Special Announcement + Sweet 16 Preview

What’s up everyone? This has been a down semester for ACC Mania for a couple of reasons. For those of you who don’t know, I began blogging for Raycom Sports’ website in January, and a majority of my content has been posted over there.

I’m also happy to announce that as of Wednesday morning, I have accepted an internship with ESPN for the summer. It’s taken a lot of hard work to get here, but it has finally paid off. I appreciate everyone who has helped me along the way and thank all of you who have supported ACC Mania, as it was a critical element in my application.

Now, with the craziness of internship applications finally out of the way, it’s time to start blogging again. I’ll be down at Duke this Saturday for its spring football game; I’m looking forward to seeing how David Cutcliffe’s experienced offense looks, in addition to the improvements the Blue Devils have made defensively.

But for now, I want to talk about the NCAA Tournament, and the outlook of the three ACC teams still alive heading into the Sweet Sixteen.

First off is the Duke Blue Devils, who face Arizona at 9:45 p.m. Thursday in San Diego.

The Blue Devils nearly coughed up a ten-point lead with six minutes left in the second round against Michigan before hanging on to win 73-71.

The biggest subplot to the Arizona game, and any potential subsequent Duke game for that matter, is how the Blue Devils will use Kyrie Irving.

The freshman point guard missed the final three months of the season with a toe injury before returning for the NCAA Tournament. In two games, Irving has played 20.5 minutes per game and is averaging 12.5 points per game. He is 5-for-12 from the field and 13-of-14 from the foul line as well.

Coach Mike Krzyzewski expects Irving to play but he will not start. Krzyzewski is trying to gradually slide Irving back into the normal rotation, but he has to be careful. Irving was in the game down the stretch against Michigan when the Wolverines staged their comeback.

If the Devils’ offense begins to lack continuity with Irving in the game, Arizona is talented enough to send them packing.

Duke is a more talented team across the board. They are a better rebounding and shooting team with a more efficient offense. The Wildcats are a slightly better three-point shooting team, but Duke’s perimeter defense is so tight that it shouldn’t be an advantage. When Duke has struggled this season, it has been when its key shooters like Kyle Singler and Seth Curry did not shoot well. Arizona has to hope for off nights from both of them, as well as Andre Dawkins, if it hopes to have a chance.

PREDICTION – Duke 74, Arizona 67

Next up, North Carolina matches up with Marquette at 7:15 p.m. Friday night in Newark, NJ.

The Tar Heels breathed a collective sigh of relief when the Golden Eagles upset Syracuse last Sunday night to eliminate the Orange. Marquette is a more than worthy opponent, but the Orange were a terrible matchup for Carolina. Instead of facing a team with great length and a suffocating 2-3 zone defense, the Heels face a Marquette team that makes up with heart what it lacks in size and talent.

UNC’s post players Tyler Zeller and John Henson had monster weekends in rounds two and three last weekend in carrying Carolina past Long Island and Washington.

Zeller followed up a 32-point performance against Long Island with 23 against the Huskies. Henson, meanwhile averaged 19 points and 10.5 rebounds per game over the weekend while also blocking 10 shots.

North Carolina’s front line lists at 7-foot, 6-foot-11, and 6-foot-8. Marquette’s checks in at 6-foot-11, 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-6. The Tar Heels’ size forces teams to settle for jump shots and keeps opponents off the boards. UNC is the No. 1 rebounding team in the country.

Marquette shoots a respectable 35 percent from three-point range, but they’ll have to shoot better than that to beat Carolina. Teams that give the Heels fits make plenty of outside shots and slow the game down on both ends of the floor.

UNC is a decidedly better defensive team statistically. Its opponents’ offensive efficiency is 94.2, while Marquette’s is 100.5.

Golden Eagles’ coach Buzz Williams is an excellent motivator, and North Carolina always gets every team’s best shot. This young Heels team is starting to understand that and live up to that challenge in a tournament atmosphere.

PREDICTION –

North Carolina 83, Marquette 72

The final game of the Sweet Sixteen for the ACC is the most unlikely of the bunch. Florida State meets VCU in a battle of Cinderellas.

VCU has pummeled its first three opponents in the big dance by an average of 17 points. The three opponents? USC, Georgetown and Purdue.

None of those teams were know for playing great defense. Florida State knocked off Texas A&M and Notre Dame by completely disrupting their offensive rhythm.

For the second straight season, the Seminoles are the nation’s best defensive team. When they shoot well from the outside, as they did last weekend, they can beat anyone – just ask Duke. When they struggle from the outside, anyone can beat them – just ask Auburn.

