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The ACC Stays at 12 Through the Storm – And Strong

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

The whole super-conference dilemma of 2010 will go down in history much like your comedy-drama you would find on the USA Network.

First, the drama with the crime — in this case, we have the Big Ten and Pac-10 rumored to be swooping up teams from coast-to-coast. And to add to the drama, this all could have awoken the sleeping giant in the SEC to raid our conference of 2 to 3 to 4 teams.

Next, there’s the investigation, and we had Rivals’ OrangeBloods.com giving up-to-the-second tweets and articles to keep everyone guessing. The blogs consulted and speculated along the way with each new rumor as we looked to be on the precipice of a new age in college athletics.

And finally, the resolution where it all isn’t quite as bad as we thought, and we all have a good laugh, which came with the media stepping in to save the Big XII —  and most of college sports as we currently know it.

Whether by fate or good fortune-telling, ACC Commissioner John Swofford made the right decision to not expand and spread the new TV deal money thin to compete with everybody else. The ACC stood their ground – too much criticism throughout the process – and came out strong. By not blinking and working to keep everyone on board, the ACC found out just how committed football-minded schools like Virginia Tech, Clemson, and Miami were with their firm assurances of the strength of the ACC.  Even when reports were that basketball-powers Duke and UNC were the jewels of the SEC’s expansion plans, it never gained any real credibility.

Now, the best way to fortify conference strength will be success this upcoming football season and beyond, but for now, the ACC made it through the storm and will be strongly intact for years to come.

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Early, Early Picks for ACC Basketball–2010-11

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

Here’s a simulcast with my daily ACC blog at On The B. Rink…

Last couple weeks, we looked at the early entrants and the grads–but how about the ACC players coming back and how the ACC dominoes fall next season?

The News & Observer puts together an early projected starting lineup yearly with early entrants/graduation/new recruits factored in and here’s my early picks based off how the ACC is looking at this point.

1. Duke Blue Devils

2009-10: 13-3, first
G Kyrie Irving, fr.
G Seth Curry, soph. (20.2 ppg @ Liberty)
G Nolan Smith, sr. (17.4 ppg)
F Kyle Singler, sr. (17.7 ppg)
F Mason Plumlee, soph. (3.7 ppg)
Bench: G Andre Dawkins, F Miles Plumlee, F Ryan Kelly, F Josh Hairston

Outlook: Loooooooooooooooaded. They will be a unanimous choice for the ACC and one of the top teams in the country.

2. Florida State Seminoles

2009-10: 10-6, third
G Derwin Kitchen, sr. (8.1 ppg)
G Deividas Dulkys, jr. (8.7 ppg)
G Michael Snaer, soph. (8.8 ppg)
F Chris Singleton, jr. (10.2 ppg)
F Xavier Gibson, jr. (5.5 ppg)
Bench: G Luke Loucks, F Terrance Shannon, PG Ian Miller, F Okaro White, F Jon Kreft

Outlook: No Alabi, no problem? That’s what I’m saying–the cupboard isn’t bare at FSU and if there’s a year that Hamilton’s Noles make a run–it has to be this season.

3. Virginia Tech Hokies

2009-10: 10-6, fourth
G Malcolm Delaney, sr. (20.2 ppg)
G Dorenzo Hudson, sr. (12.0 ppg)
F Terrell Bell, sr. (6.1 ppg)
F Victor Davila, jr. (5.3 ppg)
F Jeff Allen, sr. (15.2 ppg)
Bench: F J.T. Thompson, G Erick Green, F Jarell Eddie, F Allan Chaney, F Cadarian Raines, F Manny Atkins, G Ben Boggs

Outlook: The time is now in Blacksburg as they return everybody. Greenberg needs to advance past simply making the ever-elusive NCAA Tourney, but win some games in said tourney.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels

2009-10: 5-11, 10th
G Larry Drew II, jr. (8.5 ppg)
G Reggie Bullock, fr.
F Harrison Barnes, fr.
F John Henson, soph. (5.7 ppg)
F Tyler Zeller, jr. (9.3 ppg)
Bench: F Will Graves, G Dexter Strickland, PG Kendall Marshall, G Leslie McDonald

Outlook: The Tar Heels are an interesting squad to watch this season because they had such a fall from grace last season. Heels are still young and Williams will have quite a coaching job to do to get UNC back to the top.

