The Daily Roundup: Monday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

Getting your mind right:

Wildcats' run comes to an end: "Underdog Wildcats miss last-second shot as No. 1 Jayhawks secure Final Four berth. The wounds from Davidson's 59-57 loss to Kansas on Sunday still stung as Jason Richards sat by himself in the locker room."

Wildcats one shot away

Rose, Tigers roll into Final Four: "Memphis to face UCLA in San Antonio."

Final Four to offer rare history lesson: "San Antonio hosts meeting of top seeds."

On Hoops: The Power of Ones (From the Washington Post)

Analysis: So much for Cinderella -- All No. 1 seeds advance to men's Final Four

The conference headlines:
Caulton Tudor of the News and Observer: Jilted Jayhawks remember Roy: "It was inevitable that a Roy Williams-coached North Carolina team would someday have to deal with Kansas in a high-stakes game."

Dascenzo of the Durham Herald Sun: Heels sure pack a punch: "Now the real fun starts for North Carolina's basketball team. Good enough to win the national title a week from tonight? Sure."

LENOX RAWLINGS of the Winston-Salem Journal: Formidable foes stand between Heels, title

Andrew Jones of hte Wilmington Star: On a 15-game tear, the Tar Heels hope they can avoid complacency in Final Four

North Carolina
UNC will play Kansas : "For the first time, all four No. 1 seeds -- North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis and UCLA -- advanced to the NCAA Tournament semifinals. Tar Heels coach Roy Williams will face his former team, Kansas."

Tar Heels prepare for showdown with Jayhawks: "North Carolina's Williams to face team he coached for 15 seasons."

Wake Forest

WFU gets defensive lineman: "Souza will be fifth."

Georgia Tech

CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP

Shaw watching, learning: "Flowery Branch senior QB taking in Tech spring practice; likes familiarity with Johnson's offense."

QB Nesbitt shows potential in Tech scrimmage

Georgia Tech wide receiver moved to defense

Johnson's system attractive to players, coaches

Clemson

Terps take advantage as Clemson falters: "Maryland made the most of its six hits, and two Clemson errors help pave the way as the Terrapins evened their weekend series against the Tigers with a 5-3 victory on Saturday."

Carolina Must...

Carolina must control the tempo against Louisville by hitting open shots. Ty Lawson must distribute the ball to open shooters against Louisville's full court trapping defense and Carolina must make Louisville take the ball out of the basket before they start their own fast breaking offense. If Carolina does that, and I think they will, then Carolina will win going away by more than double digits. If not, Louisville has the firepower to keep the game close.

Carolina must establish Hansbrough against Padgett in the post when they execute their half court offense. If Tyler can operate one-on-one in the half court set because UNC's perimeter players are hitting shots, then Carolina will have a huge advantage. Padgett is skilled and crafty but he's a player Hansbrough matches athletically. And the offensive player usually wins the match up.

Carolina must protect the ball. Traditionally Carolina breaks the press with little difficulty because of the skill of their wing players. If that is true again tonight and Louisville is forced to adjust their strategy, Carolina should have a huge advantage because their overall skill level is greater than is Louisville's.

Carolina must get both their men's and women's team to the Final Four. The Carolina women play LSU on Monday night. They've had this chance before but blown it.

Sweet Awful Sixteen

That was the worst round of Sweet 16 games I can remember watching. Except for the overtime game Xavier won over West Virginia** every game has been a blow out worthy of the first round.

Even Davidson's win was tainted somewhat because it became completely unwatchable. I blame Wisconsin, which cannot score enough to keep my interest.

Either way, congratulations to Stephen Curry who has dropped 103 points in three games and should be the MOP of his region and perhaps the whole tournament.

**WVU should have won in regulation when Joe Alexander, 82% from the line, missed a FT.

The Daily Roundup: Madness Friday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

Getting your mind right:

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer:Tar Heels handle slow pace: "UNC coach Roy Williams emphasized the importance of remaining under control against an opponent bent on a no-go tempo."

LENOX RAWLINGS of the Winston-Salem Journal- RESILIENT: Tar Heels won with big guy in funk

Coach McKillop is the Wildcats' inspiration: "Davidson coach lives his many lessons
In Bob McKillop's basketball office, in a wooden cabinet near his desk, in the top right drawer -- is junk."

A close-knit community: "Davidson's student-athletes are part of a campus that has found 'right balance'."

LIKE FATHER: Dell says he never pushed 'Steph'

Johnson gets test in perseverance

UCLA holds on for victory

Late 3-pointers lift Xavier

Louisville volunteers to dominate

Villanova-Kansas, Davidson-Wisconsin in spotlight: "Wildcats' Reynolds says his team has been opportunistic."

The conference headlines:

Duke overtakes UNC as most popular basketball program

North Carolina

Heels cruise over Cougars: "Tar Heels change pace, still win going away in East Regional
Washington State's Kyle Weaver drove left, rose on the baseline to attempt a dunk and watched helplessly as North Carolina's Alex Stepheson swatted the ball from his hands."

Green Sparks Heels :' "The Tar Heels play with patience and poise against Washington State and show that they can play defense, too. The result is a 68-47 victory over the Cougars and a place in the NCAA quarterfinals.""

North Carolina rolls again: "Hansbrough, Ellington, Lawson help Tar Heels race past CougarsWashington State shut down Tyler Hansbrough for one half last night but North Carolina found the means to forge a lead and stay on top for good in the NCAA Tournament East Regional semifinals. Playing tough, tight defense and getting a lift off the bench from Danny Green, North Carolina powered to a 68-47 win at Bobcats Arena to reach Saturday's championship game against Louisville. Tipoff is 9:05 p.m."

Green gives struggling Tar Heels a big spark

UNC takes another step:"Washington State’s Kyle Weaver accelerated as he sniffed the rim, leaping the moment a resounding dunk looked certain. North Carolina’s Alex Stepheson picked the same moment to assault the basketball, soaring through the air to stuff Weaver’s dunk attempt before Weaver reached the hoop."

Defense won the day for Heels:"North Carolina turned Washington State's offense into a cloud of misery Thursday night in the Sweet 16. What the Tar Heels did defensively, holding the Cougars to 18 field goals, a season-low 41 points, and guard like the U.S. Marines might have been the best performance yet from Roy Williams' team."

Tar Heels Gain Their Footing

On Hoops: UNC Looks Awfully Good

FOOTBALL - Virginia prep quarterback commits to North Carolina

The Daily Roundup: Thursday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

PHOTO: Start the Madness...again!

