College Basketball Nation: Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The college hoops offseason has thus far been defined by poorly handled transfers, primarily thanks to Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan. Ryan got all draconian on Wisconsin transfer Jarrod Uthoff's permission-to-contact list, things blew up, Ryan gave a poorly received (and poorly thought-out) explanation on "Mike and Mike in the Morning", and in general things really escalated quickly.
But there was one positive from all this sturm und drang: It allowed us to think and talk about the details of the transfer rules. A wider awareness was reached. People were even a little bit outraged! This is a good thing! The way transfers are handled -- or, more accurately, what the transfer rules allow coaches to do -- is an outrage. The rules need to be changed. Simple as that.
Of course, just because the transfer rules allow coaches to restrict schools doesn't mean coaches are required to restrict schools. Nor does it mean most coaches do. It is a common practice, but it's hardly universal. Case in point: Georgia Tech's Brian Gregory. Gregory discussed his philosophy on transfers with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and lo and behold, Gregory's philosophy is an entirely reasonable one worth far wider acceptance in the profession. Atlantic Coast Conference rules require a player to sit out two years if he transfers to another ACC school, so that's usually not an issue. And with the possible exception of Georgia, Georgia Tech's natural rival, Gregory says he "wouldn't fight" a player's desire to transfer basically anywhere he wanted. To wit:
And as for the outrage?
Currently, Gregory is working with two players -- Glen Rice Jr. and Nate Hicks -- on their transfers, and he even allowed another school to visit Hicks on campus to talk about the future of his career. And Gregory's rival, Georgia coach Mark Fox, goes even further: He has an "open release" policy, meaning his players can transfer anywhere, including fellow SEC members and rival schools. What a fabulous and foreign concept.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is how coaches should handle transfers. The rules should be rewritten to make such a process mandatory, but in the meantime, there's nothing stopping coaches from taking this initiative themselves. With the increased scrutiny, the upside to taking such a tact has never been greater. It's not only good press, it's good policy, too.
But there was one positive from all this sturm und drang: It allowed us to think and talk about the details of the transfer rules. A wider awareness was reached. People were even a little bit outraged! This is a good thing! The way transfers are handled -- or, more accurately, what the transfer rules allow coaches to do -- is an outrage. The rules need to be changed. Simple as that.
Of course, just because the transfer rules allow coaches to restrict schools doesn't mean coaches are required to restrict schools. Nor does it mean most coaches do. It is a common practice, but it's hardly universal. Case in point: Georgia Tech's Brian Gregory. Gregory discussed his philosophy on transfers with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and lo and behold, Gregory's philosophy is an entirely reasonable one worth far wider acceptance in the profession. Atlantic Coast Conference rules require a player to sit out two years if he transfers to another ACC school, so that's usually not an issue. And with the possible exception of Georgia, Georgia Tech's natural rival, Gregory says he "wouldn't fight" a player's desire to transfer basically anywhere he wanted. To wit:
“Probably with UGA, it’s the in-state rivalry thing and so forth. But I will be honest with you, if it ever got to a situation where a kid really wanted to go to a specific school, I wouldn’t fight it … I wouldn’t fight it.” And if that specific school was UGA? “That’s a hypothetical situation that I would probably have to sit down and think more about. But … if that’s where a kid really wants to go, I wouldn’t fight it.”
And as for the outrage?
“I do think the ‘Why is a coach able to leave and players not’ discussion struck a pretty right-on nerve with the public. As negative as the coverage was regarding those restrictions on transfers, I think something good is going to come out of it because I think coaches are going to take a step back and re-evaluate how they handle the process.”
Currently, Gregory is working with two players -- Glen Rice Jr. and Nate Hicks -- on their transfers, and he even allowed another school to visit Hicks on campus to talk about the future of his career. And Gregory's rival, Georgia coach Mark Fox, goes even further: He has an "open release" policy, meaning his players can transfer anywhere, including fellow SEC members and rival schools. What a fabulous and foreign concept.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is how coaches should handle transfers. The rules should be rewritten to make such a process mandatory, but in the meantime, there's nothing stopping coaches from taking this initiative themselves. With the increased scrutiny, the upside to taking such a tact has never been greater. It's not only good press, it's good policy, too.
Hurricanes still alive for tournament bid
March, 9, 2012
Mar 9
12:56
AM ET
By
Edward Aschoff | ESPN.com
ATLANTA -- Looking back at the first half against Georgia Tech on Thursday night, Shane Larkin could see why people will question if Miami deserves to be a part of the NCAA tournament.
Miami's freshman guard was front and center for the Hurricanes' putrid first 20 minutes of action at the ACC tournament. He and his teammates shot 6-of-25 (.240) from the field, turned the ball over seven times, had one assist and scored just 19 points. If not for Georgia Tech's equally grotesque first-half performance, the Canes might be doing a lot of self-loathing right about now.
But there are always two sides of a game, and Larkin prefers to focus on the second half -- the half in which Miami trounced the Yellow Jackets in their own backyard. It was a half where the Canes shot 41 percent from the field and suffocated Georgia Tech with its smothering defense.
Miami's utilization of the full-court press stymied the Yellow Jackets, forcing them to make mistake after mistake, leading to 12 of Georgia Tech's 20 turnovers. Larkin, who was benched to start the second half for sloppy, lackadaisical play, awoke to score 10 of his team-high 12 points in the second frame. Guard Rion Brown came off the bench to drain back-to-back 3s that helped spark a crippling 18-0 run early in the second.
The Canes were smarter, tougher and faster and played their way into the field of 68 with the 54-36 victory, according to Larkin.
"I know you have to pass the eye test and if people were watching that, we looked like a terrible team in the first half," Larkin said. "If they watch the whole game, they'll see that we're a very talented team (with) a lot of people who can score the ball, great bigs, and we deserve a chance to play in the tournament."
The Canes entered Thursday's game with an RPI of 51, a strength of schedule of 50 and a 3-10 record against the RPI top 100. Those numbers aren't pretty, and the only things keeping this team alive are victories over Duke and Florida State. That means Miami will likely need to make some sort of run in the ACC tournament.
That run started with its blowout of Georgia Tech, a team counted out of the tournament months ago, and could continue with a win over Florida State on Friday. Miami is 1-1 against FSU, and would get back in the tournament committee's good graces with another win over the 17th-ranked Seminoles.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has Miami as one of the last four out, so work needs to be done, but senior guard Malcolm Grant said his team can't worry about brackets and possibilities. Winning will cure everything for Miami.
"[Friday's] a big game for us, but we don't want to go in there thinking that if we win we're definitely in the tournament because we don't want to put added pressure on ourselves," Grant said.
To Larkin, Miami's body of work, which includes 19 wins, isn't the only thing that should send the Canes dancing. He thinks the second-half effort Thursday shows how dangerous and exciting this team could be in the tournament.
Given the chance, Larkin believes Miami would be quite the date for the Big Dance.
"We're a very talented team, can do a lot of things, and we showed that in the second half," he said.
Miami's freshman guard was front and center for the Hurricanes' putrid first 20 minutes of action at the ACC tournament. He and his teammates shot 6-of-25 (.240) from the field, turned the ball over seven times, had one assist and scored just 19 points. If not for Georgia Tech's equally grotesque first-half performance, the Canes might be doing a lot of self-loathing right about now.
But there are always two sides of a game, and Larkin prefers to focus on the second half -- the half in which Miami trounced the Yellow Jackets in their own backyard. It was a half where the Canes shot 41 percent from the field and suffocated Georgia Tech with its smothering defense.
Miami's utilization of the full-court press stymied the Yellow Jackets, forcing them to make mistake after mistake, leading to 12 of Georgia Tech's 20 turnovers. Larkin, who was benched to start the second half for sloppy, lackadaisical play, awoke to score 10 of his team-high 12 points in the second frame. Guard Rion Brown came off the bench to drain back-to-back 3s that helped spark a crippling 18-0 run early in the second.
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Paul Abell/US PresswireShane Larkin, right, believes his Miami team passes the eye test for the NCAA selection committee.
Paul Abell/US PresswireShane Larkin, right, believes his Miami team passes the eye test for the NCAA selection committee."I know you have to pass the eye test and if people were watching that, we looked like a terrible team in the first half," Larkin said. "If they watch the whole game, they'll see that we're a very talented team (with) a lot of people who can score the ball, great bigs, and we deserve a chance to play in the tournament."
The Canes entered Thursday's game with an RPI of 51, a strength of schedule of 50 and a 3-10 record against the RPI top 100. Those numbers aren't pretty, and the only things keeping this team alive are victories over Duke and Florida State. That means Miami will likely need to make some sort of run in the ACC tournament.
That run started with its blowout of Georgia Tech, a team counted out of the tournament months ago, and could continue with a win over Florida State on Friday. Miami is 1-1 against FSU, and would get back in the tournament committee's good graces with another win over the 17th-ranked Seminoles.
ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi has Miami as one of the last four out, so work needs to be done, but senior guard Malcolm Grant said his team can't worry about brackets and possibilities. Winning will cure everything for Miami.
"[Friday's] a big game for us, but we don't want to go in there thinking that if we win we're definitely in the tournament because we don't want to put added pressure on ourselves," Grant said.
To Larkin, Miami's body of work, which includes 19 wins, isn't the only thing that should send the Canes dancing. He thinks the second-half effort Thursday shows how dangerous and exciting this team could be in the tournament.
Given the chance, Larkin believes Miami would be quite the date for the Big Dance.
"We're a very talented team, can do a lot of things, and we showed that in the second half," he said.
ATLANTA --Miami overcame dreadful shooting in the first half to roll right over Georgia Tech 54-36 in the finale of the first round of the ACC tournament Thursday.
