By R.L. Bynum
Senior Destiny Adams leads the country in multiple statistical leaders, starting the season on a roll for 4–0 Rutgers, which has already won half as many games as last season (8–24).
Among other former UNC players, Caleb Love’s No. 9 Arizona team suffered a rough road loss, redshirt junior Teonni Key played well for unbeaten No. 20 Kentucky and Penn State’s Puff Johnson, Minnesota’s Dawson Garcia and UNCW’s Ali Zelaya all had big game.
Adams piled up 28 points and 11 rebounds in 20 minutes of the Scarlet Knights’ 81–53 Friday home win over Iona, her third consecutive double-double, while playing well on defense.
“My teammates, I think that they feed me the ball,” Adams said in a postgame TV interview. They know when I’m in good position to score, and without them, none of this would have happened.”
Adams leads the country in scoring average (27.0 points per game), double-doubles (three), free throws (34), free-throw attempts (48) and is third in rebounding (14.0). She was the previous week’s Big Ten Player of the Week.
Her frequent trips to the free-throw line come from drawing contact from defenders.
“By also being physical, contact naturally comes to me,” said Adams, who is shooting 70.8% at the line. “And I just got to handle it with grace. I definitely need to work on my free throws, but I’m going to keep getting to the line whenever I can.”
Key has started every game for the Wildcats, who moved to 4–0 with two home victories: 76–42 Tuesday over Wofford and 71–61 in overtime Saturday over No. 18 Louisville.
Key followed up a double-double against Wofford (11 points, 13 rebounds, two blocks) with 17 points, nine rebounds and five blocks against Louisville in the Wildcats’ first test of the season.
Love scored only six points in 25 minutes before getting a technical foul and fouling out in Arizona’s Friday 103–88 loss at Wisconsin. Arizona gets a week to recover from that setback before hosting No. 6 Duke (3–1) at 10:30 p.m. ET Friday (ESPN2).
Senior forward Dawson Garcia scored 24 points in both Minnesota games last week, a 54–51 home Wednesday loss to North Texas and a 59–56 home Saturday win over Yale. He was 20 of 22 from the free-throw line combined in the two games, with 14 total rebounds for the Gophers (3–1).
Penn State is 4–0 after a pair of home wins last week, beating Saint Francis (Pa.) 92–62 on Tuesday and Virginia Tech 86–64 on Sunday.
Puff Johnson, a starter for all four games, collected 20 points and four steals, both team-highs, in 26 minutes against Saint Francis with three 3-pointers and netted nine points and two steals against the Hokies. D’Marco Dunn, a reserve in every game, had 10 points against Saint Francis and four points against Virginia Tech.
Ali Zelaya had more than a point a minute and a double-double Saturday for UNCW (3–2) in a 103–22 home win over The Apprentice School. She had 17 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals. In Thursday’s 78–74 victory at Presbyterian, she collected 12 points, eight assists and two blocks.
On Monday afternoon, Kennedy Todd-Williams had nine points, five rebounds, three steals and two blocks in a 76–44 victory for No. 17 Ole Miss over Jackson State.
Deja Kelly scored seven points in 21 minutes with three rebounds, three steals, and two assists for No. 25 Oregon (3–0) in its only game last week, a 66–35 home Tuesday blowout of North Texas.
Tyler Nickel’s Vanderbilt team is 4–0 after two home wins last week, beating California 85–69 on Wednesday and topping Jackson State 94–81 on Saturday. After only netting eight points against Cal, Nickel scored 15 points and four 3-pointers with four rebounds against Jackson State.
Senior center James Okonkwo had 10 points, five rebounds and three blocks for Akron (1–2) in the Zips’ 88–57 home Friday victory over Ohio Wesleyan for their first victory.
Arizona’s women are off to a 5–0 start. Paulina Paris has started all five games but only had six points in Tuesday’s 75–66 home win over UNLV and five points (with five rebounds) in Saturday’s 84–48 blowout win at Chicago State.
Fifth-year center Anya Poole scored a season-high 14 points and pulled down five rebounds in 17 minutes of Clemson’s 81–33 home Monday win over Presbyterian. Poole has come off the bench in all three games for the Tigers (3–0), who host No. 1 South Carolina at 5 p.m. Wednesday (ESPN2).
Senior wing Dontrez Styles has started every game for N.C. State (3–0) and had 10 points, six rebounds and two blocks in Wednesday’s 82–72 home win over Coastal Carolina.
Kerwin Walton had three points, two assists and a steal in a 96–49 Wednesday home win over Wyoming for Texas Tech (3–0).
Will Shaver was scoreless in four minutes in his season debut for UAB (2–2), the Blazers’ 68–65 Friday loss at High Point.
