By R.L. Bynum
Ian Jackson had one of his best games of the season in a big bounce-back night for him and No. 15 St. John’s. Meanwhile, No. 3 Michigan and Elliot Cadeau kept rolling, Cade Tyson was productive, No. 25 Vanderbilt, with Tyler Nickel and Jalen Washington, had an up-and-down week, and Ven-Allen Lubin played well in two N.C. State losses.
Jackson scored only three points on 1-of-6 shooting as St. John’s (23–6, 16–2 Big East) lost 72–40 on Wednesday at No. 6 UConn, but rebounded to pour in 19 points in 21 minutes of the Red Storm’s 89–57 home blowout Saturday of Villanova.
It was his second-highest scoring output of the season after tying for his second-lowest scoring output. Jackson, who came off the bench in both games after starting the previous 18, was 5-of-11 from the floor and 7-of-8 at the free-throw line with two 3-pointers, five rebounds and a career-high five steals.
“I think for me, it’s just having the mentality of just trying to impact winning, whatever it takes that night, whether it’s on defense, offense, whatever I could do to help us win is what I’m willing to do,” Jackson said after Saturday’s game. “And tonight, defense sparked it for me, getting five steals, being active on the ball, being active in the lanes. It started there, and it made something great happen.”
In a battle of former UNC teammates on Tuesday, Minnesota’s Cade Tyson outscored Cadeau 20–15, but the host Wolverines (27–2, 17–2 Big Ten) prevailed 77–67. Tyson had five 3-pointers and six rebounds while Cadeau collected three 3-pointers and five assists.
In Michigan’s 84–70 Friday win at No. 10 Illinois, Cadeau had seven points, five assists and three rebounds while battling foul trouble as the Wolverines clinched their first regular-season Big Ten title since 2020–21.
Cadeau’s backup at point guard, L.J. Cason suffered a season-ending torn ACL in the Illinois game.
Tyson had 21 points, three 3-pointers, three rebounds and three assists as Minnesota (14–15, 7–11 Big Ten) rebounded Saturday with a 78–73 home victory over UCLA.
After starting the previous eight games for Vanderbilt (22–7, 9–7 SEC), Jalen Washington came off the bench to contribute 16 points and seven rebounds in Saturday’s 91–77 loss at Kentucky.
Washington started and had 10 points, four rebounds and two blocks in Wednesday’s 88–80 home win over Georgia, which was senior night for him and Nickel. Nickel scored 10 points against Georgia and had 13 points, three 3-pointers and three rebounds against Kentucky.
Lubin played well, but N.C. State (19–10, 10–6 ACC) has lost both games since beating North Carolina on Feb. 17. Lubin had 11 points and seven rebounds in Tuesday’s 90–61 loss at Virginia, then had a double-double with a team-high 24 points and 10 rebounds in Saturday’s 96–90 overtime loss at Notre Dame.
In other action for former UNC players:
— Teonni Key just missed a double-double Thursday with 11 points and nine rebounds as No. 16 Kentucky (21–9, 8–8 SEC) won 63–56 Thursday at Auburn. She had six points and seven rebounds in Sunday’s 60–56 home loss to No. 3 South Carolina.
— Will Shaver was scoreless with four rebounds for Samford (18–13, 11–7 Southern Conference) in an 80–61 Thursday home win against VMU, then had two points, a career-high nine rebounds and two steals in Saturday’s 87–58 home win over UNCG.
— Trayanna Crisp scored 12 points and three 3-pointers in a 68–63 Thursday loss for Mississippi State (18–12, 5–11 SEC) at Texas A&M and then had six points, four rebounds and three steals in Sunday’s 72–63 home loss to No. 6 LSU.
— RyLee Grays was scoreless as Tulsa (18–10, 10–6 American) won 65–46 Tuesday at home against Tulane, then had two points and three rebounds in Saturday’s 105–65 loss at Rice.
— Puff Johnson was scoreless with three rebounds as Ohio State (18–11, 10–8 Big Ten) lost 74–57 Wednesday at Iowa. He didn’t play in Sunday’s 82–74 victory at No. 8 Purdue.