For a team that shot pretty well during the regular season, the Hurricanes were erratic during the first half against the Yellow Jackets. Miami sank just 6 of 25 (24 percent) first-half shots, on its way to just 19 points. The good news for the Canes was that Georgia Tech struggled to find the bottom of the basket as well, scoring just 20 points on 8-of-26 shooting.
Things changed for the better for the Canes in the second frame, as they had outscored Georgia Tech 23-9 halfway through the second half. It helped that the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over 20 times, including 12 in the second half.
Miami found a spark off the bench in guard Rion Brown, who scored eight of his 10 points in the second. He helped fuel an 18-0 run for the Canes early in the second half with back-to-back 3s and a scintillating dunk on an alley-oop pass. After that run, the Canes never looked back.
Turning point: The 18-0 Miami run — which started with two free throws from guard/forward DeQuan Jones with 13:14 remaining — did the Yellow Jackets in. The Hurricanes went up 42-27 after hitting eight of nine shots, including two 3s from Brown, during the run, while Georgia Tech missed five consecutive shots and turned the ball over four times.
Key player: Freshman guard Shane Larkin did everything for the Canes. He owned the point, scoring a team-high 12 points, registering 3 steals and 3 assists, and snagging a rebound.
Key stat: Georgia Tech turned the ball over 20 times to Miami's 10.
Miscellaneous: Miami's 19 points and 24 percent shooting clip in the first half were the second-lowest outputs for the Hurricanes in those two categories at the half this season. Georgia Tech scored just 20 points, marking the seventh time this season that the Yellow Jackets have scored 20 or fewer at the half. ... Both teams combined for 14 baskets and 37 misses in the first half. ... Miami entered the game shooting 36 percent from 3-point land, but hit just 3-of-18 (16.7) Thursday night. ... Miami outscored Georgia Tech 35-16 in the second half.
What's next: Georgia Tech's season is over, while Miami will look to enhance its tournament chances with a victory over Florida State on Friday. The Canes are 1-1 against Florida State this season, including beating the Seminoles 78-62 the last time these two got together. Miami still appears to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the NCAA tournament, but a win over Florida State would certainly go a long way to helping its chances.
For a team that shot pretty well during the regular season, the Hurricanes were erratic during the first half against the Yellow Jackets. Miami sank just 6 of 25 (24 percent) first-half shots, on its way to just 19 points. The good news for the Canes was that Georgia Tech struggled to find the bottom of the basket as well, scoring just 20 points on 8-of-26 shooting.
Things changed for the better for the Canes in the second frame, as they had outscored Georgia Tech 23-9 halfway through the second half. It helped that the Yellow Jackets turned the ball over 20 times, including 12 in the second half.
Miami found a spark off the bench in guard Rion Brown, who scored eight of his 10 points in the second. He helped fuel an 18-0 run for the Canes early in the second half with back-to-back 3s and a scintillating dunk on an alley-oop pass. After that run, the Canes never looked back.
Turning point: The 18-0 Miami run — which started with two free throws from guard/forward DeQuan Jones with 13:14 remaining — did the Yellow Jackets in. The Hurricanes went up 42-27 after hitting eight of nine shots, including two 3s from Brown, during the run, while Georgia Tech missed five consecutive shots and turned the ball over four times.
Key player: Freshman guard Shane Larkin did everything for the Canes. He owned the point, scoring a team-high 12 points, registering 3 steals and 3 assists, and snagging a rebound.
Key stat: Georgia Tech turned the ball over 20 times to Miami's 10.
Miscellaneous: Miami's 19 points and 24 percent shooting clip in the first half were the second-lowest outputs for the Hurricanes in those two categories at the half this season. Georgia Tech scored just 20 points, marking the seventh time this season that the Yellow Jackets have scored 20 or fewer at the half. ... Both teams combined for 14 baskets and 37 misses in the first half. ... Miami entered the game shooting 36 percent from 3-point land, but hit just 3-of-18 (16.7) Thursday night. ... Miami outscored Georgia Tech 35-16 in the second half.
What's next: Georgia Tech's season is over, while Miami will look to enhance its tournament chances with a victory over Florida State on Friday. The Canes are 1-1 against Florida State this season, including beating the Seminoles 78-62 the last time these two got together. Miami still appears to be on the outside looking in when it comes to the NCAA tournament, but a win over Florida State would certainly go a long way to helping its chances.
One key player was ruled ineligible. At least one key team likely saw its at-large NCAA tournament hopes snuffed. And once again, it looks as if the ACC regular-season title will come down to the final Duke-North Carolina game, next weekend. This week’s attempt at the ACC power rankings:
1. Duke: The Blue Devils -- who already lost to Miami and Florida State at home this season -- had another close call at Cameron Indoor Stadium, needing overtime to beat Virginia Tech. But their win at FSU last week keeps them right where they want to be: in the hunt for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA and ACC tournaments.
2. North Carolina: ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi said last week the Tar Heels would need to win out to make a case for a top seed in the NCAA tournament. That push continues this week with their home finale against Maryland and a trip to Duke. When will point guard Kendall Marshall set the school record for assists in a season? Stay tuned.
3. Florida State: It was a rough week for the Seminoles. First they lost at home to Duke -- and likely lost their chance at the regular-season ACC title. Then they fell at Miami on Sunday. They’ll try to stop their slide at Virginia next.
4. Virginia: Saturday’s loss to the Tar Heels stung -- not just because of the physical game, myriad of whistles against the Cavs’ big guys or forward Mike Scott's ACC season-low six points. But also because Virginia has now lost three of its last five games.
5. Miami: The Hurricanes beat Florida State on Sunday without center Reggie Johnson, who was declared ineligible by the school after an investigation revealed members of his family took impermissible travel benefits from the former coaching staff. The victory enhanced the Hurricanes' NCAA résumé, but they’re going to need Johnson back to make a stronger push (and case).
6. Clemson: Andre Young's game-winning 3-pointer in overtime against NC State means the Tigers are now 2-8 in games decided by five or fewer points this season. They have now won four out of five games and pushed themselves to .500 in league play. But that still hasn’t made much of a dent in their triple-digit RPI.
7. NC State: Saturday’s overtime loss at Clemson was just the latest defeat to rip at the Wolfpack’s NCAA tournament hopes. An ACC tournament title would give them an automatic bid, but that now is probably the only way they get there after four straight defeats (Duke, Florida State, UNC and Clemson).
8. Maryland: After beating Miami at home last week, the Terps went on the road against a struggling Georgia Tech team and promptly lost. Coach Mark Turgeon summed up his team’s performance at Georgia Tech this way: “I thought we were growing up, but today showed we haven’t grown up all the way,” he said, according to The Washington Post. “We weren’t ready to play.”
9. Virginia Tech: “One or two more rolls went different this year, we’d be a whole different team,” senior guard Dorenzo Hudson told The Washington Post on Saturday after the Hokies lost another close one -- this time at Duke. Enough said.
10. Wake Forest: After Duke comes to town on Tuesday, the Deacs will finish the regular season with a winnable game in Atlanta. After prevailing in two of their last three games, they’d like to continue on a high note.
11. Georgia Tech: After managing only 37 points in a loss to Clemson, the Yellow Jackets beat Maryland by a bucket. “We're real happy,’’ guard Mfon Udofia said, according to The Associated Press. “I always tell the guys, 'Something's going to shake.'"
12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost 10 of 11 games. The positive: All of those freshmen will be sophomores next season.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
1. Duke: The Blue Devils -- who already lost to Miami and Florida State at home this season -- had another close call at Cameron Indoor Stadium, needing overtime to beat Virginia Tech. But their win at FSU last week keeps them right where they want to be: in the hunt for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA and ACC tournaments.
2. North Carolina: ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi said last week the Tar Heels would need to win out to make a case for a top seed in the NCAA tournament. That push continues this week with their home finale against Maryland and a trip to Duke. When will point guard Kendall Marshall set the school record for assists in a season? Stay tuned.
3. Florida State: It was a rough week for the Seminoles. First they lost at home to Duke -- and likely lost their chance at the regular-season ACC title. Then they fell at Miami on Sunday. They’ll try to stop their slide at Virginia next.
4. Virginia: Saturday’s loss to the Tar Heels stung -- not just because of the physical game, myriad of whistles against the Cavs’ big guys or forward Mike Scott's ACC season-low six points. But also because Virginia has now lost three of its last five games.
5. Miami: The Hurricanes beat Florida State on Sunday without center Reggie Johnson, who was declared ineligible by the school after an investigation revealed members of his family took impermissible travel benefits from the former coaching staff. The victory enhanced the Hurricanes' NCAA résumé, but they’re going to need Johnson back to make a stronger push (and case).
6. Clemson: Andre Young's game-winning 3-pointer in overtime against NC State means the Tigers are now 2-8 in games decided by five or fewer points this season. They have now won four out of five games and pushed themselves to .500 in league play. But that still hasn’t made much of a dent in their triple-digit RPI.
7. NC State: Saturday’s overtime loss at Clemson was just the latest defeat to rip at the Wolfpack’s NCAA tournament hopes. An ACC tournament title would give them an automatic bid, but that now is probably the only way they get there after four straight defeats (Duke, Florida State, UNC and Clemson).
8. Maryland: After beating Miami at home last week, the Terps went on the road against a struggling Georgia Tech team and promptly lost. Coach Mark Turgeon summed up his team’s performance at Georgia Tech this way: “I thought we were growing up, but today showed we haven’t grown up all the way,” he said, according to The Washington Post. “We weren’t ready to play.”
9. Virginia Tech: “One or two more rolls went different this year, we’d be a whole different team,” senior guard Dorenzo Hudson told The Washington Post on Saturday after the Hokies lost another close one -- this time at Duke. Enough said.
10. Wake Forest: After Duke comes to town on Tuesday, the Deacs will finish the regular season with a winnable game in Atlanta. After prevailing in two of their last three games, they’d like to continue on a high note.
