ACC/Big Ten Challenge Preview
The first week in December means it's time for the annual ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Last year, the Big Ten won the challenge for the first time, and many people think that the Big Ten is the best conference. So does that mean they will win it again this year? Let's take a look at the games.
Virginia at Minnesota (Monday, 7:00 p.m.)
Minnesota has been a solid team thus far this year, already knocking off UNC in Puerto Rico. Virginia has been tested in this early season, and is playing a little better. But they are still a wildly inconsistent team. It's hard to see them going up to Minnesota and winning.
Pick: Minnesota
Georgia Tech at Northwestern (Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.)
Georgia Tech had a good showing in Atlantic City, beating UTEP and losing by just 4 to Syracuse. But they also have a loss to Kennesaw State already this year. Northwestern hasn't really done much of anything thus far this year. I'll take the Jackets to pull off the upset.
Pick: Georgia Tech
Iowa at Wake Forest (Tuesday, 7:00 p.m.)
This has to be the least compelling matchup of the challenge. Both teams have struggled so far this season, and aren't expected to go far from the cellar in their leagues. I will go with the more experienced team.
Pick: Iowa
Ohio State at Florida State (Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.)
Ohio State has one of the best wins of the year, winning going away at Florida. By contrast, Florida State just lost a home game to the same Florida team. The Seminoles will be good this year but not at the same level as the Buckeyes.
Pick: Ohio State
Michigan at Clemson (Tuesday, 9:00 p.m.)
Michigan hasn't had much to show for their season so far, losing the only two challenging games they've had. Clemson has struggled some early as well, and it's hard to forget how they performed in last year's challenge, blowing a huge lead against Illinois. But I'll still go with the home team in this one.
Pick: Clemson
North Carolina at Illinois (Tuesday, 9:30 p.m.)
Tuesday's marquee game features a North Carolina team that has had some trouble establishing its identity in the early season. With a game coming up soon against Kentucky, they could use a win like this. Illinois has played well in the early going, and is expected to be a Sweet 16 level team.
Pick: Illinois
Indiana at Boston College (Wednesday, 7:15 p.m.)
I sympathize with what Tom Crean is going through at Indiana - a long rebuilding process after Kelvin Sampson left a gaping hole in the program. Boston College had a very solid Old Spice Tournament. I like the Eagles at home.
Pick: Boston College
NC State at Wisconsin (Wednesday, 7:15 p.m.)
Big things are expected of the Wolfpack this year. If they are to live up to them, going up to Wisconsin and winning would be a big step in the right direction. Unfortunately, the Badgers are almost impossible to beat in Madison, and have another solid team this year.
Pick: Wisconsin
Purdue at Virginia Tech (Wednesday, 7:30 p.m.)
In somewhat of a surprise, Purdue suffered a setback against Richmond, losing by 11. They are still trying to adjust to life without Robbie Hummel. Virginia Tech has been playing good defense but hasn't really established an offensive identity. They are turning it over too much, and something just seems to be missing right now. Purdue is just the type of team that can give the Hokies fits.
Pick: Purdue
Maryland at Penn State (Wednesday, 9:15 p.m.)
Maryland is another team trying to integrate a bunch of young players, and they have played well at times. Penn State took a big step backward last year, and hasn't shown yet this year that they can win games against good teams, losing their only game against quality competition. I expect the Terps to win a tough one on the road.
Pick: Maryland
Michigan State at Duke (Wednesday, 9:30 p.m.)
Michigan State is a fine team and I fully expect Tom Izzo to get the most out of his guys in March. But they struggled against UConn in Maui, and last year got creamed in their Big Ten Challenge game in Chapel Hill. I don't expect them to do any better this year against Duke. They could lose by 25.
Pick: Duke
By my count, that's a 6-5 Big Ten win. But we'll see how things shake out.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, November 26, 2010
Mid-Week Update
It's time to look ahead to the weekend in the ACC. But first, a few notes on what's already happened this week:
-It was certainly a roller coaster week for Virginia in Maui. They got absolutely embarrassed in their first game, losing by 43 points to Washington. I don't care how good Washington is - an ACC school shouldn't be losing any game by 43 points. Then UVA came back in their next game against Oklahoma and lit up the scoreboard from the start, jumping out to a huge lead and holding on for a nice win. In the 5th place game, they jumped out to another big lead against Wichita State only to see the Shockers come back and win comfortably.
-Duke had its coming out party on the national stage in the CBE Classic. They played a pretty close game against Marquette, before taking on Kansas State. The Blue Devils looked very strong in that game, winning by double digits against a Wildcat team that should be in the top 10 all year.
-The best ACC win of the week so far may go to Boston College. The Eagles used some hot shooting early to ride to a win over Texas A&M in the first round of the Old Spice Classic. This is a big win for Steve Donahue's team and shows the Eagles will be a force to be reckoned with this year.
To update the teams playing tournaments, Boston College will now take on Wisconsin in the second game of the Old Spice Classic. Depending on what happens today, their final game on Sunday will be against either Notre Dame or Cal.
Virginia Tech takes on Oklahoma State in the second round of the 76 Classic after beating Cal State Northridge easily. They will then play either Murray State or UNLV on Sunday.
Here are the other good games on tap for the weekend:
Duke at Oregon (Saturday, 4:00 p.m.)
The Ducks have to be hoping for a let-down from Duke in this game being played in a technically neutral site in Portland. Truthfully, Oregon is one of the weakest teams in the Pac 10 and will be lucky to stay with Duke for a half.
College of Charleston at UNC (Sunday, 5:30 p.m.)
Heels fans remember what happened when UNC when down to Charleston last year: a demoralizing loss. That was the beginning of a pretty big slide for UNC, and they will look to earn a bit of revenge against a team that has already almost knocked off Maryland.
Florida at Florida State (Sunday, 7:45 p.m.)
This is always a good barometer game for these two rivals. Florida is expected to be one of the best teams in the SEC this year, but has already suffered a home loss to Ohio State. Florida State hasn't really been tested so far this year.
Remember, the ACC-Big Ten Challenge is right around the corner. I'll have a preview of all the games on Monday.
It's time to look ahead to the weekend in the ACC. But first, a few notes on what's already happened this week:
-It was certainly a roller coaster week for Virginia in Maui. They got absolutely embarrassed in their first game, losing by 43 points to Washington. I don't care how good Washington is - an ACC school shouldn't be losing any game by 43 points. Then UVA came back in their next game against Oklahoma and lit up the scoreboard from the start, jumping out to a huge lead and holding on for a nice win. In the 5th place game, they jumped out to another big lead against Wichita State only to see the Shockers come back and win comfortably.
-Duke had its coming out party on the national stage in the CBE Classic. They played a pretty close game against Marquette, before taking on Kansas State. The Blue Devils looked very strong in that game, winning by double digits against a Wildcat team that should be in the top 10 all year.
-The best ACC win of the week so far may go to Boston College. The Eagles used some hot shooting early to ride to a win over Texas A&M in the first round of the Old Spice Classic. This is a big win for Steve Donahue's team and shows the Eagles will be a force to be reckoned with this year.
To update the teams playing tournaments, Boston College will now take on Wisconsin in the second game of the Old Spice Classic. Depending on what happens today, their final game on Sunday will be against either Notre Dame or Cal.
Virginia Tech takes on Oklahoma State in the second round of the 76 Classic after beating Cal State Northridge easily. They will then play either Murray State or UNLV on Sunday.
Here are the other good games on tap for the weekend:
Duke at Oregon (Saturday, 4:00 p.m.)
The Ducks have to be hoping for a let-down from Duke in this game being played in a technically neutral site in Portland. Truthfully, Oregon is one of the weakest teams in the Pac 10 and will be lucky to stay with Duke for a half.
