Curse Lifted: Why ACC Basketball is King

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

ACC Basketball is a one of a kind experience. What other league can produce two upsets in 17 days involving number one teams losing to bottom half conference teams in their own building?

For all of those people who believe the Big East is the best conference in Basketball, I have news for you: The ACC has no "easy outs" like South Florida, Rutgers or DePaul. Tonight, two teams from the state of Florida played a great game which once again showed the quality of ACC Basketball. The two time national champion Gators may have the titles, but they nor their fans will never experience the gauntlet that is ACC Basketball. As much as Florida has accomplished they can never experience the passion the way FSU and Miami do. The SEC even when talented just doesn't have the basketball culture the ACC does. (the opposite is true in football where the SEC even in down years represents a gauntlet full of crazed fans and football culture, while the ACC while sometimes as talented as the SEC just doesn't have the passion or culture for the game.)

Miami had lost 5 straight matchups to Florida State and in fact the Noles had won 16 straight against schools from the state of Florida entering tonight's contest. Tonight UM erased an early 12 point deficit to win. But really both teams could have this game. Tony Douglas was spectacular as always for the Noles. Jordan DeMercy defense was also outstanding.

Jack McClinton and Lance Hurdle had great scoring games for the Canes while Dwayne Collins held his own against the big and athletic FSU post players. Adrian Thomas contributed mightily off the bench.

Florida is a football state. We all know that and some of our posters on this site feel so insecure that they must remind us of this each and every day. But tonight's game was a celebration of basketball in Florida: ACC Basketball which is the best brand of basketball around.

Touching all bases in the ACC

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

ACC Hoops season. For some of us it is the highlight of the college sports calender. For others who patron this site its an unwelcome distraction in the midst of football recruiting. Whatever your tastes, here is our first power poll of the season.

1- Wake Forest

Our Nate Skinner called this one on the podcast a few weeks back. I was shocked to see Wake win at BYU and surprised to see them beat Carolina.

2- Clemson

Oliver Purnell has turned the Tigers into a consistent ACC force.

3- Duke

The Devils played a weaker non league schedule than other top teams so it's tough to judge them yet.

4- North Carolina

No Marcus Ginyard = Bad perimeter defense.

5- Miami

Dwayne Collins is finally beginning to assert himself inside

6- Florida State

Chris Singleton can be special, and Derwin Kitchen is giving the Noles a legit point guard who won't turn the ball over constantly like Tony Douglas.

7- Boston College

Tyrese Rice is great but the rest of this team is inconsistent.

8- Maryland

Never count out a Gary Williams coached team. The Terps beat Michigan and Michigan State but lost to Morgan State. Ouch.

9- Virginia Tech

I've been more dissapointed in this team than any other in the ACC. I really thought the Hokies would be a NCAA team this season.

10- NC State

The Wolfpack almost got a big win at Florida but as usual they lost a close game under Sidney Lowe.

11- Virginia

A young but talented team that will get better as the season wears on.

12- Georgia Tech

Paul Hewitt has run out of time. The Jackets have been hit by injuries but also have relied too much on one and done players since Stephan Marbury. This program has serious issues they need to solve if they want to consistently compete in the ACC.

Miami Basketball Picked 4th in ACC

By Kartik Krishnaiyer
Canes Rising Staff

At the league's media day Sunday, Miami was picked 4th in the ACC.

However, each of the major national preview magazines have picked Miami 3rd in the league. (The Sporting News, Lindys and Athlon Sports)

Here are the projections from media day:

1. North Carolina
2. Duke
3. Wake Forest
4. Miami
5. Clemson
6. Virginia Tech
7. Maryland
8. Georgia Tech
9. NC State
10. Florida State
11. Boston College
12. Virginia

First-team All-ACC
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
Tyrese Rice, Boston College
Jack McClinton, Miami
Ty Lawson, North Carolina
Gerald Henderson, Duke

Player of the year
Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina

Rookie of the year
Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest

ACC/Big Ten Challenge TV Schedule Released

The Hurricanes will face Ohio State at the Bank United Center at 7pm ET on December 2nd on ESPN. Ohio State won the NIT this past season after advancing all the way to the National Championship game the previous season. Miami and Ohio State last met in the 2000 NCAA Tournament where the Hurricanes won. The last meeting in south Florida was in the 1998 Orange Bowl classic, which was also won the by the Canes, though the Buckeyes ended up making the Final Four that year.

