By R.L. Bynum
Elliot Cadeau’s floor leadership has No. 2 Michigan poised to be the No. 1 team in the country when the new AP Top 25 poll comes out on Monday, days after former UNC teammate Jalen Washington had the best game of his career.
Meanwhile, Ven-Allen Lubin has stayed consistent despite two straight N.C. State losses leading into Tuesday’s matchup with UNC, and Cade Tyson had another big game in a loss.
Washington, who has started the last five games for No. 19 Vanderbilt (20–4, 7–4 SEC), poured in a career-high 22 points and tied his career high with two 3-pointers in Tuesday’s 84–76 win at Auburn.
Washington was 7 of 8 from the floor, a team-high +16 and pulled down five rebounds before fouling out. His best game at UNC was 18 against American on Nov. 15, 2024.
He only had two points in Saturday’s 80–69 home victory over Texas A&M, though, missing all three shots but collecting eight rebounds.
Tyler Nickel, who had 10 points against Auburn, erupted for 25 points and five 3-pointers against Texas A&M, his fifth game this season with at least 20 points.
Cadeau scored nine points in both wins for the Wolverines (24–1, 14–1 Big Ten) last week, 87–75 Wednesday at Northwestern (seven assists) and an 86–56 at home Saturday over UCLA (five assists).
With No. 1 Arizona (23–2) losing 82–78 Monday at No. 9 Kansas and 78–75 in overtime at home Saturday night to Texas Tech, the Wolverines should be No. 1. They have been no lower than No. 7 this season, and have been No. 2 the last two weeks. Michigan was last No. 1 on Jan. 28, 2013.
Carolina’s highest rank in Cadeau’s two seasons at UNC was No. 3 for three weeks from Jan. 22 to Jan. 29 in the 2023–24 season.
Lubin, the ACC’s leader in field-goal percentage at 68.3% (UNC’s Henri Veesaar is second at 61.5), had 20 points and six rebounds in the Wolfpack’s embarrassing 118–77 road loss Monday at No. 24 Louisville, then had 17 points and nine rebounds in Saturday’s 77–76 home loss to Miami.
While first-year Wolfpack coach Will Wade was right with his preseason comment about Lubin being productive when he plays at least 28 minutes, N.C. State (18–8, 9–4 ACC) is only 7–7 in those games. That includes the Miami game, when he played 32 minutes.
Minnesota (11–15, 4–10 Big Ten) has lost two in a row, and eight of its last nine, but Tyson produced his 10th game with at least 20 points. Tyson poured in 22 points and three 3-pointers while pulling down nine rebounds in Saturday’s 69–57 loss at Washington.
Ian Jackson continued to put up quiet numbers last week, but No. 17 St. John’s (20–5, 13–1 Big East) extended its win streak to 11 with a pair of victories.
Jackson, who has started the last 16 games, scored three points in 11 minutes of the Red Storm’s 87–82 overtime home win over Xavier on Monday. In Saturday’s 79–69 win at Providence, he had nine points in 15 minutes, his fourth consecutive game with single-digit points.
SMU senior Paulina Paris didn’t have the homecoming game she had envisioned at all. Early last week, she announced on social media that her college career was over. She was at Carmichael Arena for her Mustangs’ 94–42 loss to Carolina on Thursday, wearing a walking boot on her left foot.
Paris, who averaged 9.6 points in 20 games, hopes to play professionally in some form after she recovers from the injury.
In other action involving former UNC players:
— Puff Johnson scored eight points for Ohio State (16–9, 8–6 Big Ten) in Wednesday’s 89–82 home win over USC and was scoreless in eight minutes of the Buckeyes’ 70–66 loss to No. 15 Virginia in Nashville, Tenn., on Saturday.
— Teonni Key combined for 15 points as No. 18 Kentucky split two games last week, losing 64–53 at No. 4 Texas on Monday and beating Texas A&M 75–55 at home on Thursday, pulling down 11 rebounds in the latter game.
— Trayanna Crisp had 11 points and three 3-pointers in an 85–71 home win over Georgia for Mississippi State (17–8, 4–7 SEC).