College of Charleston at UNC (Sunday, 5:30 p.m.)
Heels fans remember what happened when UNC when down to Charleston last year: a demoralizing loss. That was the beginning of a pretty big slide for UNC, and they will look to earn a bit of revenge against a team that has already almost knocked off Maryland.
Florida at Florida State (Sunday, 7:45 p.m.)
This is always a good barometer game for these two rivals. Florida is expected to be one of the best teams in the SEC this year, but has already suffered a home loss to Ohio State. Florida State hasn't really been tested so far this year.
Remember, the ACC-Big Ten Challenge is right around the corner. I'll have a preview of all the games on Monday.
Monday, November 22, 2010
The Week Ahead
It certainly isn't time yet to panic about how the ACC teams have been faring in the early-going this year, but it hasn't been good, by any stretch. The ACC is accustomed to dominating in November and December, with most teams having lofty records like 15-1. But this season hasn't been the same. For comparison, last year at this point in the season, ACC teams were 40-4. This year, teams are 30-14. A number of teams have bad losses, with four ACC teams losing on Sunday alone.
Notably, North Carolina didn't have the best time in Puerto Rico. After losing a close game to a good Minnesota team, the Heels went out and lost to Vanderbilt. Vandy may be an NCAA Tournament team at the end of the year but Carolina certainly doesn't look like the #8 team in the country right now.
Also on Sunday:
-Miami lost by 16 points on the road at Rutgers. The RAC can be a tough place to play, but only putting up 45 against a team that has really struggled in recent years is not a good sign for the Hurricanes.
-NC State was even for a half with Georgetown but then got blown out in the second half. They are now without Tracy Smith for a few weeks as well. This has to be a setback for the Wolfpack.
-Clemson lost by one point to Old Dominion. The Monarchs are a decent team but at the end of the day the ACC school should win.
With that being said, there are some teams this week that have a chance to earn a little more respect from the conference. Here's a look at what's on tap:
Monday:
Clemson vs. Seton Hall (6:00 p.m.) - Clemson needs a solid win, and has the chance to get one here against Seton Hall in the Virgin Islands. The Pirates are expected to contend for an NCAA berth, so this is big for both teams.
Virginia vs. Washington (12:00 a.m.) - The Cavaliers are coming off a 21 point loss at Stanford and need some confidence at the start of the Maui Invitational. If they can somehow come out of this tournament with 2 wins that would be a big boost for Tony Bennett's squad.
Tuesday:
Duke vs. Kansas State or Gonzaga - Duke should be able to get by Marquette with ease, and this sets up a CBE Final in Kansas City against either K-State or Gonzaga. Duke has handled Gonzaga pretty easily in the past, and could struggle some with the size of Kansas State.
Thursday:
Boston College vs. Texas A&M (12:00 p.m.) - Boston College has a tough draw in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. The Eagles have already lost at home to Yale and are going to be facing a Texas A&M team that is always strong under Mark Turgeon.
Friday:
Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State/DePaul - The Hokies need to play well in the 76 Classic in Anaheim to feel good about their NCAA chances. That means they have to win their first round game against Cal State Northridge and win this matchup, which will likely be against an Oklahoma State team that is rebuilding.
Georgia Tech vs. UTEP (5:30 p.m.) - Georgia Tech needs to play well in their first game in Atlantic City to have a chance against a talented team like UTEP. The Jackets have already underachieved in the first two weeks of the season.
I'll have an update on the progress of the teams playing in preseason tournaments, plus a look ahead to the weekend's big games, later in the week.
It certainly isn't time yet to panic about how the ACC teams have been faring in the early-going this year, but it hasn't been good, by any stretch. The ACC is accustomed to dominating in November and December, with most teams having lofty records like 15-1. But this season hasn't been the same. For comparison, last year at this point in the season, ACC teams were 40-4. This year, teams are 30-14. A number of teams have bad losses, with four ACC teams losing on Sunday alone.
Notably, North Carolina didn't have the best time in Puerto Rico. After losing a close game to a good Minnesota team, the Heels went out and lost to Vanderbilt. Vandy may be an NCAA Tournament team at the end of the year but Carolina certainly doesn't look like the #8 team in the country right now.
Also on Sunday:
-Miami lost by 16 points on the road at Rutgers. The RAC can be a tough place to play, but only putting up 45 against a team that has really struggled in recent years is not a good sign for the Hurricanes.
-NC State was even for a half with Georgetown but then got blown out in the second half. They are now without Tracy Smith for a few weeks as well. This has to be a setback for the Wolfpack.
-Clemson lost by one point to Old Dominion. The Monarchs are a decent team but at the end of the day the ACC school should win.
With that being said, there are some teams this week that have a chance to earn a little more respect from the conference. Here's a look at what's on tap:
Monday:
Clemson vs. Seton Hall (6:00 p.m.) - Clemson needs a solid win, and has the chance to get one here against Seton Hall in the Virgin Islands. The Pirates are expected to contend for an NCAA berth, so this is big for both teams.
Virginia vs. Washington (12:00 a.m.) - The Cavaliers are coming off a 21 point loss at Stanford and need some confidence at the start of the Maui Invitational. If they can somehow come out of this tournament with 2 wins that would be a big boost for Tony Bennett's squad.
Tuesday:
Duke vs. Kansas State or Gonzaga - Duke should be able to get by Marquette with ease, and this sets up a CBE Final in Kansas City against either K-State or Gonzaga. Duke has handled Gonzaga pretty easily in the past, and could struggle some with the size of Kansas State.
Thursday:
Boston College vs. Texas A&M (12:00 p.m.) - Boston College has a tough draw in the first round of the Old Spice Classic in Orlando. The Eagles have already lost at home to Yale and are going to be facing a Texas A&M team that is always strong under Mark Turgeon.
Friday:
Virginia Tech vs. Oklahoma State/DePaul - The Hokies need to play well in the 76 Classic in Anaheim to feel good about their NCAA chances. That means they have to win their first round game against Cal State Northridge and win this matchup, which will likely be against an Oklahoma State team that is rebuilding.
Georgia Tech vs. UTEP (5:30 p.m.) - Georgia Tech needs to play well in their first game in Atlantic City to have a chance against a talented team like UTEP. The Jackets have already underachieved in the first two weeks of the season.
I'll have an update on the progress of the teams playing in preseason tournaments, plus a look ahead to the weekend's big games, later in the week.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Tournaments Update
A quick update on how the teams are doing who are playing in preseason tournaments:
-Maryland lost close games to both Pitt and Illinois in Madison Square Garden. The Terps weren't favored in either game, so this isn't too much of a disappointment.
-North Carolina played well in the first round game in Puerto Rico, blowing out Hofstra by 44. They came back down to earth in their second game, though, losing to a solid Minnesota team by 5. UNC will play Vanderbilt in the third place game on Sunday.
-NC State has played well in the first two rounds of the Charleston Classic. They took care of East Carolina by 20 and George Mason by 13. They will have a very interesting final game against Georgetown on Sunday night.
-In the Paradise Jam, Clemson was able to beat Long Beach State by 14. They will next play Old Dominion on Sunday. ODU is a favorite to win the Colonial.
A quick update on how the teams are doing who are playing in preseason tournaments:
-Maryland lost close games to both Pitt and Illinois in Madison Square Garden. The Terps weren't favored in either game, so this isn't too much of a disappointment.
-North Carolina played well in the first round game in Puerto Rico, blowing out Hofstra by 44. They came back down to earth in their second game, though, losing to a solid Minnesota team by 5. UNC will play Vanderbilt in the third place game on Sunday.
-NC State has played well in the first two rounds of the Charleston Classic. They took care of East Carolina by 20 and George Mason by 13. They will have a very interesting final game against Georgetown on Sunday night.