5. Maryland Terrapins

2009-10: 13-3, second
G Adrian Bowie, sr. (4.8 ppg)
G Sean Mosley, jr. (10.1 ppg)
G Cliff Tucker, sr. (5.7 ppg)
F Dino Gregory, sr. (4.2 ppg)
F Jordan Williams, soph. (9.6 ppg)
Bench: F James Padgett, G Terrell Stoglin, F Mychal Parker, PG Pe’Shon Howard

Outlook: Terps lose three of their biggest starters from last season with Vasquez, Hayes, and Milbourne, but they have a talented group coming back. Sean Mosley has to step into the go-to-guy role and Jordan Williams has to expand his role in the paint for the Terps to stay here.

6. Clemson Tigers

2009-10: 9-7, sixth
G Demontez Stitt, sr. (11.4 ppg)
G Tanner Smith, jr. (8.7 ppg)
F Milton Jennings, soph. (3.2 ppg)
F Devin Booker, soph. (4.5 ppg)
F Jerai Grant, sr. (7.2 ppg)
Bench: G Noel Johnson, G Andre Young, G Donte Hill, F Bryan Narcisse

Outlook: The Tigers are in transition between philosophies with a new coach in Brownell and lose star forward Trevor Booker, but this team still has the guns to compete in a wide-open(past Duke) ACC.

7. N.C. State Wolfpack

2009-10: 5-11, 11th
G Javier Gonzalez, sr. (9.5 ppg)
G Lorenzo Brown, fr.
F C.J. Leslie, fr.
F Richard Howell, soph. (4.9 ppg)
F Tracy Smith, sr. (16.5 ppg)
Bench: PG Ryan Harrow, G Scott Wood, G C.J. Williams, F DeShawn Painter, F Jordan Vandenberg

Outlook: Expectations should be high in Raleigh with a talented crew coming in and back. If Lowe can capture the magic of the ACC Tourney run to the semis, the Pack can go far, but I’m staying a bit skeptical on them.

8. Miami Hurricanes

2009-10: 4-12, 12th
G Durand Scott, soph. (10.3 ppg)
G Malcolm Grant, jr. (9.6 ppg)
G DeQuan Jones, jr. (5.7 ppg)
F Julian Gamble, jr. (3.5 ppg)
F Reggie Johnson, soph. (6.4 ppg)
Bench: G Rion Brown, G Garrius Adams, G Antoine Allen, F Donnavan Kirk

Outlook: Miami will be a trendy pick this season, but I’m on the fence with them. I  like Scott and Johnson, but Miami has a lot to prove right now.

9. Virginia Cavaliers

2009-10: 5-11, ninth
G Jontel Evans, soph. (2.4 ppg)
G Sammy Zeglinski, jr. (8.9 ppg)
G K.T. Harrell, fr.
F Mike Scott, sr. (12.0 ppg)
F James Johnson, fr.
Bench: PG Billy Baron, F Will Regan, F Assane Sene, G Joe Harris, G Mustapha Farrakhan, F Will Sherrill

Outlook: I had the ‘Hoos at ninth in my early, early picks last season and that’s where they finished–completely new team coming to play next season with Bennett cleaning house, but they have some talent.

10. Boston College Eagles

2009-10: 6-10, eighth
G Reggie Jackson, jr. (12.9 ppg)
G Dallas Elmore, jr. (3.9 ppg)
F Corey Raji, sr. (11.4 ppg)
F Joe Trapani, sr. (14.1 ppg)
F Josh Southern, sr. (4.4 ppg)
Bench: PG Biko Paris, F Courtney Dunn

Outlook: New system, several transfers, and a squad of mostly unproven, consistently, players at this level–hard to get behind the Eagles at this point.

11. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

2009-10: 7-9, seventh
G Moe Miller, sr. (3.9 ppg)
G Iman Shumpert, jr. (10.0 ppg)
G Glen Rice Jr., soph. (5.4 ppg)
F Kammeon Holsey, r-fr.
F Brad Sheehan, sr. (1.2 ppg)
Bench: G Brian Oliver, PG Mfon Udofia, F Daniel Miller

Outlook: The Jackets return all of their primary guards, but the problem falls with losing the three best players off last year’s team with Favors, Lawal, and Peacock in the paint. I will stay cautious on Georgia Tech because I’m not sure the Jackets’ guards can carry them.

12. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

2009-10: 9-7, fifth
G Tony Chennault, fr.
G C.J. Harris, soph. (9.9 ppg)
F Ari Stewart, soph. (7.3 ppg)
F Tony Woods, jr. (4.6 ppg)
F Carson Derosiers, fr.
Bench: F Travis McKie, F Melvin Tabb, G J.T. Terrell, F Ty Walker, G Gary Clark

Outlook: New coach Jeff Bzdelik has a project on his hands, but the cupboard isn’t totally bare. If he can get the Deacs back to the NCAA Tourney, Bzdelik did a great coaching job.

Who’s too high? Who’s underrated? Can anyone knock off Duke? Early NCAA Tourney bid predictions?

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Graduation Time in ACC Basketball – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Thursday, May 6th, 2010

It’s May, and college students all across the country are graduating–where does this time of year leave ACC basketball for the 2010-11 season?

We looked at early entrants last week. By team, here’s the ACC seniors gone to graduation…

BC-N/A(but losing G Rakim Sanders and G Brady Heslip to transfer)

Clemson-F Trevor Booker, F David Potter.

Here’s your “no duh” analysis here–losing Booker will be big for Clemson.

Duke-G Jon Scheyer, F Lance Thomas, C Brian Zoubek.

These guys were huge in the title run last season, but the Blue Devils aren’t losing any on the NBA Draft front–they can be replaced for another run.

Florida State-F Ryan Reid.

The ‘Noles will be fine post-Reid, but he brought energy to FSU.

Georgia Tech-F Zachery Peacock, G D’Andre Bell

Losing Peacock to graduation may be just as big as losing Lawal and Favors to the draft as Georgia Tech’s frontline has been decimated this offseason.

Maryland-G Greivis Vasquez, G Eric Hayes, F Landon Milbourne

The two big guards and a key forward are gone for the Terps–makes you wonder where the scoring will come from next season.

Miami-C Cyrus McGowan, C Dwayne Collins, G James Dews, F Adrian Thomas

Hurricanes are tied with Wake for losing the most key seniors in the ACC, and the going could very well be tough again for Miami.

NC State-G Farnold Degand, F Dennis Horner

Horner and Degand came on during the ACC Tourney, but are replaceable with the talent coming in for the ‘Pack.

North Carolina-F Deon Thompson, G Marcus Ginyard

Ginyard and Thompson had disappointing senior seasons and UNC will see a better team next year coming from rock bottom.

Virginia-G Calvin Baker, C Jerome Meyinsse, F Solomon Tat

The ‘Hoos are a team in transition with Bennett over-hauling the squad–these seniors had some impact, but UVA will move on just fine.

Virginia Tech-N/A

Wake Forest-G Ish Smith, C Chas McFarland, F L.D. Williams, F David Weaver

I don’t envy Bzdelik in year one without all of that experience and Aminu gone to the NBA.

Analysis: On the whole, the ACC loses a ton in experience and talent. Virginia Tech is the only team not replacing key starters and the time is just about now for a strong run to the NCAAs. Duke loses one ‘S’ from the crew with Scheyer, but they are loaded. Wake Forest, Maryland, and Georgia Tech are three solid NCAA Tourney teams from 2010 that could all be on the bubble due to their losses. Clemson will have to adjust to a new system with Trevor Booker under Brownell. BC has a new coach and not many players as of yet due to transfers. FSU returns a number of players, but can they find an offense in the offseason? Virginia and Miami hope to climb out of ACC cellar doldrums–Miami has a better shot. If there’s a year that Lowe’s NC State is going to rise in the rankings, the Wolfpack should expect something from the 2010-11 season with most of the ACC rebuilding. UNC is another interesting case as they are bringing in the talented recruits, but they had a number of issues last season. The ACC is going to be wide-open next season with a number of fresh faces.

Who’s your extra-early favorite in the ACC?

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ACC Notes in the Dead Period: Vol. 1 – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Thursday, April 29th, 2010

We’re musing on a couple ACC topics today…

The true “Dead Period” of college sports is when college baseball ends, but since we cover football/basketball here, it started after Duke took the title. What’s happening?