11. Georgia Tech: After managing only 37 points in a loss to Clemson, the Yellow Jackets beat Maryland by a bucket. “We're real happy,’’ guard Mfon Udofia said, according to The Associated Press. “I always tell the guys, 'Something's going to shake.'"
12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost 10 of 11 games. The positive: All of those freshmen will be sophomores next season.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
Behind the box scores: Thursday's games
February, 17, 2012
Feb 17
7:24
AM ET
By ESPN Stats & Information | ESPN.com
A scan of the college basketball box scores each night guarantees all kinds of statistical oddities and standout performances. Here are some we found from Thursday:
Duke 78, NC State 73
NC State’s Scott Wood missed three free throws on Thursday (7-for-10) after missing three free throws in his last outing against Georgia Tech (2-for-5). Wood had made an ACC-record 66 free throws in a row dating back to last season before his first Georgia Tech miss.
Michigan State 69, Wisconsin 55
Draymond Green scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out four assists for the Spartans, the fourth time this season he’s reached all three of those levels in a game. Only one other player this season has more than one such game; Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum has done it twice.
Florida State 48, Virginia Tech 47
Florida State went 1-for-8 from the foul line in the win. The Seminoles are the fifth team this season to win a game after making one or fewer free throws; the Seminoles’ eight attempts are the most of those five teams.
San Diego 78, Portland 75 (OT)
San Diego’s Christopher Anderson dished out 13 assists and recorded five steals in the win, joining UNC’s Kendall Marshall and Iona’s Scott Machado as the only players this season to reach both those levels in a game.
Central Connecticut State 65, St. Francis (PA) 60
Trillion of the Night: Tony Peters of St. Francis (PA) played nine minutes without accumulating a stat in the Red Flash’s 65-60 loss to Central Connecticut State.
Duke 78, NC State 73
NC State’s Scott Wood missed three free throws on Thursday (7-for-10) after missing three free throws in his last outing against Georgia Tech (2-for-5). Wood had made an ACC-record 66 free throws in a row dating back to last season before his first Georgia Tech miss.
Michigan State 69, Wisconsin 55
Draymond Green scored 20 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and handed out four assists for the Spartans, the fourth time this season he’s reached all three of those levels in a game. Only one other player this season has more than one such game; Lehigh’s C.J. McCollum has done it twice.
Florida State 48, Virginia Tech 47
Florida State went 1-for-8 from the foul line in the win. The Seminoles are the fifth team this season to win a game after making one or fewer free throws; the Seminoles’ eight attempts are the most of those five teams.
San Diego 78, Portland 75 (OT)
San Diego’s Christopher Anderson dished out 13 assists and recorded five steals in the win, joining UNC’s Kendall Marshall and Iona’s Scott Machado as the only players this season to reach both those levels in a game.
Central Connecticut State 65, St. Francis (PA) 60
Trillion of the Night: Tony Peters of St. Francis (PA) played nine minutes without accumulating a stat in the Red Flash’s 65-60 loss to Central Connecticut State.
North Carolina rallied, Miami upset and Virginia and Florida State battled. It was quite a weekend for the ACC, and here’s an attempt at this week’s power rankings:
1. North Carolina: Harrison Barnes can star when hurting. Kendall Marshall can play an extended stretch with four fouls. And the Tar Heels can still rally, as they showed by coming back from a nine-point deficit at Maryland. But they’re going to have to get more production from their bench, as their reserves managed only nine points in two games last week.
2. Florida State: Michael Snaer managed only three field goals against Virginia’s defense, but they all came at timely points in the second half. The Seminoles have now won seven in a row -- including beating the three other ranked teams in the ACC -- and remain in the driver’s seat for the league’s regular-season race.
3. Duke: The Blue Devils’ loss to Miami marked their second ACC loss at home. Coach Mike Krzyzewski summed up the problem like this: “A Duke team should play with energy for 40 minutes – or 45,” he said, according to The (Raleigh) News & Observer. “Go outside and look at the banners. There are quite a few of them up there. They were not won without energy, without hunger, with ... complacency, with[out] people really wanting it.”
4. Virginia: The Cavs recorded a season-high 20 turnovers in their loss to Florida State, which they blamed more on their execution than the Seminoles’ defense. Senior Mike Scott continues to impress, as Virginia’s four losses this season have come by a combined 10 points.
5. Miami: It took three overtime periods -- two versus Maryland, one at Duke -- to extend the Hurricanes’ winning streak to four, and in so doing, they’re pushing their way back into the NCAA conversation. Sunday’s win marked Miami’s first at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and only its second win over the Blue Devils since joining the ACC.
6. NC State: Scott Wood made six 3-pointers in the Pack’s victory against Wake Forest. Most notably, he did it in his home arena, the RBC Center -- although he told The News & Observer he prefers playing on the road. "Anytime you have fans talking trash, it raises your game."
7. Maryland: The Terps gave the Tar Heels all they could handle on Saturday, even leading by as many as nine points in the second half before UNC rallied. Guard Terrell Stoglin continues to lead the ACC in scoring, but Maryland has now lost five of its past six games.
8. Clemson: The Tigers lost both their games last week and also lost forward Milton Jennings, who was suspended for the second time this season, this time for academic reasons. He’s out indefinitely, meaning the Tigers lose an average of 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies -- who had had six of their previous eight ACC games decided by four or fewer points -- finally won a close one when it beat Clemson 67-65. But they squandered a 17-point and lead and needed the Tigers to miss a shot at the end to survive.
10. Wake Forest: It was a tough week for the Deacons, who lost to two in-state foes -- UNC and NC State. That extended their losing streak to four.
11. Georgia Tech: Glen Rice Jr. scored three points in the final minute to help his team beat Boston College and snap a six-game losing streak. “Everybody in the locker room right now is going crazy,” Tech guard Mfon Udofia told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the game.
12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost six in a row -- the last two by a combined nine points -- and things don’t get any easier with Florida State coming to town on Wednesday.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
1. North Carolina: Harrison Barnes can star when hurting. Kendall Marshall can play an extended stretch with four fouls. And the Tar Heels can still rally, as they showed by coming back from a nine-point deficit at Maryland. But they’re going to have to get more production from their bench, as their reserves managed only nine points in two games last week.
2. Florida State: Michael Snaer managed only three field goals against Virginia’s defense, but they all came at timely points in the second half. The Seminoles have now won seven in a row -- including beating the three other ranked teams in the ACC -- and remain in the driver’s seat for the league’s regular-season race.
3. Duke: The Blue Devils’ loss to Miami marked their second ACC loss at home. Coach Mike Krzyzewski summed up the problem like this: “A Duke team should play with energy for 40 minutes – or 45,” he said, according to The (Raleigh) News & Observer. “Go outside and look at the banners. There are quite a few of them up there. They were not won without energy, without hunger, with ... complacency, with[out] people really wanting it.”
4. Virginia: The Cavs recorded a season-high 20 turnovers in their loss to Florida State, which they blamed more on their execution than the Seminoles’ defense. Senior Mike Scott continues to impress, as Virginia’s four losses this season have come by a combined 10 points.
5. Miami: It took three overtime periods -- two versus Maryland, one at Duke -- to extend the Hurricanes’ winning streak to four, and in so doing, they’re pushing their way back into the NCAA conversation. Sunday’s win marked Miami’s first at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and only its second win over the Blue Devils since joining the ACC.
6. NC State: Scott Wood made six 3-pointers in the Pack’s victory against Wake Forest. Most notably, he did it in his home arena, the RBC Center -- although he told The News & Observer he prefers playing on the road. "Anytime you have fans talking trash, it raises your game."
7. Maryland: The Terps gave the Tar Heels all they could handle on Saturday, even leading by as many as nine points in the second half before UNC rallied. Guard Terrell Stoglin continues to lead the ACC in scoring, but Maryland has now lost five of its past six games.
8. Clemson: The Tigers lost both their games last week and also lost forward Milton Jennings, who was suspended for the second time this season, this time for academic reasons. He’s out indefinitely, meaning the Tigers lose an average of 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.
9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies -- who had had six of their previous eight ACC games decided by four or fewer points -- finally won a close one when it beat Clemson 67-65. But they squandered a 17-point and lead and needed the Tigers to miss a shot at the end to survive.
10. Wake Forest: It was a tough week for the Deacons, who lost to two in-state foes -- UNC and NC State. That extended their losing streak to four.
11. Georgia Tech: Glen Rice Jr. scored three points in the final minute to help his team beat Boston College and snap a six-game losing streak. “Everybody in the locker room right now is going crazy,” Tech guard Mfon Udofia told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the game.
12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost six in a row -- the last two by a combined nine points -- and things don’t get any easier with Florida State coming to town on Wednesday.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
This week's attempt at ranking the surprisingly tight-at-the-top ACC:
1. North Carolina: No Dexter Strickland? No problem. Not only did the Tar Heels give their best defensive effort of the season in a 74-55 win against NC State on Thursday that wasn’t as close as its final 19-point margin, they finally started connecting from 3-point land against Georgia Tech -- something they had struggled with during ACC play -- for a 93-81 victory Sunday. That 33-point loss at Florida State on Jan. 14 still stings, but it’s looking more and more like a much-needed slap in the face to a team that is the best in the conference when it competes with focus and passion.
2. Florida State: The Seminoles remain the hottest team in the conference, beating Wake Forest 75-52 in their only game this past week to extend their winning streak to five. FSU has now scored at least 75 points in four straight games -- a good sign for a team that struggled to reach 50 a couple of times earlier in the season.
