2010-11 STATS: 13.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 1.0 APG (.497/.731/.304)

DEEP THOUGHTS:
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No 1. NORTH CAROