ESPN Men's Basketball

ATLANTA -- Chants of "We want Duke" started with a little more than a minute remaining in Friday night's ACC second-round finale.

But they weren't for Miami.

The chants of "N-I-T" from giddy Florida State fans just before the final two free throws of the game, however, were.

It was a harsh way to leave Philips Arena -- and Atlanta -- for the Hurricanes, who lost 82-71 to Florida State in the quarterfinals, but the verbal shots taken by the rival fan base could be heartbreaking clues to Miami's postseason fate.

Entering the ACC tournament, the Hurricanes, who sit at 19-12 on the season, needed to make some sort of run. Step 1 was completed Thursday with a 54-36 victory over Georgia Tech. It was a game that ended with Miami's offense clicking and led to thoughts of a classic second-round matchup with FSU.

However, at Miami's pregame meal three hours before tip-off, coach Jim Larranaga dropped a bombshell when he told his players that starting guard, and leading scorer, Durand Scott was out for the game. The school later said he was ruled ineligible for receiving impermissible benefits.

So Miami, which had dealt with its fair share of distractions and adversity all season, entered Friday night's contest down arguably its best player.

As much as the Canes fought, they didn't have enough. Missing Scott, there wasn't that consistent lane presence, that suffocating defender or that calming effect on the court. Freshman guard Shane Larkin said Miami tried to fill Scott's role by committee, but it just couldn't.

Because of that, Miami is once again on the outside looking in when it comes to the NCAA tournament.

"The selection committee does a great job of analyzing everybody's resume and their body of work throughout the entire season," Larranaga said. "I don't think it comes down to one game. We've played enough that if we do get selected, I think we can make a run in the tournament.

"That's out of our hands. Those are not things we can control."

What Miami did control was another off shooting night in the first half. The Canes shot under 30 percent in first frame in back-to-back games and couldn't get out of the hole they dug in the first 20 minutes.

Mistakes and miscues helped the poor shooting effort, and Larkin said it was hard to stomach just how close he thought his team had come to securing a tournament bid.

"We tried to fight through [adversity] again, like we have all year, but it just wasn't enough tonight," Larkin said.

"I still think we're a tournament team. You never want to leave that decision to the committee."

But Miami did, and now the question is if the NCAA will take a look at what the Canes have done considering their situation. They played without center Reggie Johnson until December because of a knee injury and were without senior guard/forward DeQuan Jones for the first 10 games because of an NCAA investigation into recruiting allegations.

Then Scott's situation arose and Miami failed to overcome its latest bout with misfortune.

Miami's loss could be other bubble teams' gains. Now, one of those other bubble teams could slip past the Canes in the pecking order.

Miami won't truly know anything until Sunday, and you can bet that the countdown to Selection Sunday will be torturous.

"You wish you could write a letter to the NCAA pleading your case," Larkin said. "There's nothing you can do now. You just sit here and wait and the agony of knowing that you had a chance to put yourself in there, like permanently without no doubt, it's tough."

ATLANTA -- Florida State took the season series with Miami and advanced to the semifinals of the ACC tournament with an 82-71 victory Friday.

The Seminoles out-ran, out-muscled and outplayed the Hurricanes in the first half, outscoring the Hurricanes by nine and connecting on 7 of 12 3-pointers. FSU got a bit sluggish to start the second half, but never let its lead dip below three points in the second frame.

For the second consecutive game, Miami was awful shooting the ball in the first half, but unlike their first-round win over Georgia Tech, the Hurricanes were unable to go on a scoring spree in the second half, allowing FSU to keep a consistent lead.

One reason for Miami's shortcomings offensively was the fact that the Canes were without leading scorer Durand Scott, who was ruled ineligible before the game for receiving impermissible benefits.

Turning point: Poor first-half shooting doomed the Hurricanes. Miami shot 28.1 percent from the field (9-of-32) to Florida State's 42.9 percent (12-of-28). In the second half, Miami started hot, but never gained a lead against the Noles, who outscored Miami by two in the second frame.

Key player: Michael Snaer kept FSU moving throughout the game. He led the Noles with 8 points at the half and finished with a game-high 20. He hit 5 of 7 shots, including going 4-of-5 from beyond the arc. He also had 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block.

