By R.L. Bynum
It was more Maui frustration for Ven-Allen Lubin despite a good game, while Elliot Cadeau and Ian Jackson had contrasting luck in Vegas as holiday tournaments tipped off on Monday.
Lubin, who combined for 19 points when UNC lost two of three Maui Invitational games last season, scored a season-high 16 points and tied his season-high with nine rebounds Monday, leading No. 23 N.C. State in both categories.
It wasn’t enough as the Wolfpack, the only ranked team in this season’s Maui field, lost 85–74 in the first round to Seton Hall (6–0).
Lubin didn’t get enough help from his teammates as the Wolfpack (4–1) lost its first game under first-year coach Will Wade. Lubin was 6 of 10 from the floor; the rest of the team was 19 for 49.
“I think that we were a little bit sped up and took some forced shots, knowing that we can get better shots,” Lubin said. “We were well prepared. Coach did a good job, knowing that they were going to be very scrappy, they were going to be handsy and do a lot of run and jump. We just had to continue to stay poised, and we didn’t do a great job of that.”
Lubin scored his second 3-pointer of the season after going 0 for 3 from beyond the arc last season for the Tar Heels. That 3 cut N.C. State’s deficit to 12 with 4:19 left, but the Wolfpack got no closer than 11 points after that.
Seton Hall dominated State inside, with a 40–26 edge on inside points.
“I think that we just have to be stronger with the ball when it’s in the middle of the paint,” Lubin said. “A lot of guys were crashing down in the paint. So just making quick and easy decisions, whether to go up with the force or kick it out to an open guy.”
Lubin expects to be a leader and takes accountability for the failures to consistently score inside.
“We were juggling the ball a lot in the paint, not really getting a secure catch and a powerful finish,” Lubin said. “I know I missed some, and that kind of left some points on the table. So, that’s something I’ll say I get better at. Once the team sees me doing that, then they’ll continue to carry on. But I think that’s something that I want to take accountability for and just continue to do that for the next game.”
N.C. State became the first ranked team this season to lose to an unranked team.
Cadeau and Jackson are both playing in the Players Era Championship in Las Vegas.
Cadeau’s No. 7 Michigan team (5–0) rolled to a 94–54 victory over San Diego State (2–2) while Jackson’s No. 14 St. John’s team (3–2) dropped a heartbreaker to No. 15 Iowa State (5–0) 83–82.
Cadeau scored 13 points and three 3-pointers in 18 minutes with one assist, one turnover and one steal.
It was the third time in five games that he’s scored in double figures but also the third consecutive game with only one assist after combining for 21 in his first two games as a Wolverine. Last season at UNC, Cadeau dished out at least four assists in all but six games and had only one game with just one assist: when he scored seven points in an 82–68 home win Jan. 7 against SMU.
The competition gets much tougher at 8:30 Tuesday (TNT) when Michigan takes on No. 21 Auburn (5–1), which knocked off unranked Oregon 84–73 on Monday.
After starting the Red Storm’s opener, Jackson has come off the bench in every game since then. He only played 16 minutes with five points, two turnovers and an assist in their loss to Iowa State. He was scoreless in six second-half minutes and missed his only shot, and made 2 of 6 shots for the game.
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St. John’s missed shots in the final minute and fell to 0–2 against ranked teams after falling 103–96 to No. 8 Alabama on Nov. 8.
The Red Storm tries to rebound at 4:30 Tuesday (truTV) against Baylor (4–0).
Tray Crisp contributed eight points, three assists and two rebounds as Mississippi State (5–1) easily beat Alcorn State 65–51 in the first round of the Emerald Coast Classic in Niceville, Fla. The Bulldogs play Middle Tennessee State at 1:30 Tuesday in the championship game (FloSports).
In other games on Tuesday:
—Will Shaver’s 3–4 Samford team takes on Georgia State at 2 p.m. (FloCollege) in the first round of the Cancun Challenge.
—Paulina Paris’ 1–4 SMU team opens play at 2:15 (BallerTV) in the Music City Classic against Saint Louis.
Elliot Cadeau, Michigan guard
6–1, 180 pounds | Junior | UNC 2023–25 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 38 games, 38 starts, 10.2 points, 41.6 FG%, 37.7 3P%, 69.4 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists
Team record: 35–3; Rank: No. 3
Friday: 90–77 win Midwest Regional Sweet 16 in Chicago vs. No. 18 Alabama — Started; 33:37, 17 points, 6–14 FG, 3–8 3FG, 2–5 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 7 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, +15
Sunday: 95–62 win Midwest Regional final in Chicago vs. No. 23 Tennessee — Started; 34:20, 8 points, 3–7 FG, 1–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 2 fouls, 10 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, +30
Next game — 8:49 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 2 Arizona at Final Four in Indianapolis, TBS
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
Season ended with SEC tournament loss
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: 19–12
Season ended with loss in American Conference tournament
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 — 36 games, 19 starts, 9.4 points, 40.9 FG%, 34.3 3P%, 90.0 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 30–7; Rank: No. 13
Friday: 80–75 loss in East Regional Sweet 16 in Washington vs. No. 1 Duke — Didn’t start; 16 minutes, 5 points, 2–8 FG, 1–7 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 assists
Season ended with loss to Duke
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 21–13
Season statistics — 9 games, 1 start, 2.3 points, 33.3 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 6–9 FT, 1.1 rebounds
Season ended with first-round NCAA tournament loss to TCU
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 28 games, 28 starts, 11.4 points, 51.2 FG%, 2–15 3FG, 69.8 FT%, 7.5 rebounds, 1.2 blocks
Team record: 25–11; Rank: No. 17
Saturday: 76–54 loss in Fort Worth Regional 1 Sweet 16 vs. No. 3 Texas — Started; 31:31, 10 points, 2–8 FG, 0–1 3FG, 6–6 FT, 9 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, -17
Season ended with loss to Texas
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 34 games, 34 starts, 13.6 points, ACC-leading 66.8 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 73.3 FT%, 7.1 rebounds
Team record: 20–14
Season ended with NCAA First Four loss to Texas
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 36 games, 36 starts, 13.5 points, 44.4 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 84.7 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists
Team record: 27–9: Rank: No. 22
Season ended with loss to No. 4 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA tournament
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
Season ended with left foot injury in February
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
Season ended with loss in Southern Conference tournament
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 31 games, 32 starts, team-leading 19.6 points, 50.0 FG%, 42.2 3P%, 82.6 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 2.2 assists
Team record: 15–17
Next game — 10:30 Wednesday at College Basketball Crown in Las Vegas vs. Baylor, FS1 (first game since March 11)
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 36 games, 9 starts, 8.9 points, 56.3 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 74.1 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 27–9; Rank: No. 22
Season ended with loss to No. 4 Nebraska in the second round of the NCAA tournament
Top photo via @PackMensBball; Cadeau photo via mgoblue.com