-In the Paradise Jam, Clemson was able to beat Long Beach State by 14. They will next play Old Dominion on Sunday. ODU is a favorite to win the Colonial.
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Mid-Week Update
There have been a few notable games in the ACC so far this week, with several more to come. Here are the biggest storylines:
-Another bad loss for the conference. Georgia Tech went to Kennesaw State (not a long road trip by any means, it's a school in Georgia) and ended up losing by 17. 17! That is not a good sign that the Yellow Jackets will be prosperous this year and Paul Hewitt should already be sweating. To their credit, Georgia Tech did come back and beat Albany by 27 to right the ship a bit.
-The struggles for Wake Forest continue. Wake barely hung on to beat a bad Hampton team by 7 before losing by 21 points on their home floor to VCU. VCU is a solid CAA team, but should not be beating an ACC team on the road by 21 points. The Deacons are now 1-2 to start the season and didn't get to advance in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
-Virginia Tech has some work to do after fading down the stretch at Kansas State. The Hokies were in this game for most of the way, but struggled with foul trouble and cold shooting and ended up losing by 16. It's important for them to not have a let-down because they have some more tough games coming up later this month.
-Miami battled but ultimately lost in a midnight game at Memphis. I am not sure whether this is a positive or negative sign. On one hand, they only lost by 4 points in a tough road game. Other the other, Memphis is nowhere near what it once was.
There are plenty of interesting games on the schedule for today through Sunday, with many of the matchups still undetermined based on how teams do in their tournaments. I'll have more once I know who is playing whom.
There have been a few notable games in the ACC so far this week, with several more to come. Here are the biggest storylines:
-Another bad loss for the conference. Georgia Tech went to Kennesaw State (not a long road trip by any means, it's a school in Georgia) and ended up losing by 17. 17! That is not a good sign that the Yellow Jackets will be prosperous this year and Paul Hewitt should already be sweating. To their credit, Georgia Tech did come back and beat Albany by 27 to right the ship a bit.
-The struggles for Wake Forest continue. Wake barely hung on to beat a bad Hampton team by 7 before losing by 21 points on their home floor to VCU. VCU is a solid CAA team, but should not be beating an ACC team on the road by 21 points. The Deacons are now 1-2 to start the season and didn't get to advance in the NIT Season Tip-Off.
-Virginia Tech has some work to do after fading down the stretch at Kansas State. The Hokies were in this game for most of the way, but struggled with foul trouble and cold shooting and ended up losing by 16. It's important for them to not have a let-down because they have some more tough games coming up later this month.
-Miami battled but ultimately lost in a midnight game at Memphis. I am not sure whether this is a positive or negative sign. On one hand, they only lost by 4 points in a tough road game. Other the other, Memphis is nowhere near what it once was.
There are plenty of interesting games on the schedule for today through Sunday, with many of the matchups still undetermined based on how teams do in their tournaments. I'll have more once I know who is playing whom.
Monday, November 15, 2010
The Week Ahead
It was a pretty tame first week for the ACC teams, with most just playing one game. There were a few notables, though:
-What a bad start to the Jeff Bzdelik era in Wake Forest. I thought Wake would have a bad year, but losing at home by 10 to Stetson is a different story. Wake needs to figure things out quickly or it could have a real struggle in November.
-Along those lines, many of the teams in the ACC struggled in their first game. This isn't unusual. A lot of times you just want to win the first game and move on from there. Teams like Wake Forest weren't so lucky.
-Some early props for Maryland freshman Pe'Shon Howard. He came up big in a game against the College of Charleston that the Terps probably should have lost. Howard took and made the shot on the last possession to give Maryland the win.
We should have a step up in competition for the teams this week. Here are a few games to watch:
ESPN's 24 Hour Tip-off
Miami at Memphis (Tuesday, midnight)
Virginia Tech at Kansas State (Tuesday, 4:00 p.m.)
A pair of tough road tests for ACC teams. Miami has a decent shot to knock off the Memphis Tigers, who are still trying to find their way under second year coach Josh Pastner. And the Hokies will face a difficult challenge in Kansas State, which is ranked #3.
Coaches vs. Cancer
Maryland vs. Pitt (Thursday, 7:00 p.m.)
Maryland will face a big step up in competition here against a Pitt team that many people think will win the Big East this year. This game is being played at Madison Square Garden.
Virginia at Stanford (Thursday, 10:30 p.m.)
This is a good road game for Virginia, which is looking to survive the first several weeks of the season without Sammy Zeglinski. Stanford is not expected to be very good, but it's still a cross-country game against a Pac-1o team.
Puerto Rico Tip-Off
North Carolina vs. TBA (Friday)
The Tar Heels will have a tough second round matchup in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, against either Minnesota or Western Kentucky. They would then likely play either West Virginia or Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Charleston Classic
NC State vs. TBA (Sunday)
NC State is playing in the Charleston Classic this week. If they win their first two games, they should be in line to play Georgetown in the final. The Hoyas already have a solid road victory over Old Dominion this year.
It was a pretty tame first week for the ACC teams, with most just playing one game. There were a few notables, though:
-What a bad start to the Jeff Bzdelik era in Wake Forest. I thought Wake would have a bad year, but losing at home by 10 to Stetson is a different story. Wake needs to figure things out quickly or it could have a real struggle in November.
-Along those lines, many of the teams in the ACC struggled in their first game. This isn't unusual. A lot of times you just want to win the first game and move on from there. Teams like Wake Forest weren't so lucky.
-Some early props for Maryland freshman Pe'Shon Howard. He came up big in a game against the College of Charleston that the Terps probably should have lost. Howard took and made the shot on the last possession to give Maryland the win.
We should have a step up in competition for the teams this week. Here are a few games to watch:
ESPN's 24 Hour Tip-off
Miami at Memphis (Tuesday, midnight)
Virginia Tech at Kansas State (Tuesday, 4:00 p.m.)
A pair of tough road tests for ACC teams. Miami has a decent shot to knock off the Memphis Tigers, who are still trying to find their way under second year coach Josh Pastner. And the Hokies will face a difficult challenge in Kansas State, which is ranked #3.
Coaches vs. Cancer
Maryland vs. Pitt (Thursday, 7:00 p.m.)
Maryland will face a big step up in competition here against a Pitt team that many people think will win the Big East this year. This game is being played at Madison Square Garden.
Virginia at Stanford (Thursday, 10:30 p.m.)
This is a good road game for Virginia, which is looking to survive the first several weeks of the season without Sammy Zeglinski. Stanford is not expected to be very good, but it's still a cross-country game against a Pac-1o team.
Puerto Rico Tip-Off
North Carolina vs. TBA (Friday)
The Tar Heels will have a tough second round matchup in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off, against either Minnesota or Western Kentucky. They would then likely play either West Virginia or Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Charleston Classic
NC State vs. TBA (Sunday)
NC State is playing in the Charleston Classic this week. If they win their first two games, they should be in line to play Georgetown in the final. The Hoyas already have a solid road victory over Old Dominion this year.
Friday, November 12, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#1: Duke
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 4 vs. Butler (in East Rutherford, NJ)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Miles Plumlee (Junior)
F - Kyle Singler (Senior)
G - Andre Dawkins (Sophomore)
G - Nolan Smith (Senior)
G - Kyrie Irving (Freshman)
The easiest decision I had to make when putting this together was deciding who would be number 1. It's been a while since there has been a bigger favorite to win the conference than Duke this year. Not only are the Blue Devils coming off a National Championship season, but are bringing in a ton of talent as well. First, let's take a look at what Duke lost. They are without Jon Scheyer, who was a great scorer. Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek are gone as well, good defenders and role players.
