NCAA Basketball FanHouse http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com NCAA Basketball FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif NCAA Basketball FanHouse http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Mississippi State Rack and Rollin'http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/23/mississippi-state-rack-and-rollin/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/23/mississippi-state-rack-and-rollin/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/11/23/mississippi-state-rack-and-rollin/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Alexis RackTwo weeks ago, Pat Summitt surveyed the national scene and said this:

"A lot of people don't have Mississippi State on their radar screen and they should."

Never argue with Pat.

Mississippi State is climbing the rankings -- moving from No. 25 to No. 19 in this week's poll -- and the ladder of national recognition, particularly after Sunday's 84-55 win over No. 20 Maryland.

Granted, Maryland is remodeling after the graduation of Kristi Tolliver and Marisa Coleman and the transfer of Marah Strickland, and Brenda Frese's program will likely struggle with change most of the year, but the Bulldogs took it to the Terrapins on their home floor.

Senior guard Alexis Rack -- one of eight seniors on the roster -- broke out for 43 points, including seven 3-pointers in the victory. It was the fourth-best individual scoring performance in school history.

"Sometimes I was just letting it go," Rack (above, right) said after the game.

Mississippi State is flying high at 4-0, and it has enjoyed its home court advantage. It's time to hit the road now ... which leads up to the sun and sand of the Paradise Jam Tournament next week in the U.S. Virgin Islands. This year's eight-team field will feature five ranked teams.

Mississippi State will be there, playing in the "Reef" division along with Rutgers, USC and No. 13 Texas.

The "Island" division includes No. 5 Notre Dame, No. 20 Oklahoma, No. 23 San Diego State and South Carolina.

San Diego State, who broke into the national rankings for the first time in 14 years, feels like there's a little honor in the invitation to play.

"Three years ago, the only way we get there is to hold a fundraiser and go in the spring," Aztecs coach Beth Burns said.

The holiday's other big tournament is the Junkanoo Jam in the Bahamas. It is a bit more of a second-tier group with four ranked teams in the field including George Washington, No. 25 Michigan State, South Dakota State, Indiana, Minnesota, TCU, No. 18 Kansas, UNC Charlotte, No. 15 Virginia, Marist, Oklahoma State and No. 9 Xavier.

Don't overlook Tennessee

Summitt was handing off credit to Mississippi State, but her own team was building some impressive momentum after beating Virginia, 77-63. Angie Bjorklund, Shekinna Stricklen and Glory Johnson combined for 56 points.

The Lady Vols were even good enough to get their locker room back at Thompson-Boling Arena. The team had been kicked out of it for lackluster play in February and Summitt had said her team would have to "win something" to earn its way back in.

Apparently, beating a Virginia team that beat the Vols by one point in Knoxville last year was good enough to unlock the door.

Tennessee is young and inexperienced right now. But they look very, very good -- good enough to turn Connecticut and Stanford's intimate party as national championship contenders into a legitimate threesome.

Now for the bad news: Freshman center Faith Dupree will be sidelined for the season with a back injury. She played in two games, including 18 minutes against Texas Tech on Tuesday night in San Antonio. The Lady Vols are down to 11 active players for the season and need to keep Kelley Cain healthy to avoid serious depth issues in the post.

A View From the Top

The Huskies and the Cardinal don't look to be moving off their top two rankings any time soon. Here's a look at how the best of the best are stacking up so far.

Tale of the Tape
Category No. 1 UConn No. 2 Stanford
Scoring Avg.
 91.7
 86.2
Reb. Margin
 17.0
 23.0
Victory Margin
 49.4
 20.4
Next Five Games
 vs. Hofstra
vs. Richmond
vs. Vermont
vs. Hartford
vs. Iona
 vs. Utah
vs. Gonzaga
vs. DePaul
vs. Duke
vs. Tennessee


The Week Ahead

The most intriguing non-tournament matchups of the coming week:

UCLA at Tennessee: Former Vols assistant Nikki Caldwell comes back to Knoxville with an intriguing team that should finish near the top in the Pac-10.

Gonzaga at Stanford: One of the country's top mid-majors has a major-league test at Maples Pavilion against the Cardinal.

Cal vs. Ohio State in the Buckeye Holiday Tournament: Cal has showed its youth with poor shooting performances and the Bears lost to Baylor by 20 at home on Sunday. The No. 3 Buckeyes will be an even bigger challenge.

Randoms...

For a mid-major, Dayton is having a good early season run playing tough against big-conference teams. Dayton threw an opening salvo with a 77-74 win over Michigan State, lost a two-point game to Louisville and then knocked off Purdue 56-53 in the Boilermakers' own tournament ... The top nine teams in this week's AP poll went 19-0 last week with an average victory margin of 27 points ...There are two conferences in which every team has at least a .500 record thus far: the Big East and the Big Ten.

Mississippi State Rack and Rollin' originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:54:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Alexis RackBeth BurnsBrenda FreseFaith DupreePat SummittMichelle SmithMon, 23 Nov 2009 14:54:00 EST ACC Players, Coaches Wag Finger at New Taunting Rulehttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/acc-players-coaches-wag-finger-at-new-taunting-rule/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/acc-players-coaches-wag-finger-at-new-taunting-rule/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/10/25/acc-players-coaches-wag-finger-at-new-taunting-rule/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

ACC referee Karl HessGREENSBORO, N.C. -- The talk of the Atlantic Coast Conference's basketball media day Sunday was the trouble a player could get into if he talked too much.

Or said the wrong thing, or gestured the wrong way, or celebrated excessively, or did anything else that might be considered "unsporting behavior,'' according to a new zero-tolerance policy approved for this season by the NCAA.

Many of the players and coaches gathered at Greensboro's Grandover Resort bluntly said they either did not like the change, didn't understand why it was necessary, or both. The biggest issue: there is too much room left for the wrong interpretation.

