ACC Notebook
Early Season Review
The beginning of the 2005-06 season has gone according to plan for most ACC teams. Duke, Boston College and North Carolina State are all undefeated. North Carolina and Clemson also have not lost, but they have not played any major conference competition.
Wake Forest, Virginia Tech and Maryland have four or more wins coupled with one loss. And each team has a few holes that it must address before joining the conference’s elite. Wake Forest needs Justin Gray to figure out the point guard position. Maryland needs to play shutdown defense every night. Virginia Tech needs to stop tipping in shots for the other team.
Miami and Georgia Tech are scratching their heads a little bit after losing to unranked opponents. For the Yellow Jackets, “bad” losses come with the territory of losing all five starters from last season. The Hurricanes don’t have that excuse, so losses to Air Force and Temple are not going to sit well with the fan base or selection committee.
Although the season is barely a week old, a few teams are preparing to open conference play this coming weekend. Georgia Tech plays Virginia for early rights to the ACC cellar. Duke hosts Virginia Tech with an opportunity to exorcise last year’s demons when the Hokies upset the Blue Devils in Blacksburg. Look for Duke to play mad for 40 minutes. The Hokies are talented, but this match up smells like trouble.
Let’s get on to a few early season awards and then team reviews.
ACC Player of the Week
J.J. Redick, Duke
The best player on the best team in America proved why Duke will be almost impossible to stop this season. Redick is averaging more than 22 points per game right now and has stepped up his defensive skills. He has five steals in five games and doesn’t allow his man to have many open looks.
ACC Rookie of the Week
Tyler Hansbrough, 54, 23
North Carolina is in the process of reloading after its national championship last season. Hansbrough will help the Tar Heels become explosive faster, and his opening week is a good indicator of future success. He averaged 18 points and 7.7 rebounds per game.
ACC Coach Watch
Frank Haith, Miami
Haith is no danger of receiving a pink slip, but two losses in six games isn’t what he had in mind to start the season. The Hurricanes dropped games against Air Force in the BCA Classic and at Temple. Miami is already in a position in which it must win its next couple of games against good non-conference opponents or else the Hurricanes will need to finish in the top four or five in the conference to have a realistic chance at an NCAA Tournament bid.
Team Results:
Duke Blue Devils (5-0, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Boston University, 64-47
Win: Vs. Seton Hall, 93-40
Win: Vs. Davidson, 84-55
Win: Drexel at Madison Square Garden, 78-68
Win: Memphis at Madison Square Garden, 70-67
Next week:
At Indiana, Nov. 30
Vs. Virginia Tech, Dec. 4
Duke is the top ranked team in the country, which just adds to opponents’ motivation to take down the vaunted Blue Devils. And two worthy opponents tried and failed in the finals of the NIT Season Tip-Off at Madison Square Garden. Drexel gave Duke all it could handle for 35 minutes before the Blue Devils pulled away because of senior guard J.J. Redick’s ability to get to the free-throw line. He finished with 31 points, including 13 from the line. Then Duke slipped past Memphis in the championship game when senior forward Shelden Williams dropped 30 on the Tigers.
Entering this season, Duke had few questions on their lineup. The point guard play was an area to watch because senior Sean Dockery has the experience but freshman guard Greg Paulus has the superior skills. Together, they make a terrific team, especially because Dockery is a defensive ace while Paulus is not. Neither one looks to score first because both are content setting up their teammates. And with Williams in the paint and Redick on the wing, can you blame them? Paulus and Dockery have combined for 19 assists in the past three games.
Although Drexel and Memphis played Duke tough, the Blue Devils’ defense got the better of them. By the end of the game, both the Dragons and Tigers finished with shooting percentages just a little better than 40 percent. The pattern so far is that good teams can ride adrenaline through a good first half against Duke. But the game is 40 minutes long, and only the Tigers proved they can go toe to toe with Duke for an entire game. Duke may not find many more teams all season that can do so, which makes this experience even more rewarding as the Blue Devils prepare for a national championship run.
Boston College Eagles (5-0, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Dartmouth, 80-61
Win: Vs. Shawnee State, 70-51
Win: Vs. Buffalo, 92-63
Win: Drake at Las Vegas, 87-84
Win: Oklahoma State at Las Vegas, 76-68
Next week:
Vs. Sacred Heart, Dec. 3
In past years, a win against Oklahoma State would be one of the best wins a team could hope for during a season. But the Cowboys are restocking after several consecutive experienced teams. So Boston College’s win against Oklahoma State in Vegas is good but not great. And that sums up the Eagles’ play so far this season.
