ACC Hoops Blog

Heels take the title

2005-04-05T10:23:00.000-04:00

How many different ways did Sean May beat Illinois last night? How about running the court on fast break dunks and dishing off to his teammates? How drawing a double team and kicking it back out to Rashad McCants for a three-pointer? How about his good hands under the board? And, oh yeah, he just powered his way to the basket, maybe once or twice. With another college season refining his skills, May will be the best big man entering the NBA since Tim Duncan. He simply did it all last night.

The N&O's Luciana Chavez:

"...May kept delivering; in one three 3 1/2 miunute stretch, it was all May all the time."

The Kansas City Star's Jason King, (via the Charlotte Observer):

"..May saved his best performance for the game's most crucial moments. Illinois..whittled North Carolina's 15-point lead to 52-50 after Roger Powell Jr.'s layup with 12 minutes, 43 seconds remaining. But May responded with a three-point play on North Carolina's next possession. Illinois failed to score on its next trip down the court, and May made them pay again, this time using a power dribble to break free under the basket. Just like that, the Tar Heels surged back ahead by seven, 57-50."

May's contribution wasn't just physical, as WSJ's Lenox Rawlings points out:

"Every time the Tar Heels started to demonstrate joy, May and Coach Williams ordered them into calm seriousness, even with 9.9 seconds left. That intangible effort supplemented May's compelling show..."

ESPN's Pat Forde:

The Heels "couldn't have gotten done without May. The powerhouse center had a Bill Walton Lite stat line, making 10-of-11 shots, scoring 26 points and pulling down 10 rebounds. But his stats actually bore an even stronger resemblance to his dad's performance in leading Indiana to the 1976 national title. Both scored 26 points, and both were named the tournament Most Outstanding Player."

I'll give Illinois credit for making the game as close as they did. I don't think I've ever seen a team play "three-ball" the way Illini do, with crisp passing and quick shooting.

But is there now any doubt that success on the basketball court "centers" around a quality big man?

1-2 punch

2005-04-03T08:38:00.000-04:00

Jawad steps up, Sean May hunkers down.

So Carolina knows what it has to do. The question is, will Illinois, which has lived by the three-point shot, be able to handle the Heels inside?

Did you hear?

2005-04-02T16:53:00.000-05:00

Roy Williams has never, ever, won a national title. Never. Ever.

The hype builds......

2005-04-02T16:35:00.000-05:00

ESPN's experts make their picks.

Charlotte Observer poll on which team will win the Final Four. Go ahead and click on the results.

Crash the glass

2005-04-01T20:54:00.000-05:00

It's going to be rough for Sean May under the boards.

At least May knows it. He said this about Michigan State:

"These guys attack the glass better than anybody. Their guards attack the glass."

With this in mind, May will be Carolina's most important player on Saturday.

Bad barbeque

2005-03-31T10:54:00.000-05:00

Duke fan David Jackson grudgingly gives Carolina its due for making it to the Final Four. That said, he'll be pulling for Michigan State on Saturday.

'Fess up, Carolina fans: How many of you were pulling for Connecticut in last year's semifinal?

Relax and worry

2005-03-28T10:30:00.000-05:00

Two different columnists offer radically different analyses of Carolina's return to the Final Four.

As only he can, the N&R's Ed Hardin pooh-poohs the Tar Heels' party. Fair enough: In 13 trips to the Final Four, the Heels have one only three titles, and in all his trips to the Final Four, Roy Williams has zero titles.

Hardin:

"His players know that...and they'll add that baggage to their pile of pressure before the trip later this week."

On the other hand, the N&O's Caulton Tudor says that while the pressure to win titles at Carolina is in the coach's job description,

"Williams should be allowed to relax and enjoy the ride that he's earned. Getting (to the Final Four), in this case, was the ultimate journey for the Carolina program that Williams was handed."

I was also struck by the fact that Matt Doherty's name came up in both columns, although in very different contexts.

Hardin says the Doherty era is now officially forgotten:

"There was no mention of Matt Doherty in the postgame celebration."

Tudor, on the other hand, pays homage to Doherty:

"Doherty's last team, even without (Sean) May most of the season, began to show signs of recovery and finished a competitive 19-16.

"But equally true is the fact that under doherty, the devotion to detail had slipped. Much of it wasn't his fault as coach. He had what amounted to a freshman and sophomore team that was grasping for direction. Doherty just didn't have the experience and coaching background to set that direction properly."

So is the monkey off the Tar Heels' back, or will nothing short of a title restore the faith of the Carolina blue crowd?

2005-03-27T08:18:00.000-05:00

I know I'm slack, but a man has to visit his mother once in a while. All she has is dial up......

Heels under the microscope

2005-03-25T07:53:00.000-05:00

Marvin Williams is profiled by the N&O and the N&R.

The N&R's Jeff Carlton takes notice of Williams' locker room manner:

"A reporter introduces himself to an 18-year-old in the North Carolina locker room who quickyl has buitl a reputation as one of college basketball's most remarakably gifted players. Many of the game's celebrities-in-training might acknolwedge the visitor with a quick sideways glance, if that. Not this one.

"'Hey, I'm Marvin Williams,' the long-limbed freshman said, looking up from his seat and politely extending his hand. 'Nice to meet you.'"

Meanwhile, Scott Fowler wonders if Sean May is the forgotten man in the middle. I don't think so. May knows when to assert himself. At least that's what Tar Heel fans hope.

But May can't assert himself without a little help from Raymond Felton, who posseses a God-given talent to push the ball up the court.

May:

"Raymond's my best friend this time of the year. He loves dishing the ball off. This year, more than eve, he understands what it means to lead the team. He's doen a great job of sacrificing himself more than anybody. I don't think he gets enough credit for that."

20-20 hindsight

2005-03-23T15:42:00.000-05:00

Lenox Rawlings pens a long post-mortem on Wake Forest.

Rawlings suggests says we should have seen the Deacons' premature end coming, starting with the Illinois game:

"Teams that intend to win the national championship don't fall 32 points behind anybody, because pride won't let them."

Other ominous signs: The Deacs peaked too early with their win over Carolina in the teams' only meeting; the 102 points Wake gave up to Georgia Tech in overtime; and of course, the head games, which "created conditions ripe for the victim mentality to spread."

I did wonder how the Deacons could possibly live up to all the hype. I mean, Chris Paul was everywhere. With media surrounding them eveywhere they went, Prosser and Paul probably felt comfortable sounding off about perceived slights from officials on and off the court. Such a comfort level with the media often reflects overconfidence on the court.

While sportswriters recognized Wake's defensive lapses, it seemed to me like they never really had an organized offensive scheme all season. They had talented players who were very quick to the ball, excellent 3-point and free-throw shooting, and a big man who always had three opposing jerseys taking him on. Yet it seemed like their offense was never set. In my mind, that would have cost them somewhere down the road to the Final Four.

Just my thoughts. To show you what I know, I thought Kansas looked pretty damn good. Then again, they got boned on their tournament seeding, too.......

Back to the future

2005-03-23T15:14:00.000-05:00

The N&O's Caulton Tudor says it could be 1983 all over again.

Easy, State fans. He doesn't go quite that far.

Job security

2005-03-22T15:04:00.000-05:00

So Bobby Lutz is no longer in the running for Herb Sendek's job?

Fans

2005-03-21T15:33:00.000-05:00

N.Y Times' William Rhoden gives Julius Hodge the hero treatment:

"I'm not a Julius Hodge fan because he hit a game-winning shot or scored 17 points or passed for 6 assists yesterday. I'm a fan because he has been able to maintain focus on his classes and the college life."

Rhoden quotes State assistant coach Larry Harris, who more than vouches for Hodge's talent:

"He's meant everything for our program. Up intil that time, we hadn't had a guy like him, who was a high school all-America, but who was unbelievably unselfish and willing to do things to make other guys better, along with being good himself.

"What he brought was a lot of ability, but what he also brought was that cohesiveness and togetherness. When you listen to him, that's what he's all about: winning first. Kids like him are different. He's a throwback. He's one of those guys who likes Magic Johnson. Michael Jordan, he could care less."

Pretty strong testimony.

Are we really looking at a State-Carolina regional final?

No Black Sunday

2005-03-21T11:58:00.000-05:00

Carolina cruises past Iowa State, while Duke takes a tough win over Mississippi State:

"The Blue Devils rejoiced because they knocked off a team more talented than most No. 9 seeds with a team not as talented as many of the Blue Devils' No.1 seeded-teams."

