By R.L. Bynum
They are only exhibition games, so it’s not wise to draw sweeping conclusions from the results. But three players who played for North Carolina last season — Cade Tyson, Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson — have certainly had contrasting preseasons.
All three played their second of two exhibition games on Saturday. Cadeau’s Michigan team beat Jackson and St. John’s 96–94 in overtime at Madison Square Garden, while Tyson — now at Minnesota — had another big game against another Summit League team.
Tyson, who scored 29 points and six 3-pointers in an 80–54 win Oct. 16 against North Dakota State (21–11 last season), scored a game-high 26 points Saturday in a home exhibition against North Dakota (12–21 last season). Tyson was 9 of 13 from the floor, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, while contributing four rebounds, two assists and a steal.
“I felt confident out there on the floor,” Tyson told the Pioneer Press after the first exhibition. “The most important thing that I felt was just having fun out there with my teammates. That was the best feeling.”
In two exhibition games, Tyson has hit 10 of 15 3-point attempts after making 14 of 48 shots from outside the arc in 31 games and 246 minutes for the Tar Heels last season.
“We always talk about fit matters,” Gophers coach Niko Medved told the Pioneer Press. “For whatever reason, it didn’t work out for him [at UNC]. If you remember, a couple of years ago, he was one of the top transfers in the transfer portal. … North Carolina has a great program. It just wasn’t working out fit-wise. We thought he would be a great fit here. I think you are seeing that.”
Can Tyson replicate those performances against power-conference opponents? His only double-figure scoring games for Carolina last season were against La Salle of the Atlantic 10 (23 points, five 3-pointers) and American of the Patriot League (11 points, three 3-pointers). He thrived in the Missouri Valley Conference for Belmont two seasons ago, averaging 16.2 points while shooting 46.5% from 3-point range.
Cadeau has two solid exhibition performances. After a 14-point, seven-assist game in a 100–98 home loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 17, he collected nine points and nine assists but five turnovers in the Wolverines’ win Saturday over St. John’s.
“I thought he played a really good floor game,” Michigan coach Dusty May said. “He generated a lot of really good, high-percentage shots. We have to do a better job with our spacing, but I’m ecstatic with Elliot. He has a different level of energy in games that’s just contagious.”
Cadeau hit a step-back buzzer-beating 3-pointer (his only preseason 3-pointer) at the end of the first half.
The foul trouble that was persistent last season at UNC has continued in the preseason. Cadeau, who fouled out three times and had at least four fouls in 13 games last season, has fouled out in the last minute of both exhibition games.
The preseason hasn’t gone well for Jackson, who Coach Rick Pitino said was out for three days with a sprained ankle. After he started and only scored six points in the Red Storm’s 73–63 home win on Oct. 18 over Towson, he struggled off the bench against Michigan.
In 21 minutes, Jackson had two points on 1 of 8 shooting (including missing all four 3-point attempts), with two assists, two turnovers, two steals and a rebound against Michigan.
“He’s gotta work on his handle, he will play much better this season than he did tonight,” Pitino said.
In N.C. State’s only exhibition game, an 88–86 win Sunday in Greensboro over South Carolina, Ven-Allen Lubin scored a team-high 18 points and was a team-high +6. He was 8 of 13 frm the floor and had five rebounds.
Vanderbilt, with Jalen Washington and Tyler Nickel, rolled to an 89–76 exhibition win Thursday at UAB. Statistics weren’t publicly available, but Washington reportedly played much better than he did in the first exhibition.