3. Duke: When is a win not a win? When coach Mike Krzyzewski says it feels more like a loss. That was his sentiment after the Blue Devils’ seven-point victory over St. John’s on Saturday, during which Duke allowed a 22-point second-half lead to dwindle because of a lackadaisical defensive effort. In a surprisingly tight ACC race, that’s enough to drop Duke from the top of these power rankings this week.
4. Virginia: The Cavaliers continue to get it done with defense. After holding Boston College to 49 points (the ninth time this season they’ve held a foe to fewer than 50), Jontel Evans and Sammy Zeglinski cut off NC State guard Lorenzo Brown's penetration to the basket in the final seconds of Saturday's game, forcing a 3-pointer that missed -- and securing a 61-60 road victory.
5. NC State: Although State did a solid job of rallying after its blowout loss at UNC, Brown's potential game-winning 3-pointer fell short against Virginia. The Tar Heels and Cavs did a good job of slowing down Scott Wood, as State’s leading scorer was held to 7-for-23 shooting in the two losses.
6. Maryland: The Terps broke a three-game losing streak -- including a 74-61 loss to Duke -- by beating Virginia Tech 73-69 at home over the weekend. Terrell Stoglin scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half to lead the effort, and he continues to lead the ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game.
7. Miami: The Canes followed a 64-49 win at Georgia Tech with a 76-54 victory at Boston College, pulling away from the Eagles with a 27-5 game-ending run. Junior forward Kenny Kadji continues to impress, averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks during those two games.
8. Clemson: When Andre Young shoots 40 percent or better, Clemson is 3-0 in ACC play. When Young shoots below 40 percent, Clemson is 0-3 in ACC play. He did the former against Wake Forest, scoring 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting during his team’s win over the Demon Deacons.
9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies lost by two points to BYU, before falling by four points in Maryland. The only Tech game this month that hasn’t been decided by four or fewer points was its double-digit loss to UNC. The Hokies are now 1-6 during that stretch, and it’s going to get more difficult to dig out of the ACC basement.
10. Wake Forest: C.J. Harris has now scored in double figures for 20 straight games -- the first Deacon to do so since Jeff Teague -- but it wasn’t enough to contend with Florida State at home, or Clemson on the road, this past week. Wake has now lost five of its past six games.
11. Georgia Tech: The Jackets managed to score a few more points in the first half against UNC on Sunday (32) than they had in their previous four losses (19.3, on average). But leading scorer Glen Rice Jr.'s sore big toe, injured in practice this past week, isn’t helping matters.
12. Boston College: The young Eagles have now lost four straight since beating Clemson and Virginia Tech earlier this month. Those two victories are looking more and more like anomalies in an otherwise miserable season in Chestnut Hill.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
1. North Carolina: No Dexter Strickland? No problem. Not only did the Tar Heels give their best defensive effort of the season in a 74-55 win against NC State on Thursday that wasn’t as close as its final 19-point margin, they finally started connecting from 3-point land against Georgia Tech -- something they had struggled with during ACC play -- for a 93-81 victory Sunday. That 33-point loss at Florida State on Jan. 14 still stings, but it’s looking more and more like a much-needed slap in the face to a team that is the best in the conference when it competes with focus and passion.
2. Florida State: The Seminoles remain the hottest team in the conference, beating Wake Forest 75-52 in their only game this past week to extend their winning streak to five. FSU has now scored at least 75 points in four straight games -- a good sign for a team that struggled to reach 50 a couple of times earlier in the season.
3. Duke: When is a win not a win? When coach Mike Krzyzewski says it feels more like a loss. That was his sentiment after the Blue Devils’ seven-point victory over St. John’s on Saturday, during which Duke allowed a 22-point second-half lead to dwindle because of a lackadaisical defensive effort. In a surprisingly tight ACC race, that’s enough to drop Duke from the top of these power rankings this week.
4. Virginia: The Cavaliers continue to get it done with defense. After holding Boston College to 49 points (the ninth time this season they’ve held a foe to fewer than 50), Jontel Evans and Sammy Zeglinski cut off NC State guard Lorenzo Brown's penetration to the basket in the final seconds of Saturday's game, forcing a 3-pointer that missed -- and securing a 61-60 road victory.
5. NC State: Although State did a solid job of rallying after its blowout loss at UNC, Brown's potential game-winning 3-pointer fell short against Virginia. The Tar Heels and Cavs did a good job of slowing down Scott Wood, as State’s leading scorer was held to 7-for-23 shooting in the two losses.
6. Maryland: The Terps broke a three-game losing streak -- including a 74-61 loss to Duke -- by beating Virginia Tech 73-69 at home over the weekend. Terrell Stoglin scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half to lead the effort, and he continues to lead the ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game.
7. Miami: The Canes followed a 64-49 win at Georgia Tech with a 76-54 victory at Boston College, pulling away from the Eagles with a 27-5 game-ending run. Junior forward Kenny Kadji continues to impress, averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks during those two games.
8. Clemson: When Andre Young shoots 40 percent or better, Clemson is 3-0 in ACC play. When Young shoots below 40 percent, Clemson is 0-3 in ACC play. He did the former against Wake Forest, scoring 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting during his team’s win over the Demon Deacons.
9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies lost by two points to BYU, before falling by four points in Maryland. The only Tech game this month that hasn’t been decided by four or fewer points was its double-digit loss to UNC. The Hokies are now 1-6 during that stretch, and it’s going to get more difficult to dig out of the ACC basement.
10. Wake Forest: C.J. Harris has now scored in double figures for 20 straight games -- the first Deacon to do so since Jeff Teague -- but it wasn’t enough to contend with Florida State at home, or Clemson on the road, this past week. Wake has now lost five of its past six games.
11. Georgia Tech: The Jackets managed to score a few more points in the first half against UNC on Sunday (32) than they had in their previous four losses (19.3, on average). But leading scorer Glen Rice Jr.'s sore big toe, injured in practice this past week, isn’t helping matters.
12. Boston College: The young Eagles have now lost four straight since beating Clemson and Virginia Tech earlier this month. Those two victories are looking more and more like anomalies in an otherwise miserable season in Chestnut Hill.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
Heels rediscover outside shot vs. Jackets
January, 29, 2012
Jan 29
10:45
PM ET
By
Robbi Pickeral | ESPN.com
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- You knew it was going to be that kind of night Sunday when North Carolina freshman Stilman White, in only his second game at back-up point guard, faked Georgia Tech’s Pierre Jordan into tripping over his own feet. And then buried a 3-pointer.
“I don’t think I’ve ever done that before,’’ White said after the eighth-ranked Tar Heels easily topped Georgia Tech 93-81, in a game that seemed a lot more lopsided than the score.
White was referring to the foe-falling move (which was already on youtube an hour after the game). But he also contributed to something that UNC had not yet done this season in ACC play: consistently connect from the outside.
“It was good to see those shots go down,’’ said sophomore Harrison Barnes, who led all scorers with 23 points. “But we always had confidence that they would."
[+] Enlarge
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesReggie Bullock's (right) three 3-pointers were part of the 10 shots UNC made from beyond the arc in their win over Georgia Tech.
Streeter Lecka/Getty ImagesReggie Bullock's (right) three 3-pointers were part of the 10 shots UNC made from beyond the arc in their win over Georgia Tech.Coach Roy Williams, whose team had shot 39 percent from long distance in non-conference play, kept insisting all month that UNC boasted good shooters. Finally, they showed themselves again.
“We make a bunch of them in practice, all the time,’’ he said. “So I’ve said that the whole time that I thought that -- I believe that -- when we started making them it would make things even a lot prettier."
It certainly made things a lot easier at the Smith Center, against a rebuilding Georgia Tech team that has now lost five straight, and nine of its past 10.
UNC’s 3-point onslaught began with point guard Kendall Marshall, who opened the game with a 3-pointer to make it 3-0. Although that marked the sophomore's only 3-pointer, he helped his teammates connect from long distance and had 12 assists and one turnover.
He found Barnes for a 3-pointer to make it 8-2.
Then he found Reggie Bullock, making his second start at point guard, behind the arc to make it 11-4.
Then he found Bullock for another 3 to make it 16-7.
By halftime, Marshall had assisted on all but two of his team’s eight 3-pointers (Bullock assisted on White’s 3, and Tyler Zeller passed to Marshall for his long shot), giving UNC a 52-32 lead.
“When you have Barnes, when you have Bullock, when you have Hairston coming off the bench, those guys can all shoot the 3 pretty well,’’ first-year Tech coach Brian Gregory said. “So they are not a bad shooting team, but you have to do a little better job of defending them.
“But all those 3s came from Marshall, to be honest with you.”
Well, almost all of them.
“They were wide open shots,’’ Marshall said. “I don't think we took many contested shots in the first half. It all started with getting stops on the defensive end, and then we have the advantage … [because they have to make the] choice of if they want to stop me, stop the bigs or stop the wings. And they kept leaving the wings open.”
Williams (who received a technical with 18:08 left to play after getting frustrated by a no-call) said his team kept the Yellow Jackets too open for his liking in the second half, as Georgia Tech shot 54.8 percent after halftime and whittled down a 24-point deficit.
But in the end, UNC held Tech leading scorer Glen Rice Jr. (slowed by a right big toe injury suffered in practice this week) to four points on 2-for-7 shooting, and out-rebounded the Yellow Jackets by four.
Zeller chipped in 17 points for UNC, while forward John Henson (13 points, six rebounds) passed Sam Perkins to move into second place on UNC’s all-time blocks list. He swatted four Jackets' shots.
But the most important stat of the night for the Tar Heels was their improved 3-point shooting, something they need they need to swish consistently to be a balanced offensive threat.
“We just concentrated on our shots and just were able to knock shots down,’’ Bullock said. “With Kendall looking up the floor, he tells us just run to our spots and he's going to find us. We just got our feet set and followed through.”