What Duke returns, though, is two terrific players in Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. Either one of these guys can go for 20 at any time. The Plumlee twins return, a year older and presumably better. And they have potentially their best point guard since Jason Williams in freshman Kyrie Irving. Irving is expected to be the kind of player that makes an impact right away. Duke really didn't have a traditional point guard last year, and still won the title. In addition to all this, Duke brings Seth Curry off the bench after sitting out his transfer year. Curry made a big impact at Liberty as a freshman.
Add all of these pieces and this should be a pretty special Duke team. I wouldn't be surprised if they finished the conference with something on the lines of a 14-2 record. That being said, they don't hand out the hardware in November. The Blue Devils still have to earn it on the court.
Duke continues to be the model for great scheduling. Year after year, they play a number of good teams in neutral site games. And they have a lot of home games against strong mid-major teams. This year the highlight is a title game rematch against Butler. Listen to this five game stretch: neutral site games against Marquette and either Gonzaga or Kansas State. Then in Portland against Oregon, home to Michigan State, then Butler. Duke is setting itself up for a really great season.
#1: Duke
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 4 vs. Butler (in East Rutherford, NJ)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Miles Plumlee (Junior)
F - Kyle Singler (Senior)
G - Andre Dawkins (Sophomore)
G - Nolan Smith (Senior)
G - Kyrie Irving (Freshman)
The easiest decision I had to make when putting this together was deciding who would be number 1. It's been a while since there has been a bigger favorite to win the conference than Duke this year. Not only are the Blue Devils coming off a National Championship season, but are bringing in a ton of talent as well. First, let's take a look at what Duke lost. They are without Jon Scheyer, who was a great scorer. Lance Thomas and Brian Zoubek are gone as well, good defenders and role players.
What Duke returns, though, is two terrific players in Kyle Singler and Nolan Smith. Either one of these guys can go for 20 at any time. The Plumlee twins return, a year older and presumably better. And they have potentially their best point guard since Jason Williams in freshman Kyrie Irving. Irving is expected to be the kind of player that makes an impact right away. Duke really didn't have a traditional point guard last year, and still won the title. In addition to all this, Duke brings Seth Curry off the bench after sitting out his transfer year. Curry made a big impact at Liberty as a freshman.
Add all of these pieces and this should be a pretty special Duke team. I wouldn't be surprised if they finished the conference with something on the lines of a 14-2 record. That being said, they don't hand out the hardware in November. The Blue Devils still have to earn it on the court.
Duke continues to be the model for great scheduling. Year after year, they play a number of good teams in neutral site games. And they have a lot of home games against strong mid-major teams. This year the highlight is a title game rematch against Butler. Listen to this five game stretch: neutral site games against Marquette and either Gonzaga or Kansas State. Then in Portland against Oregon, home to Michigan State, then Butler. Duke is setting itself up for a really great season.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#2: North Carolina
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 18 vs. Texas (in Greensboro)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Tyler Zeller (Junior)
F - Harrison Barnes (Freshman)
F - John Henson (Sophomore)
G - Dexter Strickland (Sophomore)
G - Larry Drew III (Junior)
In this preseason, the subject of the most debate in the ACC is the placement of North Carolina. There are many people who insist that Carolina is ranked too high, and point to last year's results as an example. My response to those people is this: at the end of the day, it is still North Carolina. They have all the championship banners hanging in the rafters for a reason. They are still able to recruit elite talent and perform at a high level.
So let's take a look at this year's team. There were some unexpected departures, like the Wear twins and Will Graves. That certainly will hurt the depth. But they do have a lot of talent, especially on the interior. Harrison Barnes is expected to be a freshman who comes in and contributes right away. John Henson is lean but a very athletic forward who had a great second half of last season. Tyler Zeller has never really come into his own at UNC, battling injuries, but has a chance to put up a good season. UNC is not quite as talented in the backcourt. Larry Drew is an okay point guard who is really more of a team manager than a big scorer. And beyond him there isn't much in the way of scoring.
As always, UNC has put together a pretty tough schedule. It will be interesting to see how they fare in the Puerto Rico Tipoff. They will play either Western Kentucky or Minnesota in the second round, and could play West Virginia in the final. UNC also has a road game at Illinois and home game against Kentucky, and a neutral site game against Texas. If Barnes is as good as many say he is, and Zeller takes a step forward, then UNC is in position to be a national power once again.
#2: North Carolina
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 18 vs. Texas (in Greensboro)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Tyler Zeller (Junior)
F - Harrison Barnes (Freshman)
F - John Henson (Sophomore)
G - Dexter Strickland (Sophomore)
G - Larry Drew III (Junior)
In this preseason, the subject of the most debate in the ACC is the placement of North Carolina. There are many people who insist that Carolina is ranked too high, and point to last year's results as an example. My response to those people is this: at the end of the day, it is still North Carolina. They have all the championship banners hanging in the rafters for a reason. They are still able to recruit elite talent and perform at a high level.
So let's take a look at this year's team. There were some unexpected departures, like the Wear twins and Will Graves. That certainly will hurt the depth. But they do have a lot of talent, especially on the interior. Harrison Barnes is expected to be a freshman who comes in and contributes right away. John Henson is lean but a very athletic forward who had a great second half of last season. Tyler Zeller has never really come into his own at UNC, battling injuries, but has a chance to put up a good season. UNC is not quite as talented in the backcourt. Larry Drew is an okay point guard who is really more of a team manager than a big scorer. And beyond him there isn't much in the way of scoring.
As always, UNC has put together a pretty tough schedule. It will be interesting to see how they fare in the Puerto Rico Tipoff. They will play either Western Kentucky or Minnesota in the second round, and could play West Virginia in the final. UNC also has a road game at Illinois and home game against Kentucky, and a neutral site game against Texas. If Barnes is as good as many say he is, and Zeller takes a step forward, then UNC is in position to be a national power once again.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#3: Virginia Tech
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Nov. 16 at Kansas State
Projected Starting Five:
F - Jeff Allen (Senior)
F - Victor Davila (Junior)
F - Terrell Bell (Senior)
G - Dorenzo Hudson (Senior)
G - Malcolm Delaney (Senior)
It is pretty well documented that Virginia Tech has played pretty well the last three years, only to come up just short of the NCAAs each time. There are three factors going for them this year that should lead to a different outcome this year. First, the experience. No ACC roster has the level of experience that the Hokies have, bringing all five of their starters back from last year. Second, the relative lack of strength of the ACC. Just looking at the lineups and the talent, the Hokies stack up very well with the rest of the league. And third, the schedule. Seth Greenberg heard the criticism last year and is making sure his team does not come up short in the scheduling department this year.
So let's take a look at this team. The Hokies return an All-ACC player in Malcolm Delaney, who really does it all and is a strong leader for this team. Dorenzo Hudson took a big step forward last year, and showed that he could be a dynamic scorer. Jeff Allen has a ton of talent and can be a force inside. The only negative coming into the year is the fact that the Hokies will be without two talented big men in Allan Chaney and J.T. Thompson, who are both out for the year. They will be counting on Allen to stay out of foul trouble so they can maintain some sort of depth in the interior.
The Hokies will be tested right out of the gates with a road game at Kansas State. They also have trips to the 76 Classic, plus games against Purdue and Mississippi State. They don't need to win all of those games, but will at least need to win a few to make a statement that they are that national force to be reckoned with that many people think they are. If they can do that, they shouldn't have to sweat Selection Sunday.
#3: Virginia Tech
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Nov. 16 at Kansas State
Projected Starting Five:
F - Jeff Allen (Senior)
F - Victor Davila (Junior)
F - Terrell Bell (Senior)
G - Dorenzo Hudson (Senior)
G - Malcolm Delaney (Senior)
It is pretty well documented that Virginia Tech has played pretty well the last three years, only to come up just short of the NCAAs each time. There are three factors going for them this year that should lead to a different outcome this year. First, the experience. No ACC roster has the level of experience that the Hokies have, bringing all five of their starters back from last year. Second, the relative lack of strength of the ACC. Just looking at the lineups and the talent, the Hokies stack up very well with the rest of the league. And third, the schedule. Seth Greenberg heard the criticism last year and is making sure his team does not come up short in the scheduling department this year.