"If you dunk on someone or whatever -- that's just someone's game. They take pride in it, "insisted Virginia Tech guard Malcolm Delaney. "They don't mean to disrespect people, but that's sometimes how it comes out.

"I think they should have done a survey with the players, asked us for our input,'' he added. "We're the ones playing, and they wouldn't know how we feel about it unless they ask us. They wouldn't know how it affects how we play if they don't ask how we feel."

Said Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez -- formally voted by the media as preseason first-team all-ACC, and informally picked as the player most constrained by the new rule -- "What if you dunk on someone, and it's a crazy dunk, and you can't keep the emotions inside of you? I guess that's what they want us to do. But, that's why they have rules.''

Not even a coach's reputation as "old school'' kept him from being perplexed by the new rules, which call for a technical if an official -- at his discretion -- deems a player's actions as over the line.

"That's why college basketball is a great game, because of that exuberance,'' Maryland coach Gary Williams said, adding that there is a distinct difference between celebration and taunting. "These are 18-and-22-year-old kids who have grown up playing a certain way. It may not be the way I grew up playing it, but it's a great way to play.

"And I hope nobody gets penalized for making a great play and being penalized for it. You've seen it in football already,'' he added. "Hopefully, nobody loses a game over something like that.''

Williams was referring to the infamous "excessive celebration'' football penalty that essentially cost Georgia a victory over LSU earlier this month, a mistake the Southeastern Conference later had to admit to and for which the officiating crew was suspended. Georgia Tech's Paul Hewitt also recalled that play, and laughed when asked about the new basketball rule.

"You always teach your players to respect the game, so I think it's important that you're serious about that -- but I'm smiling, because you're putting a lot on the officials,'' Hewitt said. "They're officiating the best athletes in college sports ... This is just another thing you're piling on their plates.''


The taunting rule is one of a handful of changes or areas of emphasis to be put into play this season. There now will be a specific blocking-charging area under the basket, but one that will not be marked by a line as in the NBA. Also, the use of replay will be expanded to determine whether certain fouls are called flagrant, intentional or technicals; three-seconds will be scrutinized more; excessively swinging elbows by a player with the ball will be subject to flagrant fouls; the choices coaches have in picking a replacement foul shooter when the fouled player is injured were narrowed, and distracting free-throw shooters once they are at the line was outlawed.

Even as he was explaining the new taunting rules, ACC officiating supervisor John Clougherty admitted that the Georgia-LSU situation "went too far.'' On the other hand, he said, the basketball officials would now have wide latitude on calling, for example, pointing at an opponent or standing over him after a dunk, flexing muscles, posing, speaking or gesturing to him.

The players would have to walk a fine line between celebrating with teammates and inspiring a home crowd, Clougherty said, and acting unsportsmanlike. As a guide, he said, "Act like you've been there, don't embarrass your opponent.''

Coaches and players don't mind the obvious unsportsmanlike acts being whistled, but they said there are too many that are being confused with normal expressions of excitement. With those, they said, there's no good reason to halt them anyway.

"You're not doing anything wrong, you're just showing the love of the game,'' Williams said. "It doesn't bother me. Obviously it bothers some people ... This is the 2009-2010 season. We're not playing in the 1960s, where everybody wears a crew cut.''

One of the few players who believed it would not alter how he plays was North Carolina forward Deon Thompson: "Not with our team. Our coaches don't like when our team dunks in a guy's face and taunts him -- he doesn't like that,'' meaning head coach Roy Williams.

Hewitt pointed out that with the way players grow up playing ball nowadays, traveling all over the country and building friendships in competition that continue as they move to differing college teams, what might look like trash-talk might be a completely innocent exchange between long-time acquaintances. "I don't think that was considered when they put this in,'' Hewitt said, adding that it would not have hurt for coaches as well as players to be "consulted'' on such a move.

Ironically, Thompson has such a bond with Clemson's Trevor Booker, a teammate on the United States' under-19 World University Games squad in Belgrade last summer; Booker, also a preseason all-ACC pick, boasted of what he and his team would do to Thompson's Tar Heels, and said of the rule, "That's a big one for me; I like showing my emotions ... They have to let you get your crowd into it.''

North Carolina, the defending regular-season and NCAA champs, and Duke, winners of last year's ACC tournament, tied for first in the preseason voting, the first time there has been a tie in 41 years of media voting. Duke's Kyle Singler was chosen player of the year and was joined on the all-conference first team by Vasquez, Booker, Delaney and North Carolina's Ed Davis. Georgia Tech's Derrick Favors was the overwhelming pick for rookie of the year.

The 2012 tournament, already awarded to Atlanta, will be played in Philips Arena rather than the Georgia Dome, the site the last two times the city hosted it, conference officials announced. The two preceding it and the three following it will be held at the Greensboro Coliseum.

ACC Players, Coaches Wag Finger at New Taunting Rule originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 25 Oct 2009 22:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Derrick FavorsEd DavisGary WilliamsKyle SinglerKyleSinglerPaul HewittDavid SteeleSun, 25 Oct 2009 22:30:00 EST Onion Peels: Duke, Carolina Have Similar Sunday Games, Different Endingshttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/02/16/onion-peels-duke-carolina-have-similar-sunday-games-with-diffe/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/02/16/onion-peels-duke-carolina-have-similar-sunday-games-with-diffe/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/02/16/onion-peels-duke-carolina-have-similar-sunday-games-with-diffe/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Onion Peels is a recap of last night's action and an unofficial Bill Raftery blog.

Duke and North Carolina were separated by a single game in the ACC standings heading into Sunday; little did Duke know it, but they nearly had a chance to tie the Tar Heels again. However, games against Boston College and Miami, respectively, ended the wrong way for the Devils.

Boston College 80, Duke 74: The same problems that have plagued the Blue Devils all season -- point guard play as well as lack of an inside presence -- came into play again Sunday afternoon.