Like Irving for Duke, Florida State is trying to bring back a star player from an injury. Chris Singleton is the unquestioned leader of that team, but his absence has allowed the Seminoles to develop a more balanced offense. Derwin Kitchen has played the best basketball of his career over the past month.

Singleton should play 15-20 minutes on Friday, but FSU is fine without him. They boast a huge size advantage across the board against VCU, but the key will be handling the Rams’ pressure. Shaka Smart’s energy on the sidelines translates into a high-intensity defensive attack on the floor from VCU, and that could rattle the Seminoles.

The Rams will have to create turnovers and score in transition in this one. If the game turns into a low-possession affair, Florida State will control the defensive glass and won’t give VCU many open looks.

VCU probably snuck up on the teams it dismantled last week, and used the momentum of being the underdog to never take its foot off the accelerator. Florida State has a way of sucking the life out of teams and turning it into a boring game, more or less. VCU doesn’t want that to happen.

PREDICTION – Florida State 65, VCU 62

 

 

UNC, Duke appropriately meet for ACC Title

It’s been ten years since the last time Duke and North Carolina met for the ACC Tournament championship. The drought ends Sunday, when the Tar Heels and Blue Devils will meet for the third time this season after splitting the first two match-ups.

Last Saturday, the Tar Heels assembled their best performance in two years in an 81-67 win over the Devils at home. That win earned the Heels the regular season ACC Championship.

There is much more on the line this time, however.

Not only is this the rubber match for the two goliaths of the ACC, but it could very well be a battle for a number one seed in the NCAA Tournament.

North Carolina’s late-season surge put them in the conversation as a national championship contender. Duke, the preseason No. 1 team, looked out of sync for most of the final month of the season.

In the tournament, however, North Carolina has been sloppy in two narrow victories. Duke, on the other hand, has been assertive and much smoother in a pair of double-digit wins.

North Carolina never led until the final .2 seconds of its quarterfinal game with Miami, when Tyler Zeller’s lay-up beat the final horn for the 61-59 win. The Tar Heels trailed by 10 at halftime on Saturday to Clemson before storming back to win 92-87 in overtime.

Harrison Barnes gave a performance for the ages in that contest. His 40 points were an all-time tournament record for a freshman.

Barnes spent the first half of the season enduring massive criticism for a failure to live up to out-of-this-world expectations. The first freshman to ever be named preseason All-American, Barnes was timid for a majority of the year.

After Kendall Marshall took over as the Tar Heels’ point guard, Barnes’ production spiked, and he gradually grew more comfortable as the team’s go-to scorer. Against Clemson, he completely took the game over, including a 6-of-8 effort from three-point line.

For Duke, it has had to endure a majority of the season without a freshman sensation of its own. Point guard Kyrie Irving has been out since early December with torn ligaments in his toe. With Irving, the Blue Devils greatly resembled a juggernaut. In his absence, the Devils had to move senior All-American Nolan Smith to the point.

All Smith did was lead the ACC in scoring and finish second in assists en route to ACC Player of the Year honors. He willed the Devils to victory on more than a couple occasions, despite the consistent struggles of 2010 Final Four MVP Kyle Singler and the Devils’ lack of a scoring threat in the post.

Late in Duke’s 87-71 quarterfinal win over Maryland on Friday, Smith hobbled off the court with – ironically enough – a jammed toe. His status for Saturday’s semifinal game was uncertain up until warm-ups.

Smith never showed the effects of the injury in a dominant performance against Virginia Tech. He scored 10 straight points at one point in the first half and finished with 27 total in a 77-63 Duke win.

He’ll have to be at his best one more time Sunday against a North Carolina team that he’s had a high level of success against this season. He’s averaging 32 points and four assists against the Tar Heels this season.

There are three keys for North Carolina to win its 17^th ACC Championship: slow down Smith, take care of the ball, and stay out of foul trouble.

Smith is the engine of Duke’s team. If he struggles, Duke has a difficult time winning. The Heels have been uncharacteristically careless with the ball during the ACC Tournament, and they can’t afford to do the same against Duke. Through two tournament games, Carolina has 35 turnovers. Miami confused the Heels with a 2-3 zone defense, while Clemson used an ultra-aggressive half-court attack to control much of the game.

The Heels dealt with a touch of foul trouble Saturday. Leslie McDonald, who has been a key player down the stretch with his three-point shooting, picked up his fourth foul just five minutes into the second half.

