Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook
We’ve reached the midway point in the ACC season, and painfully few teams have emerged as contenders. Only three teams are guaranteed to appear in the NCAA Tournament: North Carolina, Duke and Wake Forest. These power brokers hold a combined 51-7 overall record.
But six other teams are mired in the middle within two games of one another. Who will emerge as the fourth, fifth and maybe even sixth teams to reach the NCAA Tournament? Here’s a rundown of those teams’ remaining schedules with a prognosis for reaching the NCAA Tournament.
Virginia Tech: C-
A month ago, I cast off Virginia Tech as the ACC’s predestined cellar dweller. The Hokies have avoided that fate with five conference wins and currently stand firmly in fourth, slightly above the middle of the pack. But Virginia Tech still needs a lot of work to enter the discussion for an NCAA Tournament bid. Earlier this season, I predicted the Hokies needed 11 or 12 conference victories to earn a bid. I stand by that now. If they do so, Virginia Tech will have beaten Wake Forest, Duke and Maryland twice. That might be good enough to overcome a pitiful non-conference schedule in which the Hokies’ best win is at home against Tennessee-Chattanooga.
Maryland: A-
The Terrapins are a frustrating lot. After beating Duke and Georgia Tech, Maryland seemed poised for a run at the ACC’s elite. But then they go to Clemson and lose badly, dropping back to 4-4 in the ACC. The good news is that the second half of the schedule features a bunch of mediocre ACC teams: five games against Miami, Virginia Tech, Virginia and Clemson. The bad news is that if Maryland loses more than one of those games, the Terps deserve to be doubted. The toughest remaining games, against North Carolina and Duke, are both in College Park.
Miami: B-
The Hurricanes are off to a strong start at 4-5 in the ACC. But the lack of good road wins and good non-conference wins will hurt them. The best road win and non-conference win came at Florida. The good news for Miami is that the Hurricanes have ample opportunity to pick up major wins in the second half of conference play. The Hurricanes still play Maryland, Wake Forest and Georgia Tech at home and travel to Duke to wrap up their conference schedule. Road games at Virginia Tech, Florida State and Clemson are winnable.
Georgia Tech: B+
After starting 7-0, the Yellow Jackets are now 6-6 in their last 12 games and 4-4 in conference play. The overtime win at home against Wake Forest may have saved Georgia Tech from the scrutiny of whether the Yellow Jackets deserve an NCAA Tournament bid. Georgia Tech can improve its stock during the final half of ACC play because the Yellow Jackets have road games and big match ups with Wake Forest and Duke twice. If Georgia Tech wins three of the five road games and at least one of the elite games, the Yellow Jackets will unquestionably be dancing in March.
North Carolina State: C+
The Wolfpack are in deep water at 3-4 in the ACC because they still must play North Carolina twice, Wake Forest twice, Georgia Tech and Maryland. Without a great non-conference win to rely on, the Wolfpack must go at least 3-3 in those games or plan on playing in the NIT. Games against Virginia twice and Virginia Tech are mandatory wins or else North Carolina State will not finish above .500 in conference play, which also could prevent them from earning an NCAA Tournament bid.
Florida State: D+
At 3-4, Florida State has a lot of work to do to earn an NCAA Tournament bid. Luckily, the Seminoles play big-time teams like Wake Forest, Georgia Tech and North Carolina, twice. Because the Seminoles struggled in non-conference play, they need to win three out of those four and find a way to finish with at least nine wins in the conference to receive NCAA Tournament consideration.
Final Report
If the NCAA Tournament started today, I’d take Georgia Tech, Maryland and North Carolina State in addition to the elite three of Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest. But by the time March rolls around, I won’t be surprised if North Carolina State drops out of the picture and Miami has a better case for a tournament bid. My gut feeling is that the ACC will only field five NCAA Tournament teams come Selection Sunday.