Another problem, the ability to close teams out, was acknowledged by Gerald Henderson after the game:
"You can't mess around. If you have a team down you have to step on their throats," Henderson said. "That's been a problem with us this year - we haven't approached leads like that, so we need to change that."
Of course, the bigger problem again is at the point position. Greg Paulus played a whopping 25 minutes but only registered two points, two assists and dealing with four fouls. Additionally, Tyrese Rice was nearly unstoppable, hitting big shot after big shot down the stretch en route to 21 points, six boards and six assists. Joe Trapani, held to just five points in a loss to Clemson, posted 20 in 37 minutes while adding five blocks and seven boards.

North Carolina 69, Miami 65: The fact that Miami was 14-0 this season when holding opponents under 70 points didn't seem to bother the Tar Heels, even though Jack McClinton, with 35 points last night, was a pretty big thorn. In the end though, it was Ty Lawson who again looked like Carolina's MVP and -- despite being sick -- managed to score 21 points while dropping what amounted to the game winning three pointer with just over 10 seconds remaining. Miami's a dangerous team, obviously, but the Tar Heels holding on gave them a two game ACC lead and seemingly, based on their remaining schedule, locked sights on this year's conference title.

Elsewhere: Arizona State, behind Jeff Pendergraph's double-double, helped kick Southern Cal a little further off the bubble. Virginia managed to really honor Sean Singletary, upsetting No. 12 Clemson at home. Nationally ranked Butler stumbled for the second time in two weeks, despite Matt Howard's 30 points, as they head into a February 21 matchup with Davidson, this time to Loyola-Chicago and Jordan Hicks, who poured in 23 for Loyola. Illinois took care of Indiana by double figures in a game that should really be more important.

Onion Peels: Duke, Carolina Have Similar Sunday Games, Different Endings originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 16 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>gerald hendersonGeraldHendersongreg paulusGregPaulusjack mcclintonJackMcclintonjeff pendergraphJeffPendergraphjoe trapaniJoeTrapanionionpeelssean singletarySeanSingletaryty lawsonTyLawsontyrese riceTyreseRiceWill BrinsonMon, 16 Feb 2009 11:00:00 EST Virginia Upsets No. 12 Clemsonhttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/02/15/virginia-upsets-no-12-clemson/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/02/15/virginia-upsets-no-12-clemson/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/02/15/virginia-upsets-no-12-clemson/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Virginia proved the 2008-09 adage about "winning on the road" today, beating nationally ranked Clemson in overtime. It was a big day for the Cavaliers program as a whole; they honored Sean Singletary by retiring his jersey and then notched their biggest win of the season, all in a few short hours.

Clemson, of course, was coming off a 2-1 stretch that saw them throttle Duke for arguably the biggest win in program history. Clearly, a loss to Virginia hits on the other end of the spectrum.

The Tigers didn't play poorly on the offensive end -- they shot a decent 43% from the floor and had four scorers in double digits. Terrence Oglesby scored 17 but he was only 5-12 from the floor, but the real spotlight was on freshman Cavalier guard Sylven Landensburg who played the entire 45 minutes of the contest.

He scored 23 points with four boards and three assists and was given high praise by coach Dave Leitao, who called him a "big money player."

It couldn't have been a bigger loss for the Tigers -- they were facing the theoretically easiest possible opponent with a chance to tie Duke for second overall in the ACC on the line (not to mention trying to stabilize their national ranking). For the Wahoos, on the other hand, this type of win doesn't give them much in terms of hope for the ACC season, but it did propel them away from Georgia Tech for last place and possibly give them some momentum heading into the stretch run and the ACC tournament; they are, after all, just three games back of Maryland for "fifth" place.

Virginia Upsets No. 12 Clemson originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 19:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>dave leitaoDaveLeitaosean singletarySeanSingletarysylven landensburgSylvenLandensburgterrence oglesbyTerrenceOglesbyWill BrinsonSun, 15 Feb 2009 19:30:00 EST Hansbrough, Tar Heels Roll UVA; People Need to Settle on Crowning Themhttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/01/16/hansbrough-tarheels-roll-uva-people-need-to-settle-on-crowning-them-though/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/01/16/hansbrough-tarheels-roll-uva-people-need-to-settle-on-crowning-them-though/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/01/16/hansbrough-tarheels-roll-uva-people-need-to-settle-on-crowning-them-though/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Thinking that the Virginia Cavaliers might have contended with North Carolina Thursday night seems kind of silly in hindsight, but for the first 18 minutes of the game, it at least seemed mildly plausible. Well, okay, it was more like Carolina was somehow 0-2 in the ACC, reeling off of losses to Boston College and Wake Forest, and the faint possibility of an 0-3 nightmare existed for the Heels.

It wasn't the case. Obviously. Tyler Hansbrough, despite shooting poorly from the floor, still managed to pass Christian Laettner for sixth all-time in ACC scoring (please don't get me started on who's more awesome between the two of those guys).

What does this mean specifically? It means that we can all -- and by "all" I mean, again, "everyone who didn't pick Wake Forest to win the national championship" (Note: you will see that link no less than 4,000 times this season) -- get right back aboard the Chapel Hill bandwagon. It didn't take Jay Bilas long; he's already posted on the WWL that Hans-brah is his POY ... again. And you'll never believe this, but rumor has it that his "will exceeds his skill."

Of course, the smart thing is to realize that it's not all Psycho T for the Tar Heels; Ty Lawson protected the ball and was significantly better from the floor than he was in the Heels' two losses and, well, Virginia's not that good. At all.

Which, if you think about it, is kind of scary for Carolina. Yes, Marcus Ginyard is still out, but when Deon Thompson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green combine for 11-for-29 from the field against the Wahoos, it's probably a little too early for everyone to jump up and pronounce the baby blues completely cured.

The truth is that it behooves the national media to pump up Carolina, especially when 95 percent of the people screaming at you from the television picked the Heels to win it all. And maybe they are "back" ... but aside from Clemson, they've got a pretty cushy sked between now and a Feb. 11 showdown at Cameron. Just want to throw that out there.