Furthermore, John Henson and Tyler Zeller provide North Carolina with a decided advantage on the interior. As long as both are on the floor, Duke cannot compete on the glass.

The three keys for Duke on Sunday are: get Kyle Singler going early, slow Carolina down in transition, and at least by competitive in the paint.

Singler has struggled from the three-point line this season, a stark difference from a year ago. Barnes has been sensational defending Singler in both prior match-ups, holding him to a combined 18 points. If Singler knocks a couple of jump shots down early, he could be the difference in the game.

Clemson and Miami used two different approaches, as mentioned above, to stop the Tar Heels’ fast-paced attack. Miami raced back to its zone after every shot. Clemson, meanwhile, sent a man after every shot on offense directly to Marshall. The Tigers did not let Marshall easily take any outlet passes and advance the ball quickly up the court.

Duke must find a way to keep Marshall from getting the ball behind the Devils’ defense in the blink of an eye, as he so often does. With 15 points and 11 assists last Saturday, Marshall destroyed Duke. He can’t do that again if the Devils hope to win.

Between the Plumlee brothers and Ryan Kelly, Duke needs one of them to step up with 10-14 points at least. Whether it means by pulling UNC’s big men away from the basket with mid-range jumpers or getting to the foul line, they can’t allow Carolina to dominate the paint.

I’m hyped up to attend my first-ever Duke-UNC game Sunday, especially one with so much on the line. In an otherwise disappointing season for the ACC as a whole, the league is in for a fantastic final chapter. Tobacco Road is up for grabs again.

Hoops thoughts — FSU’s turnaround, Duke’s vulnerability, VT’s unexpected star, and UNC’s turning point

Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton didn’t panic when his team lost to Auburn. He shrugged off a loss at Virginia Tech that was his team’s third in four games.

“We’re going to shoot the ball better than we have lately…we’ve had games where we’ve made 12 or 13 three’s…we are not as bad of a shooting team as we’ve showed the last few games,” Hamilton said following the Seminoles’ 71-59 loss to the Hokies – a game in which the ‘Noles shot just 35 percent from the field.

Four days later, the Seminoles heated up in its biggest game to date, turning their season around in the process.

In shocking previously unbeaten and top-ranked Duke 66-61, Florida State shot 46 percent from three-point range while holding Duke to an unprecedented 31 percent from the field. The Devils’ previous season low was 40.3 percent.

“Their defense just dominated our offense for about 25 minutes in the ballgame,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said following the game.

While the Seminoles offense has struggled much of the season (they are 10^th in the ACC in field goal percentage), the defense has been rock solid. Led by preseason all-conference pick Chris Singleton, one of the best defenders in the country, the Seminoles lead the nation in field goal percentage defense at 35 percent.

“They’re very fundamentally sound. They play outstanding defense and they’re committed to it,” Krzyzewski said.

Riding the momentum of the biggest win maybe ever under Hamilton, Florida State returned home to beat NC State 84-71. It was an even better offensive display than in Durham, as five Seminoles scored in double figures while shooting 54.5 percent from the field as a team.

“That was the most impressive stat tonight that we had five guys in double figures,” Hamilton said. “We also had some come off the bench and give us productivity. You need all of the sum of your parts working to have success in the ACC.”

NC State is only 11-6, but recently saw the return of senior forward Tracy Smith to the lineup. Smith’s absence early in the season left the Wolfpack without an identity, not to mention much experience. His presence was supposed to push NC State to the head of the line in the ACC.

Instead, Florida State shut down everyone around Smith, whose 19 points led all scorers. The youth around him was out-muscled by the big and physical Seminole defense.

As of Tuesday, the Seminoles sit tied atop the ACC standings at 3-1, along with Duke and Boston College. As long as Hamilton continues to get offensive support from players other than Singleton (Derwin Kitchen has averaged 16.5 ppg since the Virginia Tech loss), Florida State is a viable candidate to challenge the Blue Devils for the conference championship.

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That said, Duke will win the regular season crown. The Blue Devils are far too consistent amidst a league that’s full of up-and-down teams to relinquish the title.

For the first time since Kyrie Irving went down with a toe injury in early December, the Blue Devils have looked like they miss him.

In three conference games, the Blue Devils have turned the ball over an average of 15.6 times per contest. Nolan Smith is not a point guard, and the Blue Devils’ offense has been as smooth as a jar of chunky peanut butter lately because of it. He has 13 turnovers in the past three games to go with 19 assists. Of course, it’s easy to rack up high assist numbers when you play on one of the best jump-shooting teams in the country.

