Cadeau scores 18, career-high 4 3s, as No. 2 Michigan wins 6th straight by at least 25

By R.L. Bynum

The impressive performances keep coming for Elliot Cadeau, and No. 2 Michigan continues to bludgeon every opponent.

Cadeau scored 18 points (one off his career-high) and a career-high four 3-pointers in 24 minutes Tuesday night as the host 9–0 Wolverines overwhelmed Villanova 89–61.

It was the Wolverines’ sixth consecutive win by at least 25 points and the fourth straight game they led by at least 20 points in the first half.

“I just think confidence from the people around me is just feeding into me,” Cadeau said. “Coaches want me to shoot every time I’m open, and my players want me to shoot every time I’m open. That just gave me confidence.”

Michigan’s last five wins have come by a combined 179 points, an average win margin of 35.8 points. Three have come against power conference schools, including blowouts of No. 21 Auburn (102–72) and No. 8 Gonzaga (101–61) in Las Vegas.

Cadeau collected seven points and three assists in the first 5½ minutes. He was outscoring Villanova by himself, 10–9, when the Wolverines went ahead 24–9 on his 3-pointer with 12:17 left in the first half. His third 3-pointer of the first half with 10 seconds left gave Michigan a 53–23 halftime lead.

“The best part of Elliot, other than his defensive tenacity — and he’s becoming a real irritant on that side of the ball — is his basketball IQ,” Michigan coach Dusty May said.

Cadeau’s career high was 19 points on Feb. 10, 2024, at Miami, and he also scored 18 on Nov. 15, 2024, at home against American. His highest 3-point total for UNC was three, which he scored on Nov. 4, 2024, against Elon and March 14, 2025, in the ACC tournament against Duke. He scored three 3-pointers this season on Nov. 24 in a 94–54 victory in Las Vegas over San Diego State.

Cadeau had two steals, four assists and four turnovers, only the third time in nine games that his assist total didn’t exceed his turnover total.


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In Sunday games involving former UNC players:
— Mississippi State guard Tray Crisp had 11 points, three 3-pointers, 2 assists and a steal as the Bulldogs (9–1) cruised to an 89–59 victory over Charlotte.
— Kentucky forward Teonni Key contributed 11 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals as the No. 17 Wildcats (10–1) rolled to an 82–56 victory over Central Michigan.
— Guard Paulina Paris came off the bench for eight points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals as host SMU (4–6) lost its ACC opener 78–69 to Syracuse. The Mustangs host Coppin State at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday (ACC Network Extra).
— RyLee Grays had two points and two rebounds in five minutes as Tulsa (6–3) lost 73–60 at Creighton.
— Will Shaver played two scoreless minutes as host Samford (5–6) beat Cornell 93–90.

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A week after Cade Tyson’s Minnesota team (5–5, 1–1 Big Ten) upset then-No. 22 (but now unranked) Indiana 73–44, the Gophers lost at No. 6 Purdue 85–47 on Wednesday.

Tyson scored 15 points, missing all four 3-point attempts, with four rebounds and four assists. It was only Tyson’s second game this season without a 3-pointer and was his second-lowest scoring output (14 in the 77–65 loss on Nov. 22 at San Francisco.)

Also on Wednesday, Ven-Allen Lubin’s N.C. State team (7–3) rolled to an 84–45 home win over Liberty. Lubin tied for the team-high with 13 points and pulled down six rebounds.

In games on Saturday:
— N.C. State becomes the third Triangle team to face Kansas, hosting the No. 19 Jayhawks at 5:30 p.m. (ESPN). Kansas lost 87–74 at UNC on Nov. 7 and 78–55 to Duke at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 18.
— No. 15 Vanderbilt (9–0), with Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington, plays its first game in 10 days, hosting Central Arkansas at 6:30 p.m. (SEC Network)
— Cadeau and Michigan visit Maryland (6–4) at 8 p.m. (Fox)
— Ian Jackson and No. 23 St. John’s (5–3) hosts Iona at 8 p.m. (TNT)

At 1 p.m. Sunday, Cade Tyson and Minnesota (5–5) plays host to Texas Southern.