Or, in the case of White, un-settled a defender's feet before following through.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
Rapid Reaction: UNC 93, Georgia Tech 81
January, 29, 2012
Jan 29
8:09
PM ET
By
Robbi Pickeral | ESPN.com
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. -- A quick look at No. 8 North Carolina’s 93-81 win over Georgia Tech at the Smith Center on Sunday:
What it means: North Carolina under coach Roy Williams has had some problems against Georgia Tech in the past -- losing four straight, and eight of the 14 matchups entering Sunday’s game -- since he became coach in 2003. But not this time. The Tar Heels completely dismantled the Yellow Jackets, who are trying to rebuild under first-year coach Brian Gregory, in a game that wasn't as close as the final score .Tech has now lost five in a row, and nine of its last 10 games.
How it happened: The Tar Heels had made only 20 3-pointers, total, in their five previous ACC games this season (and were shooting only 24.7 percent from behind the arc). Against Tech, they made 10-of-16 (62.5 percent).
Three of their first four made shots were 3s, as they pulled away early. UNC led by as many as 24 points.
Harrison Barnes led UNC, which shot 54.1 percent overall, with 23 points. Point guard Kendall Marshall finished with 12 assists and a turnover, and forward Tyler Zeller chipped in 17 points.
Mfon Udofia led Tech with 16.
Number to know: With four blocks, UNC junior forward John Henson passed Sam Perkins (245) to move into second place all-time on the school swats list. Henson now has 247 blocks for his career; Brendan Haywood holds the top mark with 304. Henson also recorded 13 points and six rebounds Sunday.
Hubbub: To demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society, both coaching staffs wore sneakers rather than dress shoes as part of Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend. UNC’s players also wore hot pink Nikes, although Zeller and Barnes changed out of them at halftime.
Hubbub, Too: Williams picked up a rare technical foul early in the second half. It appeared he was none-too-happy about some contact Barnes was getting, and official Jamie Luckie was none-too-happy about how Williams voiced that unhappiness. The Tar Heels led by 17 at the time.
What’s next: UNC will play its third game in six days when it travels to face Wake Forest on Tuesday. Things don’t get any easier for Georgia Tech, as the Jackets will play at Florida State on Wednesday.
Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.
Hurricanes go under the radar in win
January, 25, 2012
Jan 25
6:59
AM ET
By ESPN Stats & Information | ESPN.com
Florida Gulf Coast 101, Longwood 58
Florida Gulf Coast’s Sherwood Brown became the first person this season to record 20 points and 10 rebounds in fewer than 20 minutes of play. Brown played 18 minutes.
Miami (Fla.) 64, Georgia Tech 49
Miami only attempted three free throws against Georgia Tech and won. The Hurricanes are the fifth team to win a game attempting three or fewer free throws.
UC Irvine 78, Seattle 67
Will Davis II of UC Irvine became the first player off the bench this season to score at least 20 points, grab at least 10 rebounds and block at least five shots.
Buffalo 65, Eastern Michigan 47
Jarod Oldham of Buffalo recorded more assists (10) than the entire Eastern Michigan team (8).
Akron 70, Ball State 58
Ball State’s bench players went 0-10 from the floor, becoming the seventh team this season whose bench did not convert a field goal (minimum 10 attempts).
Thursday recap: big performances in Pac-12
January, 20, 2012
Jan 20
12:01
PM ET
By Jeremy Lundblad, ESPN Stats & Info | ESPN.com
Player of the Night -- Faisal Aden
Faisal Aden scored a career-high 33 points off the bench to lead Washington State to an 81-69 win over Stanford. It’s the most points off the bench by a Pac-12 player since Cal’s Amit Tamir scored 39 against Oregon in 2002. Aden was a perfect 13-for-13 from the line. That’s the second-best free throw performance off the bench this season behind Duke’s Ryan Kelly (14-14).
Breakout Performance -- Robert Thurman
California picked up a tough road win over Washington thanks to the unlikeliest of players. Robert Thurman had only played in 15 of 19 games this season, averaging 7.2 minutes and 2.4 points when he did appear. But with Richard Solomon ruled academically ineligible, the Bears called on the 6-foot-10 walk-on. He responded with 16 points on 7-11 shooting from the field.
Second-Half Star – Harrison Barnes
North Carolina trailed Virginia Tech by five at halftime. But the Tar Heels quieted the Blacksburg crowd pretty quickly in the second half with a 19-0 run to take a 55-44 lead. Harrison Barnes had nine of those 19 points as part of a huge second half. The sophomore went 6-for-6 from the field on his way to 21 points after the break. Barnes finished with a season-high 27.
Woeful Performance -- Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech had its worst scoring output in 30 years in a 70-38 loss to Virginia. It’s the fewest points by Georgia Tech since a 58-36 loss at Wake Forest in February 1982. What made Thursday even worse? The Yellow Jackets were at home. It’s their fewest points at home since 1980. Georgia Tech shot just 29.2 percent from the field and hit 1-of-15 from 3-point range.
Ugly Stat Line of the Night -- Tony Mitchell
It’s tough to win when your leading scorer doesn’t score a point, and that’s exactly what happened to Alabama on Thursday. Tony Mitchell went scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting from the field, as the Crimson Tide lost at home to Vanderbilt, 69-59. It’s the only time in 85 career games that he’s failed to score.
Faisal Aden scored a career-high 33 points off the bench to lead Washington State to an 81-69 win over Stanford. It’s the most points off the bench by a Pac-12 player since Cal’s Amit Tamir scored 39 against Oregon in 2002. Aden was a perfect 13-for-13 from the line. That’s the second-best free throw performance off the bench this season behind Duke’s Ryan Kelly (14-14).
Breakout Performance -- Robert Thurman
California picked up a tough road win over Washington thanks to the unlikeliest of players. Robert Thurman had only played in 15 of 19 games this season, averaging 7.2 minutes and 2.4 points when he did appear. But with Richard Solomon ruled academically ineligible, the Bears called on the 6-foot-10 walk-on. He responded with 16 points on 7-11 shooting from the field.
Second-Half Star – Harrison Barnes
North Carolina trailed Virginia Tech by five at halftime. But the Tar Heels quieted the Blacksburg crowd pretty quickly in the second half with a 19-0 run to take a 55-44 lead. Harrison Barnes had nine of those 19 points as part of a huge second half. The sophomore went 6-for-6 from the field on his way to 21 points after the break. Barnes finished with a season-high 27.
Woeful Performance -- Georgia Tech
Georgia Tech had its worst scoring output in 30 years in a 70-38 loss to Virginia. It’s the fewest points by Georgia Tech since a 58-36 loss at Wake Forest in February 1982. What made Thursday even worse? The Yellow Jackets were at home. It’s their fewest points at home since 1980. Georgia Tech shot just 29.2 percent from the field and hit 1-of-15 from 3-point range.
Ugly Stat Line of the Night -- Tony Mitchell
It’s tough to win when your leading scorer doesn’t score a point, and that’s exactly what happened to Alabama on Thursday. Tony Mitchell went scoreless on 0-for-8 shooting from the field, as the Crimson Tide lost at home to Vanderbilt, 69-59. It’s the only time in 85 career games that he’s failed to score.
What’s more debatable: How to rank the first two ACC teams, Nos. 3-4, or the jumble of the following seven? Only one thing’s certain: Boston College is at the bottom of the bunch.
1. North Carolina
2. Duke
I wrote earlier this week that polls -- and in this case, power rankings -- should be about what teams have done, and not necessarily what they have the potential to do. So at first, I had Duke in the top spot. And a strong case could be made for the Blue Devils, considering their league-high RPI and lone loss.
But that loss was in ugly fashion at Ohio State. Plus, the Devils only beat Belmont at home by a point in their season opener. And Wednesday, they still looked like they were trying to bounce back from the thumping they took from the Buckeyes.
UNC, meanwhile, crisscrossed the nation twice before playing like one of the top three teams in the country during a one-point loss at Kentucky. The Tar Heels’ 10-point defeat to then-unranked UNLV in Las Vegas makes for a rub -- but that’s the only rub. Carolina is playing better right now.
3. Virginia: What a difference a fifth year makes. Forward Mike Scott, back for an extra extra season of eligibility, has led the Cavs to their first 8-1 start since 2004, averaging 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds. They get the nod over FSU because of their double-digit win over Michigan.
4. Florida State: What does it say about the ACC that its fourth-best team managed only 41 points, and missed its first 15 shots, in a loss to Harvard? Yikes. But FSU still ranks among the national leaders in field goal percentage defense and blocked shots.
5. NC State: Three days after the Pack let a seven-point lead against Indiana evaporate, they allowed Stanford to come back from a dozen-point deficit. With C.J. Leslie consistently scoring in double figures, new coach Mark Gottfried boasts a team with a bunch of potential. But it must learn to finish.
6. Virginia Tech: Seth Greenberg had to have a toughness talk with his team after it lost its second straight, to Kansas State, earlier this week. It seemed to kick in during the Hokies’ victory at Rhode Island, where Erick Green scored 24 points.
7. Maryland: Point guard Terrell Stoglin continues to lead the Terps -- and the ACC -- in scoring (22.5 ppg), but he could use the addition of center Alex Len, who becomes eligible later this month, and the (hopefully) post-holiday return of guard Pe'Shon Howard from a broken left foot.
8. Miami: It’s hard to come up big when your big men are in street clothes. With senior forward Julian Gamble out after tearing his ACL over the summer, and junior center Reggie Johnson not expected back until next month because of knee surgery, the Hurricanes have had to make do with a lineup that includes three transfers. It didn’t work against Memphis, its best test yet this season.
9. Wake Forest: Deacs coach Jeff Bzdelik thought his team took a step in the right direction when C.J. Harris buried a game-winner to upset Nebraska on the road Nov. 20. Then, three days later, Wake fell behind by as many as 23 points and lost to Richmond at home. It’s going to be that sort of year in Winston-Salem.