The highly ranked Eagles beat Oklahoma State and Drake by less than 10 points, and Boston College needed a 10-0 run at the end of the game to beat Drake. Senior forward Craig Smith has been solid but not spectacular with no more than 12 points in the past three games. And twice he had less than five rebounds. For someone billed to be the best post player in the ACC, Smith has been underwhelming so far.
Coach Al Skinner suspended sophomore forward Akida McClain for violating a team rule, and McClain did not make the trip to Las Vegas to play Drake or Oklahoma State. In his place, sophomore forward John Oates got the start. He struggled the past two games, notching only two points. While the Eagles wait to get McClain and fellow suspended starter Sean Williams back, Boston College is using essentially a seven-man rotation. But that experience will help when Williams and McClain return. Boston College will enter ACC play with considerable depth if players like Oates, freshman Marquez Hayes and freshman Tyrese Rice become reliable options off the bench.
The early outlook for Boston College is good, but the Eagles need to get better production from the substitutes for McClain and Williams. If that happens, this team could become scary when the calendar rolls over to 2006.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (5-0, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Stetson, 91-61
Win: Vs. The Citadel, 91-59
Win: Vs. Delaware, 73-57
Win: Vs. VMI, 75-55
Win: At Notre Dame, 61-48
Next week:
At Iowa, Nov. 30
The Wolfpack’s detractors will state the obvious: Wins against Stetson, the Citadel, Delaware and VMI – all in Raleigh – are nothing to brag about. And a win against Notre Dame during what will likely be a down year isn’t much better, even if it’s on the road. But even they cannot ignore North Carolina State’s defensive prowess. In four of five games, the Wolfpack have held opponents to 22 points or less in the first half. And the exception to the rule wasn’t the Fighting Irish, who managed only 20.
When teams must play from behind, North Carolina State thrives. Coach Herb Sendek’s version of the Princeton offense let the Wolfpack bleed the clock then take high-percentage shots. On defense, the Wolfpack play with active hands, forcing more turnovers than they commit.
On offense, the Wolfpack regularly get four players in double-figures. Junior forward Ilian Evtimov has led the way for the last two games, but North Carolina State can count on production from fellow junior guard Engin Atsur and sophomore forward Cedric Simmons. As in past years, North Carolina State’s small lineup produces a problem in the rebounding category. Opponents continue to challenge the Wolfpack on the glass, so Sendek has made that a team chore. So far, six different players have registered at least six rebounds in a game.
The lesson for the Wolfpack so far is that they are a solid team, but they only succeed when they play as a team. Without Julius Hodge, the Wolfpack lack an automatic source for points. If North Carolina State continues to play suffocating defense against better teams and maintains offensive balance, the Wolfpack could quickly earn a spot in the Top 20. They might belong there now.
Clemson Tigers (4-0, 0-0)
Results:
Vs. Bethune Cookman, 84-55 win
Vs. Coppin State, 102-71 win
Vs. South Carolina State, 79-38 win
At Charleston Southern, 68-56 win
Next week:
At Penn State, Nov. 29
Vs. South Carolina, Dec. 3
With wins against Bethune Cookman, Coppin State and South Carolina State, Clemson would easily be in first place if the Tigers were in the MEAC. Unfortunately, the Tigers are in the ACC, so wins against such cupcakes matter little. The 4-0 record doesn’t look nearly as impressive when the corresponding RPI is sub-100. Although the opponents are tough to take seriously, the Tigers have shown some solid trends that – if they continue – will guide the team to some surprising wins against much more noteworthy opponents.
Clemson is playing excellent defense, possibly better than any other ACC team. Clemson has held every opponent to less than 40 percent shooting from the field and forced 25 or more turnovers in three games. Despite building huge leads early in games, the Tigers have only allowed more than five three-pointers once. Their average margin of victory is more than 27 points.
It’s tough to fairly evaluate individuals when coach Oliver Purnell can start playing the B team before halftime. But senior forward Akin Akingbala is adjusting well to his new role as a leader in the frontcourt. He put 19 points and 14 rebounds in only 24 minutes against Coppin State. That’s impressive even against a bad opponent.