K:

"We feel honored to win this game, I'm telling you. I've been in a number of second-round games, and this one was as though (as I've had)."

K has said before that this was his most talented team defensively, and I think this showed as the game went down the stretch. The Devils realized they were matched inside:

"The Bulldogs also dictated the inside game after figuring out early that the Devils were more concerned about containing Mississippi State's guards and had chosen to let Williams guard (Lawrence) Roberts one-on-one."

While Shelden Williams certainly stepped up to match Roberts, the Devils didn't panic and kept the pressure on the Bulldogs' backcourt. Though Duke had more turnovers than Mississippi State, down the stretch they were constantly on the ball, showing the kind of hustle that produced the game's biggest play: J.J. Redick's breakaway layup that was blocked from behind, only to be followed up by Daniel Ewing.

Though Wake Forest and Georgia Tech are gone, we have an interesting mix left: A team on a a mission, a team that looks like it could cruise to the Final Four, and the gutsy conference champions running on fumes but who still find a way to win. Though Wake was on the losing end, they were a per of one of the better games of theseason, period. Again, this will be very interesting. Our conference is representing us well.

Backdoor cut

2005-03-21T10:55:00.000-05:00

State 65 Connecticut 62

N.Y. Times' Pete Thamel:

"The perpetually embattled N.C. State coach Herb Sendek, for whom saving his job in March is an annual event in Raleigh, will lead the Wolfpack to its first Round of 16 since 1989.....

"The Wolfpack, which uses a modification of the offensive system that Princeton made famous under Pete Carril, struggled most of this season after starting in the top 10. But just like its offense, North Carolina State stayed patient and is taking a backdoor cut into the Round of 16."

Thamel focuses on Julius Hodge's heroics while noting that Connecticut was exposed as "a team with only one guard capable of handling the ball.......For every rainbow jumper Williams hit, he would follow it by spinning into a double team and turning the ball over."

The N&O's Chip Alexander similarly focuses on Hodge's take charge attitude:

"N.C. State's Ilian Evtimov saw the look in Julius Hodge's eyes before Hodge took the shot, sensing what was about to unfold.

"'It was a look that said 'we're not giving up, we're not letting go, we're not losing.'

"And Hodge was not about to let anything go — the ball, the game, his last NCAA Tournament, his senior season."

But in a sidebar, Alexander focuses on Pack's teamwork, including the neutralization of UConn's inside game.

Especially key was Andrew Brackman's three-pointer off an Engin Astur feed, before which Astur put a little shoulder action on the UConn defender. The game announcers said it was a blatant foul; I personally liked the physicality.

Brackman:

"I didn't hesitate. I just put it up, and I knew it was going in when it left my hand. It's hard to describe how it feels to hit a shot like that. If you make it, you're hero. If you miss it, Coach is going to get on you. If you take it, you have to make it."

The N&R's Todd Graff focuses on State's play inside:

"So much for the vaunted UConn front line.....By neutralizing Connecticut's big front line with a mixture of man-to-man and zone defenses and by hitting a barrage of 3-pointers with that pulled the Huskies' huskies away from the basket, the Wolfpack knocked off the second seed and defending national champion..

"N.C. State's starting front line of Evtimov, Hodge and and Andrew Brackman closed with 38 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists."

State's finally found the magic formula: accurate outside shooting combined with strong inside play. True, that's every team's magic formula, but State has the variable few teams have: the backdoor cut. This will be very interesting.

Is Herb Sendek's job officially safe?

Black Saturday

2005-03-20T08:17:00.000-05:00

West Virginia 111 Wake Forest 105 2 OT

Though Wake did everything it could offesively to save its season, the Deacs broke down defensively, save Eric Williams' block on the back-door pass in the first overtime.

Skip Prosser:

"The hard thing to figure out is how well we played defensively in the first half. It was as well as we've ever played probably defensively, in terms of forcing turnovers and holdiong a team that can score like West Virginia to 27 points."

Trent Strickland:

"To be honest with you, I thought in that second OT we were going to come out and defend like we were supposed to and get the win. But we didn't."

Eric Williams:

"You've got to guard. I mean, if you don't have defense, you don't have nothing."

Taron Downey, who silenced the critics by saving Wake not once, but twice:

"We had so many high expectations for ourselves. Anything less than a national championship, I think for this whole team, was unacceptable."

Lenox Rawlings:

"The season ended in shirtsleeves, and it ended prematurely because (the Deacons) never roled up their sleeves on the defensive half of the 94-foot court. .....Wake Forest couldn't stop five soccer moms from dribbling into the lane."

Chris Paul:

"It started slipping through our fingers whgen they started getting basket after basket after basket. And it wasn't just 2's and 3's. It was drives for fouls and baskets."

When all is said and done, was Wake's defense really that bad, or did West Virginia just give the Deacs a lesson on how basketball is supposed to be played: Accurate three-point shooting mixed in with drives to the basket and back-door passes?

I have to admit I was impressed with the way Wake kept themselves in the game in both overtimes. Downey nailed the threes to keep the Deacs alive, Williams' nice hands to block a potential game-winning layup, the way Paul didn't panic by gunning threes when there was still plenty of time on the clock. The better team simply won.

Battle test

2005-03-19T09:23:00.000-05:00

Wake Forest played a tough nonconference schedule to get themselves battle tested for the NCAA tournament......and to get a higher seed, says Skip Prosser:

"I guess one out of two's not bad."

While Duke and Carolina bask in the relative warmth of Charlotte, Wake has been banished to Cleveland, where they will feel a slight chill.

Today's forecast for Cleveland: 48 degrees, mostly cloudy. Could be worse.

Surprise, surprise

2005-03-19T08:27:00.000-05:00

Carolina beats Oakland; Duke beats Delaware State.

Even though the game was never really in danger, the Devils looked a bit shaky, as Luciana Chavez points out:

"But even when it looked like the Devils had worked themselves into crusing position with that 55-35 lead, they couldn't cruise."

K:

"You should never assume it's your birthright to be in this great tournament."

Meanwhile, Tech pulls away from GW.

State 75 Charlotte 63

2005-03-18T14:28:00.000-05:00

The Wolfpack overcomes hot shooting by the 49ers in the first half by tightening up on defense.

Cowboy up

2005-03-18T10:58:00.000-05:00

JamesOn Curry is making the most of his second chance with Oklahoma State. He's a major reason why many, myself included, think the Cowboys will be dangerous in the NCAA tournament.

I thought UNC did the right thing by rescinding Curry's scholarship. The Heels an image to maintian, an image carefully crafted by Dean Smith. Does anyone doubt that Smith advised Roy Williams to pull the scholarship?

Funny, Cowboys coach Eddie Sutton agrees with me (and Williams):

"Sutton....said the right decision was made by North Carolina and Roy Williams to rescind Curry's scholarship. He said he talked with Williams about Curry and believes that for Curry, playing in the ACC may have hurt more than helped."

Sutton:

"I think it would have been very difficult for him to go up and down Tobacco Road. The fans would not be quite as forgiving. I think it would have been hard on Carolina. When they released him, I thought it was a real blessing for us."

Curry "talks about the incident but doesn't dwell on it.

"I went through that for a reason. Maybe I can help other kids out....I take full responsibility like a man."

I saw Curry against Kansas, and he looked great, especially driving to the hoop for a key shot down the stretch. I'll look forward to seeing more of him as OSU makes its tournament run. Yes, it would have been nice to see him more in ACC action, but as Curry said, he went through it all for a reason.

Which is it?

2005-03-18T10:20:00.000-05:00

That's always the question when a top ACC team plays poorly against a lesser-ranked team, as Wake Forest did in the first half against Chattanooga.

Skip Prosser:

"..We have to figure out if the first half was Chattanooga or if it was us, because we will not be able to — as the tournament ensues Saturday — to afford a performance like that. Or else we will be on a plane back home."

Let the games begin.........

2005-03-17T11:53:00.000-05:00

Black Sunday?

2005-03-16T11:14:00.000-05:00

Frank Dascenzo says don't worry about another Black Sunday.

But Dascenzo's comparing apples and oranges. Of course Duke and Carolina aren't going to lose to their first-round opponents. But while the infamous doubleheader in Reynolds Coliseum on March 11, 1979 were openers for the Devils and Heels, they were second-round games:

"All the ingredients were in place for the two ACC powers to advance to the NCAA Tournament East Regional Sweet 16 that was, conveniently, in Greensboro. Both earned a bye and seemed well-rested, although Duke was without forward Kenny Dennard and guard Bob Bender, both out with injuries."

