Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook
For the ninth consecutive year, the Big Ten and ACC will square off in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, a made-for-TV, head-to-head battle royale. Despite the fanfare and several thrilling games in past years, the ACC has taken the challenge out of winning the event with a perfect 8-0 mark. And win No. 9 will come this week.
This year’s Big Ten/ACC Challenge smacks of contrived match ups and forced story lines. For example, Duke and Wisconsin will meet for the first time ever. Ohio State and North Carolina will play a rematch of last season’s 98-89 thriller, in which Greg Oden missed the game in Chapel Hill with a broken hand. It’s also the dream Final Four match up from last season if Georgetown hadn’t spoiled North Carolina’s run in the Elite Eight. Meanwhile, Georgia Tech will play Indiana for the first time in nearly 40 years.
Who cares?
North Carolina vs. Ohio State is so last year. There are plenty of schools Duke hasn’t played that would be compelling TV. And if the Yellow Jackets and Hoosiers waited another 10 years to hook up, would you notice?
This event should set up the ACC’s best team against the Big Ten’s best team, the ACC’s second-best team against the Big Ten’s second-best team, and so on. That would give far more meaning to the event if the top game could conceivably play a factor in determining a No. 1 seed in March. And the middle games could become pivotal in deciding the final bids to the NCAA Tournament. Forced story lines should only occur on occasion and only when the match ups remain competitive. Georgia Tech at Indiana? Come on.
This year, the Big Ten’s best, Indiana and Michigan State, play Georgia Tech and North Carolina State, respectively. The Big Ten schools are at home. The Wolfpack might challenge the Spartans, but it seems like the event’s organizers tossed a couple freebies to the Big Ten to make sure the conference doesn’t get skunked in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge standings. It might not matter.
Ideally, North Carolina would play Indiana, and Duke would play Michigan State. Those match ups would generate plenty of intrigue and would have plenty of meaning come March. Ohio State vs. Florida State and Georgia Tech vs. Ohio State could have pit four potential bubble teams.
But instead, we have these games. I offer my picks for each game. ACC: 7, Big Ten: 4.
Nov. 26
Wake Forest at Iowa, Pick: Wake Forest
Nov. 27
Wisconsin at Duke, Pick: Duke
Clemson at Purdue, Pick: Clemson
Northwestern at Virginia, Pick: Virginia
Minnesota at Florida State, Pick: Florida State
Georgia Tech at Indiana, Pick: Indiana
Nov. 28
North Carolina at Ohio State, Pick: North Carolina
Boston College at Michigan, Pick: Boston College
North Carolina State at Michigan State, Pick: Michigan State
Illinois at Maryland, Pick: Illinois
Virginia Tech at Penn State, Pick: Penn State
Duke Blue Devils (6-0, 0-0)
Duke won the EA Sports Maui Invitational championship for the fourth time and avenged a loss to Marquette in the CBE Classic championship game last season. Led by freshman forward Kyle Singler’s 25 points, the Blue Devils outlasted the Golden Eagles 77-73 in Lahaina to give Duke a big early season victory against a highly ranked opponent.
In addition to Singler, freshmen Nolan Smith and Taylor King have joined a veteran Duke core that appears ready to return to the top of the conference. Duke has blasted its first six opponents by an average of 27.3 points. Singler leads four Duke players who score double figures with 15.8 points per game. He also is second on the team with 6.6 rebounds per game. Singler, King and Smith average 28.6 points per game, giving Duke a potent 10-man rotation.
With upcoming games against Wisconsin, Davidson and Michigan, the Blue Devils aren’t likely to continue averaging nearly 90 points per game. However, coach Mike Krzyzewski has Duke playing vintage Blue Devil basketball – high tempo, high pressure, frequent scoring bursts en route to big wins. If Duke wins those three games and can beat Pittsburgh in Madison Square Garden, the Blue Devils will likely enter 2008 undefeated.
