Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook
Many college basketball observers have already claimed this season to be a down year for the ACC following last season’s remarkable run in which Duke, North Carolina and Wake Forest seemingly dominated everyone. And they were flashy about it, too. Of course, North Carolina brought the national championship back to the ACC, claiming the conference’s third national title in five years.
But don’t put a fork in the ACC yet, despite the absence of North Carolina and Wake Forest from the ACC’s elite. Duke is a bona fide national championship frontrunner. Only Connecticut can match up with Duke toe to toe. But besides Duke, the ACC features Maryland, Boston College and North Carolina State, all of which are rising without much fanfare. Those three are peaking at the start of ACC play, in which the league will start to eat its own.
Several teams need to have strong showings in conference play if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. Georgia Tech and Miami have had disastrous starts and probably need to beat a handful of ranked ACC foes before anyone considers them close to Tournament worthy. Meanwhile, ranked teams like North Carolina and Wake Forest are overrated and will drop like rocks when they lose to teams thought to be near the bottom of the ACC, such as Virginia Tech and Florida State. But ACC play will demonstrate that parity rules this season outside the elite teams. By the end of the season, however, the three or four teams may have similar records to the much-heralded elite from last season.
Duke Blue Devils (13-0, 1-0)
Last three games:
Win: St. John’s, 70-57
Win: at UNC-Greensboro, 102-69
Win: Bucknell, 84-50
Next two games:
Jan. 8: At Wake Forest
Jan. 11: Maryland
As we pass from 2005 to 2006, Duke remains one of the few undefeated teams in college basketball. The Blue Devils have cruised to 13-0 in dominating fashion, too, save for a pair of wins against Memphis and Virginia Tech that went down to the wire. The best win of the season is against the Tigers, who are off to a great start despite a recent loss to Texas, which Duke massacred earlier last month.
The key to Duke’s success has been the dominating duo of seniors J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams. Redick is averaging 25.6 points per game, and Williams adds 18.5 rebounds and 9.5 rebounds per game. The two All-American candidates are proving why Duke will remain a national championship contender until the Blue Devils cut down the nets in Indianapolis or someone knocks them out of the NCAA Tournament.
If Duke has any concern that the team needs to address before post-season play, it’s a third option behind Williams and Redick. The third leading scorer is senior guard Sean Dockery at 8.3 points per game. The Blue Devils don’t lack possibilities, however. Youngsters like Josh McRoberts, DeMarcus Nelson, Greg Paulus and Martynas Pocius all average at least 10 minutes per game, and the first three average more than 20 minutes per game. By tournament time, one of those four could become a reliable go-to man in the clutch. My money is on Paulus, who is quickly embracing the role of point guard but also has a sweet shooting touch when he can get an open look.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (11-1, 1-0)
Last three games:
Win: at Alabama, 68-64
Win: New Hampshire, 81-62
Win: George Washington, 79-58
Next two games:
Jan. 3: UNC-Greensboro
Jan. 7: At North Carolina
Entering conference play, North Carolina State is poised to make some noise because the Wolfpack have only one loss. The team’s best win is at home against George Washington, 79-58, but the Wolfpack also have wins at Notre Dame and at Alabama. The one loss came in a 45-42 defensive battle at Iowa, which appears to be one of the strongest Big Ten teams this season.
Coach Herb Sendek is finally starting to receive some recognition for guiding a winning program. The Wolfpack’s success in recent years has largely been attributed to superstar Julius Hodge. Without diminishing Hodge’s magnificent success at North Carolina State, Sendek has done a masterful job of recruiting players that fit his version of the Princeton offense and teaching them how to excel in their role. This season, the Wolfpack have held seven of 12 opponents to less than 60 points. Although North Carolina State is never in a rush to shoot the ball, the Wolfpack still average 76.7 points per game. Despite shooting more three-pointers than any ACC team except Clemson, the Wolfpack shoot well from the field and excellent from the free-throw line.