* Hope springing eternal at spring games. Every ACC team thinks they will improve, but who do I think will be looking good going into the fall?

In the Coastal, I’m a fan of the two Techs to stay at the top with the Hokies having a slight edge. With UNC, their defense will be out of this world, but it is the same old story, the offense. I still do not see a great QB emerging or a number of skill position stars. They shouldn’t need much offense to win games this season, but having a consistently bad O can wear down the defense physically and mentally. I’m not a big fan of Miami going into the season, but they have the talent. Duke and UVA both have reason to be optimistic, but obviously nowhere near the top of the ACC.

Atlantic-wise, we have a bit more of a log-jam with the returning division leader Clemson with key players coming back, FSU rounding into form on offense and trying to fix the defense, and the oft-forgotten BC Eagles who will have a stout defense and a great player in Montel Harris to lead the O. Among NC State, Wake Forest, and Maryland, I see quite possibly three of the worst teams coming into 2010.

But it’s spring, and it is a long way to the summer/fall and football, way too long.

* ACC basketball will have a completely different look with seniors and early entries in the NBA Draft. We’ll look at the possible early entrants right now.

By team at this point, the ACC could/will lose…

BC-N/A

Clemson-N/A

Duke-N/A(even after a championship!)

Florida State-Solomon Alabi(Center)

NBADraft.net says Alabi goes late first to second round. ESPN has him at 19th in the draft.

Georgia Tech-Derrick Favors(Forward), Gani Lawal(Forward)

ESPN has Favors at third on their board. NBADraft.net says Favors in top five; Lawal goes late first.

Maryland-N/A

Miami-N/A

NC State-Tracy Smith(Forward)

This one is hot off the presses so we’re not sure where he’s going as of yet. He hasn’t hired an agent so there’s good possibility he comes back.

North Carolina-Ed Davis(Forward)

NBADraft.net again says in early to mid first round. ESPN still has Davis at 7th.

Virginia-Sylven Landesberg(Forward)

Looking like Landesberg will have an issue even being drafted, but could land in the second round–either way, he’s not coming back to UVA.

Virginia Tech-Malcolm Delaney(Guard)

Delaney should being coming back based on draft projections.

Wake Forest-Al-Farouq Aminu(Forward)

ESPN has Al-Farouq at sixth in their draft rankings. Aminu’s top ten status echoed by NBADraft.net.

Analysis: The biggest sting, pardon the pun, is felt by the Yellow Jackets as their primary scorers and rebounders are gone. Coming in second is Wake Forest as Al-Farouq Aminu was a double-double machine for the Deacs. NC State losing Smith would be big for them even with the recent recruiting success, but seems like he will be back. Other than that, I think the biggest impact for most of these teams will be more from seniors going than early entries. FSU would be better with Alabi, but they can manage without him. UNC won’t lose much with Davis gone. Virginia Tech should get Delaney back, and the ‘Hoos and Landesberg weren’t getting along anyway apparently. Duke returning both Smith and Singler is not good news for the rest of the ACC with the other talent returning and recruits coming in. We’ll analyze the impact of seniors leaving in another post and where that leaves the ACC with the early entries that are coming back.

Who’s your favorite in the ACC divisions in football here in spring? What early entries are going early in the draft? Who should be coming back?

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It’s Spring…Time for Expansion Talk to Be in the Air – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

More teams=better for the ACC? Not opposed to it, but it’s not necessary if the ACC can hang on to what they’ve got.

When expansion came to the ACC back in the mid-2000s, football was key to the deal for 12 teams to an ACC Championship Game. With the Big Ten looking to become the Big 14 or 16 now, the domino effect will most likely be a divide and conquer of the Big East mega-conference if the right teams leave. What does the ACC do with all of this?

Right now, I don’t think the ACC needs to expand, but–if they do, basketball should be in mind this time. I don’t think there are any “can’t miss” football rich teams out on the market like a Virginia Tech/BC/Miami(but then again, we didn’t know they were on the market back then).  Teams thrown around include Syracuse which would be an excellent addition to the conference for another basketball-rich team. If you look at the Big East on the basketball side, they are the best overall conference despite the back-to-back titles for the ACC. Add a couple basketball powers from the Big East and the conference becomes that much better.