Hansbrough, Tar Heels Roll UVA; People Need to Settle on Crowning Them originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 16 Jan 2009 01:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Danny GreenDannyGreenDeon ThompsonDeonThompsonJay BilasJayBilasMarcus GinyardMarcusGinyardTy LawsonTyLawsonTyler HansbroughTylerHansbroughWayne EllingtonWayneEllingtonWill BrinsonFri, 16 Jan 2009 01:05:00 EST Atlantic Coast Conference Season Set to Begin: A Quick Once-Overhttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/atlantic-coast-conference-season-set-to-begin-a-quick-once-ove/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/atlantic-coast-conference-season-set-to-begin-a-quick-once-ove/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2009/01/03/atlantic-coast-conference-season-set-to-begin-a-quick-once-ove/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ACC has had an interesting start to the season. You have top-ranked North Carolina just rolling over everyone and flexing their muscle. Duke has looked very impressive for most of the year. Wake Forest and Clemson are still undefeated and climbing the polls.

Still, there have been some bad moments. Miami hasn't looked as good as advertised, Maryland followed up one impressive win by getting blown out twice. Virginia Tech has lost on two buzzer beaters. Then there is the glut of also-rans that litter the bottom half of the league.

Conference season doesn't get into full swing for another week or so and there has already been two league games played. There are some big non-conference game this week (Ga Tech at Alabama, Xavier at Virginia, NC State at Florida, Wake Forest at BYU) but the highlight will be the ACC's top two teams starting conference play.

The big game will be North Carolina opening up conference play against Boston College. Sure, they are on other ends of the spectrum, but the game boasts the two favorites for ACC Player of the Year. We know all about UNC's Tyler Hansbrough, but BC's Tyrese Rice was right behind Psycho T all last year. In their last meeting, Rice dumped 46 points on the Heels and nearly pulled off a late season upset (Sunday, 5:30 PM ET).

Other big games this week: Virginia Tech at Duke (Sunday, 7:45 PM ET)

Player to watch: Other than Rice and Hansbrough, all eyes at the Dean Dome should be on Ty Lawson. Lawson is having an All-American season thus far but hasn't faced anyone like Rice, yet. Like I said, Rice popped 46 points on the Heels. That was also Lawson's first game back from an ankle injury so he was at a disadvantage. Let's see if his new defensive intensity will be effective against one of the ACC's best.

Pre-Conference Power Rankings

1. North Carolina -- The No. 1 ranked team in the nation has won all 12 of their games by double-digits, a school record.

2. Duke -- When on, they are one of the best teams in the country. But we all saw in Michigan what they look like when they aren't.

3. Wake Forest -- Still undefeated and could be a top four team next week. One of the deepest teams filled with guys you've never heard of.

4. Clemson -- The Tigers have shown that toughness that Oliver Purnell has injected into the program. Their blasting of Miami proved that.

5. Miami -- There is no question that Jack McClinton and the Canes are a tournament-calibar team. However, they don't seem to be on the same page at times, the offense bogs down and the defense isn't focused.

6. Florida State -- The Seminoles may actually be putting together the kind of season we've been waiting for. The loss to Northwestern was puzzling but they gave good effort in a loss to Pitt. Let's see how they do against Duke in ten days.

7. Maryland -- They followed a blowout of Michigan State by getting ran out of the gym by Gonzaga and Georgetown. Still, they've beaten Michigan and all the teams they are supposed to.

7. NC State -- Injuries and inconsistent play has hit the Wolfpack yet again.

9. Virginia Tech -- Well, they've beaten the teams they are supposed to and have been close in their four losses. Remember that Xavier needed a miracle shot to beat them and Wisconsin beat them at the buzzer.

10. Boston College -- They have a few nice wins on the resume, but nothing overly shocking. Let's see how they handle a January stretch at UNC and then hosting Miami and Wake Forest.

11. Virginia -- Three of their four losses aren't horrible. Losing at home to Liberty is.

12. Georgia Tech -- Their home loss to Virginia knocks them down here. Their upcoming schedule looks daunting as well so they may stick here for a while.

Atlantic Coast Conference Season Set to Begin: A Quick Once-Over originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sat, 03 Jan 2009 01:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>jack mcclintonJackMcclintonty lawsonTyLawsontyler hansbroughTylerHansbroughtyrese riceTyreseRiceShiloh CarderSat, 03 Jan 2009 01:16:00 EST ACC/Big Ten Challenge Heads Into Final Day as Even as It Can Gethttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/acc-big-ten-challenge-heads-into-final-day-as-even-as-it-can-get/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/acc-big-ten-challenge-heads-into-final-day-as-even-as-it-can-get/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/03/acc-big-ten-challenge-heads-into-final-day-as-even-as-it-can-get/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is entering its final day of action. Both conferences have won three games. The ACC has a slim lead in points, 405 to 402.

One interesting note is that the ACC was 33-4 at home during the first nine years of the Challenge. They've already lost two home games this year.

Let's take a look back at what has happened:

Wisconsin 74, Virginia Tech 72: The Badgers avoided an upset with a Trevon Hughes jumper with 0.7 seconds remaining. The Tech loss was the first for an ACC team at home in the Challenge in 11 games. Big Ten leads 1-0

Ohio State 73, Miami-FL 68: How about another road win for the Big Ten? Miami's Jack McClinton was ejected after taking a swipe at a Buckeye player. After an agressive run by the Canes, Ohio State mounted a second half comeback and pulled out the win. Big Ten leads 2-0.

Clemson 76, Illinois 74: Clemson puts the ACC on the board with their own road win. The Tigers' Demontez Stitt led the Tigers with 18 points and they used their defensive pressure to force 17 Illini turnovers. Big Ten leads 2-1.