Sendek’s latest team have a host of talented players, led by senior forward Ilian Evtimov, who averages 12.6 points per game. But behind Evtimov, Sendek has untypical balance, with Cameron Bennerman, Cedric Simmons and Engin Atsur. All three average more than 11 points per game. A sophomore forward, Simmons is a defensive whiz, swatting 35 shots already this season. He a force in the paint and leads the team in rebounding at 6.8 rebounds per game. Five Wolfpack players average at least 35 percent from the three-point territory. North Carolina State’s biggest concern is the lack of a reliable go-to player in the clutch. The Wolfpack may need to discover one soon with a big game at North Carolina coming up this week. If North Carolina State can go to Chapel Hill and handle the Tar Heels, the Wolfpack will serve notice that they are no less than second best in the state of North Carolina.
Maryland Terrapins (10-2, 1-0)
Last three games:
Win: American, 81-55
Win: Delaware State, 68-54
Win: VMI, 99-68
Next two games:
Jan. 4: Texas A&M-Corpus Christi
Jan 7: At Miami
The Terrapins are off to another strong start, which isn’t surprising because Maryland has had a soft schedule so far. The team’s best win is against ACC foe Boston College, 73-71. The worst loss is a neutral court loss to George Washington, which appears on course to dominate the Atlantic 10 conference. As a result, Maryland can claim its non-conference schedule to be a success. But the Terps cannot afford to slip in conference play because naysayers will be quick to point out that the best wins out of conference are against Arkansas and Minnesota – not exactly strong résumé-builders.
Maryland’s defense has improved compared with last season’s version, which was too porous and unfocused. In eight of the 10 wins, Maryland has held its opponents to less than 70 points. That’s big, because the Terps have the conference’s best offense, averaging better than 84 points per game. Another improvement from last season is Maryland’s ability to hit the long ball. Maryland is hitting nearly 40 percent of its three-point attempts, which is second to only Duke and the wondrous J.J. Redick. But unlike Duke, Maryland isn’t jacking up the long shots – the Terps have taken only 152 three-point attempts on the season, which is second worst in the conference. Only Georgia Tech, whose shooters can’t hit the broad side of a barn, is attempting fewer three-pointers.
With such team accolades, it’s no surprising that the Terps have five players averaging at least 10 points per game. Senior guard Chris McCray leads the way with 16.3 points per game. The biggest concern for coach Gary Williams entering the season was the loss of point guard John Gilchrist. To replace Gilchrist, Williams tabbed junior guard D.J. Strawberry as the team’s floor leader. Strawberry is averaging 4.8 assists per game and has a 2-to-1 turnover ratio. JuCo transfer Parrish Brown has an even better ratio, but he plays less than 10 minutes per game while he learns Williams’ system. In sum, Maryland has a dominating lineup that only needs a few marquis conference wins before outsiders take notice and give the Terps due praise.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (6-4, 1-0)
Last three games:
Win: Jacksonville, 92-67
Loss: at Air Force, 54-46
Win: Bethune Cookman, 73-46
Next two games:
Jan. 3: Vanderbilt
Jan. 8: Boston College
The Yellow Jackets probably won’t appear this high in the ACC standings for the rest of the season. Georgia Tech is off to an average start at best, with the best win coming against the ACC’s worst team, Virginia. The Yellow Jackets’ worst loss is a shocking home blowout to Illinois-Chicago, 73-51. Upcoming games against Vanderbilt and Boston College could produce two losses that drop Georgia Tech to .500 and all but eliminate the Yellow Jackets from any NCAA Tournament discussions.
The principal reason for the Yellow Jackets’ struggles has been a remarkable youth movement. Coach Paul Hewitt has a lineup that includes only one junior and one senior. And Mario West (the junior) and Theodis Tarver (the senior) aren’t among the team’s top five scorers despite averaging a combined 43 minutes per game. The lack of production from West and Tarver is disappointing, especially from West, who is a powerful slasher capable of taking over games. Tarver is more of a defensive specialist, and the team needs him to shut down opponents because the Yellow Jackets shoot a pedestrian 45 percent from the field. In five of six Tech wins, the Yellow Jacket held opponents to less than 70 points. But in three of four losses, opponents scored more than 70.