So let's take a look at this team. The Hokies return an All-ACC player in Malcolm Delaney, who really does it all and is a strong leader for this team. Dorenzo Hudson took a big step forward last year, and showed that he could be a dynamic scorer. Jeff Allen has a ton of talent and can be a force inside. The only negative coming into the year is the fact that the Hokies will be without two talented big men in Allan Chaney and J.T. Thompson, who are both out for the year. They will be counting on Allen to stay out of foul trouble so they can maintain some sort of depth in the interior.
The Hokies will be tested right out of the gates with a road game at Kansas State. They also have trips to the 76 Classic, plus games against Purdue and Mississippi State. They don't need to win all of those games, but will at least need to win a few to make a statement that they are that national force to be reckoned with that many people think they are. If they can do that, they shouldn't have to sweat Selection Sunday.
Tuesday, November 09, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#4: Florida State
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 9
Best non-conference game: Nov. 30 vs. Ohio State
Projected Starting Five:
C - Xavier Gibson (Junior)
F - Chris Singleton (Junior)
G - Derwin Kitchen (Senior)
G - Deividas Dulkys (Junior)
G - Michael Snaer (Sophomore)
Leonard Hamilton seems to have turned the corner in his time with Florida State. The Seminoles could always be counted on to go around 8-8 in the conference and just miss out on the NCAA Tournament. But they have put together two strong years in a row, making the NCAAs both years. And they are in good position to make that three in a row.
Florida State did lose their best player from last year, big man Soloman Alabi. That will definitely be a significant loss. But they do return an emerging talent at center in Xavier Gibson. I think a big key for them will be the play of Chris Singleton. In previous years, Singleton has been content to play outside of the lane, often chucking up 3s that had no chance of going in. I would hope that with Alabi gone, that will force him to play more of a true power forward position and use his athleticism to his advantage.
The Seminoles have some nice pieces in the backcourt, led by sophomore Michael Snaer. He was a pretty highly touted freshman who ended up scoring 8.8 points per game. Look for that total to go up this year. Derwin Kitchen is a solid player but needs to pick up the slack on offense. Last year he shot just 30% from 3 point range, a drop of 7% from the year before. Overall, Florida State has the talent to compete day in and day out in the ACC. They like to play defense and grind you down into a halfcourt game. That will likely drive some of the inexperienced teams in the ACC nuts.
Taking a look at the schedule, Florida State should be 5-0 going into a crucial two game stretch with Florida and Ohio State coming to Tallahassee. They will spend their Christmas break playing in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, where they could play good teams like Butler or Baylor. This should be another good year in Tallahassee.
#4: Florida State
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 9
Best non-conference game: Nov. 30 vs. Ohio State
Projected Starting Five:
C - Xavier Gibson (Junior)
F - Chris Singleton (Junior)
G - Derwin Kitchen (Senior)
G - Deividas Dulkys (Junior)
G - Michael Snaer (Sophomore)
Leonard Hamilton seems to have turned the corner in his time with Florida State. The Seminoles could always be counted on to go around 8-8 in the conference and just miss out on the NCAA Tournament. But they have put together two strong years in a row, making the NCAAs both years. And they are in good position to make that three in a row.
Florida State did lose their best player from last year, big man Soloman Alabi. That will definitely be a significant loss. But they do return an emerging talent at center in Xavier Gibson. I think a big key for them will be the play of Chris Singleton. In previous years, Singleton has been content to play outside of the lane, often chucking up 3s that had no chance of going in. I would hope that with Alabi gone, that will force him to play more of a true power forward position and use his athleticism to his advantage.
The Seminoles have some nice pieces in the backcourt, led by sophomore Michael Snaer. He was a pretty highly touted freshman who ended up scoring 8.8 points per game. Look for that total to go up this year. Derwin Kitchen is a solid player but needs to pick up the slack on offense. Last year he shot just 30% from 3 point range, a drop of 7% from the year before. Overall, Florida State has the talent to compete day in and day out in the ACC. They like to play defense and grind you down into a halfcourt game. That will likely drive some of the inexperienced teams in the ACC nuts.
Taking a look at the schedule, Florida State should be 5-0 going into a crucial two game stretch with Florida and Ohio State coming to Tallahassee. They will spend their Christmas break playing in the Diamond Head Classic in Hawaii, where they could play good teams like Butler or Baylor. This should be another good year in Tallahassee.
Monday, November 08, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#5: Maryland
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 10
Best non-conference game: Nov. 18 vs. Pittsburgh (in New York City)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Jordan Williams (Sophomore)
F - Dino Gregory (Senior)
F - Cliff Tucker (Senior)
G - Sean Mosley (Junior)
G - Adrian Bowie (Senior)
There's no question Maryland lost a lot off last year's team. Their heart and soul, Grievis Vasquez, is gone. As is his backcourt mate, Sean Hayes. But I have to say, I have faith in Gary Williams. Even though this is supposed to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Terps, I think they have enough in a somewhat down ACC to make it to the Big Dance.
What Maryland does have coming back is an emerging big man in Jordan Williams, who showed flashes last year. He ended up with 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, very strong numbers for a freshman. I think Williams will end up being the anchor of this team. His frontcourt mates, Dino Gregory and Cliff Tucker, have been role players in the past but should be able to step up and produce. And the Terps have a pretty solid backcourt, with Sean Mosley and Adrian Bowie, who combined to score 15 points per game last year.
Obviously, Maryland will really miss Vasquez. What they will need to get is someone who can fill the void both as a leader out on the floor and someone the team can turn to and produce when the game is on the line. The Terps have some interesting early season games. They will be tested right away, in their second game against College of Charleston. Later on, they have games against Pittsburgh, Temple and Villanova. So Maryland might have some growing pains in the first two months of the year, but I think they are primed for another decent season.
#5: Maryland
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 10
Best non-conference game: Nov. 18 vs. Pittsburgh (in New York City)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Jordan Williams (Sophomore)
F - Dino Gregory (Senior)
F - Cliff Tucker (Senior)
G - Sean Mosley (Junior)
G - Adrian Bowie (Senior)
There's no question Maryland lost a lot off last year's team. Their heart and soul, Grievis Vasquez, is gone. As is his backcourt mate, Sean Hayes. But I have to say, I have faith in Gary Williams. Even though this is supposed to be somewhat of a rebuilding year for the Terps, I think they have enough in a somewhat down ACC to make it to the Big Dance.
What Maryland does have coming back is an emerging big man in Jordan Williams, who showed flashes last year. He ended up with 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds per game, very strong numbers for a freshman. I think Williams will end up being the anchor of this team. His frontcourt mates, Dino Gregory and Cliff Tucker, have been role players in the past but should be able to step up and produce. And the Terps have a pretty solid backcourt, with Sean Mosley and Adrian Bowie, who combined to score 15 points per game last year.
Obviously, Maryland will really miss Vasquez. What they will need to get is someone who can fill the void both as a leader out on the floor and someone the team can turn to and produce when the game is on the line. The Terps have some interesting early season games. They will be tested right away, in their second game against College of Charleston. Later on, they have games against Pittsburgh, Temple and Villanova. So Maryland might have some growing pains in the first two months of the year, but I think they are primed for another decent season.