Up Next:
Nov. 27 vs. Wisconsin
Dec. 1 vs. Davidson (in Charlotte)
Dec. 8 vs. Michigan
North Carolina Tar Heels (5-0, 0-0)
The Tar Heels remain undefeated after five games, but it hasn’t been easy. Davidson led most of the second half in the season opener before North Carolina escaped with a 72-68 victory. In the Las Vegas Invitational, the Tar Heels needed another late run to dispatch BYU. The Cougars upset Louisville a day earlier, spoiling the lone top 10 match up North Carolina could have faced in non-conference play.
Coach Roy Williams doesn’t mind the close games, however, because they force the Tar Heels to play their best against talented, upset-minded opponents. Junior forward Tyler Hansbrough has risen to the challenge, scoring more than 20 points in four of North Carolina’s five games. The pre-season All-American is averaging 23 points and nine rebounds per game. Guard Wayne Ellington has started his sophomore season on fire, shooting 55.2 percent from the field and 48 percent from three-point range to average 17 points per game.
The Tar Heels will await word on sophomore point guard Ty Lawson, who injured his ankle against BYU in the opening minutes of the Las Vegas Invitational championship game. He could not run full speed on the ankle, forcing him to miss the rest of the game. If Lawson misses extended time, junior Bobby Frasor and senior Quentin Thomas would likely share time at point guard, but neither has Lawson’s explosive abilities. He set a career high against Old Dominion with 23 points in only 21 minutes.
North Carolina will continue its longest road trip in Williams’ tenure with games at Ohio State and Kentucky this week. The journey includes games at Pennsylvania and Rutgers before the Tar Heels return to Chapel Hill to play Nicholls State Dec. 19.
Up Next:
Nov. 28 at Ohio State
Dec. 1 at Kentucky
Dec. 4 at Pennsylvania
Clemson Tigers (5-0, 0-0)
Clemson has not faced big-name foes yet this season, but the Tigers can take pride in beating Mississippi State, Old Dominion and Gardner-Webb, all of which have played well this season. The Tigers also should be happy that they are scoring at will with nine players making significant contributions. Like last year, the key to Clemson’s success is its talented, deep backcourt.
In the team’s toughest game so far, an 84-82 victory at Mississippi State, freshman guard Terrence Oglesby scored 17 points to lead the team to victory. Oglesby has had a strong start to his career with the Tigers, averaging 9.6 points per game in only 14.6 minutes per game. Coach Oliver Purnell has the luxury of bringing Oglesby off the bench for instant offensive production.
Meanwhile, junior swingman K.C. Rivers continues to prove that he’s one of the best players in the conference. He is averaging 15 points and 6.4 rebounds per game while shooting 53.8 percent from three-point range. Rivers’ energy is critical on defense because Purnell’s perimeter-oriented game plan relies on smaller players swarming to collect rebounds and loose balls. Defensively, the Tigers’ pressure forces 14 steals per game, and no opponent has shot better than 44 percent from the field.
Last season, the Tigers started 17-0 by beating up on a bunch of weaker opponents. After a 3-0 start in the ACC, Clemson lost nine of its next 11 games. Why won’t this team fade like last year’s version? Obviously, only time will tell. But the Tigers’ backcourt strength is vastly superior to many other ACC squads, which should help Clemson thrive in conference play. The Tigers must continue to take care of business during the next few weeks with potentially challenging games against Purdue and South Carolina.
Up Next:
Nov. 27 at Purdue
Dec. 1 vs. South Carolina
Dec. 5 at East Carolina
Miami Hurricanes (5-0, 0-0)
The Hurricanes surprised many experts who figured Virginia Commonwealth, Arkansas or Providence would leave Puerto Rico with a championship. But Miami beat the Rams and Friars en route to the Puerto Rico Tip-Off title. Sophomore guard James Dews came off the bench to lead Miami with 17 points against Providence in the championship game. The Hurricanes needed his production with scoring sensation Jack McClinton limited by foul trouble.
Miami might need Dews to continue to deliver more consistent offensive production because McClinton missed the Hurricanes’ game against Morgan State with a sprained left thumb. Without McClinton, Miami struggled offensively, shooting 39.6 percent from the field and squeaking past the Bears 55-51. Senior center Anthony King, known for his prowess on defense more than his offensive abilities, led the team with 11 points. Junior guard Lance Hurdle helped seal the victory with two free throws late in the game. He was the only reliable Hurricane from the line as the rest of the team made only 6-of-19 free throw attempts.