Maryland blog Testudo Times has West Virginia, Louisville, South Florida, Cincinnati, and East Carolina as possibilities in the case that the Big Ten goes 16 teams. They go on to discuss the geographic and academic fit-issues with each school which are valid points. I personally would love to add West Virginia and another one of those schools or more, but I blog and do not have the call on such decisions.

Will expansion further break up the Tobacco Road rivalries? Possibly, but I think it could be structured where they don’t lose much in the deal. But they are only four of 12 teams in the conference and money comes with each NCAA Tourney win and TV markets. With NC State’s struggles in the last few years, there are only three consistently competitive squads in NC(granted, two of the better programs in college basketball history included there). Adding a Syracuse can cooperate with BC for blanketing that Northern market and add a deadly, tradition-rich team for the NCAA Tourney.

On the other side, if the SEC/Big Ten come calling for ACC squads–can the ACC hold them off? Clemson and Florida State are two of the more likely SEC candidates. I’m not sure any ACC team would fit with the Big Ten geographically. With the money the SEC is bringing in, you have to think they would be listening. Clemson is an original member of the ACC, and with a stronger emphasis on academics now–that might stave off any other conference’s advances. For Florida State, coach Fisher obviously has experience with SEC football so that would be interesting. For the ACC, keeping these squads is paramount for a respectable football conference which may be why a proactive expansion could be in the cards.

In the case of the ACC’s big expansion of BC/VT/Miami, the ACC went with a delayed reaction to the SEC’s move in the 90s. I will argue until my face is as blue as the ACC logo that the expansion was a positive for the conference as a whole. If they move quickly like the Big Ten, they could be at or ahead of the curve, but I don’t think they will expand with their emphasis on keeping tradition and strong academics. The most likely scenario is that another conference comes calling for an ACC team and the conference works hard to keep everyone intact.

To expand or not to expand, that is my question to you.

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What Do the Wake Forest and Clemson Hires Mean for the ACC? – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

Wake Forest goes out West to Colorado to snag Jeff Bzdelik. Clemson gets another coach from Dayton, Ohio in Wright State’s Brad Brownell.

They are not the “big” names.

Bzdelik and Brownell have no NCAA Tournament wins between them.

No one besides the two schools involved were really beating down the respective schools’ doors to get them, but I think both squads have reason to be optimistic about the hires.

First, for Clemson, Brownell is known as a X’s and O’s guy that can get the most out of the talent in place. He is a young guy who, right now, is inexpensive for the Tigers and has potential to build Clemson in the future. What Brownell has to come in and do is win over the players first–who are a bit jilted after what Purnell did, and secondly, the fans who so want a winner, but are not used to being a part of a basketball-centered school.

As for Wake Forest, Bzdelik had a solid run at Air Force before ending up with the Denver Nuggets and then Colorado. Bzdelik has coached at the NBA level–not successfully, but he can sell that he knows what it takes to be in the NBA. He also has a reputation for being a X and O’s guy with a bit of an unorthodox style.

Brownell and Bzdelik will bring a different edge to the ACC as they will both be hungry to bring their new schools to prominence with dramatically different styles from their predecessors. I’m most interested in seeing what Brownell does with Clemson’s defensive scheme as to if they will zone more and abandon the full court press. For Wake Forest, Bzdelik will have to maximize his talent as they lose so much next season–he could very well have an in year one for rebuilding, which could be why he was brought in now for Gaudio.

The most important factor at both schools is a little bit of patience of the fanbase–that very well might not come with how off-the-wall each hire seems to be. Wake Forest and Clemson won’t be Final Four material in a year, but if each one is the right hire, the fans can expect incremental success until they reach the promise land. Both Clemson and Wake Forest fans should expect Duke/UNC-like success at least once in a while if they really want to be among the best, and that does not come in a day–or with the wrong hire. Now, the fun really begins for both schools and the fans should be excited one way or the other.

Deacs/Tigers excited about your hires? Other ten teams’ fans, do either coach strike fear or at least respect?

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Eventful Post-Championship Week in ACC Basketball – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

Duke wins an NCAA Title–and the dominoes fall in the ACC.

