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.
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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 — Starter
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts, 9.9 points, 42.4 FG%, 37.8 3P%, 70.5 FT%, 2.6 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 29–2, 19–1 Big Ten (clinched regular-season title); Rank: No. 3
Thursday: 71–68 win at Iowa — Started; 30:24, 11 points, 1–3 FG, 9–11 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 9 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 steal, +12
Sunday: 90–80 win vs. No. 8 Michigan State — Started; 33 minutes, 2 points, 1–5 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, 2 blocks, +2
Next game — noon Friday in quarterfinals of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago as No. 1 seed vs. No. 8 Ohio State, No. 9 Iowa, No. 16 Oregon or No. 17 Maryland
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
Wednesday: 86–68 loss to Florida in first round of the SEC tournament — Started; 19:37, 3 points, 1–5 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1 foul, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, -9
Next game — Awaits possible postseason berth
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: 19–11, 11–7 American
Wednesday: 53–41 win at UTSA — 10 minutes, 1 point, 0–1 FG, 1–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 turnovers, 1 steal
Saturday: 76–61 loss vs. East Carolina — 11 minutes, 4 points, 2–3 FG, 0–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 1 steal
Next game — 1 p.m. Thursday in American tournament in Birmingham, Ala., as the No. 4 seed vs. the winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 6 UTSA and the winner of Tuesday’s game between No. 7 Temple and No. 10 Tulane
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 — 30 games, 19 starts, 9.8 points, 41.9 FG%, 35.8 3P%, 90.0 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 25–6, 18–2 Big East; Rank: No. 13
Friday: 72–65 win at Seton Hall — Didn’t start; 3 minutes, 3 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Next game — noon Thursday in the quarterfinal of the Big East tournament at Madison Square Garden vs. winner of Wednesday’s game between No. 8 Butler and No. 9 Providence, Peacock, NBCSN
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 20–11, 12–8 Big Ten
Season statistics — 8 games, 1 start, 2.6 points, 33.3 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 6–9 FT, 1.3 rebounds
Wednesday: 94–62 at Penn State and Saturday: Ohio State 91, Indiana 78 — Didn’t play because of a foot injury
Next game — noon Thursday in the third round of Big Ten tournament in Chicago as No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 Iowa, No. 16 Oregon or No. 17 Maryland
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 25 games, 25 starts, 11.2 points, 52.1 FG%, 2–13 3FG, 67.9 FT%, 7.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Team record: 23–10; Rank: No. 17
Wednesday: 94–64 win vs. Arkansas in first round of SEC tournament — Started; 22:28, 12 points, 5–5 FG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover, +31
Thursday: 76–61 win vs. Georgia in second round of SEC tournament — Started; 34:10, 14 points, 6–10 FG, 2–4 FT, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers, 1 block, +13
Friday: 87–64 loss vs. No. 3 South Carolina in quarterfinals of the SEC tournament — Started; 24:45, 13 points, 5–12 FG, 1–1 3FG, 2–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, -23
Next game — Awaits Selection Sunday for NCAA tournament berth
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts, 13.7 points, ACC-leading 68.4 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 70.6 FT%, 7.1 rebounds
Team record: 19–12, 10–8 ACC
Monday: 93–64 loss vs. No. 1 Duke — Started; season-low 12 minutes, 6 points (ties season-low), 3–4 FG, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 turnover
Saturday: 86–84 loss vs. Stanford — Started; 34:08, team-high 17 points, 6–8 FG, 5–8 FT, 11 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 turnover, +8
Next game — noon Wednesday in the second round of the ACC tournament in Charlotte as No. 7 seed against No. 15 Pittsburgh, ESPN2
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 31 games, 31 starts, 13.7 points, 45.7 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 86.3 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Team record: 24–7, 11–7 SEC: Rank: No. 22
Tuesday: 89–86 OT win at Ole Miss — Started; 33:39, 9 points, 2–9 FG, 1–7 3FG, 4–4 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 block, -1
Saturday: 86–82 win at Tennessee — Started; 29:13, 7 points, 2–3 FG, 1–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 5 turnovers, 2 steals, -2
Next game — 3:30 Friday in quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in Nashville as No. 4 seed vs. Wednesday’s first-round game between the No. 11 seed and No. 14 South Carolina, ESPN
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
Suffered a 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 — 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, 11–7 Southern Conference
Saturday: 86–81 loss vs. Furman in first round of the Southern Conference tournament in Asheville — 10 minutes, 2 points, 0–1 FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 2 blocks, 1 steal
Season likely over
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 29 games, 29 starts, team-leading 19.7 points, 49.4 FG%, 42.9 3P%, 81.9 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 15–16, 8–12 Big Ten
Wednesday: 77–47 loss at Indiana — Started; 38 minutes, 21 points, 7–14 FG, 3–4 3FG, 4–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers
Saturday: 67–66 win vs. Northwestern — Started; 40 minutes, 15 points, 5–11 FG, 0–3 3FG, 5–5 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 fouls, 2 turnovers, +1
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday in the second round of the Big Ten tournament in Chicago as No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed Rutgers, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 31 games, 9 starts, 9.0 points, 56.4 FG%, 29.0 3P%, 72.1 FT%, 5.7 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 24–7, 11–7 SEC: Rank: No. 22
Tuesday: 89–86 OT win at Ole Miss — Didn’t start; 16:21, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 1–1 3FG, 3 rebounds, 5 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover, -4
Saturday: 86–82 win at Tennessee — Didn’t start; 23:37, 7 points, 3–7 FG, 1–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, +1
Next game — 3:30 Friday in quarterfinals of the SEC tournament in Nashville as No. 4 seed vs. Wednesday’s first-round game between the No. 11 seed and No. 14 South Carolina, ESPN
Photo via @PennStateMBB