Dascenzo goes on:

"Black Sunday happened not because the two ACC superpowers were overconfident but because Penn and St. John's were pretty good teams with quality players who simply weren't awed in the least by the environment of ACC country."

Look at the potential second-round opponents: For the Heels, we're talking Minnesota or Iowa State; for Duke, we're talking Stanford or Mississippi State. All teams from major conferences where the competition is hot. Is there any reason to believe they would be intimidated by playing in ACC country? (Yeah, I know we're talking about Charlotte.)

Iowa State could be considered the most dangerous of all. They started weak and finished weak, but had an incredible four-week stretch where they beat Oklahoma Texas, Texas Tech and Kansas. So the Cyclones definitely aren't afraid.

Another Black Sunday? Not impossible.

Meeting of the minds

2005-03-16T10:56:00.000-05:00

The Heels were expecting a K-style butt-kicking when they got to practice on Sunday.

Instead, as Robbi Pickeral writes they got what Roy Williams called a "meeting of the minds — and it was mostly my mind meeting theirs."

Pickeral breaks down what UNC needs to do start a six-game winning streak: Play better defense, speed the game up and dish out more assists. I would add stronger rebounding to the list. Sean May did all he could during a furious run, but he can't do it all himself. Georgia Tech was just quicker on balls coming off the boards.

In great shape

2005-03-15T21:19:00.000-05:00

Perhaps an overlooked aspect of Duke game: its physical condition.

Last summer, K implemented "the most demanding offseason conditioning program of his coaching career.

"After answering questions about fatigue all season, the Blue Devils proved once and for all at the ACC Tournament that fatigue will not be a factor for this team, winning three grueling games in three days — a scenario they won't face in the NCAA Tournament."

J.J. Redick, who played all but four minutes in the tournament:

"I think we're in better shape than any team in the conference. We're in great shape."

Sword, part II

2005-03-15T20:57:00.000-05:00

Caulton Tudor says it better than I did regarding Virginia's new coach to match its new arena:

"A nationally prominent coach would be a valuable insurance policy for such an investment. In essence, a half-empty new building would be just another University Hall with bells, whistles and support beams. Tubby Smith might cost $2 million or $3 million per year, but what's a couple million or so a year for a coach when he works at a place on the fat side of $120 million?"

Tudor's answer: UVa. should take a look at Jeff Capel.

Stark Fist has a lengthy analysis of the overall situation here.

ACC envy

2005-03-15T15:18:00.000-05:00

The Charlotte Observer's Tom Sorenson says Charlotte has the opportunity to release some pent-up frustration against N.C. State:

"The ACC's North Carolina schools refuse to play you in a home-and-home series. You'd think they'd want to pla to play in Charlotte in front of all that high school talent. But they don't want to play a team from a lesser conference that might beat them.....

"It's as if Charlotte is in a valley and every time the 49ers look up they see the ACC. In Duke Vitale, the conference even has its own publicist."

Falling on the sword

2005-03-14T22:45:00.000-05:00

It sure didn’t take long for Virginia and Pete Gillen to
go their separate ways. Was he fired or did he resign? Who knows, who cares.

Fox’s Mike DeCourcy bemoans the money factor hanging over Gillen's failed tenure:

“Nothing he accomplished in his first three seasons justified the awarding of a 10-year, $9 million contract that skewed all future contracts awarded Division I coaches.”

But Virginia wants a coach that will compliment the majesty of John Paul Jones Arena. How much will that cost?

Wake wins the title

2005-03-14T22:24:00.000-05:00

ESPN's Andy Katz is has it all figured out.

K kicked butt....

2005-03-14T16:07:00.000-05:00

.....according to WSJ's Lenox Rawlings:

"When Krzyzewski found himself locked in the tense early stages of the championship game, he profanely challenged the Blue Devils to play like men, the blue words darting beyond his players' heads into the Duke booster section. His wife and daughters had heard it all before, but other fans giggled or lifted their eyebrows high, braced against the willpower wind.

"When the crowd turned piano-bar quiet about two minutes before halftime, Krzyzewski demonstrated the sensitivity of his antnnae. He stood and faced the Duke patrons, imploring them to get serious about yelling."

Hardcore.

Field of dreams

2005-03-14T10:05:00.001-05:00

Duke beats Georgia Tech for the ACC Tournament title.

Instead of letting Duke bask in its glory, we turn our attention immediately to the NCAA tournament pairings.

I'll say right off the bat that the subjectivity of selecting and seeding the tournament field has bothered me since it expanded to 64 teams. But it's reality, and there's nothing I can do about it.

So Duke, by winning the ACC tournament, bumps Wake Forest from a No. 1 seed. Fair enough. Wake's regular-season-ending victory over a less-than-impressive State team, coupled with the quarterfinal loss to a more-impressive Wolfpack, rated a drop in seeding.

It was a given that Carolina was a No. 1, no matter how the Tar Heels fared in the tournament. Considering the fact that the Heels played well against Tech but were beaten by the better team on that particular day, I don't have a problem with their top seed.

Illinois, of course, was no-brainer. That leaves Washington, the most controversial choice for a No.1 seed. Selection committee chairman Bob Bowlsby explained that Kentucky's abysmal performance against Florida in the SEC championship game knocked the Wildcats out of a top seed.

But what about Oklahoma State? I've been very impressed with them both times I've seen them play. They beat Kansas, the team with the top RPI, in the semifinals before winning the Big 12 tournament with a win over Texas Tech. Is the Big 12 not a stronger conference than the Pac-10? By the way, if the RPI is so important, how does Kansas drop all the way to a No. 3 seed?

I'm also wondering how Syracuse, winners of the Big East tournament, falls all the way to a No. 4 seed. I'm not saying the Orangemen deserve a No.1, considering the crowded field at the top. But, considering the fact that the Big East is one of the top conferences in the country, do they not deserve at least a higher seed than Connecticut?

For what it's worth, Dookie V makes his Final Four picks: Illinois, Wake, Duke and Carolina.

Safe picks. But Vitale ought to know there's going to be a wild card in there somewhere. He just doesn't know who or where. Nor do we. That's why it's called March Madness.

Battle of the boards

2005-03-13T08:34:00.000-05:00

True, J.J. Redick and Will Bynum were hot, but Duke and Georgia Tech won both games under the boards.

"The Wolfpack hoped Engin Astur could get the defensive job done on Redick. Astur didn't. Freshman Gavin Grant gave it a try. Julius Hodge tried after Grant, then it was back to Astur. But nothing worked."

But so many of Redick's points came as the result of Duke's strong strong rebounding:

"But as much as Redick's high-arcing shots wowed the MCI Center crowd, it was the less glamorous work close to the basket that allowed Duke to eventually pull ahead of the Wolfpack. It was hardly unusual that Shelden Williams led the way with nine second-half rebounds. What was shocking was that his first one didn't come until 27 minutes had gone by."

Sean May was similarly absent during the first half against Georgia Tech.

But:

"With the Tar Heels trailing 42-36 at halftime, May came out of the break and bulied his way over and around opponents and teammates alike, scoring on four offensive rebounds, plus two additional jump layups and a jump shot. He also had a block during a 6-miunute, 27-second flurry that tied the score 55-55."

Unfortunately for UNC, Luke Schenscher was equal to the task, if not better. As Mike Gminski put it, Tech got the "push" under the boards.

So what's up with the Heels? Odds are they're still a number one seed, but how far will they go?

Carolina not only needs to be concerned about its defense and inside play, but, as Caulton Tudor writes,

"You could probably count on two hands the number of times Carolina produced scoring plays out of its halfcourt sets."

Tudor goes on:

"But March didn't end Saturday. Beginning Monday, there will be six games left for two teams. For Carolina to be one of those teams, the defense has to improve. But so does the halfcourt offense and the mental toughness. If there isn't improvement acorss the board, the Tar Heels could be the first No. 1 seed sent packing."

Oh yeah.....

2005-03-12T09:09:00.000-05:00

.....Duke won last night. We wouldn't want anyone to think we're stiffing the Devils. We promise to pay close attention this afternoon against State.

