Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook
As the ACC’s teams pass the midpoint of conference play this week, some teams have a lot of work ahead to ensure a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Not surprisingly, North Carolina and Duke are locks for the tournament. A shock too many, Virginia Tech is the only other school that can join the perennial ACC powers in that group.
Before last week, Clemson would have been a lock for an NCAA Tournament bid. But after dropping games against Duke and Virginia – in gut-wrenching fashion – the Tigers need to do some more work to make critics ignore a weak non-conference slate. The final four regular-season games include Duke and Miami in Littlejohn Coliseum and road trips to Virginia Tech and Boston College. A poor finish could necessitate a strong showing in the ACC Tournament, even though the Tigers will almost certainly register their first 20-win season of the decade.
If the season ended today, Boston College and Florida State would like their chances of earning a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Eagles have had a strong start to ACC play, but they must continue to win without the banished Sean Williams, or else the selection committee will not give the team as much credit for its 5-0 start. Florida State, on the other hand, has a healthy cast of players who simply need to prove that they can win on the road. The Seminoles travel to Clemson, Duke, Maryland, Miami and Virginia before the season ends. Florida State needs to win at least two of those games to feel more comfortable about an NCAA Tournament bid.
Those six teams have the strongest profiles at this point in the season. Georgia Tech, Maryland and Virginia can also make a case for a bid based on their performances. But only the Cavaliers have a winning record in conference play. If the conference were to grab a seventh invitation today, Virginia would likely get the nod. Although eight teams are not out of the question, the Terrapins and Yellow Jackets need to get closer to .500 in the conference and win on the road.
At the bottom of the conference, Miami, North Carolina State and Wake Forest are already relegated to spoiler status. These three teams have struggled, as many experts predicted before the season. Each team has played competitively at times and is capable of taking out ill-prepared conference foes, especially on their respective home courts.
ACC Player of the Week: Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech
Experienced guard play makes winning on the road a little easier, as the Hokies learned first hand last week. Dowdell scored 30 points in a win at Miami and led the team with 23 points against Georgia Tech later in the week. Dowdell also had 13 assists, seven rebounds and six steals in the two games.
ACC Rookie of the Week: Ty Lawson, North Carolina
In two blowout wins at Wake Forest and Arizona, Lawson proved that he is the fastest man in the arena whenever the Tar Heels take the court. He finished with 33 points, 13 assists, seven steals and four rebounds in the two road victories.
ACC Coach Watch: Skip Prosser, Wake Forest
A second consecutive disastrous season might turn up the heat in Winston-Salem. Prosser’s Demon Deacons are below .500 as they enter a critical homestand in which they play five of their next six games at Wake Forest. To avoid another finish in the ACC’s cellar, the Demon Deacons need to win three or four of those games.
Virginia Tech Hokies (16-5, 6-1)
Last week:
Won at Miami 92-85
Won at Georgia Tech 73-65
As January turns to February, Virginia Tech is in first place in the ACC, leading the Tar Heels by half a game. The Hokies vaulted into the top spot last week by winning two road games at Miami and Georgia Tech. Senior guard Zabian Dowdell had two huge performances, scoring 30 points at the Hurricanes and 23 against the Yellow Jackets. In addition to shooting 14-of-23 from the field for the week, Dowdell ran the offense by dishing out 13 assists and committing only one turnover. Dowdell’s outstanding play has Virginia Tech looking like an ACC contender.
In addition to strong guard play from one of its senior leaders, Virginia Tech is winning games thanks to outstanding free throw shooting. That’s something Hokie fans figured they’d never be able to say. Last week, Virginia Tech earned 67 trips to the free throw line and hit 53 of those attempts, good for nearly 80 percent. For the season, the Hokies shoot less than 66 percent from the free throw line, so this past week’s performance bodes well for the team’s chances in close games throughout the balance of the season.
