By R.L. Bynum
While Elliot Cadeau continues to pile up assists and No. 3 Michigan keeps stacking wins, and Ven-Allen Lubin is putting up consistent games for streaking N.C. State, other former North Carolina players had unproductive, up-and-down or frustrating weeks.
Cadeau only combined for nine points as the Wolverines (21–1, 11–1 Big Ten) rolled to a 110–69 home win over Penn State on Thursday and an 82–61 victory Sunday at Ohio State, but he had eight assists against the Nittany Lions and six against the Buckeyes.
Cadeau, averaging 9.9 points per game, has at least six assists in 12 of 22 games this season after doing that in 20 of 37 games for the Tar Heels last season, both around 54% of his games.
Teonni Key, a 6–5 senior, made an impressive return to the Kentucky lineup after missing six games with a dislocated right elbow. She produced career highs of 27 points and 11 field goals with 12 rebounds, but in an 84–83 home loss on Thursday to No. 5 Vanderbilt.
She drew praise from Commodores coach Shea Ralph.
“I told [UK coach] Kenny [Brooks] before the game how happy I am that he got her back because that was a pretty tough injury that kid had,” Ralph said. “To be able to come back the way that she did and play the kind of basketball that she’s playing right now says a lot about her.
“I love her length,” Ralph said. “I felt like there were three of her on the floor at times. She’s bringing the ball up, then she got the rebound, how’s she over there getting a drive to the basket. It felt like she was all over the place,” the Vanderbilt coach said.
It was the fifth double-double of the season and 17th of her career for Key, who is averaging 11.3 points and 7.1 rebounds.
The Wildcats (18–6, 5–4 SEC) face another significant challenge Monday when they play at No. 4 Texas.
No. 25 St. John’s (18–5, 11–1 Big East) got a huge 82–72 home win Friday over No. 3 UConn (22–2, 12–1), to pull within a half-game of the Huskies for the Big East lead. But Ian Jackson was on the bench for the final 8:56 of the game, as Coach Rick Pitino instead went with Dylan Darling down the stretch.
Jackson has started the last 15 games, but has played 15 or fewer minutes in four of those, including 15 minutes against UConn, scoring eight points against the Huskies.
On Wednesday, Cade Tyson poured in 17 points and three 3-pointers as host Minnesota (11–13, 4–9 Big Ten) upset No. 7 Michigan State 76–73. On Sunday, though, Tyson had 12 points and two 3-pointers in the Gophers’ 67–62 loss to unranked Maryland.
The frustrating stretch continues for Tyler Nickel, Jalen Washington and No. 18 Vanderbilt (19–4, 6–5 SEC).
After the Commodores won their first 16 games, they’ve lost four of their last seven, including a 91–90 home loss to unranked Oklahoma on Saturday.
Nickel had 18 points and five 3-pointers while Washington got this fourth start, collecting four points and a season-high 10 rebounds. Washington’s career high is 12 rebounds last season in UNC’s 63–61 win at N.C. State, when he recorded his only career double-double with 11 points.
Lubin scored 11 points in both wins for N.C. State (18–6, 9–2 ACC) last week, an 84–83 win at SMU and an 82–73 home win over Virginia Tech, and has scored in double figures in the last eight games. The Wolfpack takes a six-game win streak into Monday’s 7 p.m. game at No. 24 Louisville (ESPN).
Lubin, averaging 13.3 points per game, leads the ACC in field goal percentage (67.9%) in all games and in league games (66.7%). He’s fourth in the country.
Puff Johnson, who has played three games for Ohio State (15–8, 7–6 Big Ten) since joining the team, missed both of the Buckeyes’ games last week with an injury that the program is describing as not long-term.
Ahead of her homecoming game Thursday at UNC, Paulina Paris didn’t play for SMU (8–16, 1–11 ACC) in its fifth consecutive loss Sunday, a 95–36 setback at Duke, with an undisclosed injury. Paris started and scored 10 points and two 3-pointers in the Mustangs’ 70–65 home loss Thursday to Wake Forest.
In other games for former UNC players last week:
— Trayanna Crisp had three points on 1 of 7 shooting Thursday as Mississippi State (16–8, 3–7 SEC) lost 88–45 at No. 3 South Carolina.
— Will Shaver combined for five points and three rebounds in two home wins last week for Samford (13–12, 6–6 Southern Conference): 78–64 over The Citadel and 69–49 over Mercer.
— RyLee Grays combined for five points and six rebounds for Tulsa (16–7, 8–3 American) as the Golden Hurricane won 75–65 at Wichita State on Tuesday and lost 66–47 at home Saturday to UTSA
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 — 23 games, 23 starts, 9.9 points, 43.6 FG%, 39.6 3P%, 69.0 FT%, 2.8 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 22–1, 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
Sunday: 82–61 win at Ohio State — Started; 20 minutes, 2 points, 1–4 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2 rebounds, 2 fouls, 6 assists
Next game — 8:30 Wednesday at Northwestern, Big Ten Network
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: 15–8, 7–6 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 and Sunday: 82–61 loss vs. No. 3 Michigan— Didn’t play, suffered injury in practice that’s not expected to be long-term
Next game — 6:30 Wednesday vs. USC
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, ACC-leading 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 No. 24 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: 8–16, 1–11 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
Sunday: 95–36 loss at No. 17 Duke — Didn’t play (injured)
Next game — 7 p.m. Thursday at No. 25 North Carolina, ACC Network
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 — 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 — 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 points, 2–3 FG, 10 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, -6
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at Auburn
Photo via mgoblue.com
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