Despite the youth, Hewitt still tries to use a 10-man rotation. Sophomore guard Anthony Morrow leads the team with 16.5 points per game. Morrow is the only outside threat on the entire team and the only one to hit more than four three-pointers on the season. That is remarkably bad, and as a result, teams can collapse in the paint on Georgia Tech’s talented frontcourt, led by sophomores Jeremis Smith an Ra’Sean Dickey. Smith is good for 13.4 points and 8.9 rebounds per game, and Dickey averages 11.2 points and 6.8 rebounds per game. Georgia Tech should improve as the younger players mature. But the Yellow Jackets are clearly going through more growing pains than North Carolina, the only other ACC team that has an entirely different starting five from last season.
Florida State Seminoles (9-1, 0-0)
Last three games:
Win: Stetson, 75-57
Win: Campbell, 108-73
Win: Nebraska, 74-60
Next two games:
Jan. 4: At Clemson
Jan. 7: Virginia Tech
The Seminoles can’t quite claim to be the surprise of the season so far, but Florida State is off to a noteworthy start. Florida State’s best win is against Nebraska, and the Seminoles only loss is at Florida. The loss at Florida is slightly encouraging because the Seminoles had a large first-half lead before the Gators mounted a huge rally to win. Florida State needs to learn the toughness to withstand and overcome big runs by opponents, especially on the road. If coach Leonard Hamilton taught this team to find the mental toughness to ignore the crowd noise and hit shots to silence fans and kill runs, the Seminoles have a chance to build a special season that will end in an NCAA Tournament run. But a soft non-conference schedule means Florida State must win some big games in conference play.
Florida State has been winning with solid defense and great post play. The Seminoles have held eight of nine opponents to less than 70 points in their wins. Offense had been Florida State’s bugaboo last season, but this year, the Seminoles are second to Maryland in scoring at 82.9 points per game. If junior forwards Al Thornton and Alexander Johnson continue to play at a high level, Florida State will have a frontcourt worthy of mention in the same sentence with Duke’s and Boston College’s. Thornton leads the team with 14.4 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, and Johnson is second in both categories at 10.8 points and 5.8 rebounds per game.
Florida State’s most glaring weakness is ball control. The Seminoles are second to last in the conference in turnovers, and it’s not because they’re forcing a ton of turnovers on defense and playing a high-octane offense. Johnson and Thornton regularly combine to turn the ball over more than five times per game, which is bad because they are the Seminoles’ best scorers. Not surprisingly, with so much talk of the frontcourt, the team’s backcourt production leaves something to be desired. Senior forward Andrew Wilson is the only player who has attempted more than 15 three-pointers and hit more than a third of them. That’s not a good sign for a team that will play better defenses in ACC play. Florida State desperately needs guards Todd Galloway, Jason Rich, Isaiah Swann and Ralph Mims to become more reliable shooters or else opponents won’t have to honor any outside threat.
Clemson Tigers (11-2, 0-0)
Last three games:
Win: Akron, 66-59
Loss: at Georgia, 72-69
Loss: Elon 74-69
Next two games:
Jan. 4: Florida State
Jan. 7: At Virginia
Clemson got off to a fantastic start, rattling off 11 straight wins, including an 82-63 blowout against South Carolina. But the Tigers have now dropped two straight games, including a 74-69 home loss to Elon that easily qualifies as the worst loss of the season.
But the true worst loss of the season is sophomore forward James Mays. Mays will not play again this season because he is academically ineligible after apparently having a rough semester in the classroom. That’s unfortunate because he had a smooth game on the court, averaging 9.2 points and 7.6 rebounds per game. That’s one of the better lines among ACC forwards, especially when you add 17 blocks on defense. When Mays was in the game, the Tigers allowed only three of 11 opponents to score 70 points. Since Mays’ departure, Georgia and Elon both put up at least 70 points.