Player of the Week
Eric Williams, Wake Forest
Williams gets the nod for player of the week over Duke’s J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams because the Demon Deacons beat Duke this past week. Williams’ 23 points and 12 rebounds per game in three games last week led Wake to two wins. Redick averaged 27.3 points and Williams averaged 19.7 points and 14.3 rebounds, but the Blue Devils lost two out of three games last week. All three are worthy of the award, but Eric Williams has the slight advantage because of the victories.
Rookie of the Week
Cliff Hammonds, Clemson
Hammonds has emerged as a major contributor for Clemson and averaged 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and four assists in three games for the Tigers last week.
ACC Coach Watch
Pete Gillen, Virginia
With so many losses, it goes without saying that Gillen’s job is on the line this season. But the Cavaliers are looking just plain bad as they can’t figure out how to stop anyone on defense. Injuries and other circumstances are nothing more than excuses for Gillen, who will be fired unless he gets this team to win starting this week.
Team Reports
North Carolina Tar Heels (17-2, 6-1)
North Carolina had a full week to prepare for the road game at Virginia, where the Tar Heels hadn’t won in five consecutive attempts. The sixth time was the charm. North Carolina obliterated Virginia 110-76 in a game that wasn’t close about four minutes after tip-off. Senior forward Jawad Williams led the onslaught with 23 points and seven rebounds. Junior forward Sean May had 20 points and nine rebounds as the Tar Heels dominated the boards, 43-26. Freshman forward Marvin Williams had a sensational game with 15 points and 10 rebounds in only 16 minutes off the bench. Tar Heel fans don’t want to hear the rumors that Williams could be a lottery pick in this year’s NBA Draft if he decides to leave. For the good of the game of college basketball, here’s hoping the fans aren’t disappointed.
The Tar Heels host rival North Carolina State Thursday then start a three-game road trip at Florida State Sunday before traveling to Duke Wednesday to renew college basketball’s greatest rivalry.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (18-3, 6-2)
The Demon Deacons have as much offensive talent as any team in the nation, but Wake Forest does not play consistent defense. The team allowed all three opponents to score more than 80 points last week. Despite the defensive woes, the Demon Deacons won two out of three, only losing in overtime at Georgia Tech 102-101. The Demon Deacons were led by junior center Eric Williams, who scored 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Fouls aplenty led to 38 free-throw attempts for Georgia Tech, which made the difference in overtime.
Wake Forest returned home to play Miami and Duke and won both games with explosive offensive performances. Williams picked up two more double-doubles, finishing with 23 points and 11 rebounds in Wake’s 94-82 win against Miami and 19 points and 13 rebounds in the 92-89 thriller against Duke. Against Miami, Wake Forest rallied from a halftime deficit by shooting better than 60 percent from the field for the game. Justin Gray, Jamaal Levy and Trent Strickland all reached double figures in scoring to help fuel the win. Against Duke, sophomore point guard Chris Paul led the Demon Deacons with 23 points, four rebounds and six assists. Paul seems to play his best basketball against the ACC’s toughest opponents – a sign of a great leader.
Wake Forest plays one game in the next week at Virginia Tech Saturday.
Duke Blue Devils (16-2, 6-2)
The luster of Duke’s golden start is duller now after two losses in three games. The problems started for the Blue Devils when Maryland came to Cameron Indoor Stadium and held Duke to 33 percent shooting from the floor. Duke’s lack of depth started to show because only juniors Shelden Williams and J.J. Redick reached double figures. Duke also allowed Maryland to grab six more rebounds than Duke’s total. The Blue Devils’ defense helped the team bounce back against Virginia Tech by holding the Hokies to less than 38 percent shooting from the field. Redick and Williams again led the way, scoring 29 and 25 points, respectively. Williams dominated Virginia Tech inside with 17 rebounds.