Next week:
Jan. 31 vs. North Carolina State
Feb. 3 at Boston College
North Carolina Tar Heels (19-2, 5-1)
Last week:
Won at Wake Forest 88-60
Won at Arizona 92-64
Although it’s not surprising to anyone who listened to the preseason hype, the Tar Heels are looking like a bona fide championship contender. North Carolina won road games at Wake Forest and Arizona by 28 points apiece. The dismantling of the Wildcats is especially noteworthy because many experts consider the Pac-10 to be the best conference in the country. According to Ken Pomeroy’s RPI statistics, the ACC has a slight edge against the Pac-10 after this past weekend’s action. And the Tar Heels’ demolition in the desert emphasizes that the ACC is ready to go toe-to-toe with any conference.
North Carolina defeated Arizona despite playing without freshman phenom Brandan Wright and sophomore guard Marcus Ginyard, who missed the game because of illness. Starting in Wright’s place, freshman forward Deon Thompson scored 14 points and grabbed six rebounds. He was one of six Tar Heels to reach double figures in scoring. Freshman point guard Ty Lawson was sensational, scoring 18 points and dishing out eight assists while committing only one turnover. North Carolina will look to push its ACC record to 7-1 at the midpoint of conference play when the Tar Heels play Miami and North Carolina State this week. More significantly, the first North Carolina-Duke battle looms on the schedule Feb. 7.
Next week:
Jan. 31 vs. Miami
Feb. 3 at North Carolina State
Boston College Eagles (14-6, 6-2)
Last week:
Won vs. Florida State 85-82
Lost at Duke 75-61
Give Boston College credit, the Eagles could have collapsed following the dismissal of junior forwards Sean Williams and Akida McLain. With two key members of the frontcourt gone, coach Al Skinner is using only seven or eight players in his rotation. He’s without his best defense stopper, too, as Williams averaged five blocks per game to go with 12.1 points and 6.9 rebounds a game.
But Boston College rallied after a 74-54 blowout at Clemson to beat Florida State 85-82 as senior guard Sean Marshall drained a three-pointer at the buzzer to avoid an overtime period. Marshall finished with 22 points in the game, joining senior forward Jared Dudley and sophomore guard Tyrese Rice in the 20-point club. Rice led all scorers with 26 points, and Dudley scored 23. Although the Eagles could not maintain the momentum at Duke in a 75-61 loss in Cameron Indoor Stadium, Boston College looks like a solid ACC contender despite a shorter bench.
Next week:
Jan. 31 vs. Hartford
Feb. 3 vs. Virginia Tech
Duke Blue Devils (18-3, 5-2)
Last week:
Won vs. Clemson 68-66
Won vs. Boston College 75-61
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than good. After squandering a second-half lead to Clemson, Duke needed sophomore forward David McClure’s buzzer-beating layup to earn a 68-66 victory. But McClure might not have had time to complete the overtime-avoiding play if the clock at Cameron Indoor Stadium had started when it was supposed to during the previous possession. Winning 66-63, sophomore forward Josh McRoberts turned over the inbounds pass to Clemson, and Vernon Hamilton drained a game-tying three-pointer. But the clock did not start until the shot was in the basket. After reviewing the play, the officials added about two more seconds to the game clock than should have appeared, giving Duke about five seconds to run the play for McClure. Although Clemson fans may cry foul, Duke deserves credit for executing in the final seconds when an opportunity to win arose.
Despite the turnover in the closing seconds against Clemson, McRoberts played exceptionally well last week, with 17 points and 12 rebounds against the Tigers and 16 points and 12 rebounds against Boston College. McRoberts blocked five shots against the Eagles, fueling a defensive masterpiece in which the Blue Devils held Boston College to 34.5 percent shooting from the field. Those two games marked the second time this season that McRoberts has registered double-doubles in consecutive games. He did it earlier this season against Gonzaga and San Jose State.
Duke might need a third consecutive double-double in Charlottesville this week when the Blue Devils battle Virginia for sole possession of third place in the conference. After starting conference play 0-2, Duke has won five consecutive games.
Next week:
Feb. 1 at Virginia
Feb. 4 vs. Florida State
Virginia Cavaliers (13-6, 5-2)
Last week:
Won at North Carolina State 71-58
Won at Clemson 64-63
If the Cavaliers reach the NCAA Tournament, they will likely point to Jan. 28 as a turning point. Virginia trailed at Clemson by 16 points with less than 10 minutes remaining in the game. The Cavaliers needed a big road win to prove they are NCAA Tournament-worthy after they lost all but two games away from home. The ensuing rally gave Virginia that win. Senior forward Jason Cain tipped in junior forward Adrian Joseph’s miss with 15 seconds remaining to give the Cavaliers the decisive 64-63 lead. The basket was Cain’s only made field goal in the game, and he delivered for the Cavaliers when they needed someone to provide a clutch play.