Not impressed

2005-03-12T09:00:00.000-05:00

In addition to the N&R's coverage of State's victory is this letter to the Fans' Forum, from Paul Jacobs of Greensboro:

"After painfully watching N.C. State basketball for the last eight years, I feel it's time for Herb Sendek to go.

"Now, Herb's a real nice guy, a gentleman in fact, whose players are intelligent and well-behaved for the most part. However, N.C. State has reached a plateau of mediocrity in the powerful ACC, and that's not good enough......I just don't get it. Sendek's team just seems to fall apart in the big games and often turn the ball over way too many times.....Maybe Herb should take his Princeton offense to the Ivy League where it could flourish."

Mr. Jacobs will be watchng today's game with considerable interest.

Sartorial splendor

2005-03-12T07:56:00.000-05:00

At least Chris Paul looked good sitting on Wake's bench. Several sportswriters took note.

The N&O's Lorenzo Perez:

"Friday night, (Paul) was merely the best-dressed ballboy in ACC history."

The N&R's Ed Hardin:

"Paul came dressed in a resplendent suit, a three-piece silk spin with a cream dress shirt and shiny shoes."

WSJ's Lenox Rawlings:

"The only technical foul nailed a reserve deep on the Wake Forest bench (and it wasn't Paul, who wore a shimmering light gold suit with a greenish tint......He jumped up and down like a GQ pogo stick as the team huddled during introductions."

Charlotte Observer's Scott Fowler:

"Since Paul had to sit out Friday, he sat out in style. He showed up in a pinstriped three-piece, mustard-gold suit. It was NBA-quality attire, right down to right down to the gleaming cufflinks. Paul was the best-dressed man in the arena, but he had to wear a credential to get into the game. He hung that from his belt loop so it dangled down to his left knee."

The Washington Times' Jon Siegel:

"With Paul nattily attired on the bench in a tan pinstripe suit, vest and gold tie, the Wolfpack controlled the tempo and bolstered their NCAA Tournament hopes by advancing to the ACC semifinals."

AJC's Jack Wilkinson:

"Just five days hence, the rematch was no match at all. Not with Chris Paul stuck on the bench, wearing some shade-of-old-gold suit and a grim-faced expression."

Size matters

2005-03-12T07:52:00.000-05:00

I watched last night's games from a remote location, nowhere near a computer.

So what was the difference between State last week and State last night? Andrew Brackman. State finally had the inside presence that's been missing all season. How about that drive to the hoop? How about the alley-oop dunk?

Durham Herald-Sun's Neil Amato:

"Andrew Brackman? The freshman didn't score in the first half, but he didn't come out in the second half, scoring 16 points and adding four rebounds, including two critical offensive boards. N.C. State coach Herb Sendek, the master of staying calm, seemed to gush about Brackman's play.

"'Man, he was terrific,' Sendek said."

The N&R's Rob Daniels:

"Brackman, a 6-foot-10 guy who canbeat you off the dribble or by posting up, took the entire court for himself at times... In a critical stretch that changed everything....Brackman swatted a shot, ran the floor and converted a Bennerman alley-oop for a jam."

Yes, Brackman had considerable help from Cameron Bennerman.

More Daniels:

"Bennerman (17 points and career highs of eight rebounds and seven assists) passed and cut his way brilliantly through the machinations of State's technically stunning back-door, spread-floor offense."

Now we know what the Pack can do when everyone's not crowded around the three-point arc. It will be interesting to see if they keep it going against Duke.

Tech in, Tech out

2005-03-11T17:24:00.000-05:00

Georgia Tech 73 Virginia Tech 54

I would think this would do it for G-Tech. Nice season, V-Tech. You're an athletic team that also plays sound fundamentals. Make some noise in the NIT and come back strong next year.

UNC 88 Clemson 81

2005-03-11T14:35:00.000-05:00

Carolina survives. The game was much, much closer than the final score. In fact, the Heels trailed by as much as 13 in the second half and were still on the ropes until Raymond Felton nailed a three to put the Heels up 81-79 with about a minute left.

On the whole, Clemson was quicker on the ball and dominated inside with rebounds on the offensive and defensive boards, not to mention showing incredible shot-blocking ability.

But the Heels showed quick hands down the stretch, making the necessary steals and defensive stops during the final stretch.

Rashad McCants returns, hitting a couple of big three-pointers to keep Carolina within striking distance.

Felton ends up with 29, including the Tar Heels' last 10 points.

"He's the one player that's irreplaceable," Billy Packer said.

Getting what we wished for......

2005-03-11T08:02:00.000-05:00

State (minus Bethel, maybe) versus Wake (minus Paul, definitely). Will the game live up to the hype?

Caulton Tudor agrees with Billy Packer that State expended too much energy putting Florida State away:

"But in the final several minutes of an ugly, 70-54 victory over Florida State in the first round Tuesday, the Pack looked more tired than mad."

N&O metro columnist Barry Saunders gets the business from a few State fans for reporting taunts directed toward Chris Paul at the last State-Wake game:

"One State fan told me, 'You have got to be the stupidest (N-word) the white man has ever given a chance' to write. That was one of the kinder calls."

Careful, Wake.

Taron Downey:

"I think we are a No. 1 seed."

Justin Gray:

"In my eyes we have (locked up a No.1 seed). You look at our schedule and you see the teams that are going to the tournament, Cincinnati, New Mexico, those are good teams. We played good teams on the road."

The N&R's Ed Hardin:

"The controversy reached critical mass this evening when Chris Paul and the rest of us not playing watch Hodge and N.C. State take on Wake Forest in a game unlike any other played in this 51-year event."

Despite the lack of an inside presence, State's defense will, needless to say, be a factor.

The Charlotte Observer's Ron Green Jr. hopes the State-Wake game will put a little excitement into a so-far flat tournament:

"Until that rarest of events — a rare Virginia postseason victory — the closest thing to a buzz Thursday was the idea of N.C. State and Wake Forest getting together again, just five days after their Sunday scrum that left both sides aching in various ways."

Not-so cruel world

2005-03-10T21:11:00.000-05:00

Virginia 66 Miami 65

Pete Gillen coaches another day — against Duke. Is anyone converted?

Gillen: "I cry when supermarkets open. I'm an emotional guy."

A milestone out of the way — the first time an 11-seed wins an ACC Tournament game.

NC State 70 Florida State 54

2005-03-10T16:57:00.000-05:00

The Wolfpack let the Seminoles creep closer than they should have and, as Billy Packer noted, expended considerable energy putting the game away. They also got very sloppy with their passing toward the end. Had Florida State taken proper advantage, they could have easily gotten back in the game during the last five minutes.

The Pack sizzled in the first half, going on an 11-0 run to start the game, while Florida State was stone cold.

State also played a soild trap defense. One problem, though: Aside from the occasional back-door cut , the Pack had nothing inside. There were still too many 3-point attempts with nobody under the basket. Fortunately, they hit most of them. State might not be so hot tomorrow night against Wake Forest.

Clemson 84 Maryland 72

2005-03-10T14:35:00.000-05:00

OK, there was a way Clemson was going to beat Maryland three times. My bad. Perhaps I have been ignoring the Tigers.

Would John Gilchrist have made the difference, considering the shots Clemson was getting and the way they were dominating inside?

You had the feeling Maryland was done when Olu Babalola completed the three-point play on an off-balance shot after Maryland scored six straight points. Then he came right back and hit a three on the next possession.

Later, Sam Perry made an incredible shot to put Clemson back up by 12 with just over six minutes left.

Shawan Robinson was hot from beyond the arc.

The bightest spot for Maryland? Lefty's pinky ring. Bling bling.

Excessive celebration

2005-03-10T09:29:00.001-05:00

Last week, I criticized Clemson for partying a bit too hard after beating Virginia Tech.

Now this from the N&O's J.P. Giglio and Lorenzo Perez, who stick it to Carolina for celebrating their win over Duke:

"First, Carolina fans rush the court, then Tar Heels coach Roy Williams leads a net-cutting ceremony. Which is more pathetic? Storming the floor for beating a lower-ranked team, or commemorating a regular-season title? My, how times have changed. Remember when the Heels refused to cut down the nets after winning the 1994 ACC Tournament because they were waiting for the national title?"

Lenox Rawlings puts in his two cents' worth:

"The Tar Heels finished first in the standings, cut down the nets at home and satisfied certain hunger pangs. A sated team lacks the title profile, especially with Rashad McCants' intestinal illness throwing doubt into the March rotatin rhythm. Scratch Carolina."