Key stat: FSU's defense frustrated Miami all night, especially in the paint. FSU altered a number of attempts and blocked 10 Miami shots in the process. FSU also turned the ball over 11 times after turning it over 33 times combined in the first two games against the Canes.

Miscellaneous: This was the first meeting between the two schools in the ACC tournament ... Miami held Georgia Tech to a tournament-low 36 points in the first-round game, but gave up 36 points to the Noles by halftime. ... FSU forward Bernard James dislocated his finger early in the second half, but he returned with 9:37 remaining. ... The last time FSU was in Atlanta for the ACC tournament, the Seminoles played in the championship game for the first time in school history. The Noles lost to Duke; FSU plays Duke on Saturday.

What’s next: With the win, FSU is still in the hunt for a No. 4 seed or better in the NCAA tournament; the Seminoles are likely a 4 or 5 seed right now. A win over the Blue Devils on Saturday and the Noles could be in a fight for a 3 seed if they were to win the championship game Sunday. Miami is back on major bubble watch. The Canes entered the tournament on the outside looking in and while they helped their cause with a victory Thursday, the Canes will surely be sweating it out until Selection Sunday.

ATLANTA -- Miami will be without its leading scorer against Florida State in the second round of the ACC tournament.

The school announced Friday that junior guard Durand Scott was ruled ineligible for receiving impermissible benefits.

Here's the statement from Miami:

The University of Miami has declared men's basketball student-athlete Durand Scott ineligible for receiving impermissible benefits and is immediately seeking his reinstatement from the NCAA.

Scott was averaging 12.9 points per game and scored 11 points on 4-of-4 shooting in the Hurricanes' 54-36 victory over Georgia Tech in Thursday's first-round game. He also grabbed seven rebounds and two steals.

Durand Scott scored 17 points and Miami beat No. 16 Florida State 78-62 on Sunday night.

With two weeks remaining, it looks like it’s going to be a down-to-the-wire race for the regular-season ACC title. This week’s attempt at the power rankings:

1. Duke: After needing a 20-point rally to beat NC State, Duke had it a lot easier at Boston College on Sunday. The Blue Devils won by a decisive 25 points to remain tied atop the ACC standings with UNC and Florida State. Next up: a trip to Tallahassee, Fla., on Thursday for a rematch with the Seminoles.

2. North Carolina: Sophomore Harrison Barnes averaged 23.5 points in wins at Miami and over Clemson, and both he -- and his teammates -- appear to be revving up for a postseason run. Outside shooting is still a concern lately, but defense is making up for it.

3. Florida State: The Seminoles’ win at NC State on Saturday marked the first time the they have beaten all four ACC teams from North Carolina -- UNC, Duke, Wake Forest and the Wolfpack -- in the same season. “Being from North Carolina, it’s a big thing,’’ said guard Ian Miller, who hails from Charlotte.

4. Virginia: The Cavaliers’ upset loss at Clemson marked the first time they have dropped back-to-back games this season. But UVa followed up by beating Maryland to secure its first 20-win season since 2006-07.

5. Miami: After his team lost to the Hurricanes, Wake Forest coach Jeff Bzdelik said he thinks Miami is an NCAA tournament team. But UM (which broke a two-game losing streak with the win) is taking a one-game-at-a-time approach: “It’s a goal and a dream,’’ guard Durand Scott said, according to The Miami Herald. “But you can’t deal with the future unless you take care of the present. Today is the present. Today is what’s important right now.”

6. NC State: With back-to-back losses at Duke and to FSU last week, it’s going to be difficult to reach the 11 ACC victories coach Mark Gottfried predicted his team would need for an NCAA tournament at-large bid. The Wolfpack are now 7-5 in league play, with home games against UNC and Miami and road matchups at Clemson and Virginia Tech left on the docket.

7. Maryland: The Terps suffered their largest margin of defeat this season when they lost by 27 points at Virginia, and coach Mark Turgeon grew so frustrated with his team’s turnovers and shot selection that he pulled his starters with four minutes left. “I just had enough of selfishness, not boxing out, not defending,’’ he said, according to The Baltimore Sun.