Plain and simple, the Blue Devils are much more talented than anyone else in the ACC, but it’s obvious the bigger, stronger teams that play hard-nosed defense are going to give them trouble. Maryland’s Jordan Williams scored 23 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Terps’ 71-64 loss at Duke on Jan. 9, and if it weren’t for early foul trouble, he may have carried Maryland to a win.

Without Irving, Duke is the third best team in the country at best. Pittsburgh and Ohio State have all the tools to beat the Blue Devils on a neutral court. There is no timetable whatsoever for Irving’s return, though it sounds like it will be a while if he ever does come back this season. What was a foregone conclusion a week ago – that Duke was a final four lock and national championship favorite – is an uncertainty today.

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Seth Greenberg won’t admit it, but he wishes he had guys like J.T. Thompson, Allan Chaney, Dorenzo Hudson and Cadarian Raines healthy and suiting up for his team.

Since mid-December, the Hokies have known they’ll be without all five players for the rest of the season, leaving them with eight healthy scholarship players.

Starting with a dicey overtime win at St. Bonaventure, the Hokies have played very well, going 5-1 including two ACC wins to level their conference record to 2-2.

Erick Green has emerged as a viable ACC point guard, and it’s completely revolutionized the Hokies’ offense.

In eight starts, he’s turned the ball over just eight times to go with 27 assists and 21 steals. He’s averaging 12.8 points per game during that span as well.

“He’s playing with great poise. He’s taking shots when they’re available. He’s making good decisions on penetration. He’s doing a great job of getting in the lane, coming to a top and making a play – or pump-faking and getting fouled. He’s another guy that’s just gaining confidence, and he’s getting us in the offense,” Greenberg said.

The biggest impact of Green’s steady play on his team has been that it’s allowed Malcolm Delaney to move freely in the offense as the shooting guard.

Since Green’s insertion to the line-up, Delaney’s turnover rate has dropped from to 5.25 per game to just two. He’s still shooting about the same rate and his scoring has dipped slightly, but the rest of the team has become much more involved with Green at the helm.

Against Wake Forest, six Hokies scored in double figures, and Delaney was not one of them. The unexpected boost in playing time for reserves like Jarrell Eddie, who scored 16 points against the Demon Deacons, is rapidly improving their confidence.

“It’s crucial. It’s really big for me just to be on the floor and get that game experience. It builds my confidence when I knock some shots down, make some plays. It’s big for me. I love it. I love being out there. When I’m on the floor, I’m happy,” Eddie said.

Nevertheless, outside of the Florida State win, none of the Hokies’ victories have been impressive. Four of their next five league games are on the road against Maryland, Georgia Tech, NC State and Boston College. That is a very difficult stretch that will define the Hokies’ season. A 2-2 record coming out of that stretch would be a successful run, while winning at least one game is a must. If the Hokies are 2-7 or 3-6 on Feb. 5, there is no chance they’ll make the NCAA Tournament.

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In North Carolina’s forgettable 2009-10 season, the start of the Tar Heels’ downfall could be pointed at a 82-79 overtime loss at College of Charleson on Jan. 4. I have a funny feeling their 78-58 point loss at Georgia Tech on Sunday could be a turning point this season in a similar manner.

The Tar Heels were lucky to win their two previous games against Virginia and Virginia Tech in which they overcame double-digit deficits in both.

Most people want to point the Heels’ struggles to the shaky point guard play by Larry Drew II, but another issue of equal impact has been Tyler Zeller’s regression since a sensational game against Kentucky. He scored 27 points with 11 rebounds and was instrumental in holding off the Wildcats late in the game by making 11 of 12 free throws.

Since that point, he’s been unable to dominate the interior offensively. The best measure of this is his average of just 5.3 trips to the foul line per game and his 12.4 points per game (down from 14.8 prior to playing Kentucky). For comparison, Tyler Hansbrough averaged 9.7 free throw attempts and 20.7 points per game during the 08-09 season.

Obviously, Zeller is not expected to be Hansbrough, but Zeller’s timidity inside has been as much of a glaring difference from the Tar Heels of old as the disparity between Ty Lawson and Drew II.

Head coach Roy Williams was as frustrated as he’s been all season following the loss to the Yellow Jackets.

“I’ve got to do a better job of getting my kids to act like it means something to them,” Williams said.

That was the exact problem that plagued the Tar Heels a year ago, and while it’s improved this year, it’s been clear this team still lacks a killer instinct that typically defines this program.