Yeah, I'm down on excessive celebrations. But remember what happened to the Tar Heels in 1994. Perhaps they were wound just a bit too tight. It's also been tough road back for Carolina and their (swallow hard) fans.

Strong words

2005-03-09T10:14:00.000-05:00

A couple of days removed, Wake coach Skip Prosser sounds off on Chris Paul:

"I don't want to trivialize this at all.....It's no excuse for the inexcusable and no defense for the indefensible. (The suspension) is meant to sting and hurt him.....I'm not hear to wax philosophic about sactimony or glass houses and people throwing the first stone. Again, what he did was inexcusable and indefensible and whatever people want to write or say, he gave them that opportunity."

Nice hands

2005-03-09T09:39:00.001-05:00

Pete Gillen on Shelden Williams' shot-blocking ability:

"The great thing about him is that he keeps the ball in play. When he blocks a shot, he doesn't knock it out of bounds or try to spike it. He keeps it in play and then (the Blue Devils) are going down the other way on a fast break."

The same was said about another pretty good college center — Bill Walton.

Crazy?

2005-03-09T07:11:00.000-05:00

Maybe. Some thoughts on tomorrow's historic first round of the ACC Tournament:

No way Clemson's going to beat Maryland three times.

Is it such a cruel world that Pete Gillen would slowly have the life drained out of him all season only to suffer the indignity of losing to a conference newcomer? I hope not. Virginia upsets Miami, Gillen enjoys life for 24 hours, then the Cavs are crushed by charter member Duke.

Last but not least: State's been ruining wet dreams all season. So I can't put it past the Wolfpack to screw up the rematch with the Paul-less Demon Deacons, especially if Florida State sizzzles in the first half, which they've been known to do. I just can't bring myself to say it out loud........So I'll just leave it at this: State over State.

Lame duck

2005-03-08T11:38:00.000-05:00

Pete Gillen sounded like he was having fun while meeting with the media for the last time as Virginia's coach. Not.

CP

2005-03-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

How about this: The most telling spin on the whole Chris Paul situation is Sean May's defense:

"University of North Carolina junior Sean May, who counts Paul among his better friends in the league, said Paul was simply caught doing something that happens far too often in college games."

May:

"A lot of players do it. A lot of players don't need to do it. It depends on your attitude and what kind of person you are; Chris and Julius (Hodge) are both those types of players. There were four or five times when we played State that you could have questioned Julius for being dirty."

During Carolina's victory over Duke, May said:

"There were four or five plays last night that could have been questionable as dirty play."

May goes on:

"I don't think it's something you can say he deserves to be suspended, because it wasn't called" a foul.

Remember, Paul took a pretty pretty nasty shot from Elton Brown during the Virginia game, and nothing was done.

OK, it wasn't to a shot to the package. As ESPN's Daily Quickie points out, Paul took things to a new low.

Amidst all the concern about thuggery on ACC courts these days, WSJ's Lenox Rawlings points out that Art Heyman, Larry Brown and Donnie Walsh still remain the standard bearers

All-ACC, part II

2005-03-07T21:12:00.000-05:00

Let's see: Two point guards, a shooting guard and two centers. Is that a real team?

A shot to the groin

2005-03-07T15:55:00.000-05:00

Chris Paul suspended for the first round of the ACC Tournament.

Another intriguing rematch possible........

All -ACC

2005-03-07T12:35:00.000-05:00

ACC Basketblog's All-ACC Team. I like the way they do it by position. Correct me if I'm wrong, but the mainstream media selects the top five vote-getters, regardless of position. It has to be a real team.

Looking ahead.......

2005-03-07T11:22:00.000-05:00

No way Clemson's going to beat Maryland three times, right? That would set up another game with Carolina, on the Terps' "home court."

Intriguing. Right?

Du-du, part II

2005-03-07T10:42:00.000-05:00

No, I'm not talking about Duke this time. I'm summing up State's season: If there's a pile of you-know-what lying somewhere on the court, the Wolfpack will collectively step in it.

There are so many angles to analyze it blows the mind.

The N&O's Chip Alexander writes:

"The ACC's last regular season game was played with all the fire and inensity — and a touch of venom — of the ACC Tournament...."

Alexander was there, so he might know better than I would. But from my point of view, this game was just plain ugly all the way around, from Chris Paul's shot to the groin, to Steve Hodge being escorted off the court, to the Wolfpack's free-throw shooting to State fans' taunting of Paul:

"Some of the taunts yelled at Paul following the original incident with Hodge referred to the murder of Paul's grandfather during Paul's senior season at West Forsyth."

Now, some questions:

Does anybody believe State deserves an NCAA bid after last night's game?

How does a team come down the court — needing only one shot and looking at overtime (at the very least) — give the ball back to the opponent with four seconds left?

Speaking of airballs, how did Julius Hodge manage to throw two up — in the paint?

Why did Tony Bethel clank a three-point attempt — with absolutely nobody under the basket? (No. I'm not forgetting about his nice drive to the hoop late in the game.)

Points to ponder.

Must read Thad

2005-03-07T10:25:00.000-05:00

Thad Williamson on the UNC-Duke game...and the long odyssey of Carolina's three seniors.

"Indeed, by the end of the 2002-03 season, these players owed the University of North Carolina exactly nothing. They could have kept their mouths shut, left town and let the institution's administration try to clean up the mess left behind, in perfectly good conscience...despite going through numbing disappointments on the court and utterly exhausting experiences off of it, despite having every reason in the real world to leave Chapel Hill, this trio of players still saw things in their Chapel Hill experience that they loved, things that they didn't want to leave, things that made them think it was worth sticking around and trying to be part of putting things right."

Tourney schedule

2005-03-07T10:20:00.000-05:00

Brackets here.

2005-03-06T14:02:00.000-05:00

Ilinois just went down to Ohio State, so if Carolina wins today, they'll be the ranked No. 1 heading into the ACC Tournament.

Sing, Gary, sing

2005-03-06T08:40:00.000-05:00

Gary Williams after Maryland's 86-76 loss to Virginia Tech:

"You want facts? The facts are we beat the No. 2 team (Duke) on their court. The facts are the same team that was in the top 10 we beat on our court. We beat Memphis when they were 25th in the country. Some teams say they should get in without those wins. Now to counter that, you could say we had some bad losses. How that works, we'll see."

Meanwhile, the Baltimore Sun's David Steele says if there were any justice, Maryland and Tech will meet again — in the NIT:

"....What both schools 'accomplished' this season should earn them a date with each other in the National Invitation Tournament. Forget the hype about the toughest conference in America. Al that adding these two to the NCAA field would mean is that the field of 65 is as watered down as it ever has been."

Look at it this way: Won't Maryland's presence give the NIT some more prestige? I'll do Steele one better: How about a State-Maryland NIT final? It'll be 1974 all over again.

McCantsless, part II

2005-03-05T07:38:00.000-05:00

If this is online anywhere, I can't find it.

The N&R's Jeff Carlton raises the question of Carolina dropping in NCAA tournament seeding if Rashad McCants doesn't return by selection Sunday.

McCants is "an impact player, and if he continues to sit right through next week's ACC Tournament, the comittee will have to weigh UNC with McCants against UNC without McCants."

Tournament selection committee chairman Bob Bowlsby:

"Our task is to put the 34 best teams into the tournament as at-large teams. That takes into account issues of injuries. We're going to take into account the entire portfolio of work.....But we also have to evaluate the team they're going to put on the floor when the conference tournaments start and when the NCAA tournament starts."

The interjection of subjectivity when selecting the NCAA tournament field has always bothered me, and it always will. But it's reality, and a harsh reality at that, for the majority of ACC teams this season.

Bucket by the couch

2005-03-05T07:30:00.000-05:00

The N&O's Caulton Tudor on the Virginia-Florida State game: "Barf".

Refreshed and ready

2005-03-04T14:49:00.000-05:00

The Herald-Sun's Bryan Strickland sums up last night's Duke- Miami game:

"While Duke displayed an intensity level befitting of the first day of preseason practice, Miami played like it was the first day of practice — for all the wrong reasons. The Hurricanes, needing a victory to improve their hopes of getting an NCAA Tournament berth, were tentative and unsure from the start."

Frank Haith, on his team's first game in Cameron:

"I would hope that we would not be intimidated or in awe, but obviously something caused us to not want to execute and move. When the crowd got going, we didn't set screens. There was something that made that happen."

