Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook
The Virginia Tech Hokies just couldn’t let Clemson bask in the spotlight, could they? No, the Hokies had to go and beat Duke and North Carolina in a week’s span to become the media darlings of the ACC. To top off Virginia Tech’s coup, the Tigers dropped their first game last week at Maryland.
Although Virginia Tech has supplanted Clemson as the team du jour from the ACC, the Hokies and Tigers have many similarities. Both teams started conference play 3-0. Neither team was picked to finish in the top half of the conference according to most preseason predictions. Neither has a marquis non-conference victory to brag about, but each team has defeated highly admired conference foes.
And besides their recent newsworthy successes, the teams have other statistical similarities. Both teams force about three more turnovers per game than they commit. Although each team shoots a respectable 47 percent to 48 percent from the field, they are bad free throw shooting teams – both shoot worse than 65 percent from the stripe. Although the teams are rated in the top 40 by Ken Pomeroy in terms of offensive and defensive efficiency, the resemblances end there.
Virginia Tech plays a slower, tougher game. The Hokies like to grind down their opponents by taking care of the ball, forcing turnovers and taking good shots. Virginia Tech is reluctant to take the three-point shot, although the Hokies are deadly when they fire from long range, hitting nearly 40 percent of their deep shots.
On the other hand, Clemson plays a faster pace than Virginia Tech and fires a lot of three-point shots. The Tigers get nearly 30 percent of their scoring from behind the arc. But the Tigers are not as consistent, shooting less than 35 percent from three-point- territory. Clemson is a more aggressive rebounding team, collecting about four more rebounds per game than the Hokies do, including a much higher number of offensive rebounds. That statistic can partially be explained by all of the three-point attempts, which produce long rebounds that are hard for defenses to track down.
Not surprisingly, Clemson and Virginia Tech share similar keys to success. These teams win when they stick to their defensive game plan and play an efficient, effective offense. They don’t have future NBA all-stars dotting the starting lineup – probably not many future NBA players period. But they still find a way to win. If the season ended today, Clemson coach Oliver Purnell and Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg would be worthy of sharing coach of the year honors.
Now that the conference – and the rest of the country – knows that these two teams are for real, the Tigers and Hokies must be ready to take opponents’ best shot every night.
Player of the Week: Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech
Dowdell fueled the Hokies’ upset of North Carolina with 23 points, four steals, three assists and three rebounds. He added 17 points, four rebounds and three assists to his weekly line in an earlier game against UNC – Greensboro.
Rookie of the Week: Javaris Crittenton, Georgia Tech
Crittenton helped lead the Yellow Jackets to two home victories last week by combining for 34 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds and four steals. That’s not bad against the likes of Florida State and Duke.
ACC Coach Watch: Seth Greenberg, Virginia Tech
Rather than spotlighting a coach whose team is in dire straits, the weekly ACC Coach Watch will recognize a coach whose team excelled. Greenberg’s Hokies have wins against Duke and North Carolina in a week’s time. Most coaches would be happy with wins against those programs during the course of two seasons. Yet Greenberg’s Hokies accomplished both feats in under a week.
Boston College Eagles (12-4, 4-0)
Last week:
Won at Wake Forest 95-85
Won vs. Virginia 78-73
After a nondescript non-conference run, many experts had Boston College slated as a bubble team for the NCAA Tournament. But the Eagles have kicked off the conference season looking like a legitimate NCAA squad. With wins against Wake Forest and Virginia last week, the Eagles are perched atop the standings at 4-0. Senior forward Jared Dudley, the conference’s leading scorer, delivered double-doubles in both games. He had 19 points and 13 rebounds in Winston-Salem and notched 22 points and 11 rebounds against the Cavaliers.
With Dudley back in the lineup after missing time with a foot injury, the Eagles are a much more effective team. Boston College’s tough interior yielded 46 free throw attempts against Wake Forest and 45 against Virginia. Junior forward Sean Williams is another critical piece to the Eagles’ puzzle. Williams took another step toward becoming a bona fide offensive weapon by scoring 19 points against the Cavaliers. Williams deserves credit for taking the time and effort to drastically improve his free throw shooting. He is approaching 70 percent from the line this season after barely cracking 50 percent during his first two seasons.
