By: MIKE McCURRY 3 VIRGINIA (-5.5) AT NO.
By: MIKE McCURRY
As America holds its collective breath awaiting a further injury update on Zion Williamson, what’s currently serving as the backdrop to the best player in the sport slipping, clutching his right knee and exploding through his left sneaker a mere 33 seconds into Wednesday’s game is pretty earth-shattering in its own right.
That would be the final score: No. 8 UNC 88, No. 1 Duke 72.
For an average reported ticket price of $2,600, those inside Cameron Indoor Stadium — including Barack Obama, Spike Lee and Ken Griffey Jr. — were basically treated to UNC partaking in layup lines for 40 minutes.
Charged by 30 points and 15 rebounds from Luke Maye and 26 points from Cam Johnson, the Tar Heels outscored the Blue Devils 62-28 in the paint. For context, Duke came in allowing an average of 30 point paints per game—and also cashed in on an absurd 65 percent of their two-point tries (20 percent higher than Duke’s season average).
By AARON BEARD
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Pittsburgh has released guard Cameron Johnson to play immediately at North Carolina as a graduate transfer.
Johnson’s father, former Pitt player Gil Johnson, said the school notified the family Thursday that it has removed any restrictions for his son to play next year for the reigning national Tar Heels. Pittsburgh had cited an internal policy in trying to require the 6-foot-8 Johnson to sit out a year if he went to another Atlantic Coast Conference school instead of playing right away with two seasons of eligibility.
“It’s been a frustrating couple of months,” Gil Johnson told The Associated Press on Thursday afternoon. “But I’m a true believer in generally people end up doing the right things more times than not, especially by a young man who has given the university everything he could over the past three years. So I was prayerful that Pitt would do the right thing and allow him to pursue his dreams.”
Pitt issued a statement confirming Johnson’s release and wishing him “the very best as he pursues his graduate degree.”
Transferring Pittsburgh sophomore forward Cam Johnson arrived at
Transferring Pittsburgh sophomore forward Cam Johnson enjoyed his weekend visit to Arizona and will now head to UCLA and Oregon.
“Off to UCLA and Oregon immediately following,” the 6-foot-8 Johnson said Tuesday by text ahead of Thursday’s visit to Oregon.
As for Arizona, which he visited with Duke transfer Chase Jeter, “The Arizona visit was great. Their message was the team can be a championship contender and it would be a good fit for myself.”
Johnson’s father played with Arizona coach Sean Miller at Pittsburgh.
“It factors in a little bit because there’s familiarity and a level of trust that my dad has with him and that I have with him,” Johnson told Scout.com. “We know him and his family well. I think it mostly comes down to trust factor and familiarity and comfort having him as a coach.
Arizona will host two big-time transfers this weekend.
Transferring Duke sophomore big man Chase Jeter, a native of Las Vegas, will visit the Wildcats, as will transferring Pittsburgh sophomore forward Cam Johnson.
The 6-foot-10 Jeter has already visited Cal, San Diego State and Gonzaga ahead of a UCLA visit on May 12. The 6-8 Johnson has been to Kentucky and will hit Oregon and UCLA next week.
Johnson’s father played with Arizona coach Sean Miller at Pittsburgh.
“It factors in a little bit because there’s familiarity and a level of trust that my dad has with him and that I have with him,” Johnson told Scout.com. “We know him and his family well. I think it mostly comes down to trust factor and familiarity and comfort having him as a coach.