Getting your mind right:

Davidson College - Underdogs with honor

Cinderella? No. Davidson hasn't just materialized: "Maybe somewhere within spitting distance of ice floes on the Detroit River, a little girl stares at the stars and dreams of Cinderella.That's fine with the Davidson Wildcats, those well-prepared students from six countries who have become America's overnight basketball sensations. Call them unselfish. Call them undaunted. Call them unreal.Just don't call them Cinderella."

Policies ensure futures: "Three Tar Heels starters carry a special insurance policy that protects them in the case of a career-ending injury."

Louisville on target with its shooting: "Cards over slump as Vols await tonight."

Huggins, Mountaineers have adapted together: "Coach, in his first year at West Virginia, has changed expectations."

UCLA will try for more balance: "Howland says stars need help against Western Kentucky."

From the Washington Post: Rogers, King of the Hill: "Western Kentucky's Ty Rogers doesn't have NBA aspirations, but his buzzer-beater against Drake will forever live on in Hilltopper lore."

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer: Coaching could be crucial : "It's been said that the third round of the NCAA Tournament is the coaches' round. All 16 teams have been able to rest, mend and devise the best possible game plans. None of the coaches has any excuse for not being ready."

The conference headlines:
Future ACC stars on display: "The East defeated the West 107-102 in the annual McDonald's All American high school basketball game Wednesday night in Milwaukee."

ACC no longer March juggernaut

North Carolina

UNC in familiar footsteps?: "Heels resemble '05 NCAA title team. Before the NCAA tournament began, former North Carolina guard Melvin Scott was arguing a point with Tar Heels sophomore Ty Lawson." Not quite as athleticaly explosive across the board, but very close.

NCAA tournament: UNC's up-tempo offense speeds into Sweet 16 vs. Washington St.

Cougars' defense should test Heels : "Some may call Washington State's style of basketball boring, but the Cougars' defense should give North Carolina's powerful offense all it can handle tonight in the round of 16."

A clash in styles on tap: "Up-tempo North Carolina will take on deliberate Washington State tonight."

Defense-first: Washington State will try to take high-octane Tar Heels out of gear: "Senior Derrick Low says postgame interviews at Washington State are "simple gatherings.""A few cameras, a few guys on their computers," Low said Wednesday, recalling the average media contingent after games at Friel Court in Pullman, Wash.Perhaps that's why Kyle Weaver called the parade of media swarming Washington State's locker room a "circus.""

For UNC's Thompson, rest isn't part of plan

Junior Ginyard 'natural'for UNC: "There isn't a soul on North Carolina who questions the premise. The difference of opinion comes when the words "What makes" replace the "Is.""

Williams, Low cross paths again

Virginia Tech

Mississippi storms past Virginia Tech

Clemson

Korn healthy, happy out of the limelight: "With his shoulder injury explained and a year of eligibility restored, Clemson’s quarterback of the future is trying to shake off the rust."

Wake Forest

Football - Trial Runs: Some Deacons trying new positions

Georgia Tech

Sounds of change for Jackets: "Practice appears to be noticeably different during workouts under new coach Johnson."

Significant changes expected for Tech's defense

Tech practice noticeably different under Johnson

Injuries force OL Lonowski to leave Jackets

Miami
Police: UM sports information director had child porn on computer

UM coach Randy Shannon more at ease this year

The Daily Roundup: Tuesday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!
PHOTO: Bigger, better Curry makes believers (especially in ACC Country).

Getting your mind right:
NCAA pulls decals: "During Sunday's second-round win against Arkansas at the RBC Center, UNC's Tyler Hansbrough and Marcus Ginyard slipped on the circular NCAA decal." Finally...common sense prevails.

Terrible how these kids from West Virginia talked trash about the boys from Duke in their newsconference after the game. Look at the last paragraph when one of the players is told that Paulus was a McDonald's All American. Bad.....but hey, Huggins is the coach.

Bigger, better Curry makes believers: "Fame finds once overlooked Davidson guard. We have to share Stephen Curry with America now. Davidson's little secret has become a national commodity."

Wildcats suddenly media darlings

Residents celebrate Davidson's improbable run in NCAA tourney : "The mayor of this small quintessential Southern town was a teenager during what's referred to as "The Lefty Years" of the 1960s."

Savoring the Success:" Curry and his Davidson teammates say they are having the time of their lives during their surprising run in NCAA TournamentStephen Curry's world changed last weekend. He took college basketball by storm, going from little-known to well-known with 40-point and 30-point games in wins against Gonzaga and Georgetown, but remained calm through it all. He also smiled through it all, facing the bright lights of television cameras, fielding questions on ESPN and enduring constant incorrect pronunciation of his first name (it's STEFF-in).
"It's kind of unreal to be part of this," Curry said."

West Virginia fans basking in success: "Mountaineers' run soothes state's hurt."

On Hoops: March Unearths Surprises


The conference headlines:
Want NCAA tickets? Think about $500: "Some lower-level seats in Charlotte going for $600 at online broker."

Bud Withers of the Seattle Times: WSU, UNC have differing styles of play


North Carolina
NEXT: UNC turns sights forward

Tar Heels' next foe: Washington State's secret is defense

UNC's next opponent goes slow: "Top-seeded North Carolina scored more than 100 points during its first two games of the NCAA Tournament. No. 4 seed Washington State held its first two opponents to fewer than 50."

Cougars know plenty about the Tar Heels : "Washington State expects all kinds of shows of support for North Carolina when the Cougars take the floor against the Tar Heels on Thursday night in Charlotte in the NCAA Tournament."

UNC officially has toughest path

Injured Frasor helps Heels from bench


Duke
Scheyer: Blue Devils 'forgot who we were' : "When the Duke Blue Devils emerged from the huddle after the final television timeout of their season, facing an 11-point deficit with three minutes remaining, the players took turns encouraging each other, telling each other that they could pull it out."


Virginia Tech
Vassallo leads Virginia Tech to 75-49 win


Virginia
Cavalier comeback unseats Monarchs


Miami
Hurricanes hoping for a return trip: "They upset Duke. They pushed Texas to the limit. And they proved their doubters wrong, rising from preseason pushover to the Round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament."


Maryland
Tracking the Terps: Looking ahead to next season


Georgia Tech
First practice a breeze: "As Tech coaches and players get acquainted, the winds of change swirl."

New man behind Tech's 'D': "Mr. College Football writes that Dave Wommack is a coordinator with something to prove."

Jackets court FB Drummond


Clemson
Clemson's Taylor switches back to tailback: "Davis will sit out the spring, but his shoulder injury does not concern coaches. It came as no shock that Rendrick Taylor’s experimentation at linebacker lasted only four practices."