Next week:
Jan. 16 vs. Miami
Jan. 20 at Clemson
Virginia Tech Hokies (13-4, 3-0)
Last week:
Won at UNC-Greensboro 74-51
Won vs. North Carolina 94-88
Virginia Tech joined Clemson as the shock of the ACC this season, starting 3-0 in conference play with a huge 94-88 victory against North Carolina. The Hokies led throughout the game, building a double-digit lead in the second half that held up until the closing minutes. The tandem of senior guards – Zabian Dowdell and Jamon Gordon – confounded the young Tar Heel ball handlers. Dowdell has been playing like a possessed man recently. He scored 23 points in the upset of the Tar Heels and added three rebounds, three assists and four steals. In addition, Dowdell delivered 11-of-15 free throw attempts.
The Hokies appear to be a legit NCAA squad at this point in the season. Virginia Tech’s mix of mental toughness and physical play is a remnant of the team’s Big East persona. With seniors in the backcourt, opposing teams struggle to force many turnovers. Dowdell and Gordon have seen these teams plenty of times and know what to expect.
Virginia Tech must be wary of a letdown this week when the Hokies travel to Florida State and then host Maryland. With recent wins against Duke and North Carolina, the Hokies have plenty of reasons to be distracted with their own success.
Next week:
Jan. 17 at Florida State
Jan. 21 vs. Maryland
Clemson Tigers (17-1, 3-1)
Last week:
Won at North Carolina State 87-76
Lost at Maryland 92-87
The Tigers became the last undefeated team to lose last week when Clemson they dropped a tough game to Maryland. Despite the loss, the Tigers remain one of the major stories of this season. Clemson’s offense is one of the most efficient in the country, based on Ken Pomeroy’s efficiency rankings. The Tigers’ mix a combination of pressure defense and smooth long-range shooting. Against North Carolina State, the Tigers forced nine more turnovers than they committed and shot 10-of-19 from three-point range. Even in their loss to the Terrapins, the Tigers forced 20 turnovers and shot 47 percent from behind the arc.
The problem for Clemson is that they have been letting opponents shoot. The Wolfpack surpassed 50 percent from the field, and the Terrapins topped 62 percent. Free throw shooting is another problem – Clemson hit only 12-of-28 free throw attempts last week. In contrast, the Tigers’ opponents made six more free throws than Clemson have even attempted. As the conference season progresses, Clemson’s defense will have to do more than just force turnovers, and the offense will need to do more at the free throw line, especially in tight games.
Next week:
Jan. 17 vs. North Carolina
Jan. 20 vs. Boston College
North Carolina Tar Heels (15-2, 2-1)
Last week:
Won vs. Virginia 79-69
Lost at Virginia Tech 94-88
Everyone across the country talked about the fall of the No. 1 team last weekend when Virginia Tech took down the Tar Heels 94-88. The game wasn’t as close as the final score would indicate as the Hokies led by as much as 20 points. Don’t blame sophomore forward Tyler Hansbrough, though. One of the most dominant players in the conference, Hansbrough had 19 points and 15 rebounds, including eight at the offensive end. Hansbrough had a solid performance against Virginia earlier in the week with 18 points and seven rebounds.
As mentioned earlier in the season, the young Tar Heels need a senior leader to emerge, and senior swingman Reyshawn Terry is the only option. But leadership is apparently kryptonite to Terry. Terry’s line in two games last week is abysmal for the senior Tar Heel: nine points on 2-of-7 shooting, three turnovers, four fouls and only 37 minutes. After improving dramatically last season and becoming a team leader averaging 14.3 points per game, Terry is off to a dismal start, averaging only 8.8 points per game. He’s playing about four fewer minutes per game, largely because North Carolina has a deeper bench this season. But his reduction in playing time is also likely because Terry hasn’t emerged as a go-to guy who can help this team overcome tough situations.