Without Mays, Clemson becomes even more one-dimensional. Despite shooting an ACC-worst 31.7 percent from three-point land, the Tigers have attempted more three-pointers than any other team. They have attempted 70 more three-pointers than Miami, the third most frequent long bombers in the conference. Guards Cliff Hammonds and Shawan Robinson lead the charge, but neither one hits more than 33 percent of his long shots. Junior point guard Vernon Hamilton is the Tigers’ leading scorer with 12 points per game. Senior forward Akin Akingbala is now Clemson’s only dependable post player, averaging 10 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. Without Mays, Clemson will need Akingbala to hold down the fort and hope the guards can hit enough three-pointers to keep the Tigers competitive. And that’s not likely to happen consistently.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (10-2, 0-0)
Last three games:
Win: Princeton, 61-42
Win: at Richmond, 47-40
Win: Charleston Southern, 87-47
Next two games:
Jan. 3: East Carolina
Jan. 8: Duke
The Demon Deacons have had an interesting start to this season with the best win coming against a tough Wisconsin team and the worst loss coming against a dubiously talented DePaul squad. Wake Forest lacks any marquis wins, which means that the Demon Deacons need to excel in ACC play. The Demon Deacons will have an opportunity to prove that they are for real against Duke later this week. More likely, however, Duke will expose several Demon Deacon weaknesses.
And the No. 1 weakness is turnovers. Wake Forest is worst in the conference at taking care of the ball, committing 17.3 turnovers per game. That total is a direct result of the inability of senior guard Justin Gray to adjust to the point guard position, which he must play in the absence of Chris Paul, who left for NBA fame and fortune after last season. Freshman guard Harvey Hale has started a few games in an attempt to minimize the turnover issues and give Gray room to maneuver without the ball. But Hale has nearly has as many turnovers as assists.
Although Gray has struggled at the point, he remains the Demon Deacons’ most dangerous player, averaging 18.5 points per game. Senior center Eric Williams is also a beast, averaging 16.1 points and 7.9 rebounds per game, making him one of the best post players in the conference. He’s one of the few players with the experience, size and skills capable of going toe to toe with Duke’s Shelden Williams. And Gray can match up well with J.J. Redick. But the rest of Wake Forest’s lineup is questionable when compared with the other ACC elite teams. Coach Skip Prosser has a magnificent frontline, however, with Williams, Kyle Visser and Trent Strickland, who all average at least 6.6 rebounds per game. Strickland is one of the most dynamic and improved players of the ACC as he can step out behind the arc and drain long shots while soaring for offensive put-backs.
Wake Forest remains an enigma, and the Demon Deacons need more consistent play at guard, which is a youthful position. A few big wins against the likes of Duke, Boston College and North Carolina State – all of whom the Demon Deacons play twice – would propel Wake to the NCAA Tournament. But seven or eight conference wins won’t be enough to put the Deacons in the tourney.
North Carolina Tar Heels (7-2, 0-0)
Last three games:
Win: Santa Clara, 76-58
Loss: at USC, 74-59
Win: UNC-Asheville, 89-47
Next two games:
Jan. 3: Davidson
Jan. 7: North Carolina State
The Tar Heels have received a lot of accolades this season for starting strong despite losing nearly every major contributor from last season’s championship squad. North Carolina has a solid win at Kentucky. The team’s worst loss is at USC. The Trojans spanked North Carolina and exposed some weaknesses that may become more glaring once ACC play starts.
North Carolina is winning thanks to coach Roy Williams’ ability to get players to buy in to his system quickly. The youngsters are running the floor and putting up 80.4 points per game. They are also playing good defense, holding six of nine opponents to less than 70 points. But the Tar Heels have some weaknesses, especially in the shooting department. North Carolina was one of the most dangerous three-point shooting teams last season, but this year’s Tar Heels hit less than a third of their attempts. And North Carolina is mediocre at the free-throw line, hitting only 66 percent. Those shooting woes don’t bode well for the Tar Heels who figure to be in many close games in conference play. They can’t afford to miss opportunities, whether they come in the form of open three-point looks or free throws.