Duke Wins NCAA Championship

First off, Duke/Butler–what a game! I’ll admit that I thought it would be a blowout for the Blue Devils, but the Bulldogs hung tough and had a good shot at the upset. Duke really surprised me all season as the questions were out there as to if this team full of talent could put it all together for a championship-run–I wondered if they were a contender in the ACC this season, but behind the top level play of Nolan Smith, Jon Scheyer, and Kyle Singler with the improved role play of Brian Zoubek, Lance Thomas, and the Plumlees–Coach K molded this team into a winner, and they will be right back on top next season if they can get Smith to return with all of the talented recruits coming in.

Coaching Changes-A-Plenty

>We’ll start with the shocker of Oliver Purnell leaving for Depaul. I wrote on my site:

The move by Purnell concerns me on a few different fronts. I feel for the players as I’m sure they could never have imagined that Purnell would leave them–I mean, it’s an ACC school, the conference that just one back-to-back championships–this had to have completely blindsided them. It makes me wonder about Purnell quite frankly. He started something–something good, and wasn’t willing to finish–it’s absolutely a strike against him and his career as he did not stick with the program to see them to a NCAA Tourney win and more success in the ACC.

I was blindsided by the move and it still stuns me that Purnell would forsake a program he put so much into for another rebuilding project–Clemson is better off without him if he was not willing to finish the job which appears to be the case. The Tigers, like Wake Forest now, will be looking all over the college basketball landscape for a hire. This next hire is crucial to the future of Clemson basketball as they could easily slip back into the depths of the ACC of the pre-Purnell days with the wrong hire.

>Gaudio getting the axe was surprising also as he had regular season success at Wake, but as I have noted here and on my site, there seemed to be a mental block going into the postseason and late stretches of the regular season for Gaudio. Still, he got the big win over Texas in the NCAA Tourney–the move puzzles me. I don’t hate the move as the jury was still out on Gaudio, but it seems like he should have had at least one more year to show his worth with his players. Something besides on-court performance has to be behind the move whether its recruiting going bad or a poor relationship with boosters/administration. Like with Clemson, Wake Forest is not all that bad off without Gaudio and the next hire is huge.

>As always, BCs move to do something goes under the radar of news events in the ACC after they hired Cornell’s Steve Donahue this week. Donahue coached a decade at Cornell and made the NCAA Tourney three years in a row including the Sweet 16 run this March. Looks like a good move right now as he will bring a more up-tempo offense and should be able to recruit better talent to make BC a more flashy team when the season goes into March. After this season’s success at Cornell, Donahue should be able to parlay that into recruiting top-flight offensive-minded players.

I open the floor to Duke exultation, predictions on next year, who the must-get candidates for Wake Forest/Clemson are, and BC hire thoughts…a lot happening in the ACC right now…

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Duke One Game Away From Championship on Improbable Run – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Sunday, April 4th, 2010

You didn’t have this National Championship Game, Duke-Butler, did you? Me either.

You didn’t really think Duke would get to this point, at least before a game was even played in the NCAA Tournament, right? I can’t be the only one who was a tad skeptical after the Blue Devils had not advanced to the Final Four since 2004 and seemed to have a certain type of kryptonite keeping their bid for a title away.

But five wins later, here Duke is–one game away from forever being immortalized as the best team in college basketball in 2010 and restoring their program as one of the premier in college basketball after a lull in their performance in recent years–and they will only get better next year! Duke has lived up to the hype of all the talent they have amassed over the years and now are one game away from bringing a title back to Durham.

I’m more than impressed with how Duke has played not only this postseason, but the run they went on in the ACC Tournament, throttling their rival twice, and just winning every game they should in a fairly challenging schedule. People can discount this Duke team in relation to Duke team’s of the past all they want, but this Blue Devils squad won an ACC Tournament and will most likely win a National Championship with a trio of 3 players who are as good as any in the last 20 years in terms of talent and grit. Scheyer, Singler, and Smith all bring unique elements to the table and each one of them steps up when the team needs them too–they have experience beyond their years in their style of play and that’s why the 2010 Blue Devils are going to be the nation’s best.