Next week:
Jan. 17 at Clemson
Jan. 20 vs. Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (13-4, 2-2)
Last week:
Won vs. Duke 74-63
Won vs. Florida State 88-80
Georgia Tech picked up two huge wins last week to reverse a 0-2 start in ACC play. The Yellow Jackets beat Duke 74-63 first, and they followed that with another home victory against Florida State 88-80. Georgia Tech’s aggression on offense reaped rewards at the free throw line, as the Yellow Jackets attempted 31 more free throws than their opponents last week. Freshman guard Javaris Crittenton had a huge week with 11 points, seven rebounds, five assists and two steals against Duke and 23 points, five assists and two steals against Florida State.
Junior guard Anthony Morrow has been an important part of Georgia Tech’s resurgence in the past week. Coming off the bench, Morrow scored 19 points against Duke and 17 against Florida State. He hit 6-of-8 three-point attempts for the week, fueling his scoring outburst. Coach Paul Hewitt uses Morrow as one of the most dangerous sixth men in the conference. A prolific scorer, Morrow can provide instant offense after the starters soften up an opponent.
Next week:
Jan. 20 at North Carolina
Miami Hurricanes (9-9, 2-2)
Last week:
Won at Maryland 63-58
Lost vs. Duke 85-63
Miami put up 63 points on the scoreboard twice last week, winning at Maryland but losing badly at home vs. Duke. The games were polar opposites. In College Park, the Hurricanes shot horribly, hitting only 31 percent from the field. But Miami held the Terrapins to 22 percent shooting. And the Hurricanes collected 50 rebounds, showing considerable more energy in chasing down loose balls. The win propelled Miami into the middle of the ACC pack.
But the Hurricanes dropped down again after losing to the Blue Devils. Miami shot much better at home, hitting nearly 50 percent from the field. But the defense was nonexistent as Duke shot 68 percent. The few rebounds available were collected by Duke. The Blue Devils out-rebounded the Hurricanes 30 to 15. The play of sophomore forward Brian Asbury was the lone highlight against Duke. Asbury continues to play like one of the most improved players in the conference, scoring 19 points against Duke after putting up seven points and 10 rebounds at Maryland.
Next week:
Jan. 16 at Boston College
Jan. 20 at Florida State
Maryland Terrapins (15-3, 1-2)
Last week:
Lost vs. Miami 63-58
Won vs. Clemson 92-87
Maryland fans are getting tired of reading this same old script. The Terrapins start with a gaudy non-conference record that includes a couple of good wins matched a decent loss or two. But then conference play comes around, and Maryland loses inexplicable games at home and on the road. Last week, Maryland looked flat in a humiliatingly ugly loss against Miami in College Park. The Terrapins shot only 22 percent from the field, hitting only 13 shots in the entire game. They committed two more turnovers than that.
But despite their struggles, the Terrapins flash moments of greatness. Against Clemson, the offense was clicking, as Maryland shot better than 60 percent from the floor. All five starters reached double figures in scoring, led by senior forward Ekene Ibekwe, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds. If Maryland wants to exorcise the demons of recent disappointments, the Terrapins need to bring the Clemson-level of intensity every night and eliminate the Miami-level of play.
Next week:
Jan. 16 at Virginia
Jan. 21 at Virginia Tech
Duke Blue Devils (14-3, 1-2)
Last week:
Lost at Georgia Tech 74-63
Won at Miami 85-63
There’s nothing mysterious about Duke’s results last week. At Georgia Tech, the Blue Devils struggled at times on offense, shooting about 43 percent from the field. Georgia Tech shot much better – 56.4 percent – and was more aggressive in collecting rebounds. Coach Mike Krzyzewski urged his team to play with more urgency at Miami, and the Blue Devils responded by shooting nearly 70 percent from the field and doubling up the Hurricanes in the rebounding category – 30 to 15. As a result, Duke pounded Miami 85-63.
Duke’s first win against Miami still featured a pervasive problem: turnovers. The Blue Devils committed 16 turnovers against the Hurricanes and 17 in Atlanta. Duke cannot afford to waste possessions because they cannot count on shooting better than 60 percent every night. As the season advances, the Blue Devils need their freshmen to grow and become consistent contributors. Freshman swingman Gerald Henderson is playing less than 20 minutes per game and averages only 5.8 points per game. He is not a particularly great shooter yet, hitting less than 40 percent of his shots and 30 percent of his three-point attempts. Henderson needs to find his range in conference play and average closer to 10 points to help spark the Blue Devils’ often lackluster offensive attack. This team has the talent to make a run to a second-place finish, but it has the potential to struggle in the middle of the pack throughout the season.