— RyLee Grays scored three points in 27 total minutes over two road losses for Tulsa (16–9, 8–5 American), 72–60 Wednesday against South Florida and 62–55 Saturday against Florida Atlantic.
— Will Shaver combined for five points and four rebounds in two home wins for Samford (15–12, 8–6 Southern), 97–80 over Wofford on Wednesday and 82–72 Saturday over ETSU.
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 — 25 games, 25 starts, 9.8 points, 43.5 FG%, 39.4 3P%, 68.3 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 2.4 turnovers
Team record: 24–1, 14–1 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
Saturday: 86–56 win vs. UCLA — Started; 26 minutes, 9 points, 3–5 FG, 0–2 3FG, 3–5 FT, 1 rebound, 1 foul, 5 assists, 1 turnover
Next game — 6:30 Tuesday at Purdue, Peacock
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 — 25 games, 2.1 points, 43.3 FG%, 4–9 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.4 rebounds, 8 blocks, 7 steals
Team record: 16–9, 8–5 American
Wednesday: 72–60 loss at South Florida — 15 minutes, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Saturday: 61–55 loss at Florida Atlantic — 12 minutes, 3 points, 1–2 FG, 1–1 3FG, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 turnovers
Next game — 7:30 Friday vs. UAB, 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 — 25 games, 18 starts, 10.5 points, 42.8 FG%, 35.8 3P%, 90.2 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 20–5, 13–1 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
Saturday: 79–69 win at Providence — Started; 15 minutes, 9 points, 3–8 FG, 1–4 3FG, 2–2 FT, 1 rebound, 1 block
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Marquette, TNT
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 16–9, 8–6 Big Ten
Season statistics — 5 games, 3.0 points, 57.1 FG%, 3–4 3FG, 4–5 FT, 1.2 rebounds
Wednesday: 89–82 win vs. USC — 15 minutes, 8 points, 2–2 FG, 2–2 3FG, 2–2 FT, 4 fouls, 1 steal
Sunday: 70–66 loss vs. No. 15 Virginia in Nashville, Tenn. — 8 minutes, 3 fouls
Next game — 8:30 Tuesday vs. Wisconsin, FS1
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 — 26 games, 26 starts, 13.7 points, ACC-leading 68.3 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 71.0 FT%, 7.1 rebounds
Team record: 18–8, 9–4 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
Saturday: 77–76 loss vs. Miami — Started; 32:04, 17 points, 7–9 FG, 3–4 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 turnover, 4 blocks, team-high +7
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. No. 11 North Carolina, 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: 21–4, 8–4 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
Saturday: 82–69 win vs. Texas A&M — Started, 35:08, 25 points, 8–14 FG, 5–11 3FG, 4–5 FT, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 1 block, +9
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Missouri, SEC Network
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: 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 — 25 games, 2.9 points, 51.9 FG%, 40.0 3P%, 60.9 FT%, 2.2 rebounds, 22 assists, 13 blocks, 4 steals
Team record: 15–12, 8–6 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
Saturday: 82–72 win vs. ETSU — 10 minutes, 3 points, 1–1 FG, 1–2 FT, 1 rebound, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 2 turnovers
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday at The Citadel
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 24 games, 24 starts, team-leading 19.5 points, 49.1 FG%, 38.7 3P%, 81.9 FT%, 5.4 rebounds, 2.4 assists
Team record: 11–15, 4–10 Big Ten
Saturday: 69–57 loss at Washington — 40 minutes, 22 points (10th game with at least 20 points), 6–12 FG, 3–7 3FG, 7–8 FT, 9 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 assists, 3 turnovers, 3 steals
Next game — 9:30 Tuesday at Oregon, FS1
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 25 games, 6 starts, 9.0 points, 58.7 FG%, 29.6 3P%, 73.1 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 1.0 assist, 1.2 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
Saturday: 82–69 win vs. Texas A&M — Started, 20:18, 2 points, 0–3 FG, 0–1 3FG, 2–4 FT, 8 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 assists, 2 turnovers, 1 steal, +6
Next game — 9 p.m. Wednesday at Missouri, SEC Network
Photo via vucommodores.com
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