Elliot Cadeau's journey through college basketball has been nothing short of captivating. After spending two seasons with North Carolina, Cadeau made the bold move to transfer to Michigan, where he's now the point guard for the top-ranked team in the nation. On Tuesday night, he showcased his leadership by steering the Wolverines to a commanding 91-80 victory over Purdue in West Lafayette.
In a postgame chat with Rob Dauster of The Field of 68, Cadeau couldn't resist touching on the legendary Duke/UNC rivalry. While he acknowledged the intensity of Cameron Indoor Stadium, he stirred the pot by suggesting that Purdue's Mackey Arena might just have the edge in volume.
“I’d say Cameron is probably more intense due to the personal reasons and the rivalry,” Cadeau remarked, “but I think this is louder. This is probably equal to Allen Fieldhouse.”
Cadeau's transition from Chapel Hill was anything but smooth, with whispers of a hefty $2 million request and his mother stepping into the spotlight on social media to defend him. While his ties to UNC might have frayed, his comments suggest that his competitive spirit against Duke remains very much alive.
He didn’t stop at Purdue; Cadeau also placed Kansas’s Allen Fieldhouse above Duke’s iconic venue in terms of noise. The Cameron Crazies are renowned for their fervor, but according to Cadeau, the sheer volume at Purdue and Kansas surpasses what he experienced in Durham.
Part of this perception might be attributed to the size difference in arenas. Cameron Indoor holds just over 9,000 fans, while Mackey and Allen Fieldhouse can host nearly and over 15,000, respectively.
Despite the challenging atmosphere, Cadeau thrived. Under the guidance of Michigan’s second-year head coach Dusty May, he's having a standout junior season, averaging a career-best 10.1 points per game. His performance against Purdue, where he led the team with 17 points, highlighted his growth, especially in his shooting - now over 40 percent from three-point range.
Cadeau's shooting woes at UNC were a point of contention among fans, but he's found his rhythm at Michigan, reducing his turnovers from 3.1 to 2.5 per game. Meanwhile, UNC's attempt to fill the void left by Cadeau with transfer Kyan Evans from Colorado State hasn't panned out as hoped. Evans has been benched in favor of freshman Derek Dixon, who is averaging 5.6 points.
Cadeau's story is a testament to resilience and adaptation, proving that sometimes a change of scenery can unlock a player's true potential.