8. Clemson: The Tigers followed an upset win over Virginia with yet another loss to the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill. “I don’t think it has much to do with extra pressure or anything like that,” Tanner Smith said of the Tigers’ 0-56 streak at UNC. “We just didn’t make the plays down the stretch that we needed to make.”

9. Virginia Tech: Dorenzo Hudson's desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer helped beat Georgia Tech in overtime. But it couldn’t quite erase the sting of allowing FSU to come back from a nine-point deficit in the final 90 seconds to win, just two days before.

10. Wake Forest: The Deacons ended a six-game slide with a win over Georgia Tech, only to possibly begin another one with a loss at Miami. They get a break before playing Boston College next weekend.

11. Boston College: The Eagles were blown out at Maryland and then managed only 50 points against Duke. That's now three straight losses and a 1-9 stretch for BC, with the only victory coming against Florida State, strangely enough.

12. Georgia Tech: The Jackets’ last-second loss at Virginia Tech means they have now lost three straight, and nine of their past 10. They played that game without Glen Rice Jr., who is suspended indefinitely.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- When seventh-ranked North Carolina’s 3-point shots finally start going through consistently, coach Roy Williams said, “We’re really going to be a good basketball team.”

In the second half Wednesday night, after all, it helped them be a whole lot better.

Zero-for-six from 3-point land in the first half -- and 2-for-22 counting the four halves before that -- the Tar Heels swished five second-half 3-pointers to help pull away from Miami and survive 73-64.

It marked the third time in five games that UNC has shot worse than 40 percent and won.

And while that’s a tribute to the Tar Heels’ defense (which held the Hurricanes to 35.5 percent shooting in the second half), it’s also a testament to how much better UNC can (and will need to) be.

“Kids have got to step up and make shots,’’ Williams said. “I got mad and screamed at P.J. [Hairston] one time, ‘Make a dad-gum shot.’ It’s a pretty easy game, and if you’re a great shooter, you ought to be able to shoot the ball in the game, in practice, out in the backyard when the wind’s blowing.

“So I still think we’re going to make them, and we’re going to show it, but we’ve got to do it.”

The Tar Heels trailed 35-30 at halftime, and they were down 44-36 with about 15 minutes left when they made their first 3-pointer -- courtesy of sophomore Harrison Barnes.

“It was a nice relief,’’ said Barnes, who led UNC with 23 points.

And one that jump-started a rally.

Barnes followed that 3-pointer with a 3-point play, and then Hairston -- back after missing Saturday’s win over Virginia because of a sore foot -- connected on two free throws to knot the score at 44.

Barnes hit another 3, with 13:12 left, to give UNC its first lead of the second half (47-46).

His third 3 made it 58-53.

And then Reggie Bullock (10 points, all in the second half) made two from beyond the arc in the final 6:27 to give the Tar Heels a much-needed cushion down the stretch.

“It felt good, knowing that I’m still shooting with confidence, and that my teammates still have confidence in me,’’ said Bullock, who had made only 3 of his previous 15 3-point attempts entering the game.

No Tar Heel has seemed to be able to put his finger on why there have been so many shooting woes of late. Williams said during his Monday night radio show that the players have been struggling to connect from long distance in practice recently, too.

(Not that it kept them from trying.)

“I think we’ve got a unique collection of guys, that even if the shots aren’t falling, we’re still going to put them up,’’ Barnes said. “I don’t know if that’s good or bad; the jury’s still out on that one. But we have confidence in our shooters, and we need to continue to make shots.”

Indeed, even the guys who aren’t shooting from long distance -- such as 7-footer Tyler Zeller -- feel the benefit when 3s start falling. It takes some of the pressure off him defensively (because foes can’t ignore the shooters, and concentrate all their efforts in the lane). And offensively, as well.

“[It’s a] huge relief, especially when you’re battling Reggie [Johnson, Miami’s center] the whole game,’’ said Zeller, who finished with nine points and eight rebounds. "He’s a huge guy, tough to go against. So when you start hitting 3s, I don’t’ have to worry about offense as much, and I can let [my teammates] take over the game, and try to hit some second shots in.”