With several freshmen forced to contribute early, Williams has turned to senior forward David Noel to provide leadership and consistency. The only Tar Heel to play more than 30 minutes per game, Noel is second on the team in scoring at 14.4 points per game and second in rebounding at 7.1 rebounds per game. Freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough is the leader in both categories at 15.8 points and 7.2 rebounds per game. He is a stud in the paint, and the Tar Heels do well to get him at least one touch per possession because his ability to get to the hoop forces opponents to collapse on him. That opens opportunities for players like junior swingman Reyshawn Terry and freshmen guards Marcus Ginyard, Bobby Frasor and Danny Green. Williams needs the young guards to develop a consistent shooting touch or else North Carolina will run into trouble in the ACC.
Boston College Eagles (10-2, 0-1)
Last three games:
Win: Harvard, 89-55
Win: at Duquesne 81-69
Win: at Rhode Island 78-56
Next two games:
Jan. 3: Massachusetts
Jan. 8: at Georgia Tech
Boston College is in its first season in the ACC and is already making its mark. At 10-2, the Eagles promise to be near the top of the standings all season. But the Eagles don’t have many great wins to prove their worth. The best win so far is at Oklahoma State. The worst loss is at Michigan State, 77-70, which is by no means a bad loss.
Defense is the name of the game for Boston College. The Eagles have held nine of 10 opponents to less than 70 points in the team’s victories. Even in the losses to Michigan State and Maryland, Boston College was in the game until the closing seconds. Perhaps as a surprise to some, Boston College shares the lead in the ACC in assists. That is a testament to the sound play that coach Al Skinner instills in his players. The Eagles have a superior understanding of spacing on both offense and defense, allowing for open looks for forwards Craig Smith, Sean Williams and Jared Dudley.
The Eagles have four players who are averaging at least 10 points, led by Dudley at 17.1 points per game. Freshman guard Tyrese Rice, averaging 10.2 points per game, has been a sparkplug off the bench and gives the Eagles a deep threat they often lacked last season. When he’s on the court with senior guard Sean Marshall, opponents must respect the three-point shot, which gives Smith and Dudley even more space to operate inside the arc. Boston College has a strong, complete lineup, and now the Eagles need to rack up the conference victories to prove their place among the ACC’s elite in the team’s first season in the conference.
Virginia Tech Hokies (10-4, 0-1)
Last three games:
Win: William and Mary, 74-64
Loss: at Old Dominion, 58-55
Win: at James Madison, 77-58
Next two games:
Jan. 7: at Florida State
Jan. 10: North Carolina
Virginia Tech was on the losing end of one of the most thrilling games of the entire season when the Hokies nearly went into Cameron Indoor Stadium and upset Duke. If Sean Dockery hadn’t hit a half-court shot at the buzzer, the Hokies might be ranked and a sure-fire bet for the NCAA Tournament. But Virginia Tech lacks any marquis wins. The best victory is against Stanford in Las Vegas, but the Cardinal are anything but a good team this season. The worst loss is at home against Bowling Green. Three of the Hokies’ four losses came by a combined six points. So Virginia Tech has been hanging in there with some tough teams like Duke, Ohio State and Old Dominion. Now the Hokies need to start winning games against their talented opponents.
Virginia Tech’s defense is among the best in the conference as the Hokies have held seven opponents to less than 60 points. But the defense has to be great because Virginia Tech’s offense barely cracks 70 points per game. The Hokies don’t shoot the ball particularly well from anywhere, but they don’t beat themselves, committing only 11.5 turnovers per game. Coach Seth Greenberg emphasizes mistake-free basketball and solid defense, which gives Virginia Tech to win any game. But the Hokies won’t blow many teams out either, which gives opponents an opportunity to hang in games they shouldn’t have a chance to win.
