By R.L. Bynum
Conference tournaments ended frustratingly for several former Tar Heels, including Puff Johnson missing a potential game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer. In addition, Caleb Love’s No. 6 Arizona team, Justin McKoy’s Hawaii team and Kerwin Walton’s No. 25 Texas Tech team all lost Friday in the semifinals of their league tournaments.
Johnson’s Penn State team beat Michigan on Wednesday in the first round of the Big Ten tournament 66–57 but lost Thursday in the second round to Indiana 61–59.
Johnson collected 16 points and eight rebounds in the loss to the Hoosiers. His two free throws with 2:38 gave the Nittany Lions a 57–56 lead but they trailed by two when Johnson, who had seven points against Michigan, missed a 3-point attempt in the final seconds off the front of the rim.
“It hurts and this is something you need to build on and learn on,” said Johnson, who told reporters that he hasn’t decided if he’ll return for a fifth season.
D’Marco Dunn played 12 scoreless minutes against Michigan and scored nine points against Indiana, as Penn State finished 16–17.
Dawson Garcia’s Minnesota team lost its Big Ten tournament opener, falling 77–67 Thursday in a second-round game against Michigan State. He scored 19 points to finish the season with a 17.7 average, as the Gophers’ season is likely over at 18–14.
Love has the NCAA tournament ahead, but the Wildcats have lost two of their last four games. Love scored 11 points in Thursday’s 70–49 win over USC in the quarterfinals of the Pac-12 tournament, but Arizona lost Friday to Oregon 67–59 in the semifinals.
Against Oregon, Love was 2 of 11 from the floor and 1 of 7 from 3-point range (with the only make from outside the arc banked in) and finished with six points and two assists.
Many bracket projections have Arizona headed to the West Regional in Los Angeles as the No. 2 seed, with No. 4 North Carolina as the No. 1 seed.
McKoy, in likely his final college game, had 10 points and six rebounds Friday as the Rainbow Warriors (20–14) lost 68–65 to UC Davis in the semifinals of the Big West tournament. He had 16 points and three 3-pointers in Hawaii’s 75–68 second-round win over CSUN.
Tyler Nickel played well with 18 points and a team-high seven rebounds Wednesday in Virginia Tech’s 86–76 loss to Florida State in the second round of the ACC tournament. Read much more about that game and Nickel’s thoughts on his first season with the Hokies here.
Walton collected 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists in Texas Tech’s 81–67 Thursday quarterfinal win in the Big 12 tournament over No. 20 BYU. On Friday, he had eight points and three rebounds as No. 1 Houston beat the Red Raiders (23–10) 82–79 in the semifinals.
Dontrez Styles’ frustrating first season at Georgetown ended Wednesday with a 74–56 loss to Providence in the Big East tournament’s first round. He had seven points and nine rebounds as the Hoyas finished 9–23.
Will Shaver is the only transfer whose team is still playing in its league tournament. He didn’t play Friday as his UAB team beat Wichita State 72–60 in the American Conference tournament quarterfinals. He had one rebound in two minutes of Saturday’s 93–83 semifinal victory over South Florida. The Blazers (22–11) will meet Temple in the championship game at 3:15 p.m. Sunday (ESPN).