In the end, NC made 5 of 18 3-point attempts for the game (5-of-12 in the second half). John Henson added 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Tar Heels.

Durand Scott led Miami with 15 points.

Williams was pleased with the hard-fought victory, but still wants to see more 3s fall through.

“To have a chance to be one of those teams still standing at the end of the year, you’re not going to win every game pretty -- shooting 55 percent and those kinds of things,’’ Williams said. “It’s been a while since we shot like that.”

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

CORAL GABLES, Fla. -- A quick look at seventh-ranked North Carolina’s 73-64 win over Miami at BankUnited Center on Wednesday:

What it means: The win pushed UNC’s ACC record to 9-2 and kept it in the hunt for the regular-season conference title (although it could use some help from Duke and Florida State, as all three began the day tied atop the conference standings). The loss thwarted Miami’s attempt to beat both Duke and UNC in the same season for the first time, as the Hurricanes are still trying to play -- and prove -- their way into the NCAA tournament.

How it happened: Miami connected on 42.4 percent of its shots -- including five 3-pointers -- in the first half, and few looked overly tough.

UNC, meanwhile, got zero first-half points from its backcourt, as Tyler Zeller, John Henson, Harrison Barnes and reserve James Michael McAdoo accounted for all its points. It was a stark contrast from the last time these two teams played -- last month, when UNC starting guards Kendall Marshall and Dexter Strickland combined for 26 points. This time, Marshall and fellow starter Reggie Bullock were 0-for-7 at the break.

The Tar Heels trailed 35-30 at halftime, then 44-36 early in the second half when Barnes started doing that make-big-shots-at-key-times thing he does. He followed a 3-pointer with a three-point play to cut his team’s deficit to 44-42, teammate P.J. Hairston added two free throws to tie it, and then, after two foul shots from UM’s Reggie Johnson, Barnes buried another 3 to give the Tar Heels a 47-46 lead with 13:06 left.

UNC led by as much as 63-55 on a Bullock 3-pointer, and the Hurricanes tried to keep it interesting when Rion Brown countered with a 3 to cut UNC’s lead to five points. But Bullock’s second 3 of the game gave the Tar Heels a 67-58 cushion with 1:31 left.

Barnes led the Tar Heels with 23 points, Henson added 14 and Bullock finished with 10.

Durand Scott led the Hurricanes with 15 points.

Number to know: The Tar Heels entered the game 6-for-26 from 3-point land in the month of February; they were 5-for-18 on Wednesday.

Injury report: Hairston, who sat out UNC’s win over Virginia on Saturday because of a sore left foot, went through the shootaround Wednesday morning, dressed for the game and checked in with 9:39 left in the first half. He finished with four points.

What’s next: The Tar Heels will play Clemson on Saturday at the Smith Center. The Hurricanes play Wake Forest, also on Saturday.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

What’s more surprising so far in this topsy-turvy ACC? That Boston College, the team predicted to finish 12th, already has two league wins, or that North Carolina, predicted to win the ACC and more, got pummeled at Florida State by 33 points? Here’s this week’s attempt at ranking the squads in this head-scratching conference:

1. Duke: The Blue Devils’ defense is still a work in progress, but it showed some much-needed second-half intensity in surviving a close game against Virginia (despite making less than half of its free throw attempts and only a quarter of its 3-point attempts) at home last week. After winning at Clemson on Sunday, Duke is 3-0 in ACC play.

2. Virginia: The Cavs took Duke down to the wire at Cameron Indoor Stadium but couldn’t find enough offense, besides senior forward Mike Scott, to extend their 12-game winning streak. Still, UVa's defense (as well as Scott, who has scored 23 points in each of his past two games) will continue to give teams fits.

3. North Carolina: The 33-point loss at FSU on Saturday was the worst in the Roy Williams era -- embarrassing and unacceptable for a team considered a Final Four favorite. The Tar Heels must show more mental toughness on the road. They must get more from their bench. And they need a lot more from ACC Preseason Player of the Year Harrison Barnes, who is 7-of-25 his past two games.

4. NC State: After coach Mark Gottfried challenged his team to play better defense than it did during its midweek loss to Georgia Tech, the Wolfpack responded, holding Wake Forest to 2-of-20 from 3-point range and 40 total points in a 76-40 win. All five NCSU starters continue to average double figures in scoring.