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Elliot Cadeau, Michigan guard
6–1, 180 pounds | Junior | UNC 2023–25 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 29 games, 29 starts, 10.1 points, 43.1 FG%, 38.4 3P%, 68.9 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 5.5 assists, 2.3 turnovers
Team record: 27–2, 17–2 Big Ten (clinched regular-season title); Rank: No. 3
Tuesday: 77–67 win vs. Minnesota — Started; 31:19, 15 points, 6–10 FG, 3–7 3FG, 4 rebounds, 2 fouls, 5 assists, 1 turnover, +12
Friday: 84–70 win at No. 10 Illinois — Started; 26:36 minutes, 7 points, 3–9 FG, 0–3 3FG, 1–2 FT, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 fouls, 1 steal, +6
Next game — 8 p.m. Thursday at Iowa, Peacock
Trayanna Crisp, Mississippi State guard
5–8 | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 29 games, 29 starts, 8.9 points, 38.8 FG%, 37.4 3P%, 84.6 FT%, 2.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists
Team record: 18–12, 5–11 SEC
Thursday: 68–64 loss at Texas A&M — Started; 37 minutes, 12 points, 3–7 FG, 3–6 3FG, 3–4 FT, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Sunday: 72–63 loss vs. No. 6 LSU — Started; 35:29, 6 points, 1–8 FG, 0–5 3FG, 4–6 FT, 4 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 3 steals, -6
Next game — 1:30 Wednesday, in first-round game in SEC tournament at Greenville, S.C., as No. 13 seed vs. No. 12 Florida, SEC Network
RyLee Grays, Tulsa forward
6–4 | Junior | UNC 2023–24 (1 season)
Roster situation — One of four forwards competing for time
Season statistics — 28 games, 2.0 points, 42.9 FG%, 4–10 3FG, 75.9 FT%, 2.3 rebounds, 11 assists, 8 blocks, 10 steals
Team record: 18–10, 10–6 American
Tuesday: 65–46 win vs. Tulane — 3 minutes, no statistics
Saturday: 105–65 loss at Rice — 8 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 3 rebounds, 1 foul, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 steal
Next game — 7:30 Wednesday at UTSA, 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 — 28 games, 19 starts, 10.4 points, 42.4 FG%, 36.1 3P%, 89.8 FT%, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 23–6, 16–2 Big East; Rank: No. 15
Wednesday: 72–40 loss at No. 6 UConn — Didn’t start; 15 minutes, 3 points, 1–6 FG, 1–3 3FG, 3 rebounds, 2 turnovers, 1 block
Saturday: 89–57 win vs. Villanova — Didn’t start; 21 minutes, 19 points, 5–11 FG, 2–5 3FG, 7–8 FT, 5 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 assist, 2 turnovers, career-high 5 steals
Next game — 7 p.m. Tuesday vs. Georgetown, Peacock, NBCSN
Puff Johnson, Ohio State
6–8, 190 pounds | Graduate | UNC 2020–23 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Reserve
Team record: 18–11, 10–8 Big Ten
Season statistics — 8 games, 1 start, 2.6 points, 33.3 FG%, 3–7 3FG, 6–9 FT, 1.3 rebounds
Wednesday: 74–57 loss at Iowa — Didn’t start; 11 minutes, 0–3 FG, 3 rebounds
Sunday: 82–74 win vs. No. 8 Purdue — Didn’t play
Next game — 7:30 Wednesday at Penn State, Peacock
Teonni Key, Kentucky forward
6–4 | RS senior | UNC 2022–24 (2 seasons)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 22 games, 22 starts, 11.0 points, 51.1 FG%, 1–12 3FG, 67.1 FT%, 7.1 rebounds, 1.3 blocks
Team record: 21–9, 8–8 SEC; Rank: No. 16
Thursday: 63–56 win at Auburn — Started; 33:37, 11 points, 4–7 FG, 3–4 FT, 9 rebounds, 2 fouls, 3 assists, 3 turnovers, 1 block, +/- of 0