Boston College 57, Iowa 55: Iowa's Andrew Brommer missed the front end of a one-and-one with 0.4 seconds left as the Hawkeyes fell to BC. Boston College held on despite scoring just one point in the final 4:45. Challenge tied 2-2.

Duke 76, Purdue 60: Jon Scheyer came back to his home turf and scored 20 points for the Blue Devils. Kyle Singer was scorching hot late to put the game away. The win helped flex the ACC's muscle. ACC leads 3-2.

Minnesota 66, Virginia 56: The Cavs shot a horrid 31% from the field and the Gophers tied up the Challenge again. Freshman Colton Iverson led Minnesota with 14 points. Series tied 3-3.

That means that tonight's games will determine the winner of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. The Big Ten has never won this thing but has a decent chance to get it done tonight. There are at four winnable games, even though the ACC is the oddmaker's favorites in each contest. Here are the Big Ten's best bets tonight:

1-Florida State at Northwestern: The Noles are the better team in this one, but they are by no means locks to win on the road.

2-Michigan at Maryland: Can you really trust the Terps? They did beat Michigan State last week, but Michigan has a win over UCLA under their hat.

3-Penn State at Georgia Tech: Tech is usually tough at home and it will be interesting to see how the Nittany Lions fare on the road. Still, it is hard to trust the Yellow Jackets who nearly lost to Jacksonville State.

4-North Carolina vs Michigan State: UNC is the unanimous No. 1 team, but the Spartans are scared of no one.

5-Indiana at Wake Forest: The ACC can already chalk this one up.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Heads Into Final Day as Even as It Can Get originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 03 Dec 2008 01:37:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>accbigtenchallengeShiloh CarderWed, 03 Dec 2008 01:37:00 EST ACC/Big Ten Challenge Begins Tonighthttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/01/acc-big-ten-challenge-begins-tonight/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/01/acc-big-ten-challenge-begins-tonight/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/12/01/acc-big-ten-challenge-begins-tonight/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ACC/Big Ten Challenge is back once again. This is the 10th edition of the Challenge with the ACC winning it in each of the first nine seasons.

The ACC has won 16 of the last 22 games in this series.

Already we've seen a few games between ACC and Big Ten teams: Duke beat Michigan in the 2K Sports Championship game; Maryland beat Michigan State in the Old Spice Classic. Purdue beat Boston College in the Preseason N.I.T.

So let's take a look at what the next three days have in store.

Wisconsin at Virginia Tech (Mon. 7 pm ET): The Badgers are 0-5 as the road team in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Tech is coming off a tough showing in the Puerto Rico Tip Off. They lost two games by a total of five points and barely beat Elon in the 7th-place game at home. Both could find themselves in the NCAA Tournament in March. Watchability: It is a decent appetizer to get ready for the Challenge.

Ohio State at Miami (Tue. 7 pm ET): This would have made on heck of a football game several years ago. Now it's a darn good hoops game. It will be interesting to see Ohio State deal with the Miami guards and Miami deal with Ohio State's size. Miami is the only school on either side to not have won a game in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Watchability: One of the darkhorses to be the best game this week.

Iowa at Boston College (Tue. 7 pm ET): Neither team has big plans this year but both have the ability for a few upsets. The Eagles have won both their previous ACC/Big Ten Challenge games. Watchability: The best part of this game is seeing BC's Tyrese Rice tear it up. The fact that it's relegated to ESPNU says it all.

Clemson at Illinois (Tue. 7:30 pm ET): This is potentially a great game. Neither team is of elite status, but both are solid. The Illini just beat Vanderbilt while Clemson is already 7-0. Watchability: It's definitely good for a flip during the Ohio State-Miami game. Don't watch if you are allergic to the color orange.

Virginia at Minnesota (Tue. 8:30 pm ET): Two teams that no one expects anything from. These are the games, however, that prove the ACC's superiority as the ACC's bottom is usually better than the Big Ten's. Watchability: You probably won't be able to see the game anyways.

Duke at Purdue (Tue. 9 pm ET): Seeing Duke play an actual road game is a rarity. So is seeing the Blue Devils lose in the Challenge (they are 9-0). Both teams have high hopes for the season and the atmosphere in West Lafayette will be outstanding. Watchability: The best game of the day.

Indiana at Wake Forest (Wed. 7 pm ET): This has the potential to be the biggest mismatch of the Challenge. This game was set up according to last year's standings. Wake is extremely talented and extremely deep. Indiana is neither. Watchability: Use this as a chance to see the Demon Deacons' talented squad. Nothing more.

Penn State at Georgia Tech (Wed. 7:30 pm ET): This is the best chance for a Big Ten upset. As usual, Tech is struggling against weak opponents. Penn State has looked pretty good to start the season. Watchability: Only if you are a big, big fan.

Michigan at Maryland (Wed. 7:30 pm ET): Both the Wolverines and Terps have pulled off two of the biggest upsets thus far against UCLA and Michigan State, respectively. Both are as hit-and-miss as you can get from each conference. The Terps, for example, followed up an 18-point win over the Spartans with a 22-point loss to Gonzaga and a 27-point loss to Georgetown. Watchability: This should be a good game with a ton of runs. Worth a look if you have ESPNU.

North Carolina vs Michigan State (Wed. 9 pm ET): This is the biggest game of the Challenge. So big that they are playing it at Ford Field. Interesting note: Michigan State is the only Big Ten team with a winning record in the Challenge. North Carolina is just 4-5 in the Challenge ... tied for worst among schools who have been in all nine of them. Watchability: This game is the best chance for the Heels to lose a game before ACC play. See them get beat or see them continue their dominating season.

Florida State at Northwestern (Wed. 9:30 pm ET): This should be an easy Noles win (again, the ACC's bad is better than the Big Ten's). Watchability: With it going on at the same time as UNC-Michigan State, why watch?