The upset at Clemson followed on the heels of Virginia’s first ACC road win of the season at North Carolina State. Guards J.R. Reynolds and Sean Singletary were a two-man show, scoring 56 points on 18-of-33 shooting. They hit 10 three-pointers in the game, as the Wolfpack could not find an answer to their perimeter shooting. Virginia returns to Charlottesville next week for two games against Duke and Miami. If the Cavaliers hold court against those teams, they will find themselves among the top third of the conference entering the final few weeks of the regular season.
Next week:
Feb. 1 vs. Duke
Feb. 3 vs. Miami
Clemson Tigers (18-4, 4-4)
Last week:
Lost at Duke 68-66
Lost vs. Virginia 64-63
After starting the season 17-0 and becoming the last Division I team to lose a game, the Tigers have lost four of their last five games. Last week was especially taxing because Clemson lost heartbreakers to Duke and Virginia by a combined three points. As mentioned earlier, a timekeeping malfunction gave Duke an opportunity to win in regulation, and the Blue Devils delivered on schedule. The game-ending layup spoiled a spectacular second-half rally, capped by senior guard Vernon Hamilton’s game-tying three-pointer with somewhere between two and five seconds remaining in the game, depending on who was keeping time. Hamilton finished with 21 points and outplayed his more-heralded counterpart, Greg Paulus.
Hamilton had another strong performance against the Cavaliers in Clemson, finishing with 16 points. But the Tigers lost another emotionally draining game as the Cavaliers rallied from a double-digit deficit to win on a tip-in in the final 16 seconds of the game. Coach Oliver Purnell has a week to help his team overcome the past two games before Clemson plays at Georgia Tech. At 4-4, Clemson is in danger of slipping below .500 in conference play and onto the NCAA Tournament bubble after appearing to be a lock for a ticket to the Big Dance.
Next week:
Feb. 3 at Georgia Tech
Florida State Seminoles (15-6, 3-4)
Last week:
Lost at Boston College 85-82
Won vs. Wake Forest 73-66
Florida State split its two ACC games last week, losing at the buzzer to Boston College and overcoming Wake Forest in Tallahassee. The Seminoles continue to tread water as a quintessential bubble team. The Seminoles have a fantastic non-conference win vs. Florida on the résumé and have taken care of business at home, where the Seminoles are 12-1. But the best conference win is against Virginia Tech in Tallahassee, and Florida State has not won a true road game since playing at Georgia State during the first week of December.
Florida State has a world of talent on its roster, led by senior forward Al Thornton, who is having an All-ACC season while averaging 18.2 points and 6.5 rebounds per game. But Florida State needs to pick a few more big conference wins, especially on the road to solidify its NCAA Tournament status. The play of sophomore transfer Toney Douglas will be critical during the final six weeks of the regular season. Douglas is still adjusting to his new role as point guard, and he has only three more assists than turnovers after 21 games. Douglas needs to help the Seminoles reduce the number of turnovers to help the team steal a few road victories.
Next week:
Jan. 30 vs. Maryland
Feb. 4 at Duke
Maryland Terrapins (16-5, 2-4)
Last week:
Won vs. Georgia Tech 80-65
After handling Georgia Tech in College Park last week, the Terrapins are back in business in the ACC. Maryland’s NCAA Tournament aspirations would have received a devastating blow if Maryland had fallen to 1-5 in the conference. Junior forward James Gist was determined to lift Maryland to victory, registering a career-high 26 points on 10-of-11 shooting from the field. Like Florida State, the Terrapins need to pick up some big road wins in the conference. Maryland is 0-3 on the road in ACC play but has winnable games at Wake Forest and North Carolina State to potentially boost that record. A favorable schedule gives Maryland an excellent opportunity to finish at 8-8 in the conference despite a slow start.