Despite the victories in Puerto Rico, Miami is overachieving. The Hurricanes play a weak schedule for the next month, with games against Alabama State, Florida International, Stetson, North Florida and North Carolina A&T. If Miami hopes to earn any national acclaim, the Hurricanes need to win all those and beat the respectable opponents – St. John’s, Mississippi State and Winthrop.
Up Next:
Nov. 28 vs. Alabama State
Dec. 2 vs. St. John’s
Dec. 8 at Florida International
Boston College Eagles (4-0, 0-0)
Boston College is moving on with life without Jared Dudley, Sean Marshall and a host of other Eagles who had been central to the team’s success in recent seasons. After four games, Eagles fans must like what they see from the latest version of their team, even though it hasn’t been easy. Boston College has overcome second-half deficits in all but one game. In the opener against New Hampshire – with Tyrese Rice and Shamari Spears suspended for playing in an unsanctioned summer game – freshmen Rakim Sanders and Biko Paris delivered in the clutch. Against Rhode Island, Rice and Sanders combined for 45 points to help the Eagles hand the Rams their first loss of the season.
For the Eagles to continue their early success, Rice and Spears will need to remain effective even when teams try to minimize their contributions, forcing the younger, inexperienced Eagles to step up. After four games, Rice is averaging 21.3 points and 7.7 assists per game. Spears is averaging 14 points and 11 rebounds. They probably won’t be able to maintain that production level throughout the season, especially in conference play, but coach Al Skinner needs them to deliver in clutch moments.
The Eagles will leave home for the first time this season with upcoming games at Michigan and Providence. Boston College also has St. Louis and Maryland coming up in the next two weeks. The Eagles need to win three of four to prove that they will be able to compete with the ACC’s heavyweights.
Up Next:
Nov. 28 at Michigan
Dec. 1 at Providence
Dec. 4 vs. St. Louis
Dec. 9 at Maryland
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (3-0, 0-0)
Fairfield, North Carolina Central and Winston-Salem State aren’t Duke, North Carolina and North Carolina State, but the Demon Deacons looked impressive in routing those three opponents. Wake Forest honored coach Skip Prosser, who died of a heart attack this past summer, by crushing Fairfield 85-60 in the season opener. Freshman James Johnson and sophomore Harvey Hale each scored 17 points, and the Demon Deacons forced 23 turnovers to fuel the rout. With five games in the next two weeks, including road trips to Iowa, Charlotte, Vanderbilt and Georgia, the Demon Deacons will have several opportunities to prove that the early start is indicative of a surprisingly strong season.
Against three overmatched opponents, Wake Forest’s defensive pressure has forced at least 20 turnovers in each game. The Demon Deacons smothered Winston-Salem State, allowing the Rams to shoot only 26.3 percent from the field. Freshman guard Jeff Teague had five steals in each of the first two games, and sophomore guard L.D. Williams has seven after three games. Wake Forest’s backcourt has flourished, and coach Dino Gaudio will need the guards to continue to lead the team through the upcoming tough stretch and into conference play.
Up Next:
Nov. 26 at Iowa
Nov. 29 at Charlotte
Dec. 1 vs. South Carolina-Upstate
Dec. 5 at Vanderbilt
Dec. 8 at Georgia
Virginia Cavaliers (5-1, 0-0)
Virginia won’t win if Sean Singletary has to do everything. That simple observation will apply to every Cavalier game this season. In six games so far, Virginia has stunned Arizona in Tempe and lost to Seton Hall in Philadelphia in the Philly Hoops Classic. Singletary had 24 points, eight assists and four rebounds against the Wildcats, and 23 points, seven assists and seven rebounds against the Pirates – nearly identical lines. He turned the ball over five times in each games, so he wasn’t forcing the issue in one game more than he was in the other.
The difference is that Singletary’s dominance allowed other Cavaliers to deliver significant contributions in the Arizona win, but Singletary’s teammates failed to deliver in Philly. Freshman guard Jeff Jones hit five three-pointers in the desert to score 15 points. Senior forward Jamil Tucker provided 12 points off the bench. But against Seton Hall, only junior swingman Mamadi Diane joined Singletary in double figures.