Next week:
Jan. 18 vs. Wake Forest
Jan. 20 at North Carolina State
Virginia Cavaliers (9-6, 1-2)
Last week:
Lost at North Carolina 79-69
Lost at Boston College 78-73
Virginia dropped a pair of tough road games at North Carolina and Boston College. But the Cavaliers showed promise in each game, leading North Carolina for most of the first half and playing the Eagles tight through the end of the game. Senior guard J.R. Reynolds had a good pair of games, scoring 21 against Boston College and 15 at North Carolina. He also dished out seven assists in each game. Although Reynolds is not a true point guard, he is a critical cog in the Cavaliers’ offense.
Virginia prefers to play a fast-paced game that features a lot of three-point shots. In fact, Virginia relies on three-point production more than any other ACC team. The Cavaliers need to develop a more consistent attack inside the arc to contend throughout the season. When the long shots aren’t falling, Virginia doesn’t have a good enough defense to keep pace with most of the talented ACC squads. Coach Dave Leitao must make some adjustments if the Cavaliers hope to make a run toward the top of the standings.
Next week:
Jan. 16 vs. Maryland
Jan. 21 vs. Wake Forest
North Carolina State Wolfpack (11-6, 1-3)
Last week:
Lost vs. Clemson 87-76
Won at Wake Forest 88-74
The depth-challenged Wolfpack split two conference games last week, losing at home to Clemson before winning on the road against designated rival Wake Forest. In the two games, North Carolina State’s bench generated a dismal total of five points. Four of the five starters played at least 35 points in one of the two games. Despite the long minutes, these Wolfpack players are shooting extraordinarily well – 55 percent against Clemson and 60 percent at Wake Forest. The problem is that North Carolina State’s opponents are shooting well too. Against Clemson, the Tigers committed only eight turnovers, while the Wolfpack were sloppy with the ball at times. That gave Clemson the advantage and, ultimately, the victory. North Carolina State was more proficient in forcing turnovers in Winston-Salem, leading to the team’s first conference victory.
The Wolfpack have a full week to rest the exhausted starters before playing a huge game in Raleigh against hated rival Duke. The Blue Devils will be a heavy favorite, and the Wolfpack will need to win the turnover battle to have a chance.
Next week:
Jan. 20 vs. Duke
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-7, 1-3)
Last week:
Lost vs. Boston College 95-85
Lost vs. North Carolina State 88-74
Wake Forest had two great offensive efforts last week, shooting over 53 percent against North Carolina State and nearly 50 percent against Boston College. Despite the hot shooting at home, the Demon Deacons managed to lose both games by double-digits. Wake Forest has discovered a solid rotation that highlights different players on different nights. Against the Eagles, senior forward Michael Drum had a season-high 21 points off the bench to lead the Demon Deacons. But Wake Forest could not contain Boston College, especially in the paint. The Eagles worked their way to the free throw line 46 times.
Fouls were not a problem against the Wolfpack, who had only 14 free throw attempts. But North Carolina State shot more than 60 percent against Wake Forest’s poor defense. The Demon Deacons could not come up with a stop, wasting another solid effort by the bench. Led by sophomore forward Kevin Swinton, the bench players scored 40 points. Swinton finished with 16 points and seven rebounds, including six offensive rebounds.
Next week:
Jan. 18 at Duke
Jan. 21 at Virginia
Florida State Seminoles (12-5, 0-3)
Last week:
Lost at Georgia Tech 88-80
Although the Seminoles shot above 50 percent from the field at Georgia Tech, Florida State’s defense could not contain Georgia Tech’s shooters. Sophomore guard Toney Douglas and senior forward Al Thornton each surpassed the 20-point mark, and sophomore forward Uche Echefu registered his first double-digit scoring game in ACC play. But the lack of defense led to Florida State’s third consecutive loss. As the only team in the ACC without a conference win, the Seminoles enter a do-or-die week with two home games against Virginia Tech and Miami. Florida State must win both games to become relevant in ACC play again.
Next week:
Jan. 17 vs. Virginia Tech
Jan. 20 vs. Miami