10. Clemson: The Tigers have lost by three points or less to Charleston, Coastal Carolina and South Carolina. Sure, they’ve had to replace last year’s veteran leaders, Demontez Stitt and Jerai Grant. But with two seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup, it has been a disappointing beginning -- even for a team that was only projected to finish seventh in the preseason.
11. Georgia Tech: With no seniors on the roster except for a couple of former walk-ons, the Yellow Jackets have had to count on Glen Rice Jr., who was suspended the first three games of the season for violating team rules. He leads the team in scoring with 14.3 ppg.
12. Boston College: Only one player, junior Oregon transfer Matt Humphrey, has started each of the Eagles’ first eight games. Before Thursday, the difference between two wins and being winless? Seven points.
1. North Carolina
2. Duke
I wrote earlier this week that polls -- and in this case, power rankings -- should be about what teams have done, and not necessarily what they have the potential to do. So at first, I had Duke in the top spot. And a strong case could be made for the Blue Devils, considering their league-high RPI and lone loss.
But that loss was in ugly fashion at Ohio State. Plus, the Devils only beat Belmont at home by a point in their season opener. And Wednesday, they still looked like they were trying to bounce back from the thumping they took from the Buckeyes.
UNC, meanwhile, crisscrossed the nation twice before playing like one of the top three teams in the country during a one-point loss at Kentucky. The Tar Heels’ 10-point defeat to then-unranked UNLV in Las Vegas makes for a rub -- but that’s the only rub. Carolina is playing better right now.
3. Virginia: What a difference a fifth year makes. Forward Mike Scott, back for an extra extra season of eligibility, has led the Cavs to their first 8-1 start since 2004, averaging 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds. They get the nod over FSU because of their double-digit win over Michigan.
4. Florida State: What does it say about the ACC that its fourth-best team managed only 41 points, and missed its first 15 shots, in a loss to Harvard? Yikes. But FSU still ranks among the national leaders in field goal percentage defense and blocked shots.
5. NC State: Three days after the Pack let a seven-point lead against Indiana evaporate, they allowed Stanford to come back from a dozen-point deficit. With C.J. Leslie consistently scoring in double figures, new coach Mark Gottfried boasts a team with a bunch of potential. But it must learn to finish.
6. Virginia Tech: Seth Greenberg had to have a toughness talk with his team after it lost its second straight, to Kansas State, earlier this week. It seemed to kick in during the Hokies’ victory at Rhode Island, where Erick Green scored 24 points.
7. Maryland: Point guard Terrell Stoglin continues to lead the Terps -- and the ACC -- in scoring (22.5 ppg), but he could use the addition of center Alex Len, who becomes eligible later this month, and the (hopefully) post-holiday return of guard Pe'Shon Howard from a broken left foot.
8. Miami: It’s hard to come up big when your big men are in street clothes. With senior forward Julian Gamble out after tearing his ACL over the summer, and junior center Reggie Johnson not expected back until next month because of knee surgery, the Hurricanes have had to make do with a lineup that includes three transfers. It didn’t work against Memphis, its best test yet this season.
9. Wake Forest: Deacs coach Jeff Bzdelik thought his team took a step in the right direction when C.J. Harris buried a game-winner to upset Nebraska on the road Nov. 20. Then, three days later, Wake fell behind by as many as 23 points and lost to Richmond at home. It’s going to be that sort of year in Winston-Salem.
10. Clemson: The Tigers have lost by three points or less to Charleston, Coastal Carolina and South Carolina. Sure, they’ve had to replace last year’s veteran leaders, Demontez Stitt and Jerai Grant. But with two seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup, it has been a disappointing beginning -- even for a team that was only projected to finish seventh in the preseason.
11. Georgia Tech: With no seniors on the roster except for a couple of former walk-ons, the Yellow Jackets have had to count on Glen Rice Jr., who was suspended the first three games of the season for violating team rules. He leads the team in scoring with 14.3 ppg.
12. Boston College: Only one player, junior Oregon transfer Matt Humphrey, has started each of the Eagles’ first eight games. Before Thursday, the difference between two wins and being winless? Seven points.
The Morning After is our semi-daily recap of last night's best basketball action. Now that college hoops season is starting to settle into something resembling a normal schedule, it plans on being around more often.
As you probably already know, the Big Ten opened a slight lead on the first night of the 2011 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, going ahead 4-2 thanks to wins by Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois. Virginia toppled Michigan and Clemson got a sturdy win at Iowa. I, as well as my colleagues Andy Katz, Fran Fraschilla and John Gasaway, went 6-0 picking these games. (I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back. I have to stretch better next time.) Anyway, there, you're all caught up!
No. 2 Ohio State 85, No. 4 Duke 63: For a full recap of the game, check out the story Myron filed from Value City Arena last night. There isn't much more to say: Ohio State was very, very good on both offense and defense. Duke was ugly offensively and even worse on the defensive end. Ohio State deserves all of the love that has been or will be aimed in their direction in coming weeks; this was a dominant win over a good team. The Buckeyes are a national title contender of a certain sort. Duke isn't. That was abundantly clear.
That said, there are a few things to keep in mind, at least from Duke's perspective. For one, the Blue Devils just this weekend returned from a grueling trip to Maui, and looked every bit as tired as they were overmatched, which only exacerbated the result. Two, playing on the road is always hard. Three, Ohio State is a particularly bad matchup for this group of Blue Devils. Coach K's team is perimeter-oriented and not particularly athletic; it relies on penetration, spacing and screen action to free its coterie of spot-up shooters for open looks. When it runs into a team as uniquely deep and tough on the perimeter defensively as the Buckeyes are, Duke is always going to struggle. Fortunately for Coach K, there aren't very many Ohio States in the country this season. (There may be just one.)
Virginia 70, No. 15 Michigan 58: I'm going to leave this game be for now; instead, I'm going to spend my time discussing it in the Hoopsbag today, because I got a bunch of questions about why Virginia beating Michigan should have been considered "an upset" as I termed it in my Big Ten/ACC Challenge preview Tuesday. (That'll come later this afternoon.)
Northwestern 76, Georgia Tech 60: Is this what a healthy John Shurna looks like? The sharpshooting Northwestern forward lost much of his 2010-11 season to nagging injuries, injuries which kept him off the court for long stretches and made him ineffective in spurts. But Shurna appears to be in much better shape in 2011-12. His 25 points in a solid road win for Northwestern (against a tough defensive team to date) boosted his average to 21.8 points per game, leading all scorers in the Big Ten. But Shurna isn't just scoring; he had eight rebounds, three blocks, three steals and two assists at Tech, and he's averaging 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. This is a newer, more versatile Shurna, and he's leading the way for a Northwestern team that might be just a little bit better than we all think. (We'll get a good idea Sunday, when the Baylor Bears come to Welsh-Ryan. That one should be fascinating.)
Illinois 71, Maryland 62: It's hard to get a good feel for what this result means. Maryland, feisty though it was, is a shallow and injury ridden squad right now. Illinois, even a younger, more inexperienced group, should beat this Maryland team. The fact that it took the Illini so long to figure out -- Illinois trailed at the half and led by just one with eight minutes remaining before Sam Maniscalco knocked down two 3s to build an insurmountable lead -- is probably not the most encouraging sign. But there were some noticeable bright spots. Illinois forward Brandon Paul was great in the first half; he presents a strange, exciting new form of offense for Bruce Weber's formerly jump-shot-obsessed Illini. (It's called driving to the rim.) Maniscalco was excellent, too, scoring an efficient 24 points on 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. And Meyers Leonard -- perhaps Illinois's most promising and most important player -- went 6-of-9 from the field. Last season, Illinois couldn't get easy shots. Nor did it take enough 3s. Instead, the Illini frequently settled for long 2s. This season, Weber's combination of players and their various styles seems like it will be more efficient by default. It's a start.
Purdue 76, Miami 65: Hey, Jim Larranaga had to try something. The new Hurricanes coach had seen the tape on Purdue. He knew they were a perimeter-oriented team. He knew his team's bigs have been decimated by injury, but hey, Purdue plays so outside-in, maybe he didn't need bigs at all. So Larranaga started a lineup in which no player was taller than 6-foot-6. It did not pay off. Purdue, showing a bit of versatility previously unseen in its offensive attack, got the ball into the paint and scored with will inside the arc. Things were never particularly difficult. In the meantime, Robbie Hummel's comeback tour continues to roll on: Hummel shot 5-of-8, scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in his 32 minutes Tuesday night. He looks healthy. If it weren't for the two big knee braces, you could convince a novice Hummel had never been injured at all.
Clemson 71, Iowa 55: Year 2 of the Fran McCaffery rebuilding project has officially hit a snag. Or maybe that was last week, when Iowa lost at home to the Campbell Fighting Camels. (Amazing nickname, by the way. I would not want to fight a camel.) Either way, the Hawkeyes shot -- get this -- 16-of-56 from the field last night, including 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. That ice-cold shooting work graded out as an effective field goal percentage of 31.2. The Hawkeyes scored just .80 points per possession. It's a little baffling: This team could score in stretches in 2011, it appeared to be more balanced and improved all over the floor, forward Melsahn Basabe was coming off a breakout year -- there appeared to be signs of progress in Iowa City. Let's not take anything away from Clemson, which has defended very well to begin this season. But 16-of-56 on your home floor? I mean, look at this box score! Yikes.
As you probably already know, the Big Ten opened a slight lead on the first night of the 2011 Big Ten/ACC Challenge, going ahead 4-2 thanks to wins by Ohio State, Northwestern, Purdue and Illinois. Virginia toppled Michigan and Clemson got a sturdy win at Iowa. I, as well as my colleagues Andy Katz, Fran Fraschilla and John Gasaway, went 6-0 picking these games. (I just hurt my arm patting myself on the back. I have to stretch better next time.) Anyway, there, you're all caught up!