K continues to emphasize Duke's D:

"This has been one of our best defensive teams (at Duke). Not so much in forcing turnovers as in limiting field-goal percentage."

May Day

2005-03-04T14:13:00.000-05:00

Carolina looked a bit shaky against Florida State, but that's mostly because the Seminoles sizzled in the first half, which they've been known to do.

Does anybody else have the feeling that Sean May has put the Tar Heels on his shoulders?

May gives the credit for last night's performance to his teammates:

Felton, Noel and Manuel "were doing a great job of driving and penetrating, and Marvin stepped out and hit some shots, so things really opened up inside for me. It was the easiest (32) points I've ever had in terms of, all I had to do was catch the ball and lay it right in."

Alexander Johnson's foul trouble didn't hurt, either. Why did he play so few minutes and have only three fouls? Why not use them all?

Von Wafer plays only six minutes and is benched for the third straight game:

"I let my man get a layup and (Leoneard Hamilton) went with some someone else.....I've never experienced anything like this in my life. It's a new challenge that I have to embrace and just become a stronger person."

Hamilton:

"Von did not play the first half not because of his defense but because the other kids were playing well. Sometimes you just have to give guys an opportunity when they show they've earned it."

Slippery melons.....

2005-03-03T10:16:00.000-05:00

...is how AJC's Rana Cash sums up Georgia Tech's season.

It's starting to get to Paul Hewitt:

After the game, he "was wound extraordinarily tight, limiting his postgame comments to short and terse responses."

Of course, a little sarcasm helps relieve the pressure:

After the game, Hewitt "chased offiical Mike Wood off the court yelling 'Nice job Mike. Nice job Mike.'"

Hewitt had been on Wood all night, according to the N&R's Rob Daniels. He felt like Chris Paul (egads) was getting favorable treatment:

"Give that same call to Jarrett Jack!"

And the dreams.....

2005-03-03T09:44:00.001-05:00

.....that you dare to dream really do come true.

State's not in Oz yet, but they're still following the Yellow Brick Road.

Unfortunately, the road's about to be paved black and gold.

But as Wake heads to Raleigh to finish State off, one question lingers: is their defense good enough?

Celebrate!?

2005-03-02T10:04:00.000-05:00

OK, so it was a big win for Clemson.

Still:

"The scene was chaotic.....Clemson freshman Sam Perry accidentally knocked over an official while celebrating. Freshman Cheyanne Moore and sophomore Vernon Hamilton jumped on the scorers' table, with Moore taking off his jersey and waving it wildly in the direction of the 7,400 fans at Littlejohn Coliseum."

We're talking about beating Virginia Tech here, guys. A good team, but......

Just what was Oliver Purnell suggesting when he said:

"I kind of had my mind on the NCAA the whole time...You never know. That's what dreams are about. We want this young group to dream. They're probably young enough as a group to believe it."

Odds on Clemson winning the ACC Tournament?

Overrated

2005-03-02T07:39:00.000-05:00

Out of the office yesterday, dealing with taxes. My accountant made my day, my week, my month......

The N&O's Caulton Tudor puts the smackdown on ACC hoops:

"The conference will wrap up its regular season this weekend, but it long ago became obvious that the ACC is a lot weaker than anyone could have imagined....."

OK, so what went wrong? Tudor asks.

"The truth is that the ACC was overrated from the start. The lofty expectations stemmed from Duke and Georgia Tech reaching the Final Four last year, plus Maryland, N.C. State, Florida State, Virginia North Carolina and Wake Forest getting most of their starters back."

Bottom line: Who's in, who's out?

"On reputation alone, the ACC will probably will receive five bids, maybe six.. But once you get past the big three, it's all subjective. If the other eight just keep sloshing along, it's hard to argue that any of them really belongs in the national tournament."

I'm not sure what Tudor means by "sloshing along," considering the fact that it's time for some teams to come in out of the cold or risk freezing to death.

Will McCants Return?

2005-03-01T19:48:00.000-05:00

Oh dear.

So long, Herb?

2005-03-01T07:48:00.000-05:00

Inevitable: FireHerbSendek.com

No Giant Eggs

2005-02-28T11:43:00.000-05:00

Thad Williamson: "Make no mistake, this was the Duke-killing Maryland team that Carolina faced Sunday night, not the inscrutable outfit that laid giant turtle-sized eggs at home to Clemson and N.C. State. Yet at the end of the day, Carolina--minus Rashad McCants--went on the road, took a top 30-caliber team's absolute best shot, and still came out on top."

The winner is.......

2005-02-28T09:13:00.000-05:00

...Taron Downey.

Wake Forest 90 Virginia 68

Did Skip Prosser know the Oscars were on later in the evening, or was his imagery just a coincidence?

"Ray Charles could see that Taron Downey is a heck of a basketball player. But I am surprised when people are surprised that Taron plays well. Maybe that's because I watch him every day in practice, and I've watched him play for four years at a very tough spot. He has acquitted himself. We don't win every game, but he has led us to a pretty good winning percentage of winning some basketball games in a very demanding conference."

The game was overly physical, coming to a head when Elton Brown drove a forearm into Chris Paul's back after Paul was fouled by Sean Singletary.

The expression on Prosser's face said it all as he drew his first technical of the season. For what it's worth, Dan Bonner was livid, and said in no uncertain terms that Brown should have been thrown out of the game.

Paul sums up Virginia's offensive strategy, which will cost Pete Gillen his job at the end of the season:

"They'd push the ball up the court, then they'd try to play '21', where they'd stand out there, dribbling the shot clock down and pretty much shot a 3."

The beast

2005-02-28T07:26:00.000-05:00

Maryland plays Carolina tough. Good enough?

Gary Williams doesn't think so. He

"doesn't want to rely on a narrow loss to North Carolina to impress the NCAA selection comittee."

The most encouraging sign for Carolina: Sean May continues to step up inside, producing his sixth consecutive double-double, not to mention the game saving block on Mike Jones.

Maryland's Chris McCray sums it up:

"Sean May was a beast inside."

The Herald-Sun's Neil Amato:

Jones "was met in the lane by May, who went up and made the sort of athletic play his heavier, less-rested self wouldn't have done in the past."

Roy Williams joked around before praising May's work ethic:

"He's about as athletic as a small elephant. Nah, he worked hard. He does have better bounce, he does have quicker reactions, he does have a lower percentage of body fat. You get those things done because you work at it. He really did. We'd have weight sessions at 4 (p.m.) and he'd come in at 8 in the morning and get another one."

Names...

2005-02-27T18:36:00.000-05:00

Woody Durham interviews Michael Wilbon at halftime. Wilbon floats Tubby Smith as a replacement for Pete Gillen........

Daylight?

2005-02-27T11:18:00.000-05:00

Meanwhile, State looks engergized against Virginia Tech.

The N&O's Chip Alexander:

"After a solid 74-54 victory over Virginia Tech on Saturday, the Pack believes it's still there, still visible, still obtainable with two games left in the regular season. The NCAA Tournament, that is."

Two things......

"State's Julius Hodge was limited to eight points and had an ice pack on his right hand after the game. But the senior had eight rebounds and five assists and didn't let a poor offensive game affect his defense."

.....Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg sums up the Pack:

"We played a great team that is finally healthy. They are playing at a great level and they run their defense so well.....They had a sense of urgency......

As for Tech, Aaron McFarling writes the Hokies picked a bad time for a bad day:

"Since entering ACC play, the Hokies have surprised us, impressed us, wowed us, thrilled us. Rarely have they bored us. But there's no other way to describe Tech's 74-54 loss at N.C. State. The game was a big, fat, gnat-sucking yawn. and that's surprising considering how much was at stake."

Du-du

2005-02-27T10:55:00.000-05:00

Duke beats St. John's but looks like you-know-what in the process. Not a good time for the Devils to look sluggish?

It's also been a long, tough week for Duke, as the Herald-Sun's Bryan Strickland notes:

"Following two draining practices late last week on the heels of back-to-back losses, the Blue Devils willed their way past Wake Forest last Sunday. Wednesday brought a physical test against Georgia Tech, and Thursday brought the news that (Sean) Dockery could be lost for the season with a torn medial collateral ligament in his knee."

The N&O's Luciana Chavez writes:

"Twelve days from the start of the ACC Tournament, Duke shot 31.4 percent and played more like it was drained from a long week rather than energized with March just around the corner."