The fact that Williams came out and admitted it’s a problem might indicate it’s growing worse, and a line must be drawn in the sand. This team lacks a clear leader, which is scary for team facing a situation as adverse as this one.

Thankfully (or perhaps not), the Heels turn around quickly and play Clemson tonight at home. The Tigers are a much worse team away from home, so the Heels have an opportunity to wash the sour taste of the Georgia Tech loss from their mouths and improve to 3-1 in the ACC.

Freshman Thornton sparks Duke’s win over Maryland

It was a weekend full of upsets in college basketball. If there was ever a weekend for the best teams in the country to stumble, this was it.

Come on, did you really think that meant Duke was doomed on Sunday?

It wasn’t pretty, but the Blue Devils edged Maryland 71-64 at home thanks to one familiar face and a couple of his lesser-known cohorts.

Kyle Singler’s 25-point, 10-rebound effort filled the stat sheet for the Devils, but equally as important as his performance was that of Tyler Thornton and Seth Curry.

Thornton, a freshman guard from Washington D.C., entered Sunday 10^th on the team in minutes played. When Maryland scored seven straight points to open the second half, Mike Krzyzewski used a time-out to scold his team, which now trailed 38-34. A few possessions went by without a score before Krzyzewski turned to Thornton and Curry.

The pair combined to score 11 points amidst an ensuing 14-2 Duke run. Curry was responsible for nine of those, showing off the clutch outside shooting precision that is engrained into his DNA.

Thornton, meanwhile, did what seldom-used players often do when they get their chance to shine. He made several “effort” plays to energize the Duke crowd. During the run, Thornton made two steals and drew an offensive foul on Maryland’s Pe’Shon Howard that led to another Curry jump shot.

“Tyler and Seth were huge. For a youngster in a game like this, not playing in the first half, and really he’s not in that seven man rotation, for Tyler to play as well as he did tonight is really one of the things that makes you love coaching. That was just a great performance,” Krzyzewski said.

Thornton played 12 minutes in the second half, or nearly double his per-game average.

“When I got in I just wanted to pressure the ball full court,” Thornton said. “Coach always tells me when I get in he wants me to pick up so that’s what I did. I wreaked a little havoc, made a couple stops and got some steals.

The game may have played out a little differently if Maryland forward Jordan Williams hadn’t been saddled with two early fouls. When he left the game with Maryland trailing 12-6, Williams had all of the Terps’ points. In 31 minutes, Williams finished with 23 points and 13 rebounds, and he was clearly playing cautious after he picked up his third foul in the second half. He was a big reason why Mason Plumlee fouled out with 5:47 left.

You can’t count the number of Jordan Williamses in the country on more than one hand, but he’s the exact player who can keep a team in a game with Duke. The Blue Devils are not physical around the rim, where Williams is an absolute bruiser.

Thornton may never see the floor that much again this season, but that is why Duke is the unquestioned team to beat for the national championship.

“What he did tonight obviously opens our eyes. That’s what we’re looking for. We’re looking for things like that. We have a lot of improvement that can happen for us. He was a difference maker. How would you predict that? It’s one of the really neat things that happens,” Krzyzewski said.

Curry and Thornton’s contributions were critical because senior All-American Nolan Smith had one of his worst games of the season. He was uncharacteristically cold from the field, shooting just five-for-18, but he was a perfect eight-for-eight from the foul line to finish with 18 points. Maryland was rugged with Smith defensively, however, which led to his poor shooting and five turnovers (one short of tying a season high).

For the first time since freshman phenom point guard Kyrie Irving left the line-up with a toe injury, Duke clearly missed his presence. Smith struggled to engage the Devils’ offense at times, and Maryland was able to hold Duke from every breaking away. Duke is so good at finding ways to get open and knocking down long-range shots, though, that even if Smith struggles the Blue Devils can find ways to score. Without Irving, though, good teams can compete with Duke.

The Blue Devils have a rotation of talent that is unparalleled, but when they can insert a 10th-man like Thornton with the energy he brings to the game, it completes them. Duke won’t face many six-point second half deficits this year, but Krzyzewski can rest more easily at night knowing he has Thornton on his side.

 

The Morning Buzz

Alright, readers. Readership is up in the new year, and I’ve just dug a hole in my wallet for a Rivals.com subscription. I can’t make any promises, but from now on I hope to bring the morning buzz throughout the week to let you know what’s making news in the ACC.