Sunday, November 07, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#6: Miami
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 4 vs. West Virginia
Projected Starting Five:
C - Reggie Johnson (Sophomore)
F - Julian Gamble (Junior)
F - DeQuan Jones (Junior)
G - Durand Scott (Sophomore)
G - Malcolm Grant (Junior)
Miami has been an interesting team since its entry into the ACC. It has had a number of years with fairly good success, including one NCAA Tournament bid. But Miami has also finished under .500 in conference every year except one. Last year, the Hurricanes really struggled, finishing 4-12 in conference. But they did win two games in the ACC Tournament and threatened Duke in a third. So a lot of people are high on their chances this year.
So let's take a look at what they have. Miami loses Dwayne Collins, who was a good big man. But they actually played better without him at the end of last year. They have a solid guard in Durand Scott, who started to really play well at the end of the year. And they have an emerging talent at center in Reggie Johnson. Miami does have a solid coach in Frank Haith who has won his share of big games.
The best Miami has done in the ACC is finish 8-8, and that was with superstar Jack McClinton. So I can't project them to do better than that without him. They do have more talent than several ACC teams, so I think they have a good chance of finishing in the middle of the pack. In the non-conference, Miami plays West Virginia at home and Memphis on the road. Other than that, there is not much to speak about. I see the Hurricanes getting off to another good start before hitting some road bumps in conference play. They have a decent shot of making the tournament this year.
#6: Miami
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 4 vs. West Virginia
Projected Starting Five:
C - Reggie Johnson (Sophomore)
F - Julian Gamble (Junior)
F - DeQuan Jones (Junior)
G - Durand Scott (Sophomore)
G - Malcolm Grant (Junior)
Miami has been an interesting team since its entry into the ACC. It has had a number of years with fairly good success, including one NCAA Tournament bid. But Miami has also finished under .500 in conference every year except one. Last year, the Hurricanes really struggled, finishing 4-12 in conference. But they did win two games in the ACC Tournament and threatened Duke in a third. So a lot of people are high on their chances this year.
So let's take a look at what they have. Miami loses Dwayne Collins, who was a good big man. But they actually played better without him at the end of last year. They have a solid guard in Durand Scott, who started to really play well at the end of the year. And they have an emerging talent at center in Reggie Johnson. Miami does have a solid coach in Frank Haith who has won his share of big games.
The best Miami has done in the ACC is finish 8-8, and that was with superstar Jack McClinton. So I can't project them to do better than that without him. They do have more talent than several ACC teams, so I think they have a good chance of finishing in the middle of the pack. In the non-conference, Miami plays West Virginia at home and Memphis on the road. Other than that, there is not much to speak about. I see the Hurricanes getting off to another good start before hitting some road bumps in conference play. They have a decent shot of making the tournament this year.
Saturday, November 06, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#7: NC State
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 12
Best non-conference game: Dec. 4 at Syracuse
Projected Starting Five:
F - Tracy Smith (Senior)
F - C.J. Leslie (Freshman)
F - Scott Wood (Sophomore)
G - C.J. Williams (Junior)
G - Javier Gonzalez (Senior)
For years (basically all of the Sidney Lowe era), NC State has been mired in mediocrity. Lowe has not gotten to the NCAA Tournament, in four years not finishing better than 6-10 in conference. So I am taking an I'll believe it when I see it approach to this team this year, which many people predict will take a big step forward. The ACC media picked NC State 4th in their preseason poll.
I will agree that NC State has some very good pieces. Tracy Smith is capable of being an all-conference player, and entering his senior year should put up some great numbers. I have always liked Javier Gonzalez, despite his maddening inconsistency at point guard. And young players like Scott Wood and Richard Howell showed some flashes toward the end of last year. There is also optimism because of a strong recruiting class, led by power forward C.J. Leslie. The reason why I have the Wolfpack ranked 7th is squarely because of Sidney Lowe. I don't believe he is the right coach for this high pressure job, and NC State has had talent before but underachieved.
NC State does have a pretty tough schedule. They have back-to-back road games against Wisconsin and Syracuse. And in conference play, they must play Duke, North Carolina and Florida State twice. I think this will keep them right around the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. And if they don't make the Big Dance with their talent this year, you can bet they will be looking for a new coach come April.
#7: NC State
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 12
Best non-conference game: Dec. 4 at Syracuse
Projected Starting Five:
F - Tracy Smith (Senior)
F - C.J. Leslie (Freshman)
F - Scott Wood (Sophomore)
G - C.J. Williams (Junior)
G - Javier Gonzalez (Senior)
For years (basically all of the Sidney Lowe era), NC State has been mired in mediocrity. Lowe has not gotten to the NCAA Tournament, in four years not finishing better than 6-10 in conference. So I am taking an I'll believe it when I see it approach to this team this year, which many people predict will take a big step forward. The ACC media picked NC State 4th in their preseason poll.
I will agree that NC State has some very good pieces. Tracy Smith is capable of being an all-conference player, and entering his senior year should put up some great numbers. I have always liked Javier Gonzalez, despite his maddening inconsistency at point guard. And young players like Scott Wood and Richard Howell showed some flashes toward the end of last year. There is also optimism because of a strong recruiting class, led by power forward C.J. Leslie. The reason why I have the Wolfpack ranked 7th is squarely because of Sidney Lowe. I don't believe he is the right coach for this high pressure job, and NC State has had talent before but underachieved.
NC State does have a pretty tough schedule. They have back-to-back road games against Wisconsin and Syracuse. And in conference play, they must play Duke, North Carolina and Florida State twice. I think this will keep them right around the bubble for the NCAA Tournament. And if they don't make the Big Dance with their talent this year, you can bet they will be looking for a new coach come April.
Friday, November 05, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#8: Clemson
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 8
Best non-conference game: Dec. 5 at South Carolina
Projected Starting Five:
F - Devin Booker (Sophomore)
F - Jerai Grant (Senior)
G - Noel Johnson (Sophomore)
G - Tanner Smith (Junior)
G - Demontez Stitt (Senior)
Like Boston College, the Clemson Tigers are dealing with an entirely new regime. Surprisingly, Oliver Purnell chose to go to DePaul. That left Clemson to fill the void with Brad Brownell, a coach with some pretty good success at Wright State. And I think like Boston College, the transition will take some time.
In terms of personnel, Clemson has a decent amount of talent. They lost Trevor Booker, but return a good deal of talent in the frontcourt. One of those frontcourt players is Trevor's brother Devin, who looked pretty good at times in his freshman year. I think Jerai Grant will have a good year down low as well, in his senior year. The backcourt is a little bit more of a question mark. Demontez Stitt is a solid player, and Andre Young should give them a lift off the bench. But I don't really see a lot of big scorers out of their guards. The only freshman on Clemson's roster is Cory Stanton, a guard who originally committed to Wright State.
Clemson is another team that I think has a pretty weak non-conference schedule. They are playing in a tournament that is in the Virgin Islands, but the only other NCAA participant in that field is Xavier. And besides their ACC/Big Ten game and their rivalry game against South Carolina, there isn't much out there.
Oliver Purnell did a great job of elevating Clemson's program to the point where they were consistently in the NCAA Tournament. I don't think they'll get there this year with a new coach and some question marks in the backcourt. But they have enough talent in the frontcourt to scare some people.
#8: Clemson
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 8
Best non-conference game: Dec. 5 at South Carolina
Projected Starting Five:
F - Devin Booker (Sophomore)
F - Jerai Grant (Senior)
G - Noel Johnson (Sophomore)
G - Tanner Smith (Junior)
G - Demontez Stitt (Senior)
Like Boston College, the Clemson Tigers are dealing with an entirely new regime. Surprisingly, Oliver Purnell chose to go to DePaul. That left Clemson to fill the void with Brad Brownell, a coach with some pretty good success at Wright State. And I think like Boston College, the transition will take some time.