ACC/Big Ten Challenge TV Schedule:

Teams in bold made the NCAAs in 20o8
Teams in italics made the NIT in 2008

(all time EST)

Monday, Dec. 1
Wisconsin at Virginia Tech (7 PM, ESPN2)

Tuesday, Dec. 2
Ohio State at Miami (7 PM, ESPN)
Iowa at Boston College (7 PM, ESPNU)
Clemson at Illinois (7:30 PM, ESPN2)
Duke at Purdue (9 PM, ESPN)
Virginia at Minnesota (9:30 PM, ESPN2)

Wednesday, Dec. 3
Indiana at Wake Forest (7:15 PM, ESPN)
Penn State at Georgia Tech (7:30 PM, ESPN2)
Michigan at Maryland (7:30 PM, ESPNU)
North Carolina vs. Michigan State (from Ford Field in Detroit) (9:15 PM, ESPN)
Florida State at Northwestern (9:30 PM, ESPN2)

Miami Basketball vs ACC rivals since joining the league

Rob Hite helped lead Miami into the ACC in 2004


Boston College 1-6 LLLLLLW
Clemson 5-2 WWWWLWL
Duke 1-6 LLLLLLW
Florida State 3-5 WWWLLLLL
Georgia Tech 4-3 LLWWLWW
Maryland 6-1 WWWLWWW
NC State 3-3 WLLWLW
North Carolina 1-5 LWLLLL
Virginia 3-3 WLLLWW
Virginia Tech 2-5 LLWLLWL
Wake Forest 1-5 LLWLLL

Conflicted Feelings: The Last Two Miami Team Made us Proud in the ACC Tourney- This Team Embarrassed Us

Today's disgraceful final 10 minutes in Charlotte doesn't in any way undo what the Hurricanes have accomplished this season. But what it does do is make me take a less favorable view of this team's grit as compared to it immediate two predecessors both of whom battled and fought to the death against far superior teams than this season's Hokie club in the previous two exits from the ACC Tournament.

Two years ago Miami was chasing the NCAA Tournament until losing a virtual elimination game to Florida State in the final game of the season. The Canes then went to Greensboro knowing it had only one possible post season destination: the NIT. Yet those Canes instead of laying down came from 17 behind to beat Clemson and took RPI #1 team Duke to the brink. Duke had last lost an ACC Tournament game in Greensboro in 1997, but the Hurricanes fought until a now infamous phantom call against Rob Hite put J.J. Reddick on the line to seal the game with 2.3 seconds remaining. That team went down fighting.

Last year the Canes played much of the season with five scholarship players, and finished in last place in the ACC. Yet the team fought like mad in the ACC Tournament beating fifth seeded Maryland on day one and then taking Boston College, one of the best teams in the country into overtime and losing in the last seconds of OT. The Canes weren't going to the NCAA or NIT but played for pride and played better than all year in the ACC Tourney.

This year with an NCAA bid all but wrapped up the Canes played two successive lackluster games where players were not fully focused and the coaches seemed to have been more interested in politicking the team into the NCAA and questioning officiating than focusing on playing with pride. I certainly hope the week that the Canes took off mentally leads to a more focused NCAA Tournament.

ACC Officiating and ESPN: The Smell of Suspicion when Duke and North Carolina play

Lefty Driesel made the accusations over twenty years ago. Our own Frank Haith made it just two seasons ago. While it is unpleasant to discuss something needs to be aired in this fashion after last night's Florida State-Duke game and the subsequent Georgia Tech-North Carolina game where fishy calls and strange rules interpretations affected the outcome. In Florida State's case this isn't the first time officiating has contributed to a loss for the Seminoles against a team from North Carolina. Ironically, the big three in Florida all lost their midweek clashes. Florida and Miami both dominated, but had flattering score-lines (especially in the case of Florida whose 2 point final deficit was the closest the game had been since trailing 13-11 early in the first half) while FSU who had outplayed Duke for large portions of the second half, were dealt a 13 point defeat. But for ESPN, Florida State's fine play was relegated to hype about Jon Sheyer (whose name I cannot spell nor care to spell), and endless stories about Kyle Singler.