K credits the defense:

"One thing that has been good about our teams, and this one in particular: If the offense isn't going, they've still played well defensively."

No matter how far they travel, the Blue Devils can't escape the Tar Heels:

"(Daniel) Ewing struggled with his new role — or least struggled with his shooting, missing his first nine shots to the delight of a courtside heckler dressed in North Carolina gear from head to toe."

OK?

2005-02-25T08:13:00.000-05:00

The N&O's Robbi Pickeral reports on the re-release of the ACC hoops schedule, and "this time it works."

It does? Again Wake and Carolina don't play home and home until 06-07, while State and Duke don't play home-and-home until '07-'08.

Bubble talk....

2005-02-24T10:19:00.000-05:00

...from SI's Luke Winn.

State makes the "major conference bubble teams beyond the Top 10," but Maryland is nowhere to be found. That must mean the Terps are in, right?

Feeling better.....

2005-02-24T09:44:00.000-05:00

...but does Rashad McCants really need to play against Maryland?

Devils leave Tech feeling blue

2005-02-24T09:16:00.000-05:00

Duke 60 Georgia Tech 56

Duke's hustle overcomes poor shooting and foul trouble.

Lee Melchionni:

"When everything is going wrong, you still fight through and get a win."

In spite of the physical play, Daniel Ewing gets the "T" for grabbing his jersey and puffing it out after dunking.

Paul Hewitt, on Duke:

"If they're not a No. 1 seed, I'll have to find out who is."

"And now, Tech is hoping, as the season winds down, that the NCAA will bail the Jackets out and put them in the tournament."

What does a coach have to do?

2005-02-23T14:35:00.000-05:00

Leornard Hamilton has problems of his own down in Tallahassee:

"I've been coachng since 1971, and this team has been more puzzling to me than any other team I've been associated with....It's never really anything bad- just enough issues to keep you from growing. We started the season off without the full compliment of players due to discipline issues, and it looks as though we will finish the season the same way."

McCantsless

2005-02-23T09:03:00.000-05:00

UNC 81 N.C. State 71

The Pack gives it the old college try, but just isn't good enough.

The N&R's Ed Hardin questions Herb Sendek's decision to bench Andrew Brackman after he sparked a rally with ten minutes left:

"State's only surge of the second half was provided by freshman Andrew Brackman, who came into the game and scored eight straight points for the Wolfpack. Sendek then took him out.....Sendek's substitution pattern has been questioned at times this season, in part because he's had to make so many injury decisions and because so many of his players have disappeared this year. A few more went missing Tuesday night."

Engin Astur on the Tar Heels:

"They're not the No. 2-ranked team in the country by chance. They're a balanced team. Everybody can step every night. They kept their composure and and made plays."

Not so fast

2005-02-23T08:12:00.000-05:00

Clemson 97 Maryland 93

This is the ACC.

The Terps effectively cancel out their sweep of Duke, while the Tigers rack up the most points in team history on the road.

Washington Times's Rick Snider:

"..The Terps are clearly concerned that they have streteched their credibility before the tournament selection committee to the limit."

Nik Caner-Medley:

"It's coming to the point in the season where we'll lose and go home."

Gary Williams, on pulling his starters two minutes into the game:

"I was disgusted. We weren't moving, we weren't doing anythng."

John Gilchrist can't explain his team's up-and-down season:

"I have no idea. That's just the story of our team. We're up and down...This whole year has been so long...We're still trying to put the pieces together. Teams are building chemistry as the year goes along and we're still trying to find our chemistry."

Has Williams given up on his team?

For some reason......

2005-02-22T15:13:00.000-05:00

.....I lingered over Frank Dascenzo's imagery when describing Wake Forest's defense::

"Wake gives up more driving lanes and passing lanes than that BMW 735i that roared by me Monday morning on I-85."

I'm still thinking...........A Beamer giving up the passing lane........

The other side of the road....

2005-02-22T10:55:00.000-05:00

Maryland get what every ACC team needs after a tough win on the road: Clemson at home.

With a win, Maryland clinches a .500 conference record and an NCAA Tournament bid.

Herb on the couch, again

2005-02-22T10:10:00.000-05:00

Has there ever been a coach in the history of the ACC that has been psychoanalyzed like Herb Sendek? In two lengthy articles, the N&O's Chip Alexander and the Charlotte Observer's Ken Tysiac take their turns as the Pack heads into yet another crucial game against Carolina.

Perhaps Sendek opens himself to such analysis with lengthy monologues on subjects such as Buddhism:

"No matter what he did, Buddha remained peaceful and nonviolent. Finally, the guy couldn't take it anymore. He said to Buddha, 'I've done everything I possibly could to hurt you, yet you've remained peaceful to me. How do you do it?'"

Alexander:

"Such talk would cause Wolfpack fans to roll their eyes. Why doesn't (Sendek) talk like other coaches? Why can't he be as entertaining as Jim Valvano or as blunt as Norm Sloan or even as folksy as les Robinson — the three NCSU coaches who preceded him?"

Sendek defends the Princeton-style offense, in spite of the fact that many believe Carolina and Wake play more "fan-friendly, up-tempo styles, pushing the ball upcourt and running."

I'll break in here and say that I believe state's offense is very fan-friendly because it's the way the game is meant to be played, with sharp back-door cuts and crisp passing. The problem has been that State hasn't been able to establish their offense all season before the Maryland game.

Finally, Sendek comments on State's weak non-conference schedule. Why not play a Louisville, a Kentucky, a Connecticut, Alexander asks.

"We very well could, I'm not dismissing that in the future. We've talked with people like Kentucky (but) it's not as easy as 'do you want to play?' We've been very aggressive in our calling."

As did Alexander, Tysiac notes that Sendek's personality compares unfavorably to the "magnetic" personalities of the late Jim Valvano and football coach Chuck Amato:

"When N.C. State is winning, his his 3.9 grade-point average from Carnegie Mellon is cited as an example of his genius. When the Wolfpack is losing, detractors question whether somebody that smart can connect with players, fans, recruits."

OK State fans: Give the guy credit for being a deep thinker or to hell with it all?

No home cooking.....

2005-02-21T11:59:00.000-05:00

......for Leonard Hamilton and Florida State as B.J. Elder gets the call with 0.4 seconds left.

Jack Corcoran:

"...Georgia Tech, which reached the title game in the NCAA tournament last season but finds itself on the bubble this season, got the call on the road in the last second."

Hamilton on the call:

"I've seen it quite a few times on us. But the one thing good about when you evaluate games, you have it all on tape.....Unfortunately, I just can't comment on them. But I know exactly because i watch them over and over. I have a whole library of situations that I'm keeping on file just for my owen personal use. Not that it would do me any good because I can't say anything about it and I can't show it to anybody."

Paul Hewitt said he thought he saw Elder's arm "get knocked off the ball right in the act of shooting," while Elder said he was thankful for the call.

Apropos?

2005-02-21T11:06:00.000-05:00

Duke 102 Wake Forest 92

So was K really trying to shake up his team or was he instructing them on the finer points of thuggery, with a little home cooking thrown in?

Skip Prosser sure is curious:

"Would it have irritated you? I mean, you guys make that call. You saw what was going on out there. I'm not going to comment on that. It was curious."

Chris Paul:

"It's kinda funny when they're pushing and the referees come up and tell me they're watching me. That's just the way it goes sometimes......

"It's obvious what they were trying to do. They were trying to put somebody different on me, and one time I was trying to walk through the elbow (of the lane) and (Davidson) bascially just grabbed me. He wanted me to smack him back, so we'd both get a double foul for something like that, but been there, done that."

Funny, K thought his players were on the receiving end after J.J. Redick was fouled:

"The whistle prompted (K) to angrily tap his own jaw with a fist. Wake's coaching staff apparently took the gesture as an accusation of dirty play, and Demon Deacons associate head coach Jeff Battle jumped off the bench and strated shouting and Krzyzewski."

K and Prosser meet at midcourt to discuss the situation, but Prosser wouldn't reveal the details of the conversation:

"That's between myself and coach. But it was apropos."

OK. So is it apropos to start hating Duke all over again?

Behind schedule

2005-02-19T11:26:00.000-05:00

For all you fans who couldn't figure out how tradition and expansion coexist in a 12-team ACC, don't feel bad, the ACC hasn't figured it out yet, either.

D'oh! "An hour after releasing the next three years' worth of conference matchups in men's basketball Thursday, the ACC acknowledged the schedules were wrong and now must rethink its format for 12 members."