North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Gardner Webb, 83-80
Win: Vs. Cleveland State, 112-55
Win: Vs. UC-Santa Barbara, 83-66
Next week:
Vs. Illinois, Nov. 29
At Kentucky, Dec. 3
The Tar Heels are one of five undefeated teams in the ACC, but don’t expect that to continue. The defending national champions survived an opening-game upset bid by Gardner Webb. North Carolina needed a three-pointer from senior leader in the closing seconds to win 83-80. And Noel is not exactly a three-point specialist. So chalk that victory up to good fortune, especially when the Tar Heels led Gardner Webb shoot 50 percent in their own dome.
Clearly, coach Roy Williams castigated his team for an embarrassing defensive performance because the Tar Heels responded with a dominating 112-55 victory against Cleveland State. The team held the Vikings to 32 percent shooting from the floor and out-rebounded the Vikings by 35. The defense lapsed a bit against Santa Barbara despite the victory because the Gauchos hit 10 three-pointers. The Tar Heels cannot afford to play porous defense on the perimeter when the likes of J.J. Redick or the entire Wolfpack team come to Chapel Hill, let alone when the Tar Heels go on the road to their rivals.
The defensive struggles are natural for a team dominated by inexperienced freshman and unproven sophomores and juniors. Freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough has been the most consistent youngster, averaging 18 points and 7.7 rebounds per game so far. With Hansbrough becoming a reliable option in the paint, Williams can funnel the offense through him. The coach continues to use a nine-man rotation despite the lack of experience. Like last year, the Tar Heels commit a lot of turnovers each game, but they also force a bunch. So far, they’ve been on the winning end of those battles. But the Tar Heels need to take better care of the ball against teams with more experienced point guards, like Illinois, Arizona, Maryland and Duke.
The early lesson for North Carolina is that this team has a world of potential. The Tar Heels just might need another year to fully realize that potential.
Virginia Tech Hokies (5-1, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Radford, 80-50
Loss: Vs. Bowling Green, 72-71
Win: Vs. Western Carolina, 54-40
Win: Vs. Mount St. Mary’s, 74-62
Win: Vs. Marshall, 71-54
Win: Vs. Morgan State, 77-49
Next week:
At Ohio State, Nov. 28
At Duke, Dec. 4
Virginia Tech’s strategy for winning games still bears a closer resemblance to Big East game plans than the average ACC one. The Hokies win on stifling pressure and balanced offense from a relatively average cast of hard-working players. The Hokies rarely shoot better than 40 percent from three-point territory, but they take care of the basketball, rarely committing more than 15 turnovers.
That strategy has worked for the most part this season. The lone blemish on the Hokies’ record is a one-point home loss to Bowling Green in which freshman swingman A.D. Vassallo tipped in the winning points for the wrong team. Despite the mistake, Vassallo is a solid player and one of coach Seth Greenberg’s seven primary players. So far, the balance of Zabian Dowdell, Jamon Gordon, Coleman Collins and Deron Washington has provided enough points to take care of weaker opponents. Virginia Tech’s stifling defense has held the past three opponents to less than 42 percent shooting from the field and forced at least 15 turnovers.
Despite a solid 5-1 record, the Hokies still do not how strong their squad is. The first real tests come this week when Virginia Tech visits Ohio State and then Duke. A split would indicate that the Hokies are ready to contend within the ACC. Most observers expect the team to lose both games, so the Hokies can do nothing but surprise their critics.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-1, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Mississippi Valley State, 78-64
Win: Vs. George Mason, 83-78 overtime
Loss: Florida at Madison Square Garden, 77-72
Win: Texas Tech at Madison Square Garden, 78-73 overtime
Win: Vs. UNC-Asheville, 79-63
Win: Vs. Appalachian State, 91-78
Next week:
Vs. Wisconsin, Nov. 29
At Elon, Dec. 3
The Demon Deacons have a solid starting record at 5-1, but with two overtime games on the record, Wake Forest could also easily be 3-3. The close calls have largely been self-inflicted. Senior guard Justin Gray has struggled to adjust to the responsibilities of playing point guard. In the Coaches vs. Cancer tournament finals at Madison Square Garden, Texas Tech and Florida pressured Gray throughout the game and forced a combined 17 turnovers. Gray still torched the nets for 35 points in two games, but his shooting percentage is down compared with last season’s percentage.
To relieve the stress, coach Skip Prosser inserted freshman point guard Harvey Hale into the starting lineup in two wins against UNC-Asheville and Appalachian State. The experiment has been a success for two games because the two guards have combined for only eight turnovers in two games. In other words, they’re each averaging only two turnovers per game. And they have combined to dish out 15 assists. A 15-to-8 assist-to-turnover ratio is pretty good. Either way, the Demon Deacons are struggling to adjust to life without Chris Paul.