Two years ago it can be argued the Hurricanes were in the NIT and not the NCAA because of ill-timed questionable calls in the final two regular season games and then the very memorable last minute ACC Tournament loss to Duke. Now I am of the belief that Miami did not deserve to make the Tournament that year: You cannot lose more games than you win in late February and early March and expect to go dancing. But at the same time I was never more proud of the Hurricanes than that day they lost valiantly to Duke in Greensboro, fighting till the final whistle, playing through a game with so many bad calls it was scandalous. The very same year Florida State missed the NCAAs because of a phantom call that led to an ejection of Alexander Johnson against, you guessed it Duke. FSU lost by one point in overtime.

Last year Miami received a succession of bad calls in a row, almost so comical that they have become popular video on you tube against you guessed it-North Carolina. The succession of calls was so bad that even ESPN's Mike Patrick, typically an apologist for the ACC officiating crews was stunned and he and Len Elmore described the crew as having a "very bad night." Yesterday North Carolina clearly benefited from generous officiating when Zack Peacock was being held as he reached for a loose ball in a tie game with under a minute left. If Peacock either grabs the rebound or a foul is called, chances are Georgia Tech does no worse than overtime at home. Instead, no call was made and the ESPN crew quickly pointed out that Paul Hewitt was fortunate to not get a technical for leaving the coaches box! ESPN's financial obligation to the ACC requires it apparently to always give Duke and North Carolina the benefit of any doubt during live game action. Jay Bilas, a Duke grad and former Duke Assistant (and lawyer to boot) is so biased towards North Carolina (a strange twist of irony) in any commentary he makes on air or article he writes, I am planning on writing to the network asking he not be allowed to cover the Tar Heels anymore. (Bilas was calling FSU-Duke yesterday not UNC-GT, but he could easily be kept off all UNC telecasts in the future while Dick Vitale should be kept off all Duke telecasts. )

This is a sore subject for me on which I could easily write a novel. But this being such a sore subject I'll stop writing now for fear of a cease and desist order coming from John Clougherty, the head of ACC officials who was in attendance for the Georgia Tech-Miami game the other day. In games like that, where ESPN doesn't have a dog in the fight, the head of officials can safely show their faces. But heading to Tallahassee or Atlanta when the chosen two of the ACC come to town may not be such a wise idea for Clougherty or his staff.

ACC Basketball Preview

Canes Rising Projected Order of Finish:
Picks by Canes Rising Publisher Kartik Krishnaiyer

1- Duke
2- North Carolina
3- Florida State
4- Clemson
5- Boston College
6- Miami
7- NC State
8- Virginia
9- Wake Forest
10- Georgia Tech
11- Virginia Tech
12- Maryland


Things to look for this conference season:

• Duke is spreading the floor beautifully in its offensive sets and has created space for its outside shooters and drivers, like DeMarcus Nelson. Kyle Singler is perhaps the most impressive Freshman in the country and his all around game helps make Duke the team to beat in the ACC.
• I'm not as high on North Carolina as many in the media but I believe with Tyler Hansbrough and Ty Lawson, Carolina has an outstanding inside/outside combination. Danny Green's development this season has been a pleasant surprise but too many people take games off on the Carolina squad for me to consider them the best team in the league.
• Florida State will finally break through this season. Leonard Hamilton has an athletic team with four guards who can defend the perimeter well and rebound inside. Depth is an issue but Florida State's guards are the best in the league. FSU hasn't been successful in the ACC since its first two years in the league: I think this year, the school's 16th in the ACC is the time they get over the hump. ( FSU made the NCAAs in 1998, but at 6-10 in the league with a late season out of league loss to USF and a first round ACC tourney loss. I consider the 1998 FSU team despite a first round win over TCU the worst ever at-large team in the NCAA field)
  
• Clemson's inside game is fantastic. James Mays is one of the best all-around players in the league and K.C. Rivers does a lot of little things well. Cliff Hammonds is a good 3 point shooter. Oliver Purnell has changed the culture around this program after inheriting a morbid ship from Larry Shyatt.
  
• I love how once again Boston College is being written off. I love how the inside outside of Shamari Spears and Ty Rice are being discounted. I love how Al Skinner's coaching class is being discounted. In short as I do every year, I love Boston College. They will make the NCAAs and finish at least fifth, perhaps as high as third in the league.
  
• Miami's lack of a point guard is the difference between 3rd in the league and being a bubble team. Frank Haith's decision to dismiss Denis Clemente from the team must be applauded based on principle, but it was a costly decision from a Basketball standpoint. Anthony King's subpar play, his worst since he was a Freshman is also a cause for concern. The Canes should be okay but without a true point guard the NIT is still a possibility.
  
