Atlantic Coast Conference Quarterfinal Recaps
No. 1 North Carolina 88, No. 9 Clemson 81
No. 1 North Carolina survived a physical, foul-filled game against upset-minded No. 9 Clemson 89-81. The Tar Heels trailed by 13 points with less than eight minutes remaining the game. But junior guard Raymond Felton helped rally the Tar Heels with a game-high 29 points. Whatever coach Roy Williams said at that critical juncture in the second half worked. North Carolina outscored the Tigers by 20 during the final seven minutes to steal a win and advance to the semifinals to play No. 5 Georgia Tech.
The Tigers were looking for their second consecutive upset after beating No. 8 Maryland in the opening round, the third win against the Terrapins this season. North Carolina’s depth was a major factor as the two teams combined for 52 fouls, three more fouls than made shots. Clemson shot better than 50 percent for most of the game before the Tar Heels tightened their defense during the closing minutes. Junior guard Shawan Robinson led Clemson with 17 points, including 3-of-4 from three-point range. He hit his first three three-pointers before missing a crucial one in the final minutes. Junior swingman Rashad McCants returned from an intestinal disorder to play 15 minutes and score 13 points, which helped fuel the furious rally.
North Carolina beat Georgia Tech in the team’s only meeting in Chapel Hill. That was one of the first games that Yellow Jackets senior guard B.J. Elder missed with a hamstring injury.
No. 7 North Carolina State 81, No. 2 Wake Forest 65
Without sophomore point guard Chris Paul, No. 2 Wake Forest could not complete a season sweep of No. 7 North Carolina State, losing 81-65. The win almost certainly will lift the Wolfpack into the NCAA Tournament, possibly at the expense of Maryland. Senior guard Julius Hodge, the recipient of a punch by Paul in the teams’ regular-season finale, had a fantastic game with 22 points and eight rebounds. Hodge was the catalyst for a great second half after the game entered halftime tied at 38. North Carolina State’s defense limited the Demon Deacons’ offense, allowing only 27 points in the second half. Wake Forest shot nearly 50 percent from the floor but committed 15 turnovers, seven more than the Wolfpack did. The turnovers were a product of Paul’s absence during the one-game suspension for throwing the aforementioned punch.
In the first half, junior forward Ilian Evtimov led the Wolfpack’s offense with his long-range shooting and crisp passes. Evtimov finished with 18 points, including five three-pointers, and seven assists. Wake Forest was led by junior center Eric Williams and junior guard Justin Gray, who each scored 17 points. Without Paul, the Demon Deacons had only 11 assists, five fewer than their season average of 16.
North Carolina State can seal its Tournament bid with a win against No. 3 Duke in the semifinals. The Wolfpack lost the only meeting at home when point guard Tony Bethel and second-leading scorer Cameron Bennerman missed the game. Bethel missed Friday’s game with a groin injury but may play against Duke.
No. 3 Duke 76, No. 11 Virginia 64
No. 3 Duke ended No. 11 Virginia’s run in the ACC Tournament with a 76-64 win, which may also end the career of coach Pete Gillen with the Cavaliers. After a dismal season, Gillen will be fortunate if Virginia officials decide to retain him. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, are overachieving with a short bench. Junior guard Sean Dockery continues to be out with a knee injury. In his place, senior forward Lee Melchionni is playing beyond his talent. He and senior guard Daniel Ewing led the Blue Devils with 16 points. They had to make up for junior guard J.J. Redick, who was anything but a sharpshooter last night, hitting only 4-of-17 from the field. Redick finished with 15 points thanks to four late free throws and three three-pointers.
Neither team shot well as both finished less than 38 percent from the field. Duke’s 10 three-pointers helped break open a close game early in the second half. Virginia came out of halftime trailing 40-28 but quickly pulled within a possession of taking the lead. Freshman point guard Sean Singletary had another great game with 16 points and seven rebounds. Singletary promises to become one of the ACC’s best point guards once the wealth of talent leaves because of graduation or early entry to the NBA Draft. Virginia needs to improve its frontcourt performance, however, as Duke outrebounded the Cavaliers 53-29, led by junior forward Shelden Williams’ 12 rebounds. The Blue Devils had 23 offensive rebounds, nearly as many as the Cavaliers’ total. Coach Mike Krzyzewski clearly berated his team’s performance last weekend against North Carolina, which escaped with a win against Duke thanks to an overwhelming performance on the boards.
Duke moves on to play North Carolina State. If the favorites win, Duke and North Carolina will meet for a third time in the ACC championship game.
No. 5 Georgia Tech 73, No. 4 Virginia Tech 54
No. 4 Virginia Tech needed to beat No. 5 Georgia Tech to seriously contend for an NCAA Tournament bid, but the Hokies laid an egg against the Yellow Jackets, losing 73-54. The backcourt trifecta of B.J. Elder, Jarrett Jack and Will Bynum torched Virginia Tech for 45 points. Elder led all scorers with 19 points. Georgia Tech lit fire to the nets from start to finish, hitting nearly 55 percent of the team’s field goals. Jack was 4-of-5 from the field, including 2-of-2 from long range to finish with 13 points. Georgia Tech beat up Virginia Tech on the glass with 35 rebounds to the Hokies’ 23.
Very little went right for the Hokies, who shot less than 38 percent from the field. Senior guard Carlos Dixon led the team with 12 points. The good news for Virginia Tech is that this team is young and looks like it will continue to improve in coming seasons. With a strong backcourt and sound defense, Virginia Tech simply needs to improve its interior play. If Virginia Tech could compete on the glass, the Hokies would have a much more potent offensive attack and would be able to run a more productive transition offense.
Georgia Tech looks to improve its seeding with a win against North Carolina in the semifinals.