Rylee Grays combined for five points and five rebounds in two Virginia wins, an 83–41 Wednesday win vs. Radford and a 76–47 Sunday win over La Salle
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 — 10 games, ,10 starts, 9.7 points, 45.4 FG%, 37.8 3P%, 58.8 FT%, 3.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 10–0, 2–0 Big Ten; Rank: No. 2
Monday: No. 2 Michigan 101, (at) Maryland 83 — Started; 34 minutes, 12 points, 5–9 FG, 2–3 3FG, 1 rebound, 10 assists, 1 foul, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, +15
Next game — 4 p.m. Sunday vs. La Salle, 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: 12–1
Wednesday: Mississippi State 105, Alabama State 57 — Started; 22:43, 8 points, 3–6 FG, 2–4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, 1 steal, team-high +47
Saturday: Mississippi State 85, (at) La Salle 37 — Started; 30:29, 10 points, 4–12 FG, 1–6 3FG, 1–2 FT, 2 fouls, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal, +35
Next game — 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 28 vs. Samford
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 11 games, 2.6 points, 50.0 FG%, 1–2 3FG, 69.6 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3 steals
Team record: 7–4
Monday: Oklahoma State 90, Tulsa 58 — 18 minutes, career-high, team-high 14 points, 3–6 FG (FG total career-high), 1–2 3FG (first career 3-pointer), 7–8 FT (career-high for makes and attempts), 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 fouls, 4 turnovers, 1 steal, -9
Thursday: Tulsa 67, Arkansas-Pine Bluff 43 — 14 minutes, 4 points, 1–1 FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 assists, 1 block
Next game — 2:45 Sunday at Florida
Ian Jackson, St. John’s guard
6–5, 195 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — In rotation as reserve
Season statistics — 11 games, 4 starts, 11.4 points, 47.4 FG%, 34.7 3P%, 85.7 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Team record: 7–4, 1–0 Big East; Rank: No. 22
Tuesday: No. 22 St. John’s 79, DePaul 66 — Started; 14 minutes, 10 points, 4–7 FG, 2–3 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, +2
Saturday at CBS Sports Classic in Atlanta: Kentucky 78, No. 22 St. John’s 66 — Started; 30 minutes, 10 points, 4–7 FG, 2–5 3FG, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 2 steals
Next game — 6 p.m. Tuesday vs. Harvard, 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: 12–1; Rank: No. 12
Friday: No. 12 Kentucky 96, Wright State 53 — Didn’t play to manage lingering injury after a fall
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. Hofstra
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 12 games, 12 starts, 13.0 points, 67.4 FG%, 3–6 3FG, 69.0 FT%, 7.2 rebounds
Team record: 8–4
Wednesday: N.C. State 108, Texas Southern 72 — Started; 16:30, 7 points, 3–4 FG, 1–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, +15
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Ole Miss in Greensboro, ESPN
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 — 11 games, 11 starts, 14.4 points, 49.5 FG%, 44.0 3P%, 83.3 FT%, 3.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Team record: 11–0: Rank: No. 13
Wednesday: No. 13 Vanderbilt 77, (at) Memphis 70, OT — Started; 36:46, 8 points, 3–11 FG, 2–10 3FG, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, +12
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday at Wake Forest, The CW
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 11 games, 5 starts, 9.2 points, 38.8 FG%, 21.1 3P%, 77.3 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 steal
Team record: 6–6, 0–1 ACC
Wednesday: SMU 57, Coppin State 49 — Started; 26 minutes, 11 points, 3–7 FG, 1–3 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 3 turnovers
Friday: SMU 74, (at) Sam Houston 69 — Started; 39:20, 18 points, 7–17 FG, 2–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 8 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 5 turnovers, 2 steals, +4
Next game — 5 p.m. Sunday vs. Southern, 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
Monday: Samford 106, Bryant 51 — 13 minutes, career-high 8 points, 3–6 FG (ties for most FGs in career), 2–4 3FG (first two 3-pointers of his career), 5 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 1 block
Friday: 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, Jan. 1, at VMI
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 11 games, 11 starts, 22.6 points, 52.2 FG%, 40.7 3P%, 81.7 FT%, 5.2 rebounds, 2.1 assists
Team record: 6–5, 1–1 Big Ten
Wednesday: Minnesota 89, Texas Southern 53 —Started; 37 minutes, 38 points, 11–19 FG, 8–12 3FG, 8–11 FT, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 4 steals, +37
Next game — 6 p.m. Sunday vs. Campbell, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Competing for starting minutes at center
Season statistics — 11 games, 1 start, 9.5 points, 60.0 FG%, 26.7 3P%, 77.3 FT%, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks
Team record: 11–0: Rank: No. 13
Wednesday: No. 13 Vanderbilt 77, (at) Memphis 70, OT — Didn’t start; 25:30, 14 points, 2–4 FG, 10–14 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 fouls, drew 10 fouls, 1 turnover, 2 steals, +12
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday at Wake Forest, The CW
Photo via @RutgersWBB
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