Depth became a glaring defect for Duke at Wake Forest because several Blue Devils were in foul trouble in the first half. And freshman forward David McClure missed the game with a knee injury and won’t return for possibly several weeks. Shavlik Randolph, Daniel Ewing, Sean Dockery and Lee Melchionni all encountered foul trouble, forcing coach Mike Krzyzewski to play Redick and Williams for most of the game. Redick played all 40 minutes, and he was sensational, fueling a late rally when Duke trailed by 12 points with less than 10 minutes remaining. Redick’s game-tying three-point attempt at the buzzer missed by inches, and the Blue Devils lost 92-89 in Winston-Salem, placing Duke in third in the ACC.
Duke continues its trifecta of brutality with games against Georgia Tech Saturday and then against its arch-nemesis, North Carolina, Wednesday.
Virginia Tech Hokies (12-7, 5-3)
Virginia Tech had a mixed bag of results last week, winning against Virginia and Miami but losing badly to Duke. The Hokies have to be happy, however, with a big 79-73 win against in-state rival Virginia. Every starter scored at least 10 points, led by sophomore forward Coleman Collins, who had 20 points. The Hokies shot 52 percent from the field and 47 percent from behind the arc. Virginia Tech allowed the Cavaliers to shoot 50 percent from the field, gave up nine more rebounds and hit only 13-of-23 free throws. But the Hokies forced 22 turnovers, which was the difference in the game.
Virginia Tech was not so fortunate against Duke as the Blue Devils committed only 10 turnovers en route to a 100-65 whacking in Durham. The Hokies shot less than 38 percent from the field. Senior guard Carlos Dixon left the game in the first half and did not return. Sophomore guard Zabian Dowdell led the Hokies with 15 points, but Virginia Tech simply couldn’t keep pace with the Blue Devils.
The Hokies bounced back at Miami, however, to move ahead of the jumbled mix in the middle of the standings. At 5-3, Virginia Tech is within shouting distance of the ACC’s top three, Duke, Wake Forest and North Carolina. The win against Miami was fueled by good defense and the three-point shooting of Dowdell, who hit 5-of-10 from beyond the arc. The Hokies lit up the Miami nets, shooting nearly 60 percent from the field. Dowdell finished with a game-high 26 points.
The Hokies have an opportunity to move toward the top of the standings against Wake Forest Saturday and at Maryland Tuesday.
Maryland Terrapins (13-6, 4-4)
Maryland is a tough team to figure out. The Terrapins won two huge games last week at Duke and at home against Georgia Tech. Then Maryland went to Clemson and played without energy in an 88-73 loss. Junior forward Nik Caner-Medley led Maryland in the two wins with 25 points against Duke and 19 against Georgia Tech. Coach Gary Williams switched the lineup before the 75-66 win at Duke, giving sophomore forward Wil Bowers and sophomore guard Mike Jones the nod over junior forwards Ekene Ibekwe and Travis Garrison. Ibekwe and Garrison came off the bench to score 24 points. The Terrapins out-rebounded Duke by six, but more importantly, they grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, fueling many second-chance points and plenty of long possessions. The Terps stymied Duke’s sharpshooter J.J. Redick, holding him to 3-of-10 from three-point range.
With Caner-Medley’s 19 points to lead the way, Maryland notched its second consecutive upset against a ranked opponent by beating Georgia Tech 79-71. Garrison returned to the starting lineup and had a huge game with seven points and 15 rebounds. Maryland grabbed 40-plus rebounds for the second consecutive game. Maryland also held both Duke and Georgia Tech below 36 percent shooting from the field.
But the defense failed the Terps in South Carolina. Clemson torched Maryland, shooting 48 percent from the field. The Tigers also out-rebounded Maryland 38-34. Garrison, Bowers and Ibekwe all encountered foul trouble, limiting their effectiveness against Clemson’s strong frontcourt. Junior point guard John Gilchrist led the team with 18 points and seven rebounds.