Junior forward Coleman Collins is having a sensational season for the Hokies, averaging 18.2 points and 8.4 rebounds per game. Virginia Tech also gets double-digit scoring from Zabian Dowdell, Deron Washington and Jamon Gordon but not much production from the rest of the lineup. The Hokies’ lack of depth is a combination of youth and injuries. Wynton Witherspoon has been slowed by injuries, which forces Greenberg to use only eight players. The top four scorers all average more than 31 minutes per game. The Hokies need the younger players to learn quickly or else the starters will burn out toward the end of the season.
Miami Hurricanes (8-6, 0-1)
Last three games:
Win: Stetson, 65-56
Loss: Louisville, 58-43
Win: Sacred Heart, 63-57
Next two games:
Jan. 7: Maryland
Jan. 14: at North Carolina
Miami has already earned the title as the ACC’s most disappointing team after a mediocre start to the season. The best win is against Wofford, 71-40, not exactly the caliber of competition that will drive a team to the NCAA Tournament. The worst loss is at Temple, 73-56, because the Owls simply manhandled Miami. In all fairness, the Hurricanes’ schedule has been brutal with the likes of Louisville, Florida, North Carolina State and Michigan, most on the road. But to earn a trip to the Big Dance, the Hurricanes needed to win a handful of those and they whiffed on every opportunity to prove they are Tournament worthy.
Miami got point guard Anthony Harris back from an injury for the past seven games, but he hasn’t been able to change the Hurricanes’ luck against tough opponents. Miami has the worst scoring offense in the conference at 67.7 points per game and are among the worst at distributing the ball. They commit two more turnovers than assists per game and don’t shoot well from the field. The offense has been a disaster, spoiling the efforts of a defense that has held nine opponents to less than 70 points.
The defense starts and ends with junior forward Anthony King, who is a beast in the paint. He averages 9.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game. Opponents must be wary of King’s presence or else they’ll see their shots swatted into the third row. And senior guard Robert Hite is a talented ball hawk who averages nearly two steals per game. Hite is one of only two offensive weapons for Miami, averaging 15.1 points per game. His backcourt mate Guillermo Diaz leads the team with 15.9 points per game. Both Diaz and Hite continue to light up the scoreboards, but opponents have been more effective at limiting their output compared with last season’s production. If Miami hopes to re-enter the NCAA Tournament discussion, the Hurricanes must get more production from other players and win some big games.
Virginia Cavaliers (6-5, 0-1)
Last three games:
Win: UMBC, 77-66
Win: Hartford, 71-62
Loss: at Western Kentucky, 78-68
Next two games:
Jan. 7: Clemson
Jan. 11: Florida State
The Cavaliers are not a good team and won’t contend for any post-season berth. The team’s best win is at Richmond, 59-43, and the worst loss is at Arizona, 81-51. Yes, the Cavaliers have lost to Fordham and Western Kentucky, but the loss at the Wildcats was just embarrassing because the Cavaliers weren’t competitive and appeared to give up.
On a team that doesn’t have an offensive rhythm, the Cavaliers can’t afford to play bad defense. In six wins, Virginia has not allowed more than 66 points. But in three of the five losses, the Cavaliers have allowed at least 78 points. Not surprisingly, Virginia just doesn’t shoot well – barely 42 percent from the field. And the poor shooting isn’t a product of too many three-pointers because the Cavs are attempting the third fewest long shots in the conference.
Although there are many things to criticize at Virginia, sophomore point guard Sean Singletary is not one of them. Singletary is a budding star, averaging 17.4 points, 4.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. He is a legitimate playmaker and forces opponents to expend a lot of energy to contain him. And he creates for teammates like junior guard J.R. Reynolds, who is second on the team with 14.9 points per game. Reynolds is also the only other double-digit scorer. Virginia’s other players are a collection of forwards and swingmen of different shapes and sizes. But none fits the mold of a dominant player, mostly because they are young and inexperienced. Coach Dave Leitao isn’t facing high expectations this season, so he can use this year to mold a future winner. The young forwards coupled with Reynolds and Singletary need to show the mental toughness to compete with superior competition while they grow up. If Virginia can stay competitive, that will be enough to keep fans optimistic.