In terms of personnel, Clemson has a decent amount of talent. They lost Trevor Booker, but return a good deal of talent in the frontcourt. One of those frontcourt players is Trevor's brother Devin, who looked pretty good at times in his freshman year. I think Jerai Grant will have a good year down low as well, in his senior year. The backcourt is a little bit more of a question mark. Demontez Stitt is a solid player, and Andre Young should give them a lift off the bench. But I don't really see a lot of big scorers out of their guards. The only freshman on Clemson's roster is Cory Stanton, a guard who originally committed to Wright State.
Clemson is another team that I think has a pretty weak non-conference schedule. They are playing in a tournament that is in the Virgin Islands, but the only other NCAA participant in that field is Xavier. And besides their ACC/Big Ten game and their rivalry game against South Carolina, there isn't much out there.
Oliver Purnell did a great job of elevating Clemson's program to the point where they were consistently in the NCAA Tournament. I don't think they'll get there this year with a new coach and some question marks in the backcourt. But they have enough talent in the frontcourt to scare some people.
Thursday, November 04, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#9: Boston College
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 8
Best non-conference game: Nov. 25 vs. Texas A&M (in Orlando)
Projected Starting Five:
C - Josh Southern (Senior)
F - Joe Trapani (Junior)
F - Corey Raji (Senior)
G - Biko Paris (Senior)
G - Reggie Jackson (Junior)
Last year, Boston College struggled, which was pretty much expected. They had lost their best player (Tyrese Rice). But now they are left to start over again with a new coach. The Eagles hired Cornell's Steve Donahue after dumping Al Skinner. So while the Eagles return a lot of experience and some pretty talented players, the conventional wisdom is that with a new coach there will be some growing pains.
I like a couple players on the BC team. Joe Trapani has been solid for them after transferring from Vermont. He can play lights out at times, but needs to work on his consistency. Reggie Jackson was a young player who last year showed some flashes of being a very dynamic player. I expect him to take a step forward this year. The Eagles did lose Rakim Sanders, who was a solid player at times but really struggled last year. The rest of their pieces are players who have experience but probably would not start on many teams in the ACC.
There are eight seniors on the roster this year, so the Eagles should be used to the ups and downs of the ACC. The test will be whether they can adapt to the new system and have the confidence that they can win the big game. Besides a trip to the tournament in Orlando, BC has a pretty easy non-conference schedule, so they should start out with a decent record. They have to eliminate the bad losses that plagued them last year. If Donahue can get this team playing with confidence, they have a chance to contend for an NCAA bid.
#9: Boston College
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 8
Best non-conference game: Nov. 25 vs. Texas A&M (in Orlando)
Projected Starting Five:
C - Josh Southern (Senior)
F - Joe Trapani (Junior)
F - Corey Raji (Senior)
G - Biko Paris (Senior)
G - Reggie Jackson (Junior)
Last year, Boston College struggled, which was pretty much expected. They had lost their best player (Tyrese Rice). But now they are left to start over again with a new coach. The Eagles hired Cornell's Steve Donahue after dumping Al Skinner. So while the Eagles return a lot of experience and some pretty talented players, the conventional wisdom is that with a new coach there will be some growing pains.
I like a couple players on the BC team. Joe Trapani has been solid for them after transferring from Vermont. He can play lights out at times, but needs to work on his consistency. Reggie Jackson was a young player who last year showed some flashes of being a very dynamic player. I expect him to take a step forward this year. The Eagles did lose Rakim Sanders, who was a solid player at times but really struggled last year. The rest of their pieces are players who have experience but probably would not start on many teams in the ACC.
There are eight seniors on the roster this year, so the Eagles should be used to the ups and downs of the ACC. The test will be whether they can adapt to the new system and have the confidence that they can win the big game. Besides a trip to the tournament in Orlando, BC has a pretty easy non-conference schedule, so they should start out with a decent record. They have to eliminate the bad losses that plagued them last year. If Donahue can get this team playing with confidence, they have a chance to contend for an NCAA bid.
Wednesday, November 03, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#10: Georgia Tech
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 10
Best non-conference game: Nov. 26 vs. UTEP (in Atlantic City)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Kammeon Holsey (Freshman)
F - Brian Oliver (Sophomore)
G - Glen Rice, Jr. (Sophomore)
G - Ufon Mdofia (Sophomore)
G - Iman Shumpert (Junior)
I like Paul Hewitt. He seems like a good guy, and he has proven to be a very strong recruiter. But the fact of the matter is he's not a very good coach. Hewitt's Georgia Tech teams have consistenly underachieved. He has had so many one-and-done players over the years who really don't help the program. If there was any year that the Yellow Jackets would succeed, it would have been last year, with Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal. But they couldn't even break .500 in the conference, and barely made it in the NCAA Tournament.
So what does that leave Georgia Tech with this year? Lawal and Favors are gone, as is Zach Peacock. They have some talented young guards, notably Ufon Mdofia and Iman Shumpert. But they literally have no frontcourt whatsoever. When I was putting together their starting five, I had no idea who to put in the post position. On their roster of 15 players, they have listed 11 guards, 2 forwards and 2 centers. Of the forwards and centers, three are freshman. And the fourth, Brian Oliver, is not a post man.
So I see the Yellow Jackets going with a very small lineup. It doesn't matter how good your guards are, if you can't defend other teams' interior players you are going to struggle. I see Georgia Tech's young team turning the ball over a lot, even more so than in previous years. And it will be an extremely difficult task for them to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Taking a look at their schedule, we should find out a lot about Georgia Tech in the Legends Classic in Atlantic City, where they will play UTEP and either Michigan or Syracuse. From there on out, they have few non-conference tests. Fortunately for Georgia Tech, they only have one game against Duke and one against UNC. But I could easily see this being Paul Hewitt's last year in Atlanta.
#10: Georgia Tech
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 10
Best non-conference game: Nov. 26 vs. UTEP (in Atlantic City)
Projected Starting Five:
F - Kammeon Holsey (Freshman)
F - Brian Oliver (Sophomore)
G - Glen Rice, Jr. (Sophomore)
G - Ufon Mdofia (Sophomore)
G - Iman Shumpert (Junior)
I like Paul Hewitt. He seems like a good guy, and he has proven to be a very strong recruiter. But the fact of the matter is he's not a very good coach. Hewitt's Georgia Tech teams have consistenly underachieved. He has had so many one-and-done players over the years who really don't help the program. If there was any year that the Yellow Jackets would succeed, it would have been last year, with Derrick Favors and Gani Lawal. But they couldn't even break .500 in the conference, and barely made it in the NCAA Tournament.
So what does that leave Georgia Tech with this year? Lawal and Favors are gone, as is Zach Peacock. They have some talented young guards, notably Ufon Mdofia and Iman Shumpert. But they literally have no frontcourt whatsoever. When I was putting together their starting five, I had no idea who to put in the post position. On their roster of 15 players, they have listed 11 guards, 2 forwards and 2 centers. Of the forwards and centers, three are freshman. And the fourth, Brian Oliver, is not a post man.
So I see the Yellow Jackets going with a very small lineup. It doesn't matter how good your guards are, if you can't defend other teams' interior players you are going to struggle. I see Georgia Tech's young team turning the ball over a lot, even more so than in previous years. And it will be an extremely difficult task for them to get back to the NCAA Tournament.
Taking a look at their schedule, we should find out a lot about Georgia Tech in the Legends Classic in Atlantic City, where they will play UTEP and either Michigan or Syracuse. From there on out, they have few non-conference tests. Fortunately for Georgia Tech, they only have one game against Duke and one against UNC. But I could easily see this being Paul Hewitt's last year in Atlanta.