5. Florida State: After winning at Virginia Tech and blowing out UNC, it looks like it’s finally starting to come together for the Seminoles. Their defense is showing its expected intensity and the team is playing more as a unit. Deividas Dulkys isn’t going to score 32 points every day, but if FSU can get some consistent offense from Michael Snaer and Ian Miller, it’s going to become harder and harder to beat.

6. Maryland: The Terrapins have now won nine of their past 10 games as Terrell Stoglin continues to score and freshman Alex Len continues to impress. Next up: a test at Florida State, another team that looks to be on the upswing after an inconsistent start to the season.

7. Miami: The Hurricanes, on paper, have the pieces to be a factor in the ever-shuffling ACC standings, but they still haven’t put it all together. They’ve had plenty of time to stew after their big loss at UNC last Tuesday, but they can’t afford to have guards Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott both shut down, as they were against the Tar Heels.

8. Clemson: After losing to Boston College and Duke, coach Brad Brownell is still looking for a go-to scorer to consistently make plays when needed. Will that player ever emerge?

9. Virginia Tech: After losing to Boston College (a team with nine freshmen), coach Seth Greenberg said it’s too early to panic. But at 0-3 in the ACC, with games against UNC and Virginia on the horizon, the Hokies are on the brink of busting their NCAA tournament bubble before it’s even inflated.

10. Georgia Tech: The Jackets snapped their four-game losing streak by winning at NC State, only to lose at Maryland. Tech scored only 19 points in the first half of that game, its lowest half of scoring of the season.

11. Boston College: Who’d have thunk it? The freshman-laden Eagles followed a two-point win over Clemson with a two-point win over Virginia Tech. You’ve got to respect what Steve Donahue is building in Chestnut Hill.

12. Wake Forest: NC State tried to keep the Deacons from scoring 40 points in its 36-point romp; it almost succeeded. Although junior C.J. Harris remains near the top of the league in scoring, the Deacons have now lost three of their past four games.

Robbi Pickeral can be reached at bylinerp@gmail.com. Twitter: bylinerp.

For the second time this season, USC was held to 40 points or fewer.
Two weeks after scoring 36 points in a loss to Cal Poly, the Trojans fell to Minnesota 55-40. At 55.1 ppg, USC is on track for its lowest scoring season since averaging 52.8 in 1948-49. That’s also the last season in which the Trojans were twice held to 40 points or fewer.

Wildcats can’t score in first loss
Both Northwestern and Baylor entered Sunday’s contest undefeated, but you wouldn’t know it from the result. Baylor won 69-41, holding Northwestern to 24.1 percent from the field. It was the worst shooting performance by the Wildcats in nearly 10 years. The 41 points are the fewest Northwestern has scored in its home court since a 40-39 win over North Florida in 2006. Meanwhile, Baylor was 25-for-30 from two-point range, an 83.3 two-point field goal percentage that is their highest over the past 15 years.

Freshmen shine off the bench
A pair of freshmen starred off the bench on Saturday in Connecticut’s 75-62 win over Arkansas. Playing in just his second game, Ryan Boatright led the Huskies with 23 points, adding five rebounds and six assists. He’s the first UConn freshman with a 20-5-5 game off the bench since Kemba Walker against Missouri in the 2009 Elite Eight. Meanwhile, B.J. Young led all scorers with a career-high 28 points in the losing effort. It was the third most points by a freshman off the bench this season. The rest of the Razorbacks combined to shoot 24.6 percent from the field.

16 points and no field goals
Despite not connecting on a field goal, Durand Scott was Miami's top scorer in Saturday's 83-75 win over Massachusetts. Scott missed all six of his field goal attempts, and his 16 points came courtesy of a 16-for-18 performance at the line. It's the most points scored by a Division I player without a field goal since Binghamton's Sebastian Hermenier's 17 against Vermont in 2006. Scott's total is the most by a major conference player without a field goal since Indiana's Michael Lewis also scored 16 against Minnesota in 1998.