ACC/Big Ten Challenge Begins Tonight originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:10:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Shiloh CarderMon, 01 Dec 2008 06:10:00 EST ACC Power Poll: Does Anyone Have a Chance to Top North Carolina?http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/14/acc-power-poll-does-anyone-have-a-chance-to-top-north-carolina/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/14/acc-power-poll-does-anyone-have-a-chance-to-top-north-carolina/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/11/14/acc-power-poll-does-anyone-have-a-chance-to-top-north-carolina/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

College basketball is back, ladies and gentlemen! That means it is time for the first ACC Power Poll of the season. Most of this is based on projections, theories and guess-work.

There is always one team that surprises us each year (Miami was that team last year) and one that disappoints us (NC State). Let's begin!

1-North Carolina: There hasn't been a favorite this heavy in a long, long time.

2-Duke: Remember that the Blue Devils were a game from winning the ACC last year. Gerald Henderson is my darkhorse for ACC Player of the Year.

3-Miami-FL: The Canes have a great shot at the ACC Championship and a deep run in the NCAAs.4-Wake Forest: The young Deacs surprised many last year. This year, they get that great recruiting class Skip Prosser put together right before he passed away.

5-Virginia Tech: The Hokies' bubble burst last season, but much of that team remains. Can a team be a darkhorse three straight seasons?

6-Clemson: The Tigers go back to mediocrity. There is talent here but no James Mays or Cliff Hammonds to be the soul of the team.

7-Maryland: Greivis Vasquez is an outstanding leader but the Terps lack any inside presence to contend in the ACC.

8-Florida State: If freshman Chris Singleton can live up to all his hype, maybe the Noles could contend for a postseason berth.

9-Georgia Tech: The Yellow Jackets have had a tough offseason that has gutted the roster. Some talent remains, just not enough.

10-NC State: Will it really be addition by subtracting J.J. Hickson? Let's see which Brandon Costner will show up this year.

11-Boston College: Tyrese Rice is the first, second and third options for the Eagles this season.

12-Virginia: Sean Singletary did everything for the Cavs last year. He's gone now.

ACC Power Poll: Does Anyone Have a Chance to Top North Carolina? originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Fri, 14 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>brandon costnerBrandonCostnerchris singletonChrisSingletoncliff hammondsCliffHammondsgerald hendersonGeraldHendersongreivis vasquezGreivisVasquezjames maysJamesMaysjj hicksonJjHicksonsean singletarySeanSingletarytyrese riceTyreseRiceShiloh CarderFri, 14 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST ACC Latest to Seek Restrictions on Players Testing NBA Drafthttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/28/acc-latest-to-seek-restrictions-on-players-testing-nba-draft/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/28/acc-latest-to-seek-restrictions-on-players-testing-nba-draft/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/10/28/acc-latest-to-seek-restrictions-on-players-testing-nba-draft/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , ,

Almost every spring, there are mumblings and grousing by college coaches about the length of time allowed for college players to decide about whether they should enter the NBA Draft or come back to play college basketball for another year. There are rumors of changing the rules to shorten the time for students to reconsider. Most of the times the complaints are off-the-record, because no coach wants to be seen as undermining or not supporting their players considering the NBA Draft.

Coaches hate the rule, though, because it puts them in a difficult spot. They don't know if they will have an open scholarship or need to go after one more recruit. It creates uncertainty for them, their recruiting and plans for the following season.

Well, the ACC has drafted a proposal to make the change.
The ACC plans to propose NCAA legislation that would force men's basketball underclassmen to decide within seven to 10 days after the NCAA title game whether they are leaving for the NBA draft. ...
Under the legislation, "there would be no grace period - either you're in or you're out," said Karl Hicks, the ACC's associate commissioner for basketball operations. "We feel that's what would work best for the student athletes and that's what would work best for the coaches."
So, uh how does it help the student-athletes? No testing the draft process? No tryouts? No grace period to reconsider?

All it does is help the coaches. Specifically, the coaches at major programs -- like the ACC.
The plan would be to force the players to make an irrevocable decision 7 to 10 days after the National Championship game. By a remarkable coincidence, that just happens to time out to when the late signing period begins.

In other words, it is to benefit the coaches who may need to replace a couple players who declare for the draft. They may be a bit behind other schools, but they have time and the certainty of knowing they have an open scholarship to pursue the recruits.

For programs outside of the major conferences, this means an increased competition for the late signees. A late-bloomer, or a talent that didn't show as much between his junior and senior year suddenly becomes worth pursuing by the bigger powers.

The present rules are great for the student-athletes. They can go through camps, practice for NBA teams. Consult with the NBA about their draft status. Get real, feedback and have plenty of information to make a decision. Considering the importance of forgoing the rest of a scholarship and pursuing a professional basketball career at that point, having the time to make the decision for freshmen, sophomores and juniors has led to more that come back for at least one more year. A player like K.C. Rivers at Clemson found out he wasn't nearly as desirable to NBA scouts as he believed and returned for his senior year -- and the being able to graduate.

The justification for changing the rule -- beyond that it makes things easier for the coaches -- is pointing to the fact that in college football, players only have a short period to declare and then only 72 hours to change their mind. Of course, the NFL restricts the quantity by restricting early declarations to juniors and/or players who are three-years removed from high school.

The NBA has only two rounds, is open to all underclassmen and foreign players. It is really difficult to compare the two systems. The main reason, though, is that it is all about the poor coaches and the uncertainty to the programs.

"Basically you'd like to move on," Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. "Also, what happens, for a two-month period guys who may not be in your program become your priority. And the guys who are still in the program don't get any attention. ... They get devalued."

The kids not getting attention get devalued? Isn't that a problem with the coaches then?

If the coaches are so concerned about stability and the poor kids still in the program not getting any attention, then by all means, it is time to focus on those issues. A big rule change that would help stability would be to restrict coaching free agency.

All head coaches that have a job, would only have two weeks after the season ends to consider a new job elsewhere in the NCAA. Remove the uncertainty from the programs, and that would definitely be fairer to the student-athletes. No late job-jumping and recruits wanting out. There would be far more stability and certainty. Of course, that would limit the freedom and chance to make more money for the coaches, so that would be unfair.