No. 2 Ohio State 85, No. 4 Duke 63: For a full recap of the game, check out the story Myron filed from Value City Arena last night. There isn't much more to say: Ohio State was very, very good on both offense and defense. Duke was ugly offensively and even worse on the defensive end. Ohio State deserves all of the love that has been or will be aimed in their direction in coming weeks; this was a dominant win over a good team. The Buckeyes are a national title contender of a certain sort. Duke isn't. That was abundantly clear.
That said, there are a few things to keep in mind, at least from Duke's perspective. For one, the Blue Devils just this weekend returned from a grueling trip to Maui, and looked every bit as tired as they were overmatched, which only exacerbated the result. Two, playing on the road is always hard. Three, Ohio State is a particularly bad matchup for this group of Blue Devils. Coach K's team is perimeter-oriented and not particularly athletic; it relies on penetration, spacing and screen action to free its coterie of spot-up shooters for open looks. When it runs into a team as uniquely deep and tough on the perimeter defensively as the Buckeyes are, Duke is always going to struggle. Fortunately for Coach K, there aren't very many Ohio States in the country this season. (There may be just one.)
Virginia 70, No. 15 Michigan 58: I'm going to leave this game be for now; instead, I'm going to spend my time discussing it in the Hoopsbag today, because I got a bunch of questions about why Virginia beating Michigan should have been considered "an upset" as I termed it in my Big Ten/ACC Challenge preview Tuesday. (That'll come later this afternoon.)
Northwestern 76, Georgia Tech 60: Is this what a healthy John Shurna looks like? The sharpshooting Northwestern forward lost much of his 2010-11 season to nagging injuries, injuries which kept him off the court for long stretches and made him ineffective in spurts. But Shurna appears to be in much better shape in 2011-12. His 25 points in a solid road win for Northwestern (against a tough defensive team to date) boosted his average to 21.8 points per game, leading all scorers in the Big Ten. But Shurna isn't just scoring; he had eight rebounds, three blocks, three steals and two assists at Tech, and he's averaging 6.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 1.8 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. This is a newer, more versatile Shurna, and he's leading the way for a Northwestern team that might be just a little bit better than we all think. (We'll get a good idea Sunday, when the Baylor Bears come to Welsh-Ryan. That one should be fascinating.)
Illinois 71, Maryland 62: It's hard to get a good feel for what this result means. Maryland, feisty though it was, is a shallow and injury ridden squad right now. Illinois, even a younger, more inexperienced group, should beat this Maryland team. The fact that it took the Illini so long to figure out -- Illinois trailed at the half and led by just one with eight minutes remaining before Sam Maniscalco knocked down two 3s to build an insurmountable lead -- is probably not the most encouraging sign. But there were some noticeable bright spots. Illinois forward Brandon Paul was great in the first half; he presents a strange, exciting new form of offense for Bruce Weber's formerly jump-shot-obsessed Illini. (It's called driving to the rim.) Maniscalco was excellent, too, scoring an efficient 24 points on 5-of-8 from beyond the arc. And Meyers Leonard -- perhaps Illinois's most promising and most important player -- went 6-of-9 from the field. Last season, Illinois couldn't get easy shots. Nor did it take enough 3s. Instead, the Illini frequently settled for long 2s. This season, Weber's combination of players and their various styles seems like it will be more efficient by default. It's a start.
Purdue 76, Miami 65: Hey, Jim Larranaga had to try something. The new Hurricanes coach had seen the tape on Purdue. He knew they were a perimeter-oriented team. He knew his team's bigs have been decimated by injury, but hey, Purdue plays so outside-in, maybe he didn't need bigs at all. So Larranaga started a lineup in which no player was taller than 6-foot-6. It did not pay off. Purdue, showing a bit of versatility previously unseen in its offensive attack, got the ball into the paint and scored with will inside the arc. Things were never particularly difficult. In the meantime, Robbie Hummel's comeback tour continues to roll on: Hummel shot 5-of-8, scored 17 points and grabbed five rebounds in his 32 minutes Tuesday night. He looks healthy. If it weren't for the two big knee braces, you could convince a novice Hummel had never been injured at all.
Clemson 71, Iowa 55: Year 2 of the Fran McCaffery rebuilding project has officially hit a snag. Or maybe that was last week, when Iowa lost at home to the Campbell Fighting Camels. (Amazing nickname, by the way. I would not want to fight a camel.) Either way, the Hawkeyes shot -- get this -- 16-of-56 from the field last night, including 3-of-11 from beyond the arc. That ice-cold shooting work graded out as an effective field goal percentage of 31.2. The Hawkeyes scored just .80 points per possession. It's a little baffling: This team could score in stretches in 2011, it appeared to be more balanced and improved all over the floor, forward Melsahn Basabe was coming off a breakout year -- there appeared to be signs of progress in Iowa City. Let's not take anything away from Clemson, which has defended very well to begin this season. But 16-of-56 on your home floor? I mean, look at this box score! Yikes.
Video: Analyzing Northwestern's victory
November, 29, 2011
11/29/11
10:46
PM ET
By ESPN.com staff | ESPN.com
Jon Barry and Rob Stone discuss Northwestern's 76-60 win at Georgia Tech and the team's star duo of John Shurna and Drew Crawford.
Big Ten/ACC Challenge Day 1 preview
November, 29, 2011
11/29/11
12:15
PM ET
By
Eamonn Brennan | ESPN.com
Yes, that's right: It's the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. Not the other way around.
Before you ACC fans fire up the angry email machine, don't blame me for the naming convention. It's simply a matter of ritual. Every year, the Big Ten and ACC take turns sharing this two-day competition's first billing. Last year it was the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. This year it's the Big Ten/ACC.
If yours truly had his druthers, the name would be determined by the winner of the previous year's contest. The ACC would have loved this for the first decade of the competition, when it went 10-0 and earned a truly daunting array of bragging rights over its Midwestern brethren. But the Big Ten has experienced a minor renaissance the past two seasons, winning both in 2009 and 2010 and closing the considerable gap, if only slightly, in the ACC's all-time Challenge lead.
Who takes the title home this season? All signs point to the Big Ten being the much stronger, deeper conference overall, but that hardly guarantees victory. As always, the Big Ten/ACC winner will be the league that gets wins in the most opportunistic ways -- usually with a batch of upsets mixed in.
Let's break down those matchups. And while we're at it, since you don't already have enough to send me angry emails about, I might as well throw in a few predictions, too. I eagerly await your "How could you pick Team X over Team Y YOU IDIOT?!?!" emails Wednesday morning. Should be fun. Not as much fun as the Big Ten/ACC Challenge itself, of course. But fun all the same.
Let's begin with Tuesday's games. For my predictions and analysis of each of the Wednesday games, click here. And for predictions from nine of my favorite co-workers, click here.
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Michigan at Virginia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Virginia wins 65-63
Why: Don't get me wrong, that predicted score line is an upset. Virginia did lose to TCU, folks. But there are a few things to take into account here. One: Virginia's brutally slow pace tends to make its opponents play on its terms, and the Cavaliers could force the Wolverines into a grinding half-court game. Two: Michigan is coming off a rather long and arduous trip to the Maui Invitational, which not only involved flights to and from Maui but three tough games in three straight days. Three: It's always tougher to win on the road. Four: As in the NCAA tournament, there are always upsets in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. If Virginia is as improved as many preseason prognosticators have asserted, and if it can keep the air out of the ball, pressure Michigan guard Trey Burke at the point of attack, and prevent Tim Hardaway Jr. from finding a scoring groove, anything can happen. Which is not the most ringing endorsement, I know. But I had to pick an upset somewhere.
Northwestern at Georgia Tech, 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Northwestern wins 80-70
Why: Much like last season, opportunities to scout and gauge the ability of the Northwestern Wildcats prior to the Big Ten/ACC Challenge have been minimal. Northwestern has looked good, but we're not really sure how good. Wins over LSU, Tulsa and Seton Hall in the Charleston Classic are nice, but they're hardly going to convince you of this team's ability to, say, make its first NCAA tournament appearance in school history. Georgia Tech may provide a slightly stiffer test, and not only because the game is on the road. Under first-year Yellow Jackets coach Brian Gregory, Georgia Tech has been brutally ugly on the offensive end but solid defensively, ranking No. 25 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency thanks in large part to strong perimeter defending and rebounding. Still, Northwestern, with the ever-efficient John Shurna leading the way, should be able to overcome.
Illinois at Maryland, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Prediction: Illinois wins 65-56
Why: At this point in the season, Maryland is just holding on for dear life. That's what happens when you lose a center like Jordan Williams to the NBA and return in the fall to find your point guard (Pe'Shon Howard) and your would-be center (Alex Len) missing thanks to injury and suspension, respectively. Howard's absence has forced guard Nick Faust to take over point responsibilities, a role he told the Washington Post he hasn't played since he was 10 or 11, and Maryland's early results -- with two blowout losses to Alabama and Iona -- have made the difficult transition glaringly noticeable. Meanwhile, Illinois will get its first reasonably difficult game of the season. All six of the Illini's wins to date have been, as colleague Dick Vitale might say, Cupcake City. But the Illini do have talent here, in the form of veteran guards Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson and vastly improved center Meyers Leonard, who will come into Tuesday night's game averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.