Top scoring performance of season
Weber State's Damian Lillard had the nation's top scoring game of the season, finishing with 41 points in a 91-89 double-overtime win over San Jose State. Lillard only had 24 points at the end of regulation, but scored 17 of the Wildcats' 24 points in the two overtimes. The 41 points are the second most in school history behind Stan Mayhew's 45 points in 1977. He's the first Division I player to crack the 40-point mark since Harrison Barnes in the 2011 ACC tournament. Lillard is the top scorer in the nation, averaging 28.2 ppg.

GREENSBORO, N.C. – With the season hanging in the balance, Durand Scott brought some New York playground to Greensboro Coliseum.

His Miami Hurricanes were trailing Virginia Tech 61-59 in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament with less than three minutes to play, and the next stop was the offseason unless something changed in a hurry. That’s when freshman Scott went to the rack like a Big Apple guard should.

“I just tightened my fist,” Scott said. “… I’m a great driver. I know how to get to the basket. There’s nobody in this league who can stop me when I’m determined.”

At that crucial moment Friday, Scott was determined. And unstoppable.

He drove left, drew contact and scored while being sprawled to the deck, then made the free throw for a 62-61 lead. Next possession, he charged left into the paint again and made an off-balance shot off glass. And on the possession after that, Scott switched direction, went right and drew a foul. His two free throws with 1:53 left gave Miami the lead for good.

That’s seven huge points in a minute’s time. Scott added the clinching free throws with 17.5 seconds to play for a 70-65 upset – pushing the last-place team in the league into the semifinals. According to ACC research guru Rob Daniels, only 28 teams out of the 482 seeded 10th or worse have made a major-conference tournament semifinal since 1994.

Miami’s place in the ACC semis was courtesy of the suddenly Great Scott. He finished with a team-high 17 points and six rebounds, a huge game for a skinny freshman with a single-digit season scoring average.

“Give Scott credit,” said Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg. “He made two crazy plays, and then we bailed him out with the foul. He’s strong, he’s quick, he’s physical.”

And he’s quite an addition for the Canes. Scott was a high-profile recruit, but he was reticent to assert himself upon arrival in Coral Gables.

“I was pretty much afraid to take the game over because there are people ahead of me,” he said. “I want everybody to be happy. I hate for people not to be happy on the court.”

But it’s worse when your coach is unhappy with your play. Frank Haith asked Scott a few weeks ago whether he was hitting the freshman wall, and suggested that he step up his assertiveness.

The result: Scott amped up his scoring, averaging 16 points per game in Miami’s final six regular-season games. He was only 2-for-10 Thursday in the Canes’ opening-round upset of Wake Forest, but he contributed five rebounds and four assists.

And then he took over against Virginia Tech, when Miami’s tournament life was in the balance. Now the handful of Hurricanes fans who made this trip have another day to spend in Greensboro as the Canes take on Duke Saturday in the semifinals.

“The fans here, we appreciate them,” Scott said.

After Friday, the feeling is absolutely mutual.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Quick postgame thoughts on Miami 70, Virginia Tech 65:

• The Miami Miracle is halfway complete. Hurricanes finished last in the league but have dispatched No. 5 seed Wake Forest and No. 4 Virginia Tech. Saturday they get a shot at stunning champion Duke.
• Freshman guard Durand Scott was the hero for the Canes. He scored nine of their final 11 points and made repeated big drives to the hoop.
• Virginia Tech slides back into some bubble trouble. The Hokies' strong showing in ACC play is their only selling point after doing very little in the nonconference season. Could be some anxious moments for Seth Greenberg & Co. Sunday.
• The prevailing question watching Miami the past two days: How did it go 4-12 in the ACC? This is a tough, athletic bunch that guards and hits the glass -- and can hit shots as well. A mystery why the Canes struggled so much in league play.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Late in the first half of its ACC tournament quarterfinal game, with his team trailing major underdog Miami by 10 points, Wake Forest guard L.D. Williams dug in defensively.

He dogged Hurricanes guard Durand Scott left, right, left again -- in his face until the officials blew the whistle and signaled a five-second call. Williams had forced a turnover.

He responded with two clenched fists and a yell in the direction of his Demon Deacons teammates.

Their damning, telling reaction?