Florida State
FSU QB Weatherford nursing hurt knee

FSU's Owens attempts to be rediscovered at spring practice

FSU WR Reed finds silver lining in tragedy

They call Jesse Forbes 'Mr. Godby'

The Daily Rounup: Monday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

PHOTO: And then, there was one...

Getting your mind right:

Closing Curry flurry netsSweet 16 finish for Davidson: "Guard finds range in time as stirring rally sweetens Wildcats' tournament run. Moments after Davidson's 74-70 win against Georgetown on Sunday, Stephen Curry and his mom Sonya shrugged at each other, smiled and said "What is this?""

NCAA at Birmingham Pearl says historic game this early is unfair

South A sweet win for Memphis

West W. Kentucky saves win with late run

Midwest Villanova vaults past tiny Siena

An Upsetting Development

Boswell of tyhe Washington Post: A Sad Site in Carolina

The conference headlines:

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer: Ol' Roy has Carolina in pretty good shape : " Roy Williams, a few years back, was fond of saying "Ol' Roy ain't that good.""

Neil Amato of the Wilmington Star: Look out for those 'dadgum' logos

David Steele of the Baltimore Sun: Tourney woes reflect big problems for ACC

North Carolina

Backcourt keeps cheerscoming for North Carolina: "It's on to the Sweet 16 for healing Lawson, Tar Heels teammates. Ty Lawson knew things were going well as he raced past North Carolina's bench because coach Roy Williams was silent."

Tar Heels power on : "North Carolina wallops No. 9 seed Arkansas 108-77 on Sunday to advance to the NCAA round of 16. Power forwards Deon Thompson and Alex Stepheson make all 13 shots against the Razorbacks."

UNC's offense clicking on all cylinders: "Perhaps Danny Green's behind-the-back pass for an assist midway through the first half of North Carolina's 108-77 romp over Arkansas should have been a sign that the Tar Heels' offense was clicking Sunday in the second round of the NCAA East Regional."

Tar Heels in top form in 2nd consecutive blowout

Heels know seniors can make difference: "Quentin Thomas still remembers what happened when Raymond Felton fouled out of North Carolina's regional semifinal game against Villanova during Thomas' freshman year."

Irritant: UNC's Ginyard likes to make foes uncomfortable

Heel slams critics

Logo draws heat

Miami

Season flickers away: "Miami pushed Texas to the limit, but the Canes' surprising season finally ended in the second round of the NCAA Tournament."

Canes let huge opportunity slip away

Greg Cote's blog Canes-Texas and the aftereffect

'Canes' fight proves futile : "Perhaps the first part of the expression should be dropped when describing this one. The Miami Hurricanes were simply "too late." It's hard to say anything was "too little" in their effort the closing minutes against Texas."

Duke
Devils plan to be leaders: "After Nelson leaves, Henderson, Scheyer aim to fill larger roles for Duke."

Duke's season ends with loss to West Virginia:" The West Virginia fans hated it, but the Duke Blue Devils were loving it. Duke junior Greg Paulus drew a charge that led to a bevy of boos and eventually a technical foul on West Virginia coach Bob Huggins, then Paulus lofted a perfect alley-oop to teammate Gerald Henderson for a thunderous dunk."

Nelson's last game short of his goals :"Nothing short of a Final Four would have satisfied Duke senior DeMarcus Nelson in his swan song, but the end had to be especially unsatisfying given the way he played in what proved to be his final two college games."

This time, the shots just didn't fall for Blue Devils :"What sometimes was called a unique, even a fun season for Duke came to a close on a somber Saturday that drew tears from some players and quivers from others."

Clemson

After disappointment, questions remain for Clemson: "James Mays closed his eyes and leaned against the wall behind his chair. Mays then leaned forward and smacked the back of his head twice."

Tigers’ season ends in a crash

Virginia Tech

Vassallo no longer bit player for Tech: "Guard A.D. Vassallo has added diversity to his game."

Tech swarms Bears

Georgia Tech

No nonsense with new coach: "Tech players already know Johnson will work them hard as spring practice kicks off Monday."

Johnson regime at Tech begins

Jackets warm up for spring practices

Florida State

FSU WR Reed finds silver lining in tragedy

FSU's Andrews talks about first mini-scrimmage

Baby-'Noles football players make impact quickly

Congratulations Davidson!

Before this week started many of you probably believed two North Carolina universities would be represented in the Sweet 16. And you were right. The only problem is that most of you probably had Duke and UNC. (And, yes, I'm jumping the gun on UNC.)

Georgetown never utilized its big man in the middle, Hibbard, who lacks the kind of drive that makes Hansbrough such a force. Instead they became a perimeter oriented team which is exactly Davidson's strength. That was poor planning or execution or something on Georgetown's part.

But most of the credit should go to the coaching staffs at NCSU and Wake Forest. That's right, fans. Those two schools passed on Dell Curry's kid, Stephen, when he was a high school senior. REALLY? REALLY? You passed on what is effectively a coach's son who averaged 25, 5 and 3 this year for Davidson? REALLY?

And, hey Virginia Tech, what were you thinking? You do remember that Dell Curry was your best player ever and he had a son who plays some ball, right?

Congratulations Davidson. You earned a place in NCAA Tourney history and you deserve it. You beat my Western Carolina Catamounts twice by a combined 28 points (ouch!) but I won't hold it against you. Good luck next weekend against Wisconsin.

Go Wildcats.

Duke's Season

I predicted on this page that Duke would "struggle to make the second weekend of the Big Dance."
Sadly, I was correct.

So, I want to write this postmortem before the memory of a mediocre team fades from view. There is not enough talent on Duke's roster to consider them talented. Rather, they're a group of overachievers with limited skill sets who played well together for stretches.

Greg Paulus is another in a long line of passable Duke PGs who cannot lead a team with anything except hustle and determination. Hustle and determination are overrated when the other guy is quicker, taller, stronger, more skillful and equally well coached. Beside that, Duke could not surround Paulus with enough truly superior skill so that he could play to his one basketball strength: distributing the basketball in a motion offense.

DeMarcus Nelson played the first 20 games of the season with great aplomb. Unfortunately his slow and awkward release failed him over the last month of the season. He simply could not score the ball consistently from distance so defenders played him for the drive. And even when you're quicker and stronger than the guy guarding you, DeMarcus, you cannot beat a man who gives you five feet and dares you to shoot.

Duke had no post presence. Without a single person on your roster who can demand a double team, shooters will not be open. Driving and kicking only works when a defender leaves to help. But neither Nelson nor Paulus could provoke a defender to leave his man. Therefore, guys like King, Scheyer and Singler were largely ineffective toward the end of the season.