The Terrapins will seek to start winning again at Miami Saturday and against Virginia Tech Tuesday.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (13-6, 4-4)
The Yellow Jackets are in the midst of a wild ride without their second leading scorer, senior guard B.J. Elder, who is slowly recovering from a badly strained hamstring. The Yellow Jackets won an overtime thriller against Wake Forest 102-101 as senior guard Will Bynum and junior point guard Jarrett Jack combined for 54 points. The Yellow Jackets shot better than 54 percent from the field, but the team’s exceptional free-throw shooting put Georgia Tech over the top. Thanks to 31-of-38 made free throws, the Yellow Jackets picked up their first major win of the season.
Georgia Tech followed up that monster win with a disappointing 79-71 loss at Maryland. The team’s hot shooting dropped like the temperatures in College Park, Md., as the Yellow Jackets shot only 35 percent from the field. Senior forward Isma’il Muhammad led the Jackets with 17 points, but he hit only 4-of-17 field goal attempts. Senior center Luke Schenscher picked up a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Australian big man helped lead a comeback victory against Florida State a few days later when Georgia Tech rallied from a six-point halftime deficit to win 64-61. Bynum saved the Yellow Jackets from another overtime home game by draining a three pointer with less than three seconds remaining. He led all scores with 19 points. Schenscher added 10 points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Georgia Tech’s defense stepped up in the second half, consistently denying the Seminoles open looks.
The Yellow Jackets have a rough road ahead with games at Duke Saturday and at Clemson Tuesday.
Miami Hurricanes (13-7, 4-5)
Beneficiaries of an easy first half in ACC play, Miami has returned to earth as the Hurricanes have lost four of their last five games. The Hurricanes beat Clemson 69-65 before losing back-to-back games against Wake Forest and Virginia Tech. When Miami wins, the defense shuts down opponents. For example, the Hurricanes held Clemson to less than 40 percent shooting from the field. Junior guard Robert Hite led the Hurricanes with 21 points, but three other Hurricanes also reached double figures.
But in the two losses, Miami’s opponents scorched the nets for about 60 percent shooting from the floor. Coach Frank Haith emphasized the importance of team responsibilities by benching Hite to start the Wake Forest game, which ended in a 94-82 loss. But Miami stayed close most of the game. Sophomore guard Anthony Harris had a breakout game with 28 points and nine assists. As Haith’s squad improves during the rest of the season and next year, the Hurricanes could be a dangerous squad by next March. They didn’t appear dangerous against Virginia Tech, however, as the Hokies shot nearly 60 percent. Miami hit only 5-of-15 three pointers. Hite led the team with 20 points, but no other Hurricane found any rhythm.
Miami plays Maryland Saturday then gets a week off to rest.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (13-7, 3-4)
Wolfpack fans are growing restless of their team’s inconsistency, and coach Herb Sendek may need to worry about his job security if he doesn’t get the team playing better than last week’s split against Clemson and Florida State. The Wolfpack’s first game was a 70-64 disaster in Raleigh. Only senior guard Julius Hodge reached double figures with 14 points. But the difference in the game was at the free-throw line, where the Wolfpack made only 13-of-23 free throws. Hodge accounted for half of those 10 missed free throws, which is an amazing regression from last season when Hodge was almost automatic from the line. Missed free throws are a sign of a lack of focus; a lack of focus is a sign of a team that needs better coaching.
The free-throw problem continued at Clemson, where the Wolfpack hit only 61.9 percent from the line. But they made 62.8 percent of their field goals – a statistical anomaly you will not frequently see at any level of basketball. Hodge had a great game with 20 points, six rebounds and six assists. Sophomore guard Engin Atsur led all scores with 21 points. Senior forward Levi Watkins left the game early in the first half with a knee injury that will likely keep him out for a few weeks. The injury could not come at a worse time for the Wolfpack, who are already without junior forward Cameron Bennerman. The Wolfpack start a five game stretch featuring four ranked teams.
North Carolina State plays two games in three days, starting at North Carolina Thursday then at home against Virginia Saturday.