Next week:
Jan. 30 at Florida State
Feb. 3 at Wake Forest
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (13-7, 2-5)
Last week:
Lost at Maryland 80-65
Lost vs. Virginia Tech 73-65
After dropping two more games last week, the Yellow Jackets are entering a four-game stretch that will make or break their season, at least in terms of NCAA Tournament aspirations. At 2-5 in the conference, Georgia Tech needs to take care of business at struggling Wake Forest then protect their home court vs. Clemson and North Carolina State. The Yellow Jackets will then play Connecticut, which is a must-win because the Huskies are having a rough year, and a loss in Atlanta would look bad on the résumé. If Georgia Tech runs the table during that stretch, the Yellow Jackets will be 17-7 and 5-5 in the conference. That’s a good position to be in entering the final three weeks of the season.
Georgia Tech is in this tight spot largely because they have played poor defense recently. They let both Maryland and Virginia Tech shoot at least 50 percent from the field. Georgia Tech added 19 turnovers to the fire in College Park, which helped spark Maryland’s dominant first half. The Yellow Jackets’ highly respected freshman duo of Thaddeus Young and Javaris Crittenton struggled against the Hokies’ seasoned veterans, and shot only 7-of-29 from the field. Coach Paul Hewitt needs to help his young team learn to overcome adversity, like last week’s two losses, and reverse that negative energy.
Next week:
Jan. 30 at Wake Forest
Feb. 3 vs. Clemson
Miami Hurricanes (9-12, 2-5)
Last week:
Lost vs. Virginia Tech 92-85
There’s no shame in losing to Virginia Tech this season. But the Hurricanes should be ashamed of their defense. Miami let Virginia Tech shoot over 58 percent from the field. The Hurricanes have allowed four consecutive opponents to eclipse the 50 percent mark and score at least 80 points. The Hurricanes have lost eight of their past 10 games, and the defense is largely the cause of the team’s struggles. On offense, sophomore guard Denis Clemente had his best of the season against Virginia Tech, scoring 24 points to lead the Hurricanes. With games at North Carolina and Virginia on tap this week, the Hurricanes figure to extend their losing streak to six.
Next week:
Jan. 31 at North Carolina
Feb. 3 at Virginia
North Carolina State Wolfpack (11-8, 1-5)
Last week:
Lost vs. Virginia 71-58
The Wolfpack dropped their only game last week at home vs. Virginia because they couldn’t defend the perimeter. Guards Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds shot 10-of-18 from behind the arc en route to a combined 56 points. The two nearly outscored the entire North Carolina State team.
The lack of depth looks like it is beginning to catch up to the Wolfpack. North Carolina State scored at least 70 points in eight of the team’s first 11 games. But they have only reached that mark four times in the past eight games. Freshman forward Brandon Costner led the Wolfpack against the Cavaliers with 14 points, and he scored nearly half that total from the free throw line. The good news in Raleigh is that senior guard Engin Atsur returned to the lineup last week to score nine points.
Next week:
Jan. 31 at Virginia Tech
Feb. 3 vs. North Carolina
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-11, 1-7)
Last week:
Lost vs. North Carolina 88-60
Lost at Florida State 74-66
Wake Forest fans sent this ACC writer several angry e-mail messages after last season when I predicted a rough 2006-07 season for the Demon Deacons in which they would struggle to avoid the conference’s basement for a second consecutive season. They insisted that a highly talented freshman class would deliver the Demon Deacons a surprisingly strong finish in the middle of the pack. After six consecutive losses, Wake Forest needs to make a major move this week to prove me wrong. Home games against Georgia Tech and Maryland are must-wins.
In fairness to the fans, Wake Forest’s freshmen have looked impressive at times. Freshman Ishmael Smith is a super quick point guard who will improve as he figures out how to play at the proper speed. L.D. Williams, Jamie Skeen and Anthony Gurley all have the potential to become double-digit scorers before they graduate. But this team is not good this season, mostly because the team forgets to play defense for long stretches. In eight of the 11 losses, Wake Forest has allowed opponents to score at least 75 points. With such a young lineup, coach Skip Prosser would be well-advised to slow down the game a little until the team plays consistent defense. Then pick up the pace.
Next week:
Jan. 30 vs. Georgia Tech
Feb. 3 vs. Maryland