Finally, Coach K is great and has won a lot of games. I admire him greatly. But he remained inflexible when the talent he recruited proved not to match his preferred offensive and defensive systems. As great as Coach K is, it was obvious to me that Duke's overplay of the passing lanes couldn't work without a shot blocker who could quickly rotate and provide help defense. A zone might have given Duke's defenders a better chance of stopping ball penetration and slowed the game allowing superior execution to win. But despite his early experimentation with the zone, Coach K quickly dispatched with it.

Finally, Coach K never seemed to have a solid rotation in mind. He wanted Zoubek to play but the fact is he can't. He's just not ACC-caliber. By playing zone and running more set plays, Duke could've limited the number of possessions and played at a slower pace, thereby allowing a 7-man rotation to play the entire game. Instead, 10 players got on the floor today. And that lead to a lack of continuity and resulting poor play.

All in all, this was a mediocre Duke team, that struggled down the stretch. If this were a normal ACC year, this Duke team would've finished 4th in the league.

As it stands, the ACC BasketBlog is pulling for UNC and Miami-FL.

The Daily Roundup: Let the Games Begin!!!

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

PHOTO: Good luck to the ACC!!!!
Getting your mind right:
After rough start, Bob McKillop is at home at little Davidson : "Bob McKillop arrived here 19 years ago planning for a short stay. The brash New Yorker thought it would take about four years to turn around Davidson's basketball program. Then he'd move on to that bigger job he was so convinced he deserved."

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer:Duke strong enough to make a sweet run

A Fundamental Game: "When eight teams gather at Verizon Center for four NCAA tournament games Thursday, basketball the old school way will take center stage."

Q&A: NCAA Tournament, 10 a.m.

On Hoops: Felton's Fate Reversed

Drew Has the Bears Roaring Back: From Sanctions To Tournament, Baylor Rebounds


The conference headlines:
North Carolina
UNC will stay close to home in tourney

TAR HEELS CONFIDENT

UNC power forwards have struggled : "Neither Deon Thompson nor Alex Stepheson were playing well enough to be on the floor for North Carolina when it mattered most at the ACC Tournament, a fact that leaves Roy Williams a bit concerned about his power forwards heading into the NCAA Tournament."


Duke
This year's team aims to live up to Duke's tourney legacy: "No coach currently can match Mike Krzyzewski in NCAA Tournament victories, and no program matches Duke in NCAA Tournament winning percentage." Competition wise, they certainly have the easiest road among the ACC's top three entries.

Duke likely to keep amazing tourney record against Belmont: "Bulletin from the nation's capital: Duke never has lost three consecutive NCAA Tournament games. This just in, too: Duke's basketball players say they're on the a mission. That mission is to win a game in the NCAA Tournament."

Duke has lost its NCAA swagger: Really......1 year out of the Sweet Sixteen since their '01 championship and they've lost their swag?

Singler's slide: Production drops for Duke's top freshman. Sunday was an unanticipated day off for the Duke Blue Devils after their semifinal loss in the ACC tournament."

Looking for an Edge: Duke's Singler hoping to get his touch back: " Is Kyle Singler worn out?Has the ACC's Rookie of the Year hit the proverbial wall that most freshmen eventually run into over the course of a six-month, 32-game season?Or were Singler's struggles in the ACC Tournament last week an aberration, as he said yesterday?Is he refreshed after a brief break earlier this week?The answers will start coming tonight when Duke faces Belmont at the Verizon Center in its NCAA Tournament opener."

Coach K enjoys dual commitments : "Along with guiding his No. 2 seeded Blue Devils into the NCAA Tournament, Mike Krzyzewski has been moonlighting as the U.S. senior men's national team coach."

DUKE-LIKE: Deep Belmont likes the 3, runs and has experience


Virginia Tech
Vassallo sparks Hokies: "A.D. Vassallo made 11 of 14 field-goal tries and scored 27 points in 25 minutes Wednesday night as sharp-shooting Virginia Tech made easy work of Morgan State, 94-62, in the first round of the NIT."


Wake Forest
Growing Up: Gaudio says his young Deacons made progress this year, and he expects more to come

The Daily Roundup: Tuesday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

Getting your mind right:

Tar Heels on top for last AP poll

Study: Top NCAA seeds lag academically : "North Carolina was the only school among the four No. 1 seeds in the NCAA men's tournament to graduate at least 50 percent of its players. A report released Monday found 86 percent of Tar Heels men's players earned diplomas during a six-year period.........Two of the No. 2 seeds, Tennessee and Texas, graduated only 33 percent of their players for the period studied. The other second seeds, Georgetown and Duke, had success rates of 82 percent and 67 percent, respectively."

Feinstein of the Washington Post: Let the Insanity Begin

Rick Maese of the Baltimore Sun: Davidson fans optimistic about NCAAs

Opening-round teams will get a bigger payoff Rule will allow conferences to participate more fully in NCAA's big moneymaker

Barry Saunders of the Raleigh News and Observer: ACC is too loose on song: "Why, oh why would the tradition-bound, staid ACC Tourament adopt a hootchy song as its theme song?"

Dascenzo of the Durham Herald Sun: Coach K not overlooking 1st round : "I've seen Duke win three NCAA championships with some of the greatest players in college basketball history. While on his way to an NCAA-record setting 1,076 career assists, Bobby Hurley launched a 3-pointer vs. UNLV in the 1991 semis that I honestly think is the most vital shot ever by a Duke player. The Blue Devils were trailing the reigning national champion Runnin' Rebels by five points, and the timing of the shot was ridiculously crucial."

Bob Ryan of the Boston Globe: A rooting interest - "The Selection Committee always has a tough job, but this year's task may have been the most challenging ever. Never before have so many flawed, mediocre teams presented themselves for at-large perusal."

NCAA fate forecast: "Here are three teams who should do well and three teams unlikely to do well."

Tips to avoid bracket-busting picks

Pack star studies NBA: "N.C. State's J.J. Hickson is deciding whether to go pro or return for a second season." Right now he's projected at #30 to Boston by NBA DraftNet.

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer: In NCAA play, point will be key : "Among the first topics Roy Williams addressed after North Carolina's 2005 NCAA basketball tournament championship win over Illinois was the importance of point guard Raymond Felton's experience."

Capel Still Self-Assured: "In his second season as Oklahoma's head coach, former Duke guard Jeff Capel earned his players' confidence and made them believe they can win every game."

A Royal Performance for Tiger: "This victory came with so many spoils, none of which Tiger Woods cared about at the moment. He seemed oblivious to his PGA Tour winning streak that now stands at five, the third time he has put together so many consecutive wins. He wasn't concerned about capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the fifth time, earning him another spot in the record books. Nor was he thinking about career victory No. 64, tying him with Ben Hogan at No. 3 on the all-time list."

The conference headlines:

North Carolina
UNC has a tough road to the Final Four : "Just by coincidence the U.S. Basketball Writers Association released its All-American teams on Monday, one day after the NCAA Tournament bracket was set." Hey....we didn't say it.

One Goal Remains :"The most hectic and pressure-packed weekend of the season for North Carolina is over but Coach Roy Williams and his players aren't ready to rest.
The most serious business of the season is about to begin. UNC will start play in the NCAA Tournament later this week. After winning the ACC Tournament in Charlotte on Sunday, the national championship is the last goal left that the team wants."

He makes the Heels click: "His all-out hustling approach and competitive fire have earned Tyler Hansbrough the affectionate nickname "Psycho T.""

Heels need Lawson at full speed: "As a freshman, people started calling Ty Lawson "the one-man fast break." Until North Carolina imploded in last year's regional final against Georgetown, Lawson looked like a certainty to direct his team to the Final Four in his first college season."

UNC's X-factor : "Marcus Ginyard's versatility has been key to the Tar Heels' ACC regular-season championship, second consecutive league tournament title, and No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament."

Duke
Duke looks to apply finishing touch
After Duke junior guard Greg Paulus missed a long 3-pointer at the end of the Blue Devils' 79-77 loss to Virginia Commonwealth in the first round of the 2007 NCAA Tournament, he lost his taste for the rest of it.

Blue Devils feel confident despite losses: "Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski ranks as one of six Division I coaches to reach 800 victories in part because of his ability to focus all his energy on the next game, be it a preseason exhibition or an ACC Tournament showdown."

OPPORTUNITY: Blue Devils seek fresh start

Cutcliffe turns up heat on Devils: "David Cutcliffe isn't trying to compete with Jenny Craig or Weight Watchers, but the Duke football coach can help folks who want to drop a few pounds."

Clemson

NCAA Tournament: Marching orders: "As the Tigers enter the Big Dance, here are five keys to help make the stay a little longer." I've got Clemson going deep....very deep.

Miami

UM's key is up front: "UM's chances in the NCAA Tournament hinge greatly on the effectiveness of its rugged quartet of frontcourt players."

How far can the `Canes go? : "The selections have been made. The brackets are starting to be filled. So what..." I fear one and done....

Florida State

Different reasons, one goal: Noles want to keep on playing: "Florida State is a team divided. But in this case, that's not necessarily a bad thing. As they began preparations for their first-round NIT game Tuesday night against Akron, the Seminoles were split into two camps -- the older players, who wanted to extend the season so that their younger teammates could continue to grow; and the younger players, who wanted to send the veterans out on top."

Virginia
Virginia will play in first CBI event: "The new College Basketball Invitational set its inaugural 16-team field early Monday and, as expected, Virginia was the only school from the ACC that will participate."

Cavaliers wake up to Spiders

The Daily Roundup: Monday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!
PHOTO: Tarheels win ACC Title Back to Back. Will that translate into NCAA success?

Don't for get the 4th Annual All ACC Basketblog Team

Getting your mind right:
Printable NCAA tournament men's bracket

Heels' stars shine in title win: "Some of the things North Carolina got out of the ACC Tournament were as clear as the glass spires on the ACC Championship trophy that the Tar Heels hoisted after beating Clemson on Sunday."

Dascenzo of the Durham Herald Sun: Heels are humming: "Right now, North Carolina looks like a fine-tuned Ferrari driving into the NCAA Tournament. Turning corners with amazing precision, braking on baselines with perfect timing and spinning on screens while reaching high for rebounds, UNC wasn't going to lose to Clemson in Sunday's ACC Tournament championship game."

Morris of The State Tigers show they will be a force in March: "CHARLOTTE NO TEARS EXISTED. No heads were bowed. If there were any signs this was a losing locker room, they were most certainly hidden emotions. Less than 30 minutes after falling to top-ranked North Carolina in the ACC tournament championship game, Clemson players already had turned their focus to the future."

Dave Hyde of the South Florida Sun Sentinel: Hurricanes, Gaels could be a perfect storm

Aaron McFarling of the Roanoke Times: Greenberg's gripes grasp at wrong straws

Down to the Final Buzzer: "A wild Sunday creates a maddening predicament for the NCAA selection committee, which turns in the final bracket to CBS with minutes to spare."

Call a timeout on NCAA selection committee: "Group's decisions defy expectations by creating situations that make very little sense.

Analyzing the NCAA Brackets

Wilbon: This Year, More Is Needed

NCAA Tourney Field Yields Few Complaints : "The inexact science of putting together the NCAA tournament bracket turned out to be pretty exact this time around. No big beefs with the top seeds -- North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas and UCLA."

Davidson: 'This is our time to shine'

2007 finalists relegated to NIT: "The Gators and the Buckeyes, who met in the 2007 national championship game won by Florida, failed to make the NCAA Tournament field Sunday." That would be something in Florida won the NIT. Back, to back, to (kind of but not really) back basketball championships. Anybody (besides UCLA) ever done that?


The conference headlines:
ACC Tournament Championship Digest

Andrew Jones of the Wilmington Star: Clemson-UNC Report Card

ACC All-tournament teams: "Members listed for the ACC All-Tournament teams."


North Carolina
UNC takes businesslike approach to ACC final: " At the end of a lively pinball match yesterday, North Carolina rang the appropriate bells and beat Clemson 86-81 for the ACC championship. Nobody cried with joy or agony. Nobody sprawled across the floor, scarred for life. Nobody jumped on the scorer's table, overwhelmed by youthful exuberance. The Tar Heels cut down the nets and cut out the extras. Coach Roy Williams announced that they were in a hurry to get home and watch the NCAA selection show, which confirmed their reservation in Raleigh."

Tar Heels earn No. 1 seed in East : "A few hours after beating Clemson 86-81 in Charlotte to win a second straight ACC Tournament championship, the Tar Heels were made the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament."

Running Man: Ellington's ability to run the floor pays dividends

Home could give Tar Heels an edge: "UNC earns the top overall seed and the right to play in Raleigh and Charlotte if it advances in the NCAA Tournament."


Clemson
Determined Tigers just 'let up for a second' : "The Clemson Tigers wanted so desperately to win, to bring the first ACC Tournament title to their school in the 55-year history of the event but also to bring North Carolina down a notch after the Tar Heels handed them a pair of painful losses in the regular season."

