By R.L. Bynum
Jalen Washington came off the bench to score a career-high 21 points with seven dunks Monday night as No. 11 Vanderbilt finished nonconference play unbeaten with a 96–53 home win over New Haven.
Washington, who only played 23 minutes, scored 14 points of those points in the second half, going 9 of 11 from the floor for the game as the Commodores extended their unbeaten streak to 13 heading into their SEC opener at 1 p.m. Saturday at South Carolina (ESPNU).
“It feels good,” Washington said. “I love my team. Every single teammate brings something different to this team. They were finding me all night, I was able to capitalize and finish those plays.”
Washington’s previous career high was 19 points on Nov. 28 against St. Mary’s, and his best game at UNC was 18 points last season on Nov. 15 against American.
“I’ve got a whole bunch of unselfish teammates that find me when I’m working hard, and they reward me for running hard, setting those good screens,” Washington said.
Tyler Nickel had nine points on three 3-pointers in 31 minutes.
In other post-Christmas action:
— Paulina Paris collected 14 points, five rebounds and two assists for SMU as the Mustangs (7–7, 0–2 ACC) lost 76–52 Monday at Virginia to have their three-game win streak snapped. Paris has started and scored in double figures for four consecutive games.
— Cade Tyson scored a season-low 12 points, with four rebounds and three assists, while dealing with foul trouble, in Minnesota’s 60–43 victory Monday over Fairleigh Dickinson.
— Elliot Cadeau had seven points, three assists and two turnovers in 17 minutes as No. 2 Michigan (12–0) stayed unbeaten with a 112–71 home win Monday over McNeese.
— Kentucky forward Teonni Key missed her second consecutive game, an 80–42 Sunday win for the No. 11 Wildcats over Hofstra, as she recovers from an injury suffered in a fall.
— Mississippi State guard Tray Crisp missed the Bulldogs’ 112–54 Sunday win over Samford because of an illness.
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 — 24 games, 24 starts, 9.9 points, 43.1 FG%, 40.2 3P%, 69.0 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.5 turnovers
Team record: 23–1, 13–1 Big Ten; Rank: No. 3
Wednesday: 87–75 win at Northwestern — Started; 22:14, 9 points, 3–9 FG, 3–6 3FG, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 7 assists, 5 turnovers, team-low -17
Next game — 12:45 Saturday vs. UCLA, CBS
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, 9.2 points, 40.1 FG%, 39.1 3P%, 87.5 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Team record: 17–8, 4–7 SEC
Thursday: 85–71 win vs. Georgia — Started; 11 points, 4–7 FG, 3–5 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 4 assists, 3 turnovers, 2 steals, +14
Next game — 7:30 Monday at Arkansas
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 24 games, 2.0 points, 42.9 FG%, 3–8 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 8 blocks, 7 steals
Team record: 16–8, 8–4 American
Wednesday: 72–60 loss at South Florida — 15 minutes, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Next game — 2 p.m. Saturday at Florida Atlantic, 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 — 24 games, 17 starts, 10.5 points, 43.0 FG%, 36.3 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 19–5, 12–1 Big East; Rank: No. 17
Monday: 87–82 OT win vs. Xavier — Started; 11 minutes, 3 points, 1–3 FG, 1–3 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday at Providence, TNT, truTV
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 16–8, 8–6 Big Ten
Season statistics — 4 games, 3.8 points, 57.1 FG%, 3–4 3FG, 4–5 FT, 1.3 rebounds
Wednesday: 89–82 win vs. USC — 15 minutes, 8 points, 2–2 FG, 2–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 fouls, 1 steal
Next game — 8 p.m. Saturday vs. No. 15 Virginia in Nashville, Tenn., Fox
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 18 games, 18 starts, 11.7 points, 52.9 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 64.7 FT%, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 19–7, 6–6 SEC; Rank: No. 18
Monday: 64–53 loss vs. No. 4 Texas — Started; 30:10, 8 points, 3–9 FG, 2–5 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 6 turnovers, 1 steal, 1 block, team-low -16
Thursday: 75–55 win vs. Texas A&M — Started; 25:35, 7 points, 2–8 FG, 3–4 FT, 11 points, 4 fouls, 2 assists, 2 blocks, +14
Next game — 2 p.m. Sunday vs. No. 14 Ole Miss, 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 — 25 games, 25 starts, 13.6 points, ACC-leading 68.0 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 70.8 FT%, 7.0 rebounds
Team record: 18–7, 9–3 ACC
Monday: 118–77 loss at No. 24 Louisville — Started; 25:42, 20 points, 7–10 FG, 0–1 3FG, 6–7 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 block, -18
Next game — 4 p.m. Saturday vs. Miami, ESPN2
Plays UNC —7 p.m. Tuesday at Lenovo Center in Raleigh, ESPN
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, 14.4 points, 49.0 FG%, 44.1 3P%, 82.9 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 20–4, 7–4 SEC: Rank: No. 19
Tuesday: 84–76 win at Auburn — Started, 32:37, 10 points, 3–12 FG, 2–6 3FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 1 assist, +5
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Texas A&M, SEC Network
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: 8–17, 1–12 ACC
Suffered season-ending left foot injury.
Will Shaver, Samford center
6–10, 265 pounds | RS junior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Reserve minutes
Season statistics — 24 games, 2.9 points, 51.0 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 61.9 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 20 assists, 13 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 14–12, 7–6 Southern Conference
Wednesday: 97–80 win vs. Wofford — 14 minutes, 2 points, 1–1 FG, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 block
Next game — noon Saturday at ETSU, ESPNU
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 23 games, 23 starts, team-leading 19.4 points, 49.1 FG%, 38.5 3P%, 81.6 FT%, 5.1 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Team record: 11–13, 4–9 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
Sunday: 67–62 loss vs. Maryland —37 minutes, 12 points, 3–7 FG, 2–6 3FG, 4–4 FT, 3 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 block, 1 steal
Next game — 9 p.m. Saturday at Washington, NBCSN, Peacock
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 24 games, 5 starts, 9.3 points, 60.2 FG%, 30.8 3P%, 74.2 FT%, 5.5 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 20–4, 7–4 SEC: Rank: No. 19
Tuesday: 84–76 win at Auburn — Started, 27:53, career-high 22 points, 7–8 FG, 2–2 3FG, 6–6 FT, 5 rebounds, 5 fouls, 3 turnovers, 1 block, team-high +16
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday vs. Texas A&M, SEC Network
Photo via vucommodores.com
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