N&R editorialist Doug Clark has a plan: "Carolina, Duke, Wake and State would fast break out of the ACC ..."

He's alive

2005-02-18T09:26:00.000-05:00

After a long post on the "State" of his Terps, Turtle Soup says

"I'm off to San Diego for an extended weekend. I need a break from this team. I'm not sure I will be able to get the Virginia game out there, and frankly I'm not sure if I want to."

V-Tech beats Duke

2005-02-18T07:45:00.000-05:00

Virgina Tech 64 Duke 62

Herald Sun coverage

Roanoke Times coverage

N&O coverage

The Hokies continue to play aggressively inside and get to the ball quickly. I'm not saying they'll win the ACC Tournament, but they'll certainly mix things up a bit.

Cassell Coliseum public address announcer:

"Whoever has the jersey of Zabian McDowell, please return that immediately! It's the only one we have. Thank you."

If not Herb....

2005-02-17T16:13:00.000-05:00

Marc Amazon can't believe what he's hearing from State fans: If missing the NCAA Tournament means getting rid of Herb Sendek, then so be it.

But what bothers Amazon even more is he's not hearing a "Plan B." Pack fans are eager to get rid of Herb, but they're not floating any names. So Amazon floated a couple: Frank Haith and Nate McMillan. Then a Carolina fan called and threw out Rick Barnes' name.

Let's hear it, Pack fans: Who do you want to see roaming the sidelines at the RBC Center next season?

Shoush & Co.

2005-02-17T11:34:00.000-05:00

State 82 Maryland 63

The Sewer Rat, inspired by a surpirse visit from his bro, leads State to a crucial victory over Maryland, just one day after a particular N&O pundit calls for Herb Sendek's resignation.

The Pack finally plays "NC State basketball," molving the ball well, hitting the back-door man, attacking the basket, "hitting on all cylinders," as Sendek said.

Meanwhile, Gary Williams points the finger at his players:

"This is on the players. I worked hard to get ready for this game. You ask the players why they weren't ready to play. It's very frustrating....Players have to do it. I've coached a long time. I know what it takes to do it. The people that play have to get it done. It's as simple as that."

Somebody please check on Turtle Soup. He didn't make a post last night. In light of the Terps' performance in a game on which the season depended, we fear he may have done harm to himself.

Beating the spread

2005-02-17T11:01:00.000-05:00

Well, it wasn't quite the old Four Corners that Virginia played at the Dean Dome, but they did try to slow Carolina down a bit, and it worked for a while. The Heels responded with some sharp half-court play -- I'd say Gillen did them a favor by offering the chance to work on that part of their game.

McCants was superb in ways that went beyond numbers. He attacked the hoop instead of relying on his jumper, and the assist off the fake to Jawad Williams was SportsCenter-worthy. Lot of fine performances on a night when Marvin sat out with a bum toe. Sean May continues to impress.

UVA, well, when the announcers are bragging on the fact that you're not down 50 this time, I guess that shows both progress and problems. Forbes looked good, and they hung tough for a while and then hung around for a while longer, but this team was not there to win.

Retro Night. Eh. Mildly amusing for a few minutes, fun to see Len Elmore in his 'fro wig, but you know what? ACC basketball is compelling enough that it doesn't need gimmicks, especially ones that are game-length commercials for ESPN Classic.

Curiouser and curiouser

2005-02-17T10:53:00.000-05:00

N&R's Jim Young: "That's what the ACC season has been like so far. Every time you think you have an answer, the questions keep changing."

The man in the mirror

2005-02-16T12:07:00.000-05:00

The N&O's Caulton Tudor strongly suggests that Herb Sendek resign if he can't salvage State's season:

"But if N.C. State can't finish strong enough to get back to the NCAA Tournament, the smart move by Sendek would be to resign. The alternative would be a year in a purgatory of fan resentment and constant speculation.....If he can't salvage this season, Sendek should look in the mirror and consider a new direction."

The irony, Tudor writes, is next season could actually provide a bit of hope for State and its fans:

"Even with a bad finish, the Pack could be looking forward to the 2005-06 season in a conference gutted by the loss of several of its stars, including non-seniors who jump to the NBA. At least a dozen players, such as maryland's John Gilchrist, Georgia Tech's Jarrett Jack, North Carolina's Rashad McCants and Wake Forest's Chris Paul, have to be thinking about early departures."

State fans are clamoring for Sendek's head, but that's not going to happen. Sendek's going to have to fall on the sword. true, the Pack has lost quite a bit of respect this season. But so have some other ACC teams. And nobody respects a quitter. Right?

Wake 'D's up'

2005-02-16T10:47:00.000-05:00

Wake Forest 68 Miami 63

Skip Prosser:

"Much has been written about our deficiencies defensively. And much has been written, for that matter. Our guys are cognizant of the fact that if we want to have a special season -it's already been special- and continue to play, that the variable, if you will. Usually we can score. And tonight, when we didn't, I think our defense carried the day."

Meanwhile, Miami remains on the bubble.

The Sun-Sentinel's Omar Kelly:

"Would haves could haves and should haves were all Miami was left with, along with the distaste of letting a potential upset that could have sealed an NCAA Tournament berth slip away."

The bigger picture, part II

2005-02-15T20:27:00.000-05:00

Here's the question, ACC-wise: Who's a number one seed right now, and what can they do to mess it up?

The bigger picture.....

2005-02-15T11:15:00.000-05:00

So just how many NCAA bids will the ACC get? The Roanoke Times' Mark Berman breaks it down.

Berman's list:

Safe bets (make that "sure" bets): Wake, Carolina, Duke;

Hopefuls: Maryland, Miami and Georgia Tech;

Long shots: Virginia, State, Virginia Tech

Clemson and Florida State will just have to win the tournament to get in.

Further south, AJC's Jack Wilkinson takes a look at the bigger NCAA picture, with a lot of ACC mixed in. (OK, it couldn't be any other way.)

Wikinson's "most likely" top four seeds? Illinois, Carolina, Kansas and Boston College.

ACC Bracketology

2005-02-15T10:33:00.000-05:00

The N&R's Jeff Carlton analyzes the expanded ACC Tournament bracket. It appears as though more than one "contender" is going to have to win four games not just to win the tournament, but to move on to the NCAA.

Meanwhile, the Durham Herald-Sun's Frank Dascenzo focuses exclusively on the jockeying at the top of the pack.

Not so crazy about the Crazies

2005-02-15T10:31:00.000-05:00

Cameron Indoor Stadium remains a fearsome place to visit, but these days much of the action in the stands seems to be about the action in the stands. Hey, Dookie V, look at us, we're Crazies!

Being a little too into the wacky rep has been a problem for a while. As this column from 2003 says, "The clever antics of the fans in the stands were cute when Duke was a plucky underdog, but they come off as obnoxious and self-referential when applied to a perennial top-5 team."

Now ESPN's Mike Ogle says Cameron fans have jumped the shark -- they're not just annoying, they're not that good anymore. "Maybe they're too busy with their future-CEO classes to actually care about basketball anymore -- or at least care as much about the hoops as they seem to care about amusing each other."

At the N&R's Sports Extra blog, Jim Young asks, "But what, exactly, does wearing a blazer and a fake afro have to do with Duke basketball?"

And Stuffwriter, an admitted Duke hater, is not impressed with the artistic skills of the body-painters.

Better get a T-O, baybee!

Not too soon.....

2005-02-14T10:14:00.000-05:00

....to start thinking about the tournament.

Just in case you're not sure about the bracket...

Nothing to be happy about

2005-02-14T09:44:00.000-05:00

N.C. State 53 Georgia Tech 51

State believes it can turn things around, but one look at the box score tells you this was a bad game between two bad teams.

Ilian Evtimov is optimistic:

"It's far from being over. We can turn things around. We've got to believe in ourselves like we did tonight and defend like we did tonight. If so, great things are going to happen for us."

Uh-huh.

The handwriting's on the wall for Tech.

AJC's Rana Cash,doing every thing she can to make this game sound exciting:

"Madness, as in the March variety, could go on this year without Tech, last year's runner-up. It's a stark reality now facing the Jackets, who lost an ACC game at home for the second time this season. More pressing is the ACC Tournament, with Tech vying for a first-round bye."

Paul Hewitt, with the understatement of the year:

"Fourteen wins is not going to be enough to get us into the tournament."