• NC State is still a year away despite the favorable pre season prognostications in national publications. Brandon Costner is outstanding and Gavin Grant is a player that is highly motivated this year but the team is weak inside and the loss of Farnold Degand the best PG on the team means ball handling is a concern also.
• Sean Singletary is back for what seems like his 50th season of eligibility. He's once again a lights out shooter who sets up his team mates well. But the paint play on this team is no existent. Much like FSU they shoot the three ball well, but unlike FSU they don't have big experienced guards who can crash the boards and mask the lack of a paint presence.
  
• Dino Gaudio who took over for the dearly departed Skip Prosser has done a good job this year at Wake Forest. the team is young and misses Kyle Visser. James Johnson a freshman has filled some of Visser's void and the guard combo of Ishmael Smith and Harvey Hale are pretty good as well. But this team is still very young and raw. They are explosive off the dribble but not a good outside shooting team. I think despite all the adversity this team could make the NIT.
• Georgia Tech lacks a point guard of any note and once again this season like two years ago is dropping any tough home game. Losing RaShaun Dickey was a disaster for this defensively challenged team. Lewis Clinch and Anthony Morrow are on again off again players that I just cannot trust.
  
• Seth Greenberg's team is rebuilding. No shame in that because with Deron Washington the Hokies have a future all-ACC player. But the team lacks the scoring punch from outside they have had the past three seasons and this team is in need of a serious talent upgrade. But Greenberg who preaches defense has a team that will play hard enough to avoid the cellar of the league.
• That leaves Maryland, a recent ACC Champion, a recent National Champion. The Terps are a bad team. And strangely for a Gary Williams coached team they are undisciplined and appear un-prepared for games. Greivis Vasquez is a disaster in my opinion- turn over prone without the upside of John Gilchrist or even D.J. Strawberry running the point. James Gist has never developed into the player expected and this team is the worst I have seen in the league this year by a wide margin.
  

ACC Power Rankings: Special December Edition

Our ACC power rankings will start weekly in January but for now a special December treat looking at the pre-Holiday non league play.

1- Duke

I think this is the best team in America. Gerald Henderson has developed his game to new heights, and DeMarcus Nelson continues to be a force. Have you seen a freshman like Kyle Singler lately?

2- Boston College

The media loves to write off Al Skinner's team. Well once again they were wrong. Corey Raji is a good looking freshman and Tyresse Rise continues to be a sharpshooter. Also, don't discount the contributions of bulky and tough senior John Oats whose best work doesn't show up on the stats sheet. Just because guys weren't ranked high by rivals.com coming out of high school doesn't mean a good coach like Skinner can't get them to play in the ACC.

3- North Carolina

I'm annoyed by all the hype about this team. I'm annoyed by the mid majors who play this team close and suddenly are ranked the next week. (And thus keep ACC teams like Miami, Virginia and NC State near the top of the others receiving votes category). Tyler Hansbrough continues to be a great one, but his supporting cast though talented is inconsistent and dare I say it, undisciplined.

4- Clemson

Hammonds, Mays, Rivers. The most athletic threesome in the nation, and one of the best combinations around.

5- Miami

The Canes have the best frontline in the league outside of Durham, but the point guard situation continues to hobble this team as it has for almost ten years now. Why Miami can never keep good ball handlers in the program is a great mystery.

6- Virginia

Sean Singletary is still the best shooter in the league, and Dave Leito's team will be force come March. Great gutty win versus Arizona in Tuscon.

7- NC State

Brandon Costner is a nice player but this team has underwhelmed thus far.

8- Florida State

A great backcourt combined with a frontcourt that couldn't even be successful at the low major level. Is that a formula for success in the ACC?

9- Virginia Tech

An almost completely new starting lineup has the media and others writing off Seth Greenberg's bunch: But Greenberg's teams always play tough defense and make good decisions in the half court offense. This will be a tough win for any ACC team.

10- Georgia Tech

I'm really not sure how good a coach Paul Hewitt is. It seems like Tech has one very good year and then follows it up with one very poor year. This season appears to fit that pattern.

11- Maryland

Greivis Vasquez is turnover prone, James Gist hasn't progressed and Bambale Osby doesn't impress me. Want a read on where Maryland Basketball appears to be headed? Watch Florida State or Miami Football. Champs to Chumps in a slow painful multi year regression.

12- Wake Forest

I really thought this young bunch would play with more emotion for the dearly departed Skip Prosser. They just appear to be too overmatched.