• Miami will visit today with Marcus McDade, a 3-star pro-style quarterback prospect from Hargrave Military Academy. It seems likely that McDade will commit to the Hurricanes as soon as today and enroll in classes for the upcoming semester.
• Nolan Smith scored a career-high 33 points to guide Duke in a 85-64 home win over UAB. The Blue Devils jumped out to a 26-4 lead en route to their 14th straight victory without a loss this season.
• Virginia Tech picked up its 18th commitment in its 2011 football recruiting class, three-start tight end Darius Redman. The H.D. Woodson High School product de-committed from Virginia to choose the Hokies. He plans on enrolling for the spring semester.
• NC State topped Elon 87-72 Wednesday night. The Wolfpack got 27 minutes’ worth of action from Tracy Smith, who recently returned from injury. Smith scored 15 points and grabbed six rebounds. The ‘Pack open ACC play against Wake Forest on Saturday.
• Butch Davis has hired a new defensive line coach, according to sources close to the situation. Brian Baker comes to UNC after 15 seasons in the NFL, most recently with the Carolina Panthers. He replaces John Blake, whose connection with the NCAA’s investigation of UNC’s football program cost him his job in September.

Early Season Observations

It’s been five weeks since Maryland kicked off the college basketball season for the ACC with a 105-76 win over Seattle. Much has transpired since then, and the league isn’t exactly shaping up how we thought it would. Here’s a look at the developments of the early season in the ACC.

Even without Kyrie Irving, Duke is a runaway favorite to win the league

Before Irving went down, it was nearly impossible to find a true weakness in the Blue Devils. Their worst performance of the year was an 82-77 win over Marquette in which Mason Plumlee posted a career-high 25 points and 12 rebounds.

Plumlee’ night convinced me that Duke was the predominant favorite to repeat as national champions. Beating a tournament team on a neutral court when you have to rely on your fourth-best offensive option is a sign of greatness.

Kyrie Irving looked like the national player of the year until he suffered a foot injury that has sidelined him indefinitely. Since his absence, Duke has beaten two mediocre opponents (Bradley and St. Louis) by an average of 36 points.

Nolan Smith has done a decent job directing the Duke offense, but the Blue Devils are so deadly from long range that it’s going to make them very tough to beat. Teams with big, physical guards have the best chance to beat the Blue Devils.

Should Irving miss the entire season (not likely, it sounds like), Duke’s chances of running the table go way down. But for six games in the NCAA Tournament, going against the Devils wouldn’t be a safe bet.

Don’t sleep on Boston College

The expectations for former Cornell coach Steve Donahue in his first year with the Eagles were understandably low. Now it seems there’s a very good chance Boston College will be 14-2 heading into a Jan. 11 game against NC State.

The Eagles lost to Yale in their second game, but haven’t looked back since, with several impressive wins already on the resume. They beat Texas A&M 67-65, the Aggies’ only loss of the season to date (they’ve also beaten Temple and Washington already).

The Eagles followed up a 10-point loss to Wisconsin with a 22-point beating of Cal, who’s 5-4 right now but had already beaten Temple before playing the Eagles.

They held on to beat Providence 88-86 at home, and then opened ACC play with a very impressive road win over Maryland, 79-75.

While the rest of the league combined has only a handful of wins against quality opponents, the Eagles have three that caught my attention.

Reggie Jackson has blossomed in Donahue’s offense, averaging 19.2 points per game, seven more than he did as a sophomore in 2009-10. In his past five games, he is shooting 29-51 (57 percent) from the field.

Barring a major collapse, the Eagles are in very good position to make the NCAA Tournament.

Injuries ruined Virginia Tech’s season

The Hokies received a lot of attention in the off-season, much of it under the assumption that J.T. Thompson and Allan Chaney would be healthy and vital contributors.

Instead, both are out for the season. On top of that, center Cadarian Raines has not fully recovered from a broken foot that has severely limited his minutes this season, leaving Seth Greenberg paper-thin on the interior.

Dorenzo Hudson has been bothered by a handful of minor injuries and has looked nothing like the player who lit up Connecticut in the NIT last season.

Erick Green missed the final two games of the 76 Classic in Anaheim, including the Hokies’ 71-59 loss in the championship game to UNLV.

Reserve guard Ben Boggs announced he was transferring last week, further dwindling the number of reserves for Greenberg to call on.

The Hokies played inspired in an overtime loss to Purdue at home, but Boilermaker’s All-American center JaJuan Johnson exposed Tech inside, scoring 29 points. After Victor Davila fouled out with a minute left in regulation, it left Jeff Allen, a natural small forward, with the duty of defending Johnson the final six minutes.

Unless Green steps up as a competent point guard, allowing Malcolm Delaney to have more freedom off the ball, in addition to Raines returning to full health, the Hokies won’t be a factor in the ACC.

Florida State’s offensive woes

The Seminoles can play defense, and pretty darn well at that. Through 10 games, the ‘Noles have allowed 63 points or less seven times.

They are number one in the nation in blocked shots and 23^rd in steals. They are also second nationally in defensive rebounds per game.

Two things that are killing Florida State right now are their 19.1 fouls per game (177^th nationally), and their 18 turnovers per game (most in the ACC).

In the Ohio State loss, the Seminoles committed 22 turnovers. Against Florida, the Gators went to the foul line 25 times, converting 17 trips into points. Florida State was a mere 6-11 from the line and lost by four points.

The ‘Noles best win so far is a six-point win over Clemson at home. The Tigers have already lost to Old Dominion, Michigan and South Carolina.

Chris Singleton has underwhelmed to start the season. In three games against BCS competition, he’s averaging 9.6 points and five rebounds per game. That’s quite disappointing for a preseason first-team all-conference pick. He’s a defensive master but he is going to have to be more effective on offense if Florida State’s going to compete with the big boys.

The ‘Noles shouldn’t be in much danger of making the NCAA Tournament at this rate, but they don’t look to be much more than a one-and-done right now.

 

ACC Basketball Preview, Part III – Impact Freshmen

The league bolstered its talent pool this season with an impressive recruiting haul, in addition to a few key transfers who will play important roles this season. Here’s a look at the freshmen who will have a big impact on their teams and the conference:

5 – K.T. Harrell, SG, Virginia

Harrell is a versatile swingman with good length who will make an immediate impact on a depleted Cavaliers’ roster. Rated as the No. 30 player in the country by Rivals.com, Harrell figures to step into the starting lineup immediately and be a key scorer for Tony Bennett. With the loss of Sylvan Landesburg and the injury to Sammy Zeglinski, Bennett needs options on offense, and it appears that Harrell is his best bet.

4 – Reggie Bullock, SG, North Carolina

The Tar Heels sorely missed Wayne Ellington and Danny Green last season for their perimeter shooting among many other things. Will Graves was inconsistent at best from beyond the arc, and now he’s no longer with the team. That leaves Bullock and his reputation as a sharpshooter to be a key player in the Tar Heels’ offense. He won’t start early, if at all, this season, but he could have a huge impact off the bench as a threat to score in bunches.

3 – C.J. Leslie, PF, NC State

Super athletic forward who has drawn legitimate comparisons to Amare Stoudemire, Leslie will form a fearsome duo inside with All-ACC candidate Tracy Smith. His biggest impact this season could be on defense, where he is an active shot-blocker and rebounder. Smith will command plenty of double teams on the offensive end, which could free up Leslie for some huge games this season. He leads a freshman class of ‘Pack that rates among the nation’s best, and he’s a future top-five NBA draft pick.

2 – Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke

You don’t start at point guard for Duke as a freshman unless you’re very, very good. Irving is just that, as some have gone so far as to say he’s the most gifted player on a loaded Blue Devils’ roster. He has John Wall-type scoring ability, and he has Nolan Smith, Seth Curry and Kyle Singler to dish the ball off too. He could be a double-double machine, something that is rarely heard of from college point guards.

1 – Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

This is one heck of a list to top off, but Barnes fits the bill perfectly. He’s the most highly anticipated freshman at North Carolina in over a decade, and he enters the program at the perfect time. The Tar Heels lack depth in the frontcourt, yet they also don’t have a proven scorer on the wing. Barnes can do both better than just about anyone in the country. It’s a common opinion that he may be the national player of the year this season, and some believe he has the talent to take a very thin and unproven Tar Heels’ roster to the Final Four.

 

ACC Basketball Preview, Part I – Top 10 Players

We are only six days from the start of the ACC basketball season (Maryland vs. Seattle on Nov. 8).

As a forgettable football season for the league hits the home stretch, the attention shifts to the conference’s calling card.

In part one of my preview of the basketball season, I’m taking a look at the ten players who I think will have the biggest impact on the league this season.

10 – Durand Scott, PG, Miami

By the end of the 09-10 season, Scott was Miami’s best offensive weapon. He was 10-of-15 from the field and scored 21 points against Duke in the ACC Championship Game. Over the last eight games of last season, Scott averaged 15.5 points per game. He is an aggressive point guard who lives up to the rugged style of his New York upbringing. If he develops a better jump shot, he is a future ACC scoring champion.