In comparison with the backcourt problems, the Demon Deacons have excelled in the post. Eric Williams, Trent Strickland and Kyle Visser form one of the most dominating post triumvirates in the nation. Strickland has been on fire lately, scoring nearly 16 points per game during the Demon Deacons’ last four games. Those three have already combined to post four double-doubles. Each one is a threat to post 10 points and 10 rebounds any night. As defenses focus on Williams, Strickland and Visser must continue to be active on the glass and in the paint to free space for Gray on the perimeter and Williams on the low block.
Wake Forest is an interesting study this season because the Demon Deacons have inexperienced guards outside of Gray, who isn’t comfortable running the offense. But few teams can match Wake Forest’s muscle in the frontcourt. Based on the style of offense Wake Forest must run and the team’s turnover problem, the Demon Deacons likely won’t blow out many opponents, which constantly provides the potential for an upset against a seemingly overmatched foe.
Maryland Terrapins (3-1, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Fairleigh Dickinson, 111-85
Loss: Gonzaga at Maui, 88-76
Win: Chaminade at Maui, 98-69
Win: Arkansas at Maui, 75-62
Win: Vs. Nicholls State, 88-56
Next week:
Vs. Minnesota, Nov. 30
George Washington at Washington, D.C., Dec. 5
Maryland is off to a solid start after surviving a stacked field in the Maui Invitational. But the Terrapins left paradise with mixed feelings, beating Chaminade and Arkansas and losing to Gonzaga. Maryland lost to the Bulldogs because the Terrapins couldn’t stop them when it counted. Defense appeared to be a problem for Maryland after two and a half games.
But after trailing Division II Chaminade by two at halftime, the Terrapins turned on the defensive fortitude. Coach Gary Williams must have bust a vein in that halftime speech because the Terps are playing like a potential threat to Duke. Since that sluggish start against the Silverswords, Maryland has not allowed any opponent to score more than 35 points in a half. Yes, Chaminade and Nicholls State aren’t exactly Gonzaga or Duke, but Arkansas has a respectable lineup. And Maryland shut down some good players.
Individually, junior forward Ekene Ibekwe has had a good start, averaging about 14 points and seven rebounds per game. If Ibekwe can continue to put up those numbers throughout the season, he will free space on the perimeter for Maryland’s shooters, including Chris McCray, Nik Caner-Medley, Mike Jones and Travis Garrison.
Miami Hurricanes (4-2, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Texas-Arlington at Seattle, 76-65
Loss: Air Force at Seattle, 57-53
Win: Wisconsin-Green Bay at Seattle, 80-54
Win: Vs. Morgan State, 83-51
Win: Vs. North Carolina A&T, 87-62
Loss: At Temple, 73-56
Next week:
At Michigan, Nov. 29
Vs. Birmingham Southern, Dec. 3
The Hurricanes have not exactly aced the easiest portion of the team’s schedule. Miami let Air Force’s Princeton-style game mess with its rhythm. Miami largely relies on a three-guard set that jacks up three-pointers. But the Hurricanes need to create a lot of opportunities for their guards to hit shots to catch fire. Teams that can dictate a slower pace will be able to succeed against Miami. Air Force and Temple managed to accomplish that, and they beat the Hurricanes.
Miami must be relatively content with freshman point Denis Clemente, who is leading the offense in the absence of senior point guard Anthony Harris. Clemente has not lost games by excessively turning the ball over. But he does have a problem with shot selection, as evidenced by a 3-of-12 three-point shooting performance in the Hurricanes’ loss to Temple. Yes, the Hurricanes trailed Temple by double-digits in the second half, but if the shots aren’t falling, someone else needs to be taking them. Clemente took nearly as many shots as superstar guards Guillermo Diaz and Robert Hite combined.
Hite has been the most reliable Hurricane. During the past week, Hite has averaged a little more than 17 points per game. And he hasn’t put up 25 shots per game to score, either. Hite is shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and better than 40 percent from three-point territory. The lesson for Miami after a few games is that the Hurricanes need to stick with its experienced leaders and make sure the youngsters don’t try to force the issue.
Florida State Seminoles (2-1, 0-0)
Results:
Win: At Jacksonville, 78-48
Win: Vs. Alcorn State, 85-67
Loss: At Florida, 74-66
Next week:
Vs. Purdue, Nov. 29
Vs. Louisiana-Monroe, Dec. 2
The Seminoles already face a familiar problem after only three games – a lack of consistency. Florida State has had a different leading scorer in all three games, including two who didn’t score more than 13 points. Junior forward Al Thornton had a monster game against Alcorn State, scoring 31 points and grabbing 10 rebounds.
