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 — 12 games, 12 starts, 9.8 points, 46.1 FG%, 45.8 3P%, 60.9 FT%, 2.9 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 2.3 turnovers
Team record: 12–0, 2–0 Big Ten; Rank: No. 2
Monday: No. 2 Michigan 112, McNeese 71 — Started; 17 minutes, 7 points, 2–3 FG, 2–2 3FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 2 turnovers, 1 steal ,+30
Next game — 7 p.m. Friday vs. USC, Peacock
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 13 games, 13 starts, 8.2 points, 42.4 FG%, 40.4 3P%, 77.8 FT%, 1.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists
Team record: 13–1
Sunday: Mississippi State 112, Samford 54 — Missed game with illness
Next game — 7:30 Thursday vs. Auburn
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 12 games, 2.4 points, 50.0 FG%, 1–2 3FG, 69.6 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 5 blocks, 3 steals
Team record: 8–4
Sunday, Dec. 21: Tulsa 74, (at) Florida 67 — 6 minutes, 2 rebounds, 1 foul
Next game — 6:30 Tuesday vs. Wichita State, 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 — 12 games, 5 starts, 11.6 points, 47.1 FG%, 36.8 3P%, 87.0 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 8–4, 1–0 Big East
Tuesday, Dec. 23: St. John’s 85, Harvard 59 — Started; 25 minutes, 14 points, 4–9 FG, 4–8 3FG, 2–2 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 1 block
Next game — 8 p.m. Wednesday at Georgetown, FS1
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 12 games, 12 starts, 11.0 points, 55.9 FG%, 1–10 3FG, 71.1 FT%, 5.8 rebounds, 1.6 blocks
Team record: 13–1; Rank: No. 11
Sunday: No. 11 Kentucky 80, Hofstra 42 — Didn’t play to manage lingering injury after a fall
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday at No. 5 LSU
Ven-Allen Lubin, N.C. State forward
6–9, 250 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting center
Season statistics — 13 games, 13 starts, 13.2 points, 69.0 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 69.8 FT%, 6.8 rebounds
Team record: 9–4
Sunday, Dec. 21: N.C. State 76, Ole Miss 62 in Greensboro — Started; 31:17, 15 points, 7–8 FG, 0–1 3FG, 1–1 FT, 2 rebounds, 4 fouls, 1 assist, 4 turnovers, 2 steals, =/- of 0
Next game — noon Wednesday vs. Wake Forest, ESPN2
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 — 13 games, 13 starts, 14.8 points, 52.4 FG%, 48.5 3P%, 83.3 FT%, 3.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists
Team record: 13–0: Rank: No. 11
Monday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 96, New Haven 53 — Started; 31 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 3–5 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 foul, +42
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday at South Carolina, ESPNU
Paulina Paris, SMU guard
5–9 | Senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting guard
Season statistics — 13 games, 7 starts, 10.2 points, 40.3 FG%, 24.0 3P%, 75.0 FT%, 3.2 rebounds, 1.5 assists
Team record: 7–7, 0–2 ACC
Monday: (at) Virginia 76, SMU 52 — Started; 34 minutes, 14 points, 6–15 FG, 1–7 3FG, 1–2 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 fouls, 3 turnovers, -16
Next game — 1 p.m. Thursday at No. 13 Louisville, 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 — 12 games, 2.0 points, 44.4 FG%, 28.6 3P%, 2–5 FT, 2.4 rebounds, 10 assists, 4 blocks, 2 steals
Team record: 7–6
Friday, Dec. 19: Samford 85, Reinhardt 49 — 21 minutes, 4 points, 2–4 FG, 0–1 3FG, 0–1 FT, 8 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 3 turnovers
Next game — 1 p.m. Thursday at VMI
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 13 games, 13 starts, 21.9 points, 53.4 FG%, 40.5 3P%, 81.3 FT%, 5.2 rebounds, 2.5 assists
Team record: 8–5, 1–1 Big Ten
Monday: Minnesota 60, FDU 43 —Started; 29 minutes, 12 points, 5–10 FG, 1–5 3FG, 1–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 fouls, 2 turnovers, +1
Next game — 5 p.m. Saturday at Northwestern, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 13 games, 1 start, 10.2 points, 62.9 FG%, 29.4 3P%, 78.0 FT%, 5.1 rebounds
Team record: 13–0: Rank: No. 11
Monday: No. 11 Vanderbilt 96, New Haven 53 — Didn’t start; 23 minutes, 21 points, 9–11 FG, 3–4 FG, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks, 1 steal, +7
Next game — 1 p.m. Saturday at South Carolina, ESPNU
Photo via vucommodores.com
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