9 – Dorenzo Hudson, SG, Virginia Tech

Hudson made tremendous improvement from his sophomore to his junior year, increasing his scoring output by more than 10 points per game. His 41-point showing against Seton Hall in the absence of Malcolm Delaney proved that he could be a dominant player. Having opposing defenses concentrate on Delaney should open up plenty of scoring chances for Hudson this season. He is also arguably the best perimeter defender in the conference.

8 – Kyrie Irving, PG, Duke

Irving was the consensus top-ranked point guard nationally in the incoming freshman class. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has compared him to a young Chris Paul. How good is that? Well, Paul averaged 15 points, six assists and three rebounds per game in his freshman year – and he didn’t have a couple of All-Americans alongside him.

7 – Jordan Williams, PF, Maryland

Williams came on strong in ACC play last season as an enforcing presence inside that Maryland had not seen arguably since the Lonny Baxter/Chris Wilcox era. The departure of Grevis Vasquez means Williams will undoubtedly improve on his 9.6 points per game from last year. He also averaged 8.6 rebounds per game while finishing second in the balloting for ACC Rookie of the Year in 09-10. He could very well be a double-double guy on a nightly basis this season.

6 – Chris Singleton, PF, Florida State

Singleton was a bit of a surprise on the preseason All-ACC ballot, but make no mistake about it, he’s got the tools to be the best player in the league. His 10.2 points and seven rebounds per game last season weren’t mind-blowing, but something to consider is that he had to compete with his own teammate, Solomon Alabi, for rebounds last season. This year, Singleton has to prove he can be a force on the glass. He’s well-known for his defensive skills, and he’ll have plenty of chances to prove himself against some highly skilled post players in the ACC.

5 – Tracy Smith, PF, NC State

Smith is quite probably the most underrated player in the league entering this season. He’s made tremendous strides every year under Sidney Lowe, and don’t be surprised if he puts up monster numbers as a senior. He averaged 16 points and seven rebounds a year ago, and he now has the addition of ultra-talented freshman C.J. Leslie to the frontcourt. Smith should hover around 20-22 points and 10-12 rebounds on most nights, which is enough to earn some hardware at season’s end and a nice paycheck come next summer.

4 – Harrison Barnes, SF, North Carolina

Barnes is the most highly anticipated freshman in Chapel Hill since Vince Carter. Perhaps part of that is due to the Tar Heels’ dire need for an extreme bounce-back season after last year’s 17-loss debacle. The other part of it is that Barnes is just freakishly good. His physical tools have led some experts to make Kobe Bryant/Tracy McGrady comparisons, while his head coach Roy Williams has compared his work ethic to that of Tyler Hansbrough’s. Needless to say, Barnes better make this year count, because it’s going to be his only one in Carolina blue.

3 – Malcolm Delaney, PG, Virginia Tech

Delaney is back after leading the league in scoring as a junior at 20.2 points per game. He wilted down the stretch when teams starting defending him more physically and his jump shot suffered dramatically. However, he’s stronger this year and for what it’s worth, undyingly motivated to lead his team to a serious run in the NCAA Tournament. The emergence of Hudson last year means that teams likely won’t be able to afford being so aggressive against Delaney with ball pressure, so a repeat 20-plus scoring season isn’t much of a stretch to predict. As much talent as the Hokies have this year, they’ll only go as far as Delaney takes them.

2 – Nolan Smith, SG, Duke

Smith is your typical Blue Devil guard. He doesn’t blow you away on the stat sheet with hoards of points, but at the end of the day, he’s extremely efficient. He doubled his scoring average last season to 17 points per game, but the departure of Jon Scheyer means that it’s up to Smith to be the Devils’ leader in the backcourt. As Irving learns the ropes early on this season, Smith will have to shoulder a heavier load than he ever has had to before. Something tells me he can handle it. Once Irving adapts to the ACC style of play, Smith should flourish with ease.

1 – Kyle Singler, SF, Duke

Singler is many experts’ choice for the national player of the year, and rightfully so. He is a nightmare for opposing coaches to try and defend. His size makes it tough for average-sized small forwards to guard him, yet put a power forward or a center on him and Singler is quick enough to beat them off the dribble. He truly rounded out his game last season, and this year is more of an audition to the NBA scouts that he can play at the next level. The loss of Scheyer means Singler should see more looks at the basket, and should probably score around 22 points per game, not to mention 7-9 rebounds as well. The thing about Duke is that they are impossible for opponents to match up against effectively. There will be nights when teams take Singler out of the game, but the nights when they don’t are when he will have monstrous performances.