Florida State Seminoles (11-10, 3-5)
The Seminoles climbed into the middle of the ACC’s pack with a 70-64 win at North Carolina State. Florida State played a nearly flawless game with only nine turnovers, 49 percent shooting from the field and 82 percent shooting from the free-throw line. The consistent effort was capped by the play of sophomore guard Von Wafer, who led all scores with 23 points. The Seminoles played excellent defense, holding every Wolfpack except superstar Julius Hodge to less than 10 points.
Florida State sought a second consecutive road win at Georgia Tech and nearly pulled off the upset. Wafer again led the Seminoles with 18 points, cementing his status as the team’s leader. Despite the loss, Florida State showed it can play shutdown defense in anyone’s building, quickly making the Seminoles one of the toughest teams to play in the ACC. If coach Leonard Hamilton can find one or two more consistent scorers to assist Wafer, the Seminoles could make a run. If not, they look solid for next season. The Yellow Jackets slipped past Florida State 64-61 thanks to senior guard Will Bynum’s game-winning three pointer with less than three seconds remaining.
Florida State looks to knock off a highly ranked opponent when North Carolina visits Sunday, then the Seminoles visit Virginia Wednesday.
Clemson Tigers (11-10, 2-7)
Clemson started the weak with an abysmal shooting performance in a 69-65 loss at Miami but improved throughout the weak, culminating in a spectacular 88-73 upset against Maryland. Underappreciated senior forward Sharrod Ford registered three double-doubles last week, starting with 20 points and 15 rebounds against Miami. But little else went right as Clemson shot less than 38 percent from the field, partially because the Tigers hit only 7-of-26 from long distance. Against North Carolina State, the Tigers shot 45 percent but allowed the Wolfpack to shoot better than 62 percent from the field, including 13-of-20 from three-point range. You’re not going to win many games allowing that many threes. It spoiled a 19-point, 10-rebound contribution from Ford.
Freshman guard Cliff Hammonds looks more comfortable as a starter for coach Oliver Purnell. The youngster is the lone Tiger to accompany Ford in double figures in each of the past three games. Against Maryland, Hammonds scored 10 points and dished out seven assists, which is more important because he kept an often-anemic offense on pace against an inconsistent Maryland defense. Ford had a monster game with 25 points and 10 rebounds. Usually a starter, junior guard Shawan Robinson came off the bench for 22 points, six rebounds and five assists. The team effort fueled the upset and lifted Clemson ahead of Virginia at the bottom of the standings.
Clemson has a week to prepare for Georgia Tech Tuesday.
Virginia Cavaliers (10-8, 1-7)
The Cavaliers may have sealed coach Pete Gillen’s fate last week with two conference losses and a brutal beating in Providence. Virginia lost at rival Virginia Tech 79-73 then returned home for a 110-76 embarrassment against North Carolina. The loss to the Hokies means that Virginia Tech will almost certainly finish ahead of the Cavs in the ACC in only their first season. Senior forward Devin Smith had a good game with 24 points, and fellow senior forward Elton Brown added 19 points and 15 rebounds. But the other Cavaliers couldn’t back up their senior leaders.
Against North Carolina, nobody played well. Sophomore guard J.R. Reynolds led the team with 18 points but was one of only two Virginia players to reach double figures. The Cavaliers could not play sound defense if their lives depended on it, allowing the Tar Heels to shoot 60 percent from the line. And North Carolina seemingly collected every rebound, out-rebounding the Cavs 43-26. Those numbers spell blowout. And too many blowouts spell unemployment for Gillen.
The hits just kept on coming when Virginia visited Providence. The mediocre Friars blistered the Cavaliers’ nonexistent defense 98-79. Providence scored 58 points in the second half and hit 14 three pointers. Smith continued to be one of the few bright spots for Virginia, scoring 22 points and grabbing five rebounds. But the Cavaliers allowed the Friars to tally 10 more rebounds. And Providence shot nearly 60 percent in the game, so most of the rebounds occurred at Virginia’s end. Ouch.
The Cavaliers look to stop the bleeding at North Carolina State Saturday and at home against Florida State Wednesday. More likely, Gillen will simply try to save face on a season that has turned very ugly.
