16 in Los Angeles, CBS


Justin McKoy, Hawaii guard

6–8, 230 pounds | Graduate student | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)

68–65 Friday, March 15, loss vs. UC Davis in semifinals of Big West tournament — Started; 33 minutes, 10 points, 3–11 FG, 0–3 3FG, 4–4 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 assists, 3 fouls, -9, 1.6 game score
Season statistics — 34 games, 34 starts, 12.4 points, 47.4 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 87.2 FT%, 6.1 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Record 20–14; season over


Tyler Nickel, Virginia Tech guard

6–7, 225 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)

74–58 Tuesday win vs. Richmond in the first round of NIT Didn’t start; 17 minutes, 3 points, 1–1 FG, 1–1 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 foul, +2, 3.3 game score
81–73 Saturday loss at Ohio State in the second round of NIT Didn’t start; 12 minutes, 6 points, 2–7 FG, 2–4 3PFG, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, -9, 0.1 game score
Season statistics — 34 games, 7 starts; 8.8 points, 43.8 FG%, 39.9 3P%, 82.0 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Record 19–15; season over


Will Shaver, UAB center

6–10, 270 pounds | Redshirt sophomore | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)

69–65 Friday loss vs. San Diego State in the first round of NCAA tournament in Spokane, Wash. 4 minutes, 1 point, 1–2 FT, -4, 0.6 game score
Season statistics — 18 games, 87 minutes, 20 points, 6–17 FG, 0–2 3FG, 8–16 FT, 18 rebounds, 3 blocks, 1 steal
Record 23–12; season over


Dontrez Styles, Georgetown wing

6–6, 212 pounds | Junior | UNC 2021–23 (2 seasons)

74–56 Wednesday, March 13, loss vs. Providence in first round of Big East tournament Started; 35 minutes, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 0–3 3FG, 1–5 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 assists, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers
Season statistics — 32 games, 32 starts, 12.8 points, 43.0 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 77.6 FT%, 5.8 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 0.6 of a block
Record 9–23; season over


Kennedy Todd-Williams, Ole Miss guard

6–0 | Senior | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)

67–55 Saturday win vs. Marquette in South Bend, Ind., in first round of NCAA tournament Started; 35 minutes, 15 points, 5–13 FG, 2–4 3FG, 3–6 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, 2 steals, +15, 12.2 game score
71–56 Monday loss at Notre Dame in the second round of NCAA tournament Started; 33 minutes, 15 points, 5–12 FG, 1–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 3 fouls, 3 steals, -12, 9.4 game score
Season statistics — 33 games, 25 starts; 10.6 points, 38.4 FG%, 26.7 3PFG%, 78.0 FT%, 4.8 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.3 steals
Record — 24–9; season over


Kerwin Walton, Texas Tech guard

65, 200 pounds | Senior | UNC 2020–22 (2 seasons)

80–67 Thursday loss to N.C. State in Pittsburgh in the first round of the NCAA tournament Started; 20 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–4 3PFG, 5 rebounds, 4 fouls, -2, 8.2 game score
Season statistics — 32 games, 25 starts, 8.4 points, 49.5 FG%, 47.0 3P%, 72.7 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist
Record 23–11; season over

Photo via @ArizonaMBB

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