By R.L. Bynum
Cade Tyson continues to shine against overmatched nonconference foes, while Tyler Nickel is off to a strong start and Ian Jackson posted solid numbers in a marquee matchup.
Meanwhile, centers Jalen Washington and Ven-Allen Lubin are still trying to make an impact at their new schools.
An intriguing showdown looms Tuesday in Detroit: Elliot Cadeau’s No. 7 Michigan squad, which hasn’t played since a 121–78 opening-game rout Monday of Oakland, faces Wake Forest (2–0) at 6:30 p.m. on FS1.
Tyson followed his 30-point outburst in Minnesota’s 87–69 opener against Gardner-Webb (320 in KenPom) with 21 points in 29 minutes during Saturday’s 95–50 demolition of Alcorn State (339). The 2–0 Gophers get their first real test Wednesday at Missouri (38).
At Madison Square Garden on Saturday, No. 15 Alabama edged Jackson’s No. 5 St. John’s team 103–96 in a high-level clash.
After starting and scoring 15 points in the Red Storm’s 108–74 opener against Quinnipiac, Jackson came off the bench to tally 14 points in 23 minutes with four rebounds, three assists and a block.
A late turnover proved costly: Alabama’s Latrell Wrightsell Jr. stole the ball from Jackson with 2:35 left and the Tide up five. Jackson answered with a driving layup at 1:22, but St. John’s never got closer than six.
Nickel stayed hot for Vanderbilt, following his 20-point performance in a 105–91 opening-game win over Lipscomb with 17 points, four rebounds and two assists in Saturday’s 105–93 victory at UCF.
Washington, his Commodores teammate, has come off the bench in both games, with nine points and two rebounds in the opener, then six points and six rebounds before fouling out Saturday.
N.C. State rolled past N.C. Central (114–66) and UAB (94–70). Lubin started both games, posting 10 points and six rebounds in the opener and eight points with three rebounds Friday while battling foul trouble.
Kentucky senior Teonni Key bounced back from only scoring five points in the opener with two strong games. Thursday, she collected 14 points and three rebounds in Thursday’s 104–46 rout of Coppin State. In Sunday’s 81–47 home win over Buffalo, she had 17 points and 12 rebounds.
Elsewhere among former UNC players:
— Tray Crisp had six points in Mississippi State’s 68–62 Friday win over Georgia State.
— RyLee Grays chipped in two points and three rebounds off the bench in Tulsa’s 77–60 win over New Orleans.
— In two weekend games, Mississippi State guard Tray Crisp started and combined for nine points and nine assists.
— Paulina Paris struggled in SMU’s 46–44 loss to Kansas State, shooting 2 of 12 (0 for 6 from 3-point range) for four points.
— Will Shaver had three points and three rebounds in Samford’s 82–72 Friday win over South Carolina State.
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 — 22 games, 22 starts, 10.3 points, 44.0 FG%, 40.4 3P%, 69.0 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.5 turnovers
Team record: 21–1, 11–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Thursday: 110–69 win vs. Penn State — Started; 23 minutes, 7 points, 3–9 FG, 1–6 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 8 assists
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. Ohio State
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, 9.1 points, 39.4 FG%, 38.2 3P%, 87.5 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Team record: 16–8, 3–7 SEC
Thursday: 88–45 loss at No. 3 South Carolina — Started; 19:58, 3 points, 1–7 FG, 0–4 3FG, 1–1 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 turnovers, -28
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Georgia
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 23 games, 2.1 points, 42.9 FG%, 3–8 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 8 blocks, 6 steals
Team record: 16–7, 8–3 American
Tuesday: 75–65 win at Wichita State — 16 minutes, 2 points, 1–3 FG, 4 rebounds, 1 foul, 3 turnovers
Saturday: 66–47 loss vs UTSA — 15 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday at South Florida, 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 — 23 games, 16 starts, 10.9 points, 43.1 FG%, 36.0 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 18–5, 11–1 Big East; Rank: No. 25
Friday: 81–72 win vs. No. 3 UConn — Started; 14 minutes, 8 points, 2–6 FG, 0–2 3FG, 4–4 FT, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 1 steal (was on bench for final 8:56)
Next game — 6:30 Monday vs. Xavier, FS1
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 15–7, 7–5 Big Ten
Season statistics — 3 games, 2.3 points, 40.0 FG%, 1–2 3FG, 2–3 FT, 1.7 rebounds
Thursday: 82–62 win at Maryland — Didn’t play, suffered injury in practice that’s not expected to be long-term
Next game — 1 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 3 Michigan, CBS
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 16 games, 16 starts, 11.3 points, 55.7 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 66.1 FT%, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 18–6, 5–4 SEC; Rank: No. 16
Thursday: 84–83 loss vs. No. 5 Vanderbilt — Started; 37:28, career-high 27 points, 11–15 FG (11 FGs career-high), 5–8 FT, 12 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 5 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, +1
Next game — 7:30 Monday at No. 4 Texas
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, 13.3 points, 67.9 FG%, 30.0 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 7.0 rebounds
Team record: 18–6, 9–2 ACC
Tuesday: 84–83 win at SMU — Started; 27:44, 11 points, 4–7 FG, 0–1 3FG, 3–8 FT, 7 rebounds, 2 blocks, +8
Saturday: 82–73 win vs. Virginia Tech — Started; 27:03, 11 points, 5–7 FG, 1–2 FT, 7 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 1 block, +12
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday at Louisville, 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 — 23 games, 23 starts, 14.6 points, 50.2 FG%, 45.0 3P%, 81.8 FT%, 3.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 19–4, 6–5 SEC: Rank: No. 18
Saturday: 92–91 loss vs. Oklahoma — Started, 35:51, 18 points, 6–14 FG, 5–11 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, +/- of 0
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
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: 8–15, 1–10 ACC
Thursday: 70–65 loss vs. Wake Forest — Started; 32:06, 10 points, 4–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, 2 steals, -1
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday at No. 17 Duke, The CW
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 — 23 games, 2.9 points, 50.0 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 61.9 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 18 assists, 12 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 13–12, 6–6 Southern Conference
Thursday: 78–64 win vs. The Citadel — 10 minutes, 4 points, 1–1 FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Saturday: 69–49 win vs. Mercer — 14 minutes, 1 point, 0–2 FG, 1–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 3 blocks
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Wofford, ESPN+
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts, team-leading 19.8 points, 49.2 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 81.2 FT%, 5.3 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Team record: 11–12, 4–8 Big Ten
Wednesday: 76–73 win vs. No. 7 Michigan State — 38 minutes, 17 points, 4–12 FG, 3–7 3FG, 6–7 FT, 2 rebounds, 2 assists
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. Maryland, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 23 games, 4 starts, 8.7 points, 53.8 FG%, 25.0 3P%, 72.3 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 19–4, 6–5 SEC: Rank: No. 18
Saturday: 92–91 loss vs. Oklahoma — Started, 4 point, 2–3 FG, 10 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, -6
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn
Photo via @GopherMBB
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