Stuffed short of history: "Late slump proves costly for Tigers. Cliff Hammonds saw it when coach Oliver Purnell first turned the corner into the locker room. K.C. Rivers could tell the difference as he sat next to Purnell at the postgame news conference."

Tigers run out of gas in final: "Players say a lack of substitutions took toll."

Mays gets inspiration from grandfather, 96 :"The Tigers lost to North Carolina, 86-81, in the title game on Sunday, but Garner's James Mays, a Clemson senior forward, said he still knows his 96-year-old grandfather, Levi Dixon, was proudly watching back home."

Tigers still on coach's quest: "Clemson coach Oliver Purnell sounded like a crazy man in October, saying quite seriously that the Tigers' goal was a national championship."

Clemson big men counter double-teams: "Set to face fifth-seeded Clemson in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, No. 12 Villanova had better beware the big Tigers' passing ability." I like Clemson to the Sweet 16...perhaps the Elite 8. Kansas....beware the Tigers!


Miami
Hurricanes ready to blow into tournament: "Wearing a grin and an orange March Madness T-shirt, Miami guard Jack McClinton described Sunday as probably the happiest day of his life."

Haith's long-term aim is sustainable success


Virginia Tech
Greenberg lobbies for change: "Virginia Tech men's basketball coach Seth Greenberg lobbied for a larger NCAA Tournament field and complained about the selective use of the RPI after the selection committee left out the Hokies on Sunday." Coach...how about don't lose to Richmond and win one of the conference home games that you blew. I understand your gripe (we think you should be in) but at the end of the day you made your bed.

Hokies Head to NIT: "Coach Seth Greenberg and Virginia Tech are shaken after being left out of the NCAA's but earn a top seed in the NIT."


Maryland
Terps Plow Into the NIT

After season goes south, Terps head north for NIT


Virginia
Virginia to play Richmond in CBI opening round: We're very interested in seeing how this tournament works out. Good for UVa. for taking a chance on this.

Cavs forge ahead with plans for CBI


Florida State
FSU basketball coach Hamilton looks forward to NIT

Hamilton dismayed over Hokie exclusion from NCAA tournament : "Florida State men's basketball coach Leonard Hamilton knows exactly how Seth Greenberg, his counterpart at Virginia Tech, feels today."

Amato seeks correct LB combination for FSU


Georgia Tech
Transfer to Tech aided Choice

Ramblin' On: Together for good cause

The Daily Round Up: ACC Tournament Friday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!
PHOTO: A long season comes to an end for Sid and the Pack.

Don't for get the 4th Annual All ACC Basketblog Team

Getting your mind right:
ESPN will be in select company with NCAA Tournament show: "The weather hasn't been very cooperative but, regardless, on Sunday it will be pool weather, so prepare to jump headfirst into it - the NCAA March Madness pool, that is. ESPN will start its wire-to-wire selection coverage with a Bracketology special at 5 p.m. On "SportsCenter" at 6 p.m., immediately after the 65-team field is announced, there will be analysis ..."

The Weekend Smoke: Stogie Reviews: Cupido Criollo Corto


The conference headlines:
ACC Notes Will Hickson go pro? - Yep.

ACC Tournament Notebook

Duke, North Carolina start tournament today: "Blue Devils, smarting from last season, say they're at full strength and rested."

Caulton Tudor of the Raleigh News and Observer - Three big issues face Wolfpack

LENOX RAWLINGS of the Winston-Salem Journal - DROWSY: Deacons struggled to find emotion, passion

John Feinstein of the Washington Post: Terps Doomed by a Familiar Act

Rick Maese of the Baltimore Sun: Typical Terps


Florida State
Noles bounce the Deacs
Jason Rich scored 17 of his 21 points in the second half and took over down the stretch to lead Florida State past Wake Forest 70-60 in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

FSU's reward for winning? Only UNC


Miami
Teammates bail out Jack McClinton, UM in ACC tournament opener :"So much has been written and said about the play of guard Jack McClinton during this recent turnaround by the University of Miami basketball team, and all of it's warranted because he has bailed the Hurricanes out on several occasions."

Haith has familiarity with Pack country: "Miami basketball coach Frank Haith grew up an N.C. State fan in Burlington, where he attended Western Alamance High."

For Canes, an ugly win is still a thing of beauty

Today: Miami v. Virginia Tech


Georgia Tech
Jackets advance to face Duke today: "Duke's opponent in tonight's ACC Tournament quarterfinals has lost more games than it has won, but Georgia Tech's potential to win against anybody isn't lost on the Blue Devils."

BRADLEY: WATCH OUT, DUKE : "Anthony Morrow and the Jackets are moving on, after Thursday night's drubbing of Virginia. Their reward -- a showdown with Duke."

WR Donley returning?: "Receiver, who had planned to transfer, may be having second thoughts about leaving the Flats."


Boston College
Eagles start fresh with a rousing comeback: "This time there were no second-half defensive collapses, no breakdowns in communication. For Boston College, last night's opening-round game against Maryland in the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament at Charlotte Bobcats Arena was regarded as a chance to start the Eagles' second season."


NC State
The Lowe point: Leadership void sinks Pack's season - Brutal....

It's all over for Pack : "Freshman J.J. Hickson's 27 points are the lone bright spot for an N.C. State team that began the season with high hopes but is left wondering just what went wrong."

Best to forget this one, Wolfpack : "It's a good thing Jim Valvano didn't see this. It was so dreadful for N.C. State on Thursday that the Wolfpack looked like a team that couldn't wait to get off the court."

Notebook: Hickson mulling jump to NBA : "J.J. Hickson had 27 points and 14 rebounds in what could be his final game for N.C. State. "As far as coming back next year, I haven't decided on that," Hickson said after the Wolfpack's 63-50 loss to Miami in the first round of the ACC Tournament on Thursday."


Maryland
Terps' Collapse Is Complete: "After charging to a 15-point lead, Maryland commits 21 turnovers, falling to Boston College, 71-68, in the first round of the ACC tournament and likely ending the NCAA tournament hopes of Gary Williams and the Terrapins." We think that it is now official....Gary is on the hot seat next year.


Wake Forest
Despite loss, Wake's upbeat about future - They should be....

Seminoles stop cold Deacs:" Rich shoots FSU over Wake Forest in tourney openerA team with an eagerly awaited future couldn't handle a team with a past it would rather forget yesterday in the first game of the ACC Tournament. As a consequence, Wake Forest headed home to await its postseason fate while Florida State advanced into today's quarterfinal against No. 1 seed North Carolina at noon. The Seminoles bolted ahead by making 9 of their first 11 shots, and then rode the hot hand of Jason Rich through the second half to a 70-60 victory in a half-empty Bobcats Arena."