Sunday: 60–56 loss vs. No. 3 South Carolina — Started; 30:47, 6 points, 3–13 FG, 7 rebounds 1 foul, 2 assists, 1 turnover, 1 block, -5
Next game — 11 a.m. Wednesday, in first-round game in SEC tournament at Greenville, S.C., as No. 9 seed vs. No. 16 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 — 29 games, 29 starts, 13.9 points, ACC-leading 68.1 FG%, 27.3 3P%, 71.2 FT%, 7.1 rebounds
Team record: 19–10, 10–6 ACC
Tuesday: 90–61 loss at No. 11 Virginia — Started; 33:35, 11 points, 4–10 FG, 3–5 FT, 7 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 assist, 1 turnover, 2 blocks, team-low -32
Saturday: 96–90 OT loss at Notre Dame — Started; 38:57, team-high 24 points, 8–10 FG, 8–9 FT, 10 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 block, -9
Next game — 7 p.m. Monday vs. No. 1 Duke, ESPN
Tyler Nickel, Vanderbilt wing
6–7, 220 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–23 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starting forward
Season statistics — 29 games, 29 starts, 14.1 points, 46.2 FG%, 49.0 3P%, 84.4 FT%, 3.0 rebounds, 1.3 assists
Team record: 22–7, 9–7 SEC: Rank: No. 25
Wednesday: 88–80 win vs. Georgia — Started; 34:24, 10 points, 2–10 FG, 1–8 3FG, 5–5 FT, 2 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, +9
Saturday: 91–77 loss at Kentucky — Started; 31:18, 13 points, 5–15 FG, 3–12 3FG, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, -9
Next game — 9 p.m. Tuesday at Ole Miss
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: 9–21, 2–16 ACC
Suffered a 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 — 29 games, 2.7 points, 48.4 FG%, 33.3 3P%, 56.0 FT%, 2.7 rebounds, 0.8 of an assist, 15 blocks, 6 steals
Team record: 18–13, 11–7 Southern Conference
Thursday: 80–61 win vs. VMI — 7 minutes, 0–1 FG, 0–2 FT, 4 rebounds, 1 foul
Saturday: 87–78 win vs. UNCG — 15 minutes, 2 points, 1–2 FG, 0–1 3FG, career-high 9 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 3 turnovers, 1 block, 2 steals
Next game — 6 p.m. Saturday in Southern Conference tournament quarterfinals in Asheville as No. 3 seed vs. No. 6 Furman, ESPN+
Cade Tyson, Minnesota wing
6–7, 180 pounds | Senior | UNC 2024–25 (1 season)
Roster situation — Starter
Season statistics — 28 games, 28 starts, team-leading 19.6 points, 49.4 FG%, 42.1 3P%, 81.4 FT%, 5.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists
Team record: 14–15, 7–11 Big Ten
Tuesday: 77–67 loss at No. 3 Michigan — Started; 40:00, 20 points, 6–13 FG, 5–10 3FG, 3–3 FT, 6 rebounds, 1 foul, 1 assist, 1 block, -10
Saturday: 78–73 win vs. UCLA — Started; 37 minutes, 21 points, 8–12 FG, 3–5 3FG, 2–3 FT, 3 rebounds, 3 fouls, 3 assists, 1 turnover, 1 block, 1 steal
Next game — 6:30 Wednesday at Indiana, Big Ten Network
Jalen Washington, Vanderbilt center
6–9, 240 pounds | Senior | UNC 2022–25 (3 seasons)
Roster situation — Backup center
Season statistics — 29 games, 9 starts, 9.1 points, 57.6 FG%, 27.6 3P%, 72.5 FT%, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 blocks
Team record: 22–7, 9–7 SEC: Rank: No. 25
Wednesday: 88–80 win vs. Georgia — Started; 21:37, 10 points, 4–10 FG, 0–2 3FG, 2–3 FT, 4 rebounds, 3 fouls, 1 turnover, 2 blocks, -5
Saturday: 91–77 loss at Kentucky — Didn’t start; 26:36, 16 points, 7–8 FG, 2–2 FG, 7 rebounds, 2 fouls, 1 turnover, 1 block, -10
Next game — 9 p.m. Tuesday at Ole Miss
Photo via redstormsports.com