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 — 18 games, 18 starts, 10.5 points, 44.9 FG%, 41.1 3P%, 68.6 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 5.0 assists, 2.3 turnovers
Team record: 17–1, 7–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Tuesday: No. 3 Michigan 86, Indiana 72 — Started; 29:14, game-high 19 points (ties career-high), 5–11 FG, 2–5 3FG, 7–10 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, +11
Next game — 8 p.m. Friday at Ohio State, Fox
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 19 games, 19 starts, 8.6 points, 40.9 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 82.8 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Team record: 15–5, 2–4 SEC
Thursday: No. 5 Vanderbilt 89, Mississippi State 84 — Started; 33:51, 8 points, 2–9 FG, 2–6 3FG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 7 assists, 2 turnovers, 3 steals, +6
Sunday: (at) Mississippi State 71, No. 7 Kentucky 59 — Started; 32:18, 16 points, 5–8 FG, 4–5 3FG (4 is season-high), 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, +14
Next game — 3 p.m. Sunday at No. 21 Alabama
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 18 games, 2.1 points, 47.4 FG%, 2–4 3FG, 72.0 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 steals
Team record: 12–6, 4–2 American
Tuesday: Rice 78, Tulsa 66 — 3 minutes, 0–1 FG, 1 rebound, 1 foul, -4
Next game — 3 p.m. Saturday at North Texas, 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 — 19 games, 12 starts, 10.5 points, 43.7 FG%, 34.9 3P%, 91.7 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Team record: 14–5, 7–1 Big East
Tuesday: St. John’s 92, Marquette 60 — Started; 11 minutes, 0–4 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3 turnovers, 1 block. team-low -8
Next game — 2:30 Saturday at Xavier, TNT/truTV
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 13–5, 5–3 Big Ten
Tuesday: Ohio State 82, Minnesota 74 — Didn’t play; hasn’t played yet
Next game — 8 p.m. Friday at Michigan, Fox
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 14 games, 14 starts, 11.0 points, 54.9 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 70.7 FT%, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Team record: 17–3, 4–2 SEC; Rank: No. 11
Thursday: No. 7 Kentucky 94, Florida 89 and Sunday: Mississippi State 71, No. 7 Kentucky 59 — Missed both games recovering from a dislocated elbow
Next game — 6:30 Thursday at No. 20 Tennessee, 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 — 19 games, 19 starts, 13.2 points, 67.1 FG%, 37.5 3P%, 70.1 FT%, 6.6 rebounds
Team record: 13–6, 4–2 ACC
Tuesday: N.C. State 80, (at) Clemson 76, OT — 35:42, game-high 22 points, 9–12 FG (game-high field goals), 4–4 FT, 6 rebounds (tied for team-high), 3 fouls, 1 steal, +3
Next game — noon Saturday at Pittsburgh, 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 — 19 games, 19 starts, 14.8 points, 51.6 FG%, 46.8 3P%, 82.1 FT%, 3.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 16–3, 3–3 SEC: Rank: No. 15
Tuesday: (at) No. 20 Arkansas 93, Vanderbilt 68 — Started; 32:05, 17 points, 6–13 FG, 5–11 3FG, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, -17
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday at Mississippi State
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 16 games, 10 starts, 10.7 points, 41.3 FG%, 25.4 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Team record: 8–11, 1–6 ACC
Thursday: Virginia Tech 79, SMU 42 and Sunday: SMU 83, (at) Pittsburgh 76 — Didn’t play
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Florida State, 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 — 18 games, 2.9 points, 48.8 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 66.7 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 13 assists, 8 blocks, 3 steals
Team record: 9–11, 2–5 Southern Conference
Wednesday: (at) Wofford 88, Samford 78 — 4 minutes, 0–1 FG, 1 foul, 1 assist
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. Chattanooga, ESPNU
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 19 games, 19 starts, 20.5 points, 50.2 FG%, 39.6 3P%, 80.1 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Team record: 10–9, 3–5 Big Ten
Tuesday: (at) Ohio State 82, Minnesota 74 — Started; 33 minutes, 15 points, 3–6 FG, 2–4 3FG, 7–8 FT, 5 rebounds, 5 fouls, 1 assist, -5
Next game — noon Saturday vs. No. 7 Nebraska, FS1
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 19 games, 1 start, 9.7 points, 60.0 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 72.5 FT%, 5.2 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 16–3, 3–3 SEC: Rank: No. 15
Tuesday: (at) Arkansas 93, Vanderbilt 68 — Didn’t start; 25:28, 8 points, 3–4 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–4 FT, team-high 7 rebounds, 1 foul, 3 assists, 1 turnover, -5
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday at Mississippi State
Photo via @PennStateMBB
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