For Virginia to take full advantage of Singletary’s talent, the Cavaliers need some reliable scoring options to emerge behind Diane and junior swingman Adrian Joseph. Those three count for nearly 55 percent of the team’s production. And teams like Seton Hall have proven that you can let Singletary score at will if you shut down everyone else.
Virginia will have an opportunity to find more offensive balance against Northwestern before hosting Syracuse in a big non-conference clash in Charlottesville.
Up Next:
Nov. 27 vs. Northwestern
Dec. 5 vs. Syracuse
Dec. 7 vs. Longwood
Florida State Seminoles (5-2, 0-0)
Florida State picked up a critical road victory at Florida after dropping games to Cleveland State and South Florida in the Glenn Wilkes Classic. To build a better résumé for the NCAA Tournament, the Seminoles need to avoid more losses to opponents they are supposed to beat, like the Vikings and Bulls. In the next few weeks, Florida State will have big games against Minnesota, Butler and Providence – with the last two on the road. A three-game sweep would make the Seminoles a more viable NCAA Tournament candidate entering ACC play.
For Florida State to build a long winning streak in December, the Seminoles need to copy their performance in Gainesville. Florida State opened a 25-9 lead in the first half with stifling defense. For the game, the Seminoles held the Gators to 38.9 shooting from the field. Florida State dominated the boards, out-rebounding Florida 37-22. Jason Rich, a 6-3 senior guard, led the Seminoles with 20 points and 11 rebounds.
Florida State’s guards are the strength of this team. Seniors Isaiah Swann, Ralph Mims and Rich join junior Toney Douglas as four of the team’s top five scorers. Swann leads the group with 16.6 points per game. At 6-2, he’s third on the team in rebounding with 4.4 per game. The guards’ athleticism helps them overcome the height differential they usually face in the post. But the height disadvantage also means the Seminoles cannot afford a lackluster effort. They cannot commit lots of turnovers or allow open shots.
Coach Leonard Hamilton is still working on the right starting combination. For the past three games, sophomore forward Ryan Reid has started in the frontcourt alongside Uche Echefu. He replaced freshman forward Julian Vaughn, who started three of the first four games of the season.
Up Next:
Nov. 27 vs. Minnesota
Nov. 30 vs. Stetson
Dec. 2 vs. Samford
Dec. 8 vs. Maine
North Carolina State Wolfpack (4-1, 0-0)
North Carolina State’s lone loss made headlines because New Orleans’ T.J. Worley collected a loose ball and banked in a winning three-pointer at the buzzer. The lucky shot is the only difference between a perfect 5-0 record and a one-loss, unranked start. All of a sudden, the Wolfpack are underrated and dangerous entering games against Michigan State, Davidson, Cincinnati and Seton Hall in December. North Carolina State beat South Carolina and Villanova in the Old Spice Classic by a combined three points to leave Orlando with the tournament’s championship. The Wolfpack are learning how to win – and lose – in the final seconds, which is invaluable experience when home losses to schools like New Orleans can be excusable by March.
During the rash of close games, North Carolina State fans have watched a star emerge. Freshman forward J.J. Hickson has made it clear that he will challenge Duke’s Kyle Singler for the title of ACC Rookie of the Year. Hickson is averaging 18.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game, immediately becoming one of the Wolfpack’s best offensive weapons.
While Hickson has become a force to reckon with, junior forward Ben McCauley has been disappointing through five games. He is averaging 5.2 points and 2.8 rebounds per game after averaging 14.4 points and 6.9 rebounds per game last season. With Hickson and Brandon Costner in the frontcourt, McCauley needs to play well or risk losing his starting job.
Up Next:
Nov. 28 at Michigan State
Dec. 8 at East Carolina
Maryland Terrapins (4-2, 0-0)
Maryland whiffed on two opportunities to beat high-profile opponents when the Terrapins dropped games against UCLA and Missouri in the CBE Classic. There’s no shame in losing to the Bruins, but Maryland needed the game against the Tigers. Missouri’s nonstop pressure forced 23 turnovers, and Maryland shot only 41.4 percent from the field, including a dismal 1-of-15 from three-point territory. Heroics by senior forward James Gist prevented an embarrassing loss to Northeastern. Gist scored 27 points and hit free throws in overtime to help the Terrapins pull away for a 74-72 victory.