But besides Thornton, no other Seminoles has scored at least nine points in all three games. Coach Leonard Hamilton put sophomore guard Jason Rich in the starting lineup after he led the team with 13 points in the season-opening win against Jacksonville. But he hasn’t been spectacular. Another disturbing trend for Hamilton is the team’s propensity to turn the ball over. Despite senior point guard Todd Galloway leading the offense, the Seminoles have committed 22 turnovers twice this season. And Galloway had five turnovers against Florida, a game in which the Seminoles blew a 17-point lead.
Until the Florida State can achieve some semblance of offensive consistency, the Seminoles will struggle to string together a long series of wins. An early lesson for the Seminoles would have to be shot selection. The team has jacked up at least 16 three-pointers in all three games, but the Seminoles have a lot of talent in the post. Florida State must feed its big men first until one of the younger guards proves he can consistently drain the long shot.
Virginia Cavaliers (2-1, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. Liberty, 79-44
Win: At Richmond, 59-43
Next week:
Vs. Northwestern, Nov. 30
At Georgia Tech, Dec. 4
New Cavalier coach Dave Leitao has to be content with two wins against Liberty and at Richmond. But a 30-point loss at Arizona is disconcerting. The first two performances were outstanding because the Cavaliers held Liberty and Richmond to less than 30 percent shooting from the field while out-rebounding them by at least 15. But the Wildcats turned the tables on Virginia by hitting more than 50 percent of their shots. Guards Chris Rodgers and Hassan Adams found plenty of holes in Virginia’s defense.
Sophomore guard Sean Singletary has proven that a sensational freshman season was no fluke. Singletary has averaged almost 18 points, five rebounds and three assists per game. Despite his success, Leitao must be unhappy about the Cavaliers’ inability to create opportunities for teammates. Virginia had only 10 assists – combined – against Richmond and Arizona.
Another problem Leitao must address is a lack of depth. Even in the route against Liberty, Leitao used only an eight-man rotation. No bench players scored against Arizona. Sophomore forward Adrian Joseph, a promising post player last season, cracked the starting lineup against Arizona and was one of only two players to reach double figures. The Cavaliers’ lesson after three games is that this team has a serious lack of reliable talent and a bunch of players who don’t play as a team. If Leitao can get his players to focus team goals, the Cavaliers could improve. If not, Virginia can build a nest in the ACC basement because it’ll be down there all season.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (2-1, 0-0)
Results:
Win: Vs. UNC-Asheville, 80-52
Win: Vs. Elon, 81-69
Loss: Vs. Illinois-Chicago, 73-51
Next week:
At Michigan State, Nov. 30
Vs. Virginia, Dec. 4
Georgia Tech, like the Tar Heels, are adjusting to an entirely new lineup. Five new starters bear the responsibility of implementing coach Paul Hewitt’s system, which features sound, efficient offense combined with stifling defense. In the team’s two wins, Georgia Tech held its opponents to fewer than 70 points and less than 42 percent shooting from the field. On offense, the Yellow Jackets scored more than 80 points in those wins, led by sophomore shooter Anthony Morrow.
But Morrow still is not consistent. He scored 16 against Elon and 15 against UNC-Asheville but only seven points on 3-of-9 shooting against Illinois-Chicago. A more troubling concern for Georgia Tech is turnovers. The Yellow Jackets are averaging nearly 18 turnovers per game and are struggling on the boards. In the loss to the flames, the Yellow Jackets were out-rebounded by 10. The lack of fortitude in the paint is a product of the inexperience of sophomores Jeremis Smith and Ra’Sean Dickey. Until they can grow into their roles as starters, the Yellow Jackets will continue to struggle against teams dedicated to pounding the ball into the post.
Freshman guard Lewis Clinch has emerged as a rising star for the Yellow Jackets. In two wins, Clinch averaged 13.5 points. He all but disappeared against Illinois-Chicago, however, scoring only four points and hitting only two shots despite taking 13 attempts. As a team, the Yellow Jackets hit only one-third of their field-goal attempts.
The lesson after three games is that this year’s Georgia Tech team is a work in progress. Don’t expect dominance in every game, even against opponents that appear weaker on paper. The Yellow Jackets dispatched two Big South foes rather handily, but they lost big to the Horizon’s Flames. The team needs to grow up significantly before facing the ACC grind.