Roster situation Starting point guard ahead of sophomore L.J. Cason
Season statistics — 19 games, 19 starts, 10.3 points, 45.1 FG%, 41.6 3P%, 68.6 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 18–1, 8–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Friday: No. 3 Michigan 74, Ohio State 62 — Started; 25 minutes, Big Ten season-low 6 points, 2–4 FG, 2–3 3FG, 3 fouls, 8 assists, 4 turnovers, 1 steal, +7
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. No. 7 Nebraska, Peacock


Roster situation Starter
Season statistics — 19 games, 19 starts, 8.6 points, 40.9 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 82.8 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.8 assists
Team record: 15–5, 2–4 SEC
Sunday, Jan. 18: (at) Mississippi State 71, No. 7 Kentucky 59 — Started; 32:18, 16 points, 5–8 FG, 4–5 3FG (4 is season-high), 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, +14
Next game — 3 p.m. Sunday at No. 21 Alabama


RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)

Roster situation One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 19 games, 2.0 points, 47.4 FG%, 2–4 3FG, 72.0 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 7 blocks, 5 steals
Team record: 13–6, 5–2 American
Friday: Tulsa 57, (at) North Texas 53 — 7 minutes, 1 rebound, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Next game — 6:30 Tuesday vs. Florida Atlantic, ESPN+


Roster situation Starter, sharing time in a point-guard-by-committee mix
Season statistics — 20 games, 13 starts, 10.8 points, 44.4 FG%, 36.4 3P%, 89.5 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 15–5, 8–1 Big East
Saturday: St. John’s 88, (at) Xavier 83 — Started; 26 minutes, 16 points, 6–11 FG, 3–5 3FG, 1–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 turnovers
Next game — 7 p.m. Wednesday vs. Butler, Peacock, NBCSN


Roster situation Reserve
Team record: 13–6, 5–4 Big Ten
Friday: (at) No. 3 Michigan 74, Ohio State 62 — 5 minutes, 1 foul, -9
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday vs. Penn State, FS1


Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)

Roster situation Starting forward
Season statistics — 14 games, 14 starts, 11.0 points, 54.9 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 70.7 FT%, 6.5 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Team record: 17–5, 4–4 SEC; Rank: No. 11
Thursday: (at) No. 17 Tennessee 60, No. 11 Kentucky 58 and Saturday: Georgia 72, Kentucky 67 Missed both games recovering from a dislocated elbow
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 1, at Arkansas, SEC Network


Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)

Roster situation Starting center
Season statistics — 20 games, 20 starts, 13.4 points, 66.9 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 72.0 FT%, 6.9 rebounds
Team record: 14–6, 5–2 ACC
Saturday: N.C. State 81, (at) Pittsburgh 72 — Started; 32:00, 17 points, 5–8 FG, 0–1 3FG, 7–8 FT, 12 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal, 1 block, +3
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday vs. Syracuse, ESPNU
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 — 20 games, 20 starts, 14.7 points, 51.5 FG%, 46.3 3P%, 82.1 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Team record: 17–3, 4–3 SEC: Rank: No. 15
Saturday: No. 15 Vanderbilt 88, (at) Mississippi State 56 — Started; 27:57, 13 points, 5–10 FG, 3–8 3FG, 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 3 steals, team-high +37
Next game — 9 p.m. Tuesday vs. Kentucky, ESPN


Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)

Roster situation Starting guard
Season statistics — 18 games, 11 starts, 9.7 points, 40.2 FG%, 23.2 3P%, 69.7 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.6 assists
Team record: 8–13, 1–8 ACC
Thursday: Florida State 73, SMU 51 — Started; 20:25, 4 points, 2–7 FG, 0–4 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 assists, 2 steals, +1
Sunday: Miami 75, SMU 66 — Didn’t start; 10:52, 0–2 FG, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 steal, -7
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday at Clemson, 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 — 19 games, 2.8 points, 48.8 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 53.3 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 13 assists, 8 blocks, 3 steals
Team record: 10–11, 3–5 Southern Conference
Wednesday: (at) Wofford 88, Samford 78 — 4 minutes, 0–1 FG, 1 foul, 1 assist
Saturday: Samford 75, Chattanooga 64 — 8 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 0–3 FT, 1 rebound, 2 fouls
Next game — 5 p.m. Thursday at Furman, CBSSN


Roster situation Starter
Season statistics — 20 games, 20 starts, 20.1 points, 50.4 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 80.1 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 2.6 assists
Team record: 10–10, 3–6 Big Ten
Saturday: No. 7 Nebraska 76, Minnesota 57 — Started; 30 minutes, 12 points, 5–9 FG, 2–4 3FG, 0–1 FT, 6 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 assists, 1 turnover
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Wisconsin, Big Ten Network


Roster situation Backup center
Season statistics — 20 games, 1 start, 9.6 points, 60.4 FG%, 26.1 3P%, 72.5 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Team record: 17–3, 4–3 SEC: Rank: No. 15
Saturday: No. 15 Vanderbilt 88, (at) Mississippi State 56 — Didn’t start; 19:40, 8 points, 4–6 FG, 0–1 3FG, 8 rebounds, 2 fouls, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 4 blocks, +22
Next game — 9 p.m. Tuesday vs. Kentucky, ESPN

Photo via @umichbball