Virginia
Cavs Are Quickly Bounced

1 and done : "Georgia Tech ousts Virginia in what may have been Sean Singletary's final game in a Cavaliers uniform."

Loss could be end of an era for Cavaliers: "Coach Dave Leitao says Virginia may never see a player like Sean Singletary again."

UVa Insider: UVa point guards, Part 2


North Carolina
Tar Heels serious about defending ACC title
To win a second straight ACC Tournament, starting with today's noon quarterfinal against Florida State, the Heels know they have to play great defense.

Lawson has been unlucky vs. Seminoles : "North Carolina athletics trainer Marc Davis will be on full alert this afternoon at the ACC Tournament. Ty Lawson is playing against Florida State."

Top-seeded Tar Heels on a hot streak, and they will also have Lawson starting


Duke
Zoubek forces Blue Devils to adjust : "The No. 2-seeded Duke Blue Devils have a problem. Fortunately for them, it's having sophomore center Brian Zoubek play productive minutes -- the sort of problem Duke has been waiting to have."


Clemson
A foul month leaves Booker at a real loss: "Clemson needs the sophomore on the floor for a true march through the playoffs. As Trevor Booker filled the vacant seat on Clemson’s bench during a recent game, a teammate turned and gave Booker a quizzical glance."

Clemson deals with unfamiliar wait: "A season of change put Clemson in an unfamiliar position at the ACC tournament. For the past seven years, the Tigers have played in the tournament’s opening game, including several appearances in the former play-in contest."

Change so far fits Taylor: "Rendrick Taylor strolled casually toward the parking lot after a recent Clemson practice when he crossed paths with receiver Aaron Kelly."


Virginia Tech
Hokies' Greenberg Balances Priorities

Today critical for Tech

The 4th Annual All ACC Basketblog Team by Position

Don't forget about Thursday's Daily Roundup!

This is the 4th year we've done this team and it has always been met with a decent amount of controversy. We do it by position because we're old school and, frankly, look at things a bit differently. Enjoy and, please, comment if you so choose.

First Team
1. Tyrese Rice – Boston College
2. Jack McClinton – Miami
3. Demarcus Nelson – Duke
4. James Gist – Maryland
5. Tyler Hansbrough- North Carolina

Second Team
1. Sean Singletary – Virginia
2. K.C. Rivers - Clemson
3. Anthony Morrow- Georgia Tech
4. James Johnson – Wake Forest
5. J.J. Hickson – NC State

Third Team
1. Greivis Vasquez- Maryland
2. A.D. Vassallo – Virginia Tech
3. Gavin Grant- NC State
4. Kyle Singler - Duke
5. Jeff Allen - Virginia Tech

Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough - North Carolina

Summary by team:
North Carolina - 1
Clemson - 1
Miami - 1
Wake Forest - 1
Georgia Tech - 1
Boston College - 1
Virginia - 1
Duke - 2
Maryland - 2
NC State - 2
Virginia Tech - 2

The Daily Roundup: Thursday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!!

Getting your mind right:

The 4th Annual Basketblog All ACC Team by Position will be posted today at NOON.

ACC Tourney matters more this year : "When the ACC's 12 teams convene in Charlotte Bobcats Arena today to stage the league's 55th tournament, only regular-season champion North Carolina and second-place Duke are bringing legitimate NCAA Final Four hopes."

Second suspect arrested in murde of UNC SBA President, Eve Carson.

The conference headlines:

Team-by-Team look at the ACC Tournament

ACC Tournament Top 12 Recaps

ACC Tournament Blog from the Winston-Salem Journal.

From LENOX RAWLINGS of the Winston-Salem Journal - Circus Tales: History of ACC Tournament in Charlotte filled with unexpected twists, turns and sudden storms

From TOM SORENSEN of the Charlotte Observer: Coach K is right: We can adjust

From ABOVE THE RIM : Heels' Lawson stung by fan criticism

From Aaron McGarling of the Roanoke News: UVa Big man, Laurynas Mikalauskas', energy evident

From Manny Navaro of the Miami Herald: Canes star guard is 'the total package': "Forgive Frank Haith if you can. He simply couldn't help himself. He fell into the love trap Tuesday that has beset star-crossed Jack McClinton fans all season."

For many in league, hoping begins today"Taking it one game at a time" might be the ultimate sports cliche, but for most of the teams that open play in the 55th annual ACC Tournament today in Charlotte, one game is really all they can count on at this time.

4-in-4 ACC formula = 8 with little chance

North Carolina

Lawson ready to get started : "Some players might worry about the toll that playing three games in three days might take on their bodies -- especially if they've been injured. Not North Carolina point guard Ty Lawson."

Getting in his kitchen: "North Carolina's Tyler Hansbrough a man of many interests outside the paint."

Green, Ellington are keys to UNC success: "It was in the midst of Danny Green's mini-slump a couple weeks back that his father tried inspire him with a pep talk."

Williams has the team to beat but isn't obsessed with winning the title: "UNC trying to repeat for first time since 1998."

Duke

Nelson makes huge difference for Devils
Look what DeMarcus Nelson has done for this season's Duke basketball team and it's impossible not to appreciate the senior captain.

Krzyzewski says to expect some unexpected things

Preparation a key part of Blue Devils' success in postseason games: "Defeat on first day last year was an oddity."

Clemson

Close encounters of the winning kind: "Amid the emotional aftermath of Sunday’s victory, coach Oliver Purnell took the public address microphone and told the crowd that the win was a perfect exclamation point to Clemson’s regular season."

Bowden stays mum on McElrathbey: If they forced that kid off the team, that's a bad deal.

Change so far fits Taylor: "Receiver’s switch to linebacker is more experiment than audition for now. Rendrick Taylor strolled casually toward the parking lot after a recent Clemson practice when he crossed paths with receiver Aaron Kelly."

Maryland

Finish or Be Finished: "In order to qualify for the NCAA tournament, the Terps may need to win more games over the next four days than they have the past month."

Vasquez hopes to recreate 2004 ACC tournament run

Florida State

FSU tries to wake up for Wake

Though FSU has extended Coach Leonard Hamilton's contract, there is debate on whether Seminole basketball needs a new direction

Can mediocrity remain the status quo at FSU?

UF, FSU have work cut out as conference tourneys begin : "Lorenzo Romar remembers the sick feeling and that sorry final score. Top-ranked Cincinnati visited his Saint Louis team to end the 2000 regular season and walloped them 84-41, a most shameful end to a five-losses-in-six-games-stretch."

