UNC basketball 2024-25 player review: Ven-Allen Lubin
UNC basketball 2024-25 player review: Ven-Allen Lubin Ven-Allen Lubin's late-season emergence vaulted him into UNC's starting lineup.
The 2024-25 UNC basketball season is in the books, and with that, it's time for our player season reviews for the campaign.
We're continuing our review with Ven-Allen Lubin, the Vanderbilt transfer who transitioned from backup center to a permanent fixture in North Carolina's starting lineup.
The Tar Heels knew that filling the shoes of Armando Bacot would be a tough task. Bacot left UNC as the program's all-time leader in rebounds and double-doubles, production that can't be replaced overnight.
North Carolina hoped that after he waited two seasons behind Bacot, Jalen Washington could produce starting caliber-numbers. Inconsistency led to Washington flip-flopping between the bench and starting lineup.
Ironically, Lubin started his first season in Chapel Hill coming off the bench. Hubert Davis gave Lubin a couple spot starts here and then, but turned to Lubin as the full-time starter come February.
Though he's a bit undersized for a center at 6'8", Lubin makes up for that with his aggressiveness and strong rebounding ability. Without Lubin last season, the Tar Heels don't sneak into the NCAA Tournament.
2024-25 stats: 8.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 0.9 blocks, 0.3 assists per game, 68.4 percent field goal shooting in 37 games (20 starts)
Season in Review
After UNC struggled against tougher competition during the non-conference portion of its schedule, head coach Hubert Davis knew something needed to change.
What better way to create a spark than mix up the starting lineup?
North Carolina lost its first game of 2025 at Louisville, but Lubin started to show his rebounding prowess by grabbing nine boards. Five games later in a 1-point loss to Stanford, Lubin scores in double-figures, a feat he accomplishes again in the Tar Heels' 67-66 win over Pitt.
Lubin really started to shine during UNC's blowout (97-73) victory against NC State in February, scoring 13 points. This started a streak of 11 consecutive games in double-figures for the Vanderbilt transfer, highlighted by double-doubles in each of North Carolina's ACC Tournament games.
Though Lubin started his first year in Chapel Hill flip-flopping between the Tar Heels' bench and their starting lineup, Lubin ended his junior campaign as the Tar Heels' top rebounder.
What's next?
Thanks to his late-season surge, Lubin will be a crucial part of UNC's 2025-2026 roster. With 7-foot center Henri Veesaar's arrival via the transfer portal, plus Caleb Wilson's arrival as a Top-10 recruit and 6'9" power forward, Lubin may revert back to a heightened bench role.
Historically, North Carolina opts to start experienced guys over freshman. I have a difficult time imagining that Wilson comes off the bench, though, while I know Veesaar will start.
Lubin hasn't confirmed his plans to return, but the Tar Heels love him. I bet Lubin starts a few games early during UNC's upcoming season, particularly as Hubert tries to discover his best rotations.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Kyle Johnson drives in 5 in Duke's 7-4 win over Murray State; Blue Devils seek first CWS since 1961
DURHAM, N.C. -- Kyle Johnson drove in five runs to power Duke's 7-4 victory over Murray State on Saturday in the first game of the Durham Super Regional. The Blue Devils are one win from reaching the College World Series for the first time since 1961. Game 2 is Sunday. Johnson, a .228 hitter in 57 at-bats coming in, had two doubles and a home run among his four hits and scored twice. Trailing 2-0 in the third inning, Duke tied it when Jake Berger drew a leadoff walk and scored on Johnson's two-run home run to center field. Johnson and Berger figured in the Blue Devils' three-run fourth inning. Johnson drove in two with a bases-loaded double that sent Berger to third base. Berger then scored on a wild pitch by Nic Schutte (8-4). In the sixth, Johnson doubled to drive in one run and later scored on a double by Ben Rounds. Duke managed only six hits — four by Johnson — but the Blue Devils benefited from eight walks. Dom Decker had four of Murray State's nine hits and drove in two runs. Duke starter Owen Proksch (4-3) went 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs on six hits with seven strikeouts. Reid Easterly pitched three scoreless innings for his fifth save. Duke (42-19) is playing in the super regionals for the fourth time. The Racers (42-15) are making their fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and first in the super regionals. ___
Washington Post
an hour ago
- Washington Post
Kyle Johnson drives in 5 in Duke's 7-4 win over Murray State; Blue Devils seek first CWS since 1961
DURHAM, N.C. — Kyle Johnson drove in five runs to power Duke's 7-4 victory over Murray State on Saturday in the first game of the Durham Super Regional. The Blue Devils are one win from reaching the College World Series for the first time since 1961. Game 2 is Sunday. Johnson, a .228 hitter in 57 at-bats coming in, had two doubles and a home run among his four hits and scored twice.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Top seniors head to Grandover for Golfweek Senior National Championship
Grandover Resort has a rich history when it comes to hosting college golf events. The Greensboro, North Carolina, resort has welcomed everything from the NCAA Division III National Championship to NCAA Division I Men's Regionals to the ACC Women's Golf Championship. And now, once again, it's the seniors' turn. Two years after extensive course renovations, Grandover will welcome a national field of senior amateurs for the Golfweek Senior National Championship. The 54-hole tournament will be played June 9-11 and players will compete in the usual four age divisions: Senior (ages 55-64), Super Senior (65-69), Legends (70-74) and Super Legends (75 and over). Grandover Resort ( The tournament will take place on Grandover's East Course, which features many tree-lined fairways as well as several holes that have a 'stadium-type effect.' The East, as well as Grandover's neighboring West Course, was designed by David Graham and Gary Panks. Advertisement A year ago, Trent Gregory won the senior division title after making birdie on the first extra hole against Michael Arasin. But neither Gregory nor Arasin will not be in the field this week, clearing the way for a new Senior Division winner. Undoubtedly, the favorite entering the event is Bryan Hoops, a Tempe, Arizona, resident who turned 56 in February and made his debut on the Golfweek senior circuit the same month. Hoops lost to Bob Royak, a former U.S. Senior Amateur champion, after a lengthy playoff at the Golfweek Pirates Classic but then won back-to-back Golfweek senior events in the Southern California desert in April. After that he just kept on winning, claiming the Society of Seniors' Senior Masters trophy days after his Golfweek wins. Hoops also won the Trans-Mississippi Senior Championship in Rancho Mirage, California, and the Huddleston Cup in Carrollton, Texas, earlier this year. The senior division, however, also includes two-time defending Golfweek Senior Player of the Year Kevin VandenBerg, who won this event in 2022. VandenBerg and Hoops are Nos. 1 and 2, respectively, in the Golfweek National Senior Amateur Rankings. Advertisement In the Super Senior division, the top four players in the Golfweek rankings will all tee it up: Marcus Beck, Greg Goode, James Starnes and Stevie Cannady. That division also includes 2023 champion Bob Edens. Golfweek's top-ranked Legends player, Greg Osborne, is among the field in that division at Grandover and so is No. 2-ranked Jeff Knox. Defending champion George Owens is back in the Super Legends division. This article originally appeared on Golfweek: Golfweek Senior National Championship at Grandover Resort