They completely ignored Williams’ effort.

None of the other four Wake players on the court came to congratulate him. Not a single slap on the back, not a fist bump, nothing. The Deacons simply went about their half-hearted business.

“I feel like it was that way from Jump Street,” Williams said. “Coach (Dino Gaudio) was telling us all week we need to play with a tremendous amount of emotion, a tremendous amount of enthusiasm. I don’t know what happened.”

What happened is this: Wake Forest was humiliated 83-62 in its own backyard by a team that won just four ACC games and was playing without its injured leading scorer and rebounder, Dwayne Collins. The performance was so bad that it will once again calls into question Wake’s NCAA tournament credentials, and Gaudio’s viability as the coach of this program for the long term.

The Deacons must hope that their athletic director, Ron Wellman, shielded all the televisions in Indianapolis from his fellow NCAA selection committee members. Either that, or he’ll have to do some off-the-record lobbying for a team that has lost five of its last six games.

Wake has some quality wins on its record, over Gonzaga, Richmond, Xavier and Maryland. But they’re also playing the worst basketball of anyone in the at-large pool.

“We’ll see on Sunday,” Williams said of the NCAAs. “I have no clue.”

Under Gaudio, Wake hasn’t had a clue in the postseason. Or a victory. They’re now 0-4 in postseason games under Gaudio, who got the job full-time after gracefully handling the sudden death of his boss and close friend, Skip Prosser, in the summer of 2008.

In each of those four losses, Wake was the higher seeded team. And in each of those four losses, Wake was beaten by double digits.

Last time I saw the Deacons in person, they were being routed by No. 13 seed Cleveland State in the NCAA tournament. Now this.

A Miami team with nothing going for it scored on eight of its first nine possessions to start the game. Then, already up 14, it went on an 8-0 run to start the second half. Wake Forest had no response.

“Sometimes I feel like we just go through the motions,” Williams said.

Among those who appeared to be going through the motions Thursday was Wake’s most talented player, sophomore Al-Farouq Aminu. He somewhat surprisingly returned to school after a productive freshman season but has played very poorly during Wake’s very bad stretch.

Aminu came into this tourney averaging 15.9 points and 10.8 rebounds per game but had scored just 25 total points in his last three games, including being shut out at Florida State. Against a depleted Miami front line, Aminu produced a lethargic 11 points and seven rebounds while playing 25 minutes -- his lowest minute total since mid-December.

“He just wasn’t playing well, so I was just trying to put the guys out there who’d give us the best opportunity to win,” Gaudio said. “And therein lies why he sat.”

Gaudio has won 60 of his 90 games as Wake’s head coach -- a perfectly fine winning percentage. But he’s also been blessed with an abundance of talent -- and that talent isn’t coming close to performing in the postseason.

This is a sport where coaching reputations rise and fall in March. After this debacle, Dino Gaudio’s has hit rock bottom.

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- Halftime thoughts from Miami 41, Wake Forest 27.

• It’s a major upset on a paper -- the Hurricanes are the No. 12 seed in this tournament, and the Demon Deacons are No. 5. But you could see this coming. Wake has played terribly down the stretch before temporarily righting its ship in the regular-season final against Clemson. Now the Demon Deacons have reverted to dysfunctional and disinterested.
• Telling moment of the half: Wake’s L.D. Williams forced a five-second call on Miami’s Durand Scott with the Deacons down 10. Williams turned to his teammates, yelled and clenched his fist. Their response? Nothing. Not a single player walked up to congratulate him on a defensive effort play.
• Meanwhile, Miami is taking full advantage of this second chance at the season -- much the way Nebraska did Thursday in pasting Missouri in the Big 12 tournament. The Hurricanes passed the ball sharply for open shots -- and then made them (6 of 13 from 3-point range). They drove with verve and got to the foul line (8 of 13 free throws). They played defense (Wake shot just 31 percent for the half). They hit the glass (22-18 advantage on the glass). They played like they knew they had a chance to win and wanted to take advantage of that.
• DeQuan Jones had 12 points for the Hurricanes, high scorer for the half. He’s averaging 5 points on the season and hasn’t scored in double figures since November. Nice time to show up and show off.