Miami at Purdue, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Purdue wins 72-66
Why: Purdue has been almost entirely perimeter-oriented this season. Robbie Hummel, Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith are this rebuilt team's best and most important offensive players. Even Hummel, who has the size to go down low, has spent most of his effective comeback season playing around the edges of the defense. When the Boilermakers have to face a live frontcourt -- or at least a team that works inside-out rather than outside-in -- they could really struggle. Miami is not that team. The Hurricanes were devastated by injuries to big men Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble in the offseason, and Jim Larranaga's team has had to get by on little more than the backcourt performance of guards Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott. At home, with the insane folks in the Paint Crew on their side, Purdue should be the favorite
Clemson at Iowa, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Clemson wins 68-60
Why: If you look only at records -- which would be weird and a not-very-good way to analyze college basketball, but hey, to each his own! -- you might think Iowa and Clemson are on similar ground heading into this one. You would be wrong. Iowa's two losses -- a blowout to a good Creighton team on a neutral court and a 77-61 (!) home loss to none other than the Campbell Fighting Camels -- look very bad indeed. Clemson's two losses, on the other hand, came to reasonably solid mid-majors (Coastal Carolina and College of Charleston) and were the product of one-possession deficits. In the meantime, Clemson ended last week ranked No. 49 in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted efficiency rankings thanks in large part to a No. 18-ranked defense. Iowa ended last week ranked No. 109. Iowa's home court can be loud at its best and depressingly quiet at its worst, so as long as Clemson can overcome the Hawks' comfort with the fast-break style in Carver Hawkeye-Arena, Brad Brownell's team should be able to get the win.
Duke at Ohio State, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Prediction: Ohio State wins 79-74
Why: On the ESPNU College Basketball podcast on Monday (sorry: shameless plug), our own Doug Gottlieb made a rather trenchant observation regarding Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger's matchup with the Duke frontcourt Tuesday night. He pointed out that Sullinger is best-defended by an athletic, strong big who can play behind him, forcing him to work for position on the offensive end, and who is tall enough to challenge Sullinger's moves around the rim. Mason Plumlee qualifies for this role. Likewise, Duke's offense presents some issues for Sullinger defensively, because the big fella -- for all his incredible strengths on the floor -- struggled at times last season to hedge ball screens and recover in time to seal around the rim. In case you haven't noticed, Duke runs a lot of ball screens. In other words, this might not be Sully's best game. Despite all that, the reason Ohio State wins is perimeter defense. Aaron Craft is as good an on-ball perimeter defender as there is in the country, and Thad Matta's team is loaded with players who can challenge shots and pressure the ball without committing fouls. Duke hasn't played a perimeter defense this capable yet; so many of the things that got them open looks in Maui will be challenged well by Craft & Co. In the meantime, Ohio State's offense -- which is still dynamic but with the added benefit of insane depth -- should put up enough points to hold Duke off in the end.
Before you ACC fans fire up the angry email machine, don't blame me for the naming convention. It's simply a matter of ritual. Every year, the Big Ten and ACC take turns sharing this two-day competition's first billing. Last year it was the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. This year it's the Big Ten/ACC.
If yours truly had his druthers, the name would be determined by the winner of the previous year's contest. The ACC would have loved this for the first decade of the competition, when it went 10-0 and earned a truly daunting array of bragging rights over its Midwestern brethren. But the Big Ten has experienced a minor renaissance the past two seasons, winning both in 2009 and 2010 and closing the considerable gap, if only slightly, in the ACC's all-time Challenge lead.
Who takes the title home this season? All signs point to the Big Ten being the much stronger, deeper conference overall, but that hardly guarantees victory. As always, the Big Ten/ACC winner will be the league that gets wins in the most opportunistic ways -- usually with a batch of upsets mixed in.
Let's break down those matchups. And while we're at it, since you don't already have enough to send me angry emails about, I might as well throw in a few predictions, too. I eagerly await your "How could you pick Team X over Team Y YOU IDIOT?!?!" emails Wednesday morning. Should be fun. Not as much fun as the Big Ten/ACC Challenge itself, of course. But fun all the same.
Let's begin with Tuesday's games. For my predictions and analysis of each of the Wednesday games, click here. And for predictions from nine of my favorite co-workers, click here.
Tuesday, Nov. 29
Michigan at Virginia, 7 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Virginia wins 65-63
Why: Don't get me wrong, that predicted score line is an upset. Virginia did lose to TCU, folks. But there are a few things to take into account here. One: Virginia's brutally slow pace tends to make its opponents play on its terms, and the Cavaliers could force the Wolverines into a grinding half-court game. Two: Michigan is coming off a rather long and arduous trip to the Maui Invitational, which not only involved flights to and from Maui but three tough games in three straight days. Three: It's always tougher to win on the road. Four: As in the NCAA tournament, there are always upsets in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. If Virginia is as improved as many preseason prognosticators have asserted, and if it can keep the air out of the ball, pressure Michigan guard Trey Burke at the point of attack, and prevent Tim Hardaway Jr. from finding a scoring groove, anything can happen. Which is not the most ringing endorsement, I know. But I had to pick an upset somewhere.
Northwestern at Georgia Tech, 7:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Northwestern wins 80-70
Why: Much like last season, opportunities to scout and gauge the ability of the Northwestern Wildcats prior to the Big Ten/ACC Challenge have been minimal. Northwestern has looked good, but we're not really sure how good. Wins over LSU, Tulsa and Seton Hall in the Charleston Classic are nice, but they're hardly going to convince you of this team's ability to, say, make its first NCAA tournament appearance in school history. Georgia Tech may provide a slightly stiffer test, and not only because the game is on the road. Under first-year Yellow Jackets coach Brian Gregory, Georgia Tech has been brutally ugly on the offensive end but solid defensively, ranking No. 25 in the nation in adjusted defensive efficiency thanks in large part to strong perimeter defending and rebounding. Still, Northwestern, with the ever-efficient John Shurna leading the way, should be able to overcome.
Illinois at Maryland, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Prediction: Illinois wins 65-56
Why: At this point in the season, Maryland is just holding on for dear life. That's what happens when you lose a center like Jordan Williams to the NBA and return in the fall to find your point guard (Pe'Shon Howard) and your would-be center (Alex Len) missing thanks to injury and suspension, respectively. Howard's absence has forced guard Nick Faust to take over point responsibilities, a role he told the Washington Post he hasn't played since he was 10 or 11, and Maryland's early results -- with two blowout losses to Alabama and Iona -- have made the difficult transition glaringly noticeable. Meanwhile, Illinois will get its first reasonably difficult game of the season. All six of the Illini's wins to date have been, as colleague Dick Vitale might say, Cupcake City. But the Illini do have talent here, in the form of veteran guards Brandon Paul and D.J. Richardson and vastly improved center Meyers Leonard, who will come into Tuesday night's game averaging 12.3 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.2 blocks per game.
Miami at Purdue, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN2
Prediction: Purdue wins 72-66
Why: Purdue has been almost entirely perimeter-oriented this season. Robbie Hummel, Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith are this rebuilt team's best and most important offensive players. Even Hummel, who has the size to go down low, has spent most of his effective comeback season playing around the edges of the defense. When the Boilermakers have to face a live frontcourt -- or at least a team that works inside-out rather than outside-in -- they could really struggle. Miami is not that team. The Hurricanes were devastated by injuries to big men Reggie Johnson and Julian Gamble in the offseason, and Jim Larranaga's team has had to get by on little more than the backcourt performance of guards Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott. At home, with the insane folks in the Paint Crew on their side, Purdue should be the favorite
Clemson at Iowa, 9:15 p.m. ET, ESPNU
Prediction: Clemson wins 68-60
Why: If you look only at records -- which would be weird and a not-very-good way to analyze college basketball, but hey, to each his own! -- you might think Iowa and Clemson are on similar ground heading into this one. You would be wrong. Iowa's two losses -- a blowout to a good Creighton team on a neutral court and a 77-61 (!) home loss to none other than the Campbell Fighting Camels -- look very bad indeed. Clemson's two losses, on the other hand, came to reasonably solid mid-majors (Coastal Carolina and College of Charleston) and were the product of one-possession deficits. In the meantime, Clemson ended last week ranked No. 49 in Ken Pomeroy's adjusted efficiency rankings thanks in large part to a No. 18-ranked defense. Iowa ended last week ranked No. 109. Iowa's home court can be loud at its best and depressingly quiet at its worst, so as long as Clemson can overcome the Hawks' comfort with the fast-break style in Carver Hawkeye-Arena, Brad Brownell's team should be able to get the win.
Duke at Ohio State, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
Prediction: Ohio State wins 79-74
Why: On the ESPNU College Basketball podcast on Monday (sorry: shameless plug), our own Doug Gottlieb made a rather trenchant observation regarding Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger's matchup with the Duke frontcourt Tuesday night. He pointed out that Sullinger is best-defended by an athletic, strong big who can play behind him, forcing him to work for position on the offensive end, and who is tall enough to challenge Sullinger's moves around the rim. Mason Plumlee qualifies for this role. Likewise, Duke's offense presents some issues for Sullinger defensively, because the big fella -- for all his incredible strengths on the floor -- struggled at times last season to hedge ball screens and recover in time to seal around the rim. In case you haven't noticed, Duke runs a lot of ball screens. In other words, this might not be Sully's best game. Despite all that, the reason Ohio State wins is perimeter defense. Aaron Craft is as good an on-ball perimeter defender as there is in the country, and Thad Matta's team is loaded with players who can challenge shots and pressure the ball without committing fouls. Duke hasn't played a perimeter defense this capable yet; so many of the things that got them open looks in Maui will be challenged well by Craft & Co. In the meantime, Ohio State's offense -- which is still dynamic but with the added benefit of insane depth -- should put up enough points to hold Duke off in the end.ABOUT THIS BLOG
Eamonn Brennan
Brennan joined ESPN.com in 2009 after several years of blogging at Yahoo! and other places around the Internet. The Iowa native lives in Chicago with his roommates, his dog, and a crippling addiction to caffeine.
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