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
Last season statistics (UNC) — 37 games, 37 starts, 27.8 minutes, 9.4 points, 44.5 FG%, 33.7 3P%, 67 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 6.2 assists, 1.1 steals
First exhibition — 100–98 home loss Oct. 17 to Cincinnati: Started, 31 minutes, 14 points, 1–1 FG, 12–15 FT, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 5 fouls (fouled out with 14 seconds left), 2 turnovers, 2 steals, +3
Second exhibition — 96–94 OT win Saturday at St. John’s: started, 30 minutes, 9 points, 4–6 FG, 1–2 3FG, 0–1 FT, 2 rebounds, 9 assists, 5 fouls (fouled out with 8 seconds left in OT), 5 turnovers, 1 steal, +4
Predicted Big 10 finish in poll — Second of 18
Opener — 8:30 Monday vs. Oakland, FS1
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of five guards competing for time
Last season statistics (UNC) — 28 games, 1 start, 13.9 minutes, 5.6 points, 37.8 FG%, 25.5 3P%, 80.0 FT%, 1.5 rebounds, 1.1 assists, 0.5 of a steal
First exhibition — 115–71 home win Sunday over Union; started; no statistics publicly available
Predicted SEC finish in poll — 10th of 16
Opener — 6:30 Monday vs. Davidson
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Last season statistics (Virginia) — 23 games, 1 start, 11.7 minutes, 2.0 points, 31.8 FG%, 64.3 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 0.5 of a steal
Predicted American Conference finish in poll — 10th out of 13
Opener — 6:30 Wednesday, Nov. 5, vs. New Orleans
Ian Jackson, St. John’s guard
6–5, 195 pounds | Sophomore | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter at the 2 spot ahead of senior Oziya Sellers
Last season statistics (UNC) — 36 games, 12 starts, 23.8 minutes, 11.9 points, 45.6 FG%, 39.5 3P%, 72.3 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist, 0.6 of a steal
First exhibition — 73–63 home win Oct. 18 vs. Towson: Started, 17 minutes, 6 points, 2–5 FG, 1–4 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 turnover
Second exhibition — 96–94 OT home loss to Michigan on Saturday: Didn’t start, 21 minutes, 2 points, 1–8 FG, 0–4 3FG, 0–1 FT, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 foul, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, +1
Predicted Big East finish in poll — 1st out of 11
Opener — 6:30 Monday vs. Quinnipiac, FS1
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Last season statistics (first at Kentucky) — 31 games, 31 starts, 28.1 minutes, 11.4 points, 50.4 FG%, 24.4 3P%, 77.4 FT%, 8.3 rebounds, 1.5 assists, 0.9 of an assist, 1.7 blocks
Predicted SEC finish in poll — 8th of 16
Opener — 6:30 Monday vs. Morehead State
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Last season statistics (first at Vanderbilt) — 33 games, 33 starts, 25.0 minutes, 10.4 points, 42.0 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 84.3 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 0.9 of an assist, 0.5 of a steal
First exhibition — Two 24-minute halves at home vs. Virginia on Oct. 16: Vanderbilt won the first half 44–41 and the second half 51–46.
Second exhibition — 89–76 Thursday win at UAB
Predicted SEC finish in poll — 11th out of 16
Opener — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Lipscomb
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Likely starting guard
Last season statistics (Arizona) — 33 games, 24 starts, 24.9 minutes, 8.3 points, 39.8 FG%, 30.6 3P%, 59.6 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 1.5 steals
First exhibition — Oct. 21: SMU 81, West Texas A&M 69
Second exhibition — Monday: SMU 84, Cal State Los Angeles 49; didn’t stat; 22 minutes, 2 points, 1–5 FG, 0–2 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 3 steals, 1 foul
Predicted ACC finish in poll — 14th out of 18
Opener — Noon Tuesday vs. Grambling State
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 — Competing for starting minutes
Last season statistics (Arizona) — 9 games, 0 starts, 41 minutes, 2 points 1–2 FG, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 1 block
Predicted Southern Conference finish in poll — 3rd out of 10
Opener — 8:30 Monday at Tulane
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Likely starter at the 3 spot
Last season statistics (UNC) — 31 games, 0 starts, 7.9 minutes, 2.6 points, 40.3 FG%, 29.2 3P%, 56.3 FT%, 1.1 rebounds
First exhibition — 80–54 home win Oct. 16 over North Dakota State: 24 minutes, 29 points, 9–13 FG, 6–9 3FG, 4–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 block
Second exhibition — 82–62 home win Saturday over North Dakota: 29 minutes, 26 points, 9–13 FG, 4–6 3FG, 4–5 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 assists, 1 steal
Predicted Big Ten in poll — 16th of 18
Opener — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Gardner-Webb, Big Ten Network Plus
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Last season statistics (UNC) — 37 games, 20 starts, 19.6 minutes, 8.7 points, 68.4 FG%, 71.1 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 0.4 of a steal, 0.9 of a block
Only exhibition: N.C. State 88, South Carolina 86 — Started; 33 minutes, team-high 18 points, 8–13 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–3 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 4 turnovers, team-high +6
Predicted ACC finish in poll — 4th of 18
Opener — 7 p.m. Monday vs. N.C. Central, ACC Network Extra
Plays UNC — 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, ESPN or ESPN2
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting center
Last season statistics (UNC) — 36 games, 16 starts, 15.9 minutes, 5.7 points, 59.4 FG%, 27.8 3P%, 63.8 FT%, 4.2 rebounds, 0.5 of an assist, 0.8 of a block
First exhibition — Two 24-minute halves at home vs. Virginia on Oct. 16: Vanderbilt won the first half 44–41 and the second half 51–46.
Second exhibition — 89–76 Thursday win at UAB; Washington reportedly played better in this exhibition than in the first one.
Predicted SEC finish in poll — 11th out of 16
Opener — 8 p.m. Monday vs. Lipscomb
Tyson photo via @GopherMBB; Cadeau photo via mgoblue.com
tarheeltribune.com 
Carolina will be ranked higher than both St. John’s and Michigan. Elliot doesn’t look comfortable in that offense. He wants to get out and run and they want to slow down..
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