ACC Latest to Seek Restrictions on Players Testing NBA Draft originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 28 Oct 2008 13:08:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Chas RichTue, 28 Oct 2008 13:08:00 EST How I Spent My Summer Vacation: ACChttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/09/30/how-i-spent-my-summer-vacation-acc/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/09/30/how-i-spent-my-summer-vacation-acc/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/09/30/how-i-spent-my-summer-vacation-acc/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

With the fall beginning and college basketball just around the corner, it's time to look back at what our favorite teams did during their summer vacations. Some did some good things; some had a bad time. So let's look back at who did what in our How I Spent My Summer Vacation series.

Today's look is the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Roy Williams Hits Jackpot When All His Guys Return

The Tar Heels were at quite the crossroads. After a great season ended with a disappointing loss to Kansas, Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green all decided to take a look at the NBA Draft. Hansbrough decided to come back, but the other three entered the draft with the opportunity to come back to school if they didn't like their draft status.

If any or all left, the Heels were facing some uncertainty heading into the season. Yes, they'd still be a good team but they'd have a few holes.

In a somewhat surprising move, all three Heels decided to come back for one last hurrah. That means Ol' Roy gets everyone back from that Final Four team (sans a transferred Alex Stepheson and a graduating Quentin Thomas -- both role players). They also bring in three McDonald's All Americans.

Now the Heels are scary deep, scary talented and very experienced. They will enter the season as probably a clear-cut No. 1 ranked team with a NCAA Tournament Championship as the goal. Anything less will be a huge disappointment.

Coach K Turns Golden

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski spent his summer vacation in China coaching the USA Olympic basketball team. Team USA won the gold in a thrilling victory over Spain and reasserted America as the best hoops country in the world.

Now Coach K heads back to his day job, coaching a Duke program that sees themselves as the kings of college hoops. The Blue Devils are experienced, talented and primed for a run back to the Final Four.

What people are interested to see is how Krzyzewski's time with the NBA guys will affect Duke. I don't think that the team will suffer from not having him while he was with the Redeem Team, but what nuances may K add into his already lethal arsenal? Remember that last season he brought Mike D'Antoni's (former Suns, now Knicks head coach who served as an assistant for Team USA) offensive system to Duke with some great success.

Maryland's Revolving Door

Gary Williams has been on a hot seat of sorts. That's unfair to a man that took the Terps to a National Championship earlier this decade. However, NIT appearances and questionable recruiting have taken him out of favor from the Maryland faithful.

During this offseason, Williams watched several players bolt. Bobby Maze couldn't get his grades up to university standards so he moved on to Tennessee. Gus Gilchrist was put off by the ACC's intraconference transfering rules and left for South Florida. Stud recruit Tyree Evans was run out of College Park once his police record and jail time were made public.

J.J. Hickson Leaves N.C. State

Despite all the commotion about what the UNC players might do, there was still just one underclassman that left an ACC program for the NBA. Freshman forward J.J. Hickson decided one year at N.C. State was enough and entered the NBA Draft. He was selected with the 19th pick by the Cleveland Cavaliers.

There have been one-and-dones in the ACC and players have left early for a long time. But this was really the first offseason where we saw premiere guys "testing the waters".

Hickson leaving N.C. State also creates an interesting void. After the 2007 season, the Wolfpack were being buzzed about as a sleeper team. Hickson was the best player on the 2007-2008 team but they stumbled in the standings. With no Hickson, will the Pack go back to its better days? We'll have to see.

Psycho T's Leap

While Tyler Hansbrough didn't leap into the NBA Draft, he did find time to leap into a pool. From a balcony. Hansbrough received some flak for pulling off the stunt, but continues to feed his "Psycho T" persona.

Waiving Good-bye!

Sean Singletary (Virginia), DeMarcus Nelson (Duke), James Gist (Maryland), J.J. Hickson (NC State), James Mays (Clemson), Jason Rich (Florida State), Anthony Morrow (Ga Tech) and Deron Washington (Va Tech).

Welcoming in

Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest), Tony Woods (Wake Forest), Tyler Zeller (North Carolina), Miles Plumlee (Duke), Ed Davis (North Carolina), Elliot Williams (Duke), Olek Czyz (Duke), Iman Shumpert (Ga Tech), Andre Jones (Clemson) and DeQuan Jones (Miami).

How I Spent My Summer Vacation: ACC originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:48:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>alex stephesonAlexStephesonandre jonesAndreJonesanthony morrowAnthonyMorrowbobby mazeBobbyMazedanny greenDannyGreendemarcus nelsonDemarcusNelsondequan jonesDequanJonesderon washingtonDeronWashingtoned davisEdDaviselliot williamsElliotWilliamsgary williamsGaryWilliamsgus gilchristGusGilchristhowispentmysummervacationiman shumpertImanShumpertjames gistjames maysJamesGistJamesMaysjason richJasonRichjj hicksonJjHicksonmike krzyzewskiMikeKrzyzewskimiles plumleeMilesPlumleequentin thomasQuentinThomasroy williamsRoyWilliamssean singletarySeanSingletarytony woodsTonyWoodsty lawsonTyLawsontyler hansbroughtyler zellerTylerHansbroughTylerZellertyree evansTyreeEvanswayne ellingtonWayneEllingtonShiloh CarderTue, 30 Sep 2008 22:48:00 EST ACC Releases 2008-2009 Schedulehttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/08/27/acc-releases-2008-2009-schedule/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/08/27/acc-releases-2008-2009-schedule/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/08/27/acc-releases-2008-2009-schedule/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

The ACC has released the 2008-2009 college basketball schedule. Now we can start getting our markers out and circling some dates.

Here is the first dates for marking: UNC at Duke on February 11th ... Duke at UNC on March 8th.

North Carolina: UNC has a tough schedule ... with Kentucky as their second game of the season, the loaded Maui Invitational ... and a game against Michigan State at Ford Field. Penn, Oral Roberts, Rutgers and Nevada aren't pushovers. There is also a rematch against UNC-Asheville, also known as the "game Tyler Hansbrough dunked on a 7'7 guy"

Duke: Coach K won't have Kobe, LeBron or D-Wade ... but he won't be seeing Spain or Argentina, either. They will play Xavier in East Rutherford right before Christmas and host Georgetown in the middle of January. Duke will also play a true road game (that isn't in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge) when they take on Michigan in Ann Arbor.

Miami: The Canes will play in the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. They will get Ohio State in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge ... which looks like a great football contest a few years ago. Miami will also visit Kentucky and St. John's.

Clemson: They'll play in the Palmetto Classic in Charleston, SC. They'll also go up the road to UNC-Charlotte to try to avenge a loss from last year. They will play at Illinois and South Carolina ... then host Alabama (by the way: Clemson hosts Alabama's football team this Saturday).

NC State: The Wolfpack head to Charlotte to take on Davidson. Uh-oh! NC State gets some national TV love with a road game at Florida on January 3rd. They also host Marquette. The Wolfpack will actually host two games at good ol' Reynolds Coliseum.

Florida State: They'll face Cincinnati in the opening round of the Las Vegas Tournament. The Noles will host Pittsburgh in late December. Their annual date with Florida will take place on December 2nd.

Virginia: The Cavs are bringing it a bit. They'll host Xavier and Auburn ... and travel to Minnesota and Syracuse.

Maryland: Yawn! They do open with Bucknell and then play in the Old Spice Classic.

Wake Forest: The Deacs breakout season takes them on a tour of the state (NC Central, UNC-Wilmington, Winston-Salem State) before heading off to the Anaheim Classic.

Virginia Tech: Hey! Not fair! The Hokies will play in both the Puerto Rico Tip-Off Classic and the Holiday Festival in New York. Indiana and Bucknell will be decent battles ... as will traveling to BYU.

Boston College: They will be in the preseason NIT before hosting Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Other than a game at UMass, there really isn't much on the non-con schedule worth a second glance.

Georgia Tech: Tech will spend some time on the west coast as they'll visit USC and Pepperdine. The Jackets will revisit their SEC roots as they have a roadie at Alabama ... and will host Georgia and Vanderbilt.

ACC Releases 2008-2009 Schedule originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 27 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Shiloh CarderWed, 27 Aug 2008 01:01:00 EST Raycom Sports Posts ACC Hoops Schedule ... Then It Magically Disappearshttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/08/06/raycom-sports-posts-acc-hoops-schedule-then-it-magically-dis/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/08/06/raycom-sports-posts-acc-hoops-schedule-then-it-magically-dis/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/08/06/raycom-sports-posts-acc-hoops-schedule-then-it-magically-dis/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , ,

Raycom Sports posted their ACC men's basketball TV schedule on their website even though the ACC itself hadn't released any part of the schedule.

Needless to say, they took it down.

The damage has been done, as ACC Now still has all that info that was originally up.

The biggest game of the season ... North Carolina at Duke ... will take place on February 11th at 9:00pm. Most of the country sees this game on ESPN, but ACC country sees the game on their local Raycom affiliate. Other big games:

-Wake Forest at Boston College (1/14)
-Maryland at Miami (1/15)
-Virginia Tech at Virginia (1/18)
-Maryland at North Carolina (2/3)
-Florida State at Wake Forest (2/14)
-NC State at North Carolina (2/18)
-Florida State at Duke (3/3)

Raycom Sports Posts ACC Hoops Schedule ... Then It Magically Disappears originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Wed, 06 Aug 2008 22:17:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Shiloh CarderWed, 06 Aug 2008 22:17:00 EST ACC Places Duke #1 in 'ESPN.com Top Programs'; UNC is #3; Everyone Else is Backhttp://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/07/27/acc-places-duke-1-in-espn-com-top-programs-unc-is-3-every/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/07/27/acc-places-duke-1-in-espn-com-top-programs-unc-is-3-every/http://ncaabasketball.fanhouse.com/2008/07/27/acc-places-duke-1-in-espn-com-top-programs-unc-is-3-every/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

ESPN.com has played out its top programs since the 1984-1985 season (when the NCAA Tournament expanded to 64 teams).

As expected, Duke placed in the top spot. No one has won more NCAA Championships, Final Fours, Sweet 16s, NCAA Tournament wins, first team All Americans, 30-win seasons, #1 seeds or top-ten NBA picks in the time frame.

North Carolina placed #2 on Friday ... but due to a research error was dropped behind Kansas to #3 on Saturday. Apparently they screwed up how many conference titles Kansas won and All Americans North Carolina had.

After that, there is a huge gap until the next ACC school: #28 Maryland. The Terps (ahead of Purdue; behind Ohio State) are the only ACC school besides Duke and North Carolina to win an NCAA Tournament during the time frame. What knocked them down was the fact that they have just one ACC title since 1985.

Georgia Tech ranks fourth from the ACC at #33 overall. Tech (ahead of Penn; behind Oklahoma State) can roll out some great names but haven't had the elite success to match.

The other ACC schools ...

#38-Wake Forest: Produced elite players Tim Duncan and Chris Paul but hasn't made a Final Four.
#52-NC State: State had some good years in there ... and some horrible ones. Infractions hurt.
#70t-Boston College: Most of this was from their Big East years.
#70t-Virginia
#111-Clemson
#128-Florida State
#145t-Miami (Fla)
#210-Virginia Tech

The ACC finished third in the "prestige rankings" behind the Big East and the Big Ten.

ACC Places Duke #1 in 'ESPN.com Top Programs'; UNC is #3; Everyone Else is Back originally appeared on NCAA Basketball FanHouse on Sun, 27 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

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]]>Shiloh CarderSun, 27 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EST