With an inexperienced lineup, coach Gary Williams is playing Gist, Eric Hayes and Greivis Vasquez more than 32 minutes per game. Senior forward Bambale Osby is averaging 28 minutes per game. For Maryland to be successful, some of the less experienced Terrapins – Adrian Bowie, Braxton Dupree or Cliff Tucker – need to mature quickly. One of the higher scoring ACC teams last season, Maryland is scoring only 70.7 points per game after six games. Vasquez leads the team with 17.7 points per game while adding 5.5 rebounds and five assists per game. To add to the team’s offensive woes, the Terrapins are struggling with free throws and three pointers, shooting 68.5 percent from the free throw line and 27.4 percent from behind the arc.
Illinois and Virginia Commonwealth are on deck, and the Terrapins must win at least one of those games because they are Maryland’s final opportunity to pick up any kind of a quality non-conference victory.
Up Next:
Nov. 28 vs. Illinois
Dec. 2 vs. Virginia Commonwealth
Dec. 6 vs. Morgan State
Dec. 9 vs. Boston College
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (3-2, 0-0)
The Yellow Jackets dropped their season opener to UNC-Greensboro 83-74, the team’s first loss to open a season in nearly 15 years. Georgia Tech was cold from the field, shooting only 38.2 percent. Junior guard Lewis Clinch was especially off, making only 2-of-13 shots. Coming off a suspension to end his sophomore season, Clinch has started slowly. He is shooting only 40.8 percent from the field and averaging 11 points per game. In eight fewer minutes per game last season, Clinch averaged 13.2 points per game before his suspension. For Georgia Tech to be successful, Clinch must be more consistent.
Senior guard Anthony Morrow has picked up the slack in the first few games, averaging 19 points and 6.4 rebounds per game. But if Morrow struggles, the Yellow Jackets are in trouble. Against Winthrop, Morrow was 3-of-17 and scored only 10 points, and the Eagles beat Georgia Tech 79-73. To remedy off nights from their leading guards, Georgia Tech needs to improve its defense. Opponents are averaging 78.6 points per game. That doesn’t allow for a large margin of error on offense.
Georgia Tech has a brutal schedule ahead, with games against Indiana, Vanderbilt and Kansas coming in the next three weeks.
Up Next:
Nov. 27 at Indiana
Dec. 1 at Vanderbilt
Dec. 5 at Georgia State
Virginia Tech Hokies (2-2, 0-0)
Virginia Tech figures to have a difficult season rebuilding with lots of youth. But based on the Hokies’ performance in the Great Alaska Shootout, Virginia Tech will remain competitive and could surprise teams that aren’t prepared to give a complete effort. Freshman forward Jeff Allen has been critical in the early games, averaging 14.5 points and seven rebounds per game. He’s also collected nine steals in three games. Allen stepped into graduated senior Coleman Collins’ spot in the frontcourt and has played well, despite getting into foul trouble in the Hokies’ loss against Gonzaga. He had 21 points and nine rebounds against Butler, helping force overtime before the Bulldogs could emerge with an 84-78 victory.
In addition to Allen, Virginia Tech has received strong play from junior swingman A.D. Vassallo, who is leading the team with 16.8 points per game. He also is shooting 50 percent from beyond the arc. Senior swingman Deron Washington needs to be more productive, although his 12.3 points and 6.5 rebounds per game is a good start.
Virginia Tech has a mostly soft schedule coming up in the next few weeks, which will give the younger Hokies an opportunity to mesh with one another some more before entering conference play. This team will likely struggle against most teams in the ACC, but coach Seth Greenberg will make sure his team plays hard from start to finish.
Up Next:
Nov. 28 at Penn State
Dec. 1 vs. UNC-Asheville
Dec. 4 vs. UNC-Greensboro
Dec. 9 vs. George Washington