Tuesday, November 02, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
#11: Virginia
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Nov. 22 vs. Washington (in Maui)
Projected Starting Five:
C - Assane Sene (Junior)
F - Mike Scott (Senior)
F - James Johnson (Freshman)
G - Mustapha Farrakhan (Senior)
G - Sammy Zeglinski (Junior)
I fully expected to pick Virginia to finish last in the conference, until I saw Wake Forest's returning roster. The Cavaliers got off to a decent start last year in the first year under Tony Bennett, then fell apart at the end of the year. The Cavs lost 9 in a row to end the regular season and ended up benching their best player, Sylvan Landesberg. As expected, Landesberg went to the NBA. The Cavaliers then lost another good player, Jeff Jones, who decided to transfer. And a number of players graduated.
What that leaves Virginia with is one very solid player in Mike Scott. He is good for 20 points and 10 rebounds most nights. Their second best player, Sammy Zeglinski, is injured and will miss the first part of the year. Their other returning players, including Farrakhan and Sene, are really just role players. Virginia does bring in a bunch of freshman, who will be counted on to be impact players immediately.
What I will be looking for this year is to see whether Tony Bennett is able to establish his imprint on this program. His teams at Washington State were known for playing very tough defenses - usually the first to 60 won. That didn't really happen much at Virginia last year, probably because of the personnel that they had.
I will give the Cavaliers credit - they have put together a very challenging non-conference schedule, one of the few teams in the ACC to do so. Virginia will be representing the ACC in Maui this year, where they will have some stiff competition. They also travel to California to play Stanford, and host BCS foes Oregon, Iowa State and LSU. They will certainly take their lumps in November and December but could emerge ready to compete by the time conference play comes around.
#11: Virginia
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Nov. 22 vs. Washington (in Maui)
Projected Starting Five:
C - Assane Sene (Junior)
F - Mike Scott (Senior)
F - James Johnson (Freshman)
G - Mustapha Farrakhan (Senior)
G - Sammy Zeglinski (Junior)
I fully expected to pick Virginia to finish last in the conference, until I saw Wake Forest's returning roster. The Cavaliers got off to a decent start last year in the first year under Tony Bennett, then fell apart at the end of the year. The Cavs lost 9 in a row to end the regular season and ended up benching their best player, Sylvan Landesberg. As expected, Landesberg went to the NBA. The Cavaliers then lost another good player, Jeff Jones, who decided to transfer. And a number of players graduated.
What that leaves Virginia with is one very solid player in Mike Scott. He is good for 20 points and 10 rebounds most nights. Their second best player, Sammy Zeglinski, is injured and will miss the first part of the year. Their other returning players, including Farrakhan and Sene, are really just role players. Virginia does bring in a bunch of freshman, who will be counted on to be impact players immediately.
What I will be looking for this year is to see whether Tony Bennett is able to establish his imprint on this program. His teams at Washington State were known for playing very tough defenses - usually the first to 60 won. That didn't really happen much at Virginia last year, probably because of the personnel that they had.
I will give the Cavaliers credit - they have put together a very challenging non-conference schedule, one of the few teams in the ACC to do so. Virginia will be representing the ACC in Maui this year, where they will have some stiff competition. They also travel to California to play Stanford, and host BCS foes Oregon, Iowa State and LSU. They will certainly take their lumps in November and December but could emerge ready to compete by the time conference play comes around.
Monday, November 01, 2010
2010-2011 ACC Preview
The calendar has turned to November and that means it's just about time for the basketball season to start. And for me that means putting together another ACC preview. The media came up with its predictions for the year, and now it's my turn. I will be counting down from #12 to my prediction as the #1 team in the conference. Before I list the #12 team, a few words about the preview.
I think coming into the year most people will say this will be a down year for the ACC. And it's hard for me to argue with that, looking at the talent that was lost and the rosters for the teams. Once you get past the first few teams, the league is as wide open as any year I've seen it. One of the things I look at going into the year is how many games each team plays against NCAA Tournament teams from the year before. Last year, each team played at least 10 such games, with some much more than that. This year, some teams only have 8 games against NCAA Tourney teams. That's mostly a function of the fact that only 6 ACC teams made the tournament last year. And I'm a bit disappointed with some of the non-conference schedules. Many teams are not playing very challenging slates at all.
With that being said, let's start the list with who I predict will be the last place finisher.
#12: Wake Forest
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 18 at Xavier
Projected Starting Five:
C - Ty Walker (Junior)
F - Travis McKie (Freshman)
F - Ari Stewart (Sophomore)
G - C.J. Harris (Sophomore)
G - Gary Clark (Senior)
There really is no sugar-coating: Wake Forest is in for a rough year. The Deacons made the NCAA Tournament last year with a squad of talented players, getting to the second round. Then it was goodbye to Coach Dino Gaudio. And goodbye to Al-Farouq Aminu, among others. That leaves new Coach Jeff Bzdelik to try to impart a new system with a virtually bare cupboard.
The Demon Deacons do not have many players with real significant game experience. Here are the pieces that return from last year: Senior Gary Clark scored 3.2 points per game last year. Guard C.J. Harris scored 9.9 points per game last year as a freshman. Ari Stewart scored 7.3 points per game last year. And that's it. No one else had significant playing time in 2009-2010. The Deacons have very few weapons in the frontcourt, and will miss the point guard leadership of Ish Smith.
The bottom line is I just don't know where the scoring is going to come from with Wake. Harris is going to be a solid player but he's not a scoring machine. They have to hope their incoming freshman will be able to play immediately for them to do anything this year. They do have a fairly easy early season schedule. But we should learn a lot at the NIT Season Tip-Off event in MSG on Thanksgiving week.
The calendar has turned to November and that means it's just about time for the basketball season to start. And for me that means putting together another ACC preview. The media came up with its predictions for the year, and now it's my turn. I will be counting down from #12 to my prediction as the #1 team in the conference. Before I list the #12 team, a few words about the preview.
I think coming into the year most people will say this will be a down year for the ACC. And it's hard for me to argue with that, looking at the talent that was lost and the rosters for the teams. Once you get past the first few teams, the league is as wide open as any year I've seen it. One of the things I look at going into the year is how many games each team plays against NCAA Tournament teams from the year before. Last year, each team played at least 10 such games, with some much more than that. This year, some teams only have 8 games against NCAA Tourney teams. That's mostly a function of the fact that only 6 ACC teams made the tournament last year. And I'm a bit disappointed with some of the non-conference schedules. Many teams are not playing very challenging slates at all.
With that being said, let's start the list with who I predict will be the last place finisher.
#12: Wake Forest
Games against 2010 NCAA Tournament teams: 11
Best non-conference game: Dec. 18 at Xavier
Projected Starting Five:
C - Ty Walker (Junior)
F - Travis McKie (Freshman)
F - Ari Stewart (Sophomore)
G - C.J. Harris (Sophomore)
G - Gary Clark (Senior)
There really is no sugar-coating: Wake Forest is in for a rough year. The Deacons made the NCAA Tournament last year with a squad of talented players, getting to the second round. Then it was goodbye to Coach Dino Gaudio. And goodbye to Al-Farouq Aminu, among others. That leaves new Coach Jeff Bzdelik to try to impart a new system with a virtually bare cupboard.
The Demon Deacons do not have many players with real significant game experience. Here are the pieces that return from last year: Senior Gary Clark scored 3.2 points per game last year. Guard C.J. Harris scored 9.9 points per game last year as a freshman. Ari Stewart scored 7.3 points per game last year. And that's it. No one else had significant playing time in 2009-2010. The Deacons have very few weapons in the frontcourt, and will miss the point guard leadership of Ish Smith.
The bottom line is I just don't know where the scoring is going to come from with Wake. Harris is going to be a solid player but he's not a scoring machine. They have to hope their incoming freshman will be able to play immediately for them to do anything this year. They do have a fairly easy early season schedule. But we should learn a lot at the NIT Season Tip-Off event in MSG on Thanksgiving week.
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