But it’s not only the 3 S’s–it is Brian Zoubek putting it all together in his senior season to be a beast on the boards, an Andre Dawkins stepping up big in the ACC Championship despite the tragedy he has gone through this season, a Lance Thomas hitting a deep 2-pointer to start a Duke run against WVU Saturday night, the Plumlee brothers bringing the energy to so many games and spurring runs, and Coach K, the master communicator who brought this team all together for this run. It is enough for me, who tends to be a tad more skeptical of Duke than the mass media at-large, to write in awe of this team.

They deserve this run with their performance this season–these are guys that even the most unabashed “Anybody But Duke” ACC fan can appreciate(a little, right? Come on, Zoubek is fun to watch)–and they are one game away from taking back-to-back title for the ACC.

Thoughts on the Duke run so far? Can Butler possibly take them down on Monday?

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Duke Advances Amidst the Typical Controversy – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Tuesday, March 30th, 2010

Complete. Coaching. Calamity–not Conspiracy happened in Houston.

The always divisive Duke Blue Devils advanced to the Final Four which means monetary benefit to every team in the conference due to how the ACC divvies money from NCAA Tourney advancement.

For conference pride’s sake, the ACC has as many representatives as only the Big East, Big Ten, and Horizon League–Duke maintains the conference’s status as among the best.

But Duke is Duke and the “haters,” as it were, are out touting their relatively easy path to the Final Four + a little help from the refs as the main culprit for the Devils’ success.

The Blue Devils did have a relatively easy path–and the one charge drawn by Brian Zoubek where the game momentum took a definitive turn towards Duke was a tad forgiving, but Baylor suffered from their own mistakes in this loss.

The biggest mistake by Baylor was guarding Zoubek, Thomas, and the Plumlees like they were any threat at all to hit jumpers from the free throw line. Duke burned the Bears over and over as the Baylor zone collapsed on these players and they kicked out to WIDE open 3s to help pull away. If Baylor stayed with the shooters, Duke was done folks.

Oh, and Duke won with Kyle Singler hitting zero shots from the field–just how the game was scripted.

So there you go, it was all a grand conspiracy by the Baylor Bears to incorrectly guard the Blue Devils and let them win(and I’ve got some land to sell if you’re interested).

West Virginia is known for its defense in a different type of zone with the 1-3-1 which is sure to not collapse in the middle of the zone–and it will be a war of a game which we’ll break down later this week.

Duke presses on to the Final Four. Do you have them beating West Virginia? Winning it all?

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Duke, UNC Left Standing in Postseason – Brandon Rink of On the B.Rink

Thursday, March 25th, 2010

Out of nine ACC postseason teams–two are left…

The Blue Devils and Tar Heels are still playing basketball while the rest of the ACC is hitting the books and watching basketball after Duke advanced to Sweet 16 past California and UNC advanced to the NIT semifinals at Madison Square Garden to face Rhode Island.

After four ACC teams advanced past the first round, they dropped left and right in the second around a solid Duke Blue Devils squad that breezed through both of their first weekend games. Of the big three, Kyle Singler has been the more consistent posting two big games–Smith put up 20 points against Cal–Scheyer performed below his excellent regular season averages in points and assists in both games. Center Brian Zoubek is making a bid for making it a big four with 14 points and 13 rebounds against Cal.

Devils play an over-achieving Purdue squad at 9:57(EST) on Friday–I expect Duke to move on to the Elite 8 with Scheyer finally breaking out and Singler having another solid game.

While relegated to the next-best postseason to the NCAA Tournament, the Tar Heels developed into a better team than in the regular season and come-back of Tyler Zeller has been a leading contributor. He didn’t add much in points down in Alabama in the 60-55 win over the UAB Blazers, but had 7 rebounds and 5 blocks in a stifling defensive effort by the Heels keeping UAB under 30% shooting from the field.

You won’t find someone more surprised than me that the Heels first beat a tough William and Mary squad at home–then went on the road to two solid teams in Mississippi State and UAB and got the victories. The season up to this point was a complete disappointment as no matter the obstacles–the Heels should find a way in the NCAA Tournament, but UNC fans should be proud of the team coming together for the trip to New York City. The mix of youth and experience have forged a bond on this Heels squad and the results are finally showing.

Rhode Island is the next opponent for UNC and they face-off at MSG at 9 next Tuesday–if UNC continues to keep the momentum going the NIT semifinals, expect a North Carolina win.

Will Duke advance to the Final Four? UNC=NIT Champion?

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