Miami

Miami looking for measure of revenge against N.C. State : "University of Miami guard Jack McClinton always looks forward to a rematch after losing the first game. Only today the urge is a little greater for McClinton and the rest of the Hurricanes."

NC State
Costner, Pack eye another final run : "Had a couple of Reyshawn Terry shots not fallen in the final minutes for North Carolina, N.C. State could have beaten the Tar Heels last year in the championship game of the ACC Tournament."

Lowe says Wolfpack is aware of the opportunity it will have this weekend: "Scoring balance critical to success for State."

Ex-Dade standout has come a long way with N.C. State

Wake Forest

UNEXPECTED: Hale's '07 tourney was one for the ages

ACC Tournament Notebook: WFU coaches still tinkering with Smith's foul-shooting technique

Young Deacs will need leadership from their tournament 'veterans' : "Sophomore starters expected to guide freshmen."

Georgia Tech

MORE TO MORROW

Jackets may surprise : "With a few teams already dancing and a few on the bubble, Tech could play spolier in ACC tournament."

Boston College

BC's Rice a leading man, win or lose: "Call it selective amnesia. Wipe out the bad stuff, the stretch at the end of the regular season when Boston College was losing 12 of 13 games and plummeting to 11th place in the Atlantic Coast Conference."

Virginia

Cavalier curtain call : "After deciding to return for his senior year, is Sean Singletary ready for the next level?

Cavs get deja vu all over again

Cavs' Leitao, Singletary Share Bond

The Daily Roundup: Wednesday

The BEST ACC Basketball Coverage!!

PHOTO: Will this be the last time the ACC Tournament is held in the Queen City?

Getting your mind right:
From the Above the Rim Blog: Don't criticize Coach K about ribbon: We don't....but why won't he just say why he nor any of his coaches or student assistants wore the ribbon that just about everyone else in Cameron had on. We don't think it was anything sinister. Crazy minded Carolina fans need to put that to rest. However, it just seems like a misstep that K is covering in righteous indignation. Why handle it that way? A quite reasonable explanation could be "The staff, players and coaches decided that we didn't want to take the focus away from what the Duke community within the stadium was doing. The best thing that we could do to honor Eve was go out and play a great game against a great team. We wanted the attention to be on our School's supporters in the stands." Perhaps that's the case. If so, why not just say it and dispense with all of the piss and vinegar. Critical Carolina fans need to sit down but, perhaps, K needs to "stand up."

Mike Preston of the Baltimore Sun: Sympathy for Duke disappears thanks to NCAA

Farewell, Queen City? This may be the final time that the ACC Tournament will be held in Charlotte The Atlantic Coast Conference awarded Charlotte the 2008 ACC Tournament in 2000. That's back when the league had nine schools, before it expanded it 12. That's back when the Charlotte Coliseum had the largest seating capacity in the region, before Bobcats Arena was close to being a reality. That's back when conference officials and administrators felt that it was essential to move the tournament around to its various geographic regions, before it foresaw the need for a Greensboro-Atlanta rotation. "

On Retired Mr. St. Mary's Coach Coach Jim Phelan - It's just knot fair: "830 wins should add up to Hall of Fame berth." We would think so.....


The conference headlines:

Restore full glory to ACC's title game

ACC names its best : By the time this basketball season ends, Tyler Hansbrough might not have enough room in his Dodge Ram pickup truck to load all the plaques and trophies. North Carolina's junior All-America was honored twice more on Tuesday.

After leading VT's turnaround, Greenberg named ACC coach of year : "Nobody expected much from Virginia Tech before the season, and after a 39-point loss last month at North Carolina, those expectations dipped even further." Not Oliver Purnell?

Hansbrough to have UNC jersey retired
On the same day he won the ACC's player of the year award in a unanimous vote, Tyler Hansbrough learned that North Carolina will retire his No. 50 jersey.

Duke's Singler named the top rookie in the ACC
From his first preseason practice at Duke, Kyle Singler was considered one of the Blue Devils' go-to players. After a season in which he lived up to that billing and kept Duke in contention for a league title, Singler was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's rookie of the year Tuesday.

Nelson named ACC's top defensive player
Duke's DeMarcus Nelson was named the Atlantic Coast Conference's defensive player of the year on Tuesday. Nelson, widely considered one of the league's top lockdown defenders, received 39 of a possible 90 votes cast by members of the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association.

Frank Dascenzo of the Durham Herald Sun: Clemson a risky ACC pick: "It was Monday morning at Starbucks, and somebody thought she'd recognized a sports writer. I mean, imagine that. "Hey," this voice came from my left shoulder, "if you could pick anybody who is not Duke or North Carolina to win the ACC Tournament, who would it be?""

Mike Wise of the Washington Post:Coach Keeps His Head - "The pressure never lets up on Gary Williams, who will most likely need to cajole Maryland into the ACC championship to sniff the NCAA's."

Improving 5 ACC teams: "Mr. College Football assesses the state of some of Tech's biggest rivals."


Duke

Duke will be fresher for this postseason: "Jon Scheyer didn't realize it at the time last year, but his head coach certainly did. During the most critical period of the college basketball season, the time of the year that the Duke Blue Devils will begin anew Friday at the ACC Tournament, Scheyer and his teammates were spent."


Clemson
Close encounters of the winning kind: "Clemson’s new-found ability to win close games is responsible for the Tigers’ turnaround this year. Amid the emotional aftermath of Sunday’s victory, coach Oliver Purnell took the public address microphone and told the crowd that the win was a perfect exclamation point to Clemson’s regular season."

ACC fights to the finish: "Clemson went 6-4 in ACC games decided in the final minutes, as compared to 4-6 the year before Tar Heels drain a 3-pointer with 0.4 seconds remaining in overtime."


Wake Forest
Wake Forest trying to get its passion back: "Deacons say tough talk from Gaudio provided needed boost."


Virginia Tech
Notebook Plus: Hokies can't be ignored in North Carolina


Florida State
NCAAs were only a few bounces away: "Two shots. Two excruciating examples of bad luck."


Miami
Haith: UM `not done yet': "When Frank Haith attended the Atlantic Coast Conference basketball meetings in October, he said he drew cross-eyed looks from people when he told them the Hurricanes -- picked to finish last in the preseason -- would find its way into the top half of the conference come March."

Jack McClinton is Lex Luger: "Success can often bring a more relaxed mood in sports. This was apparent..."


Georgia Tech
Not the same Jackets: "Matt Winkeljohn says this is a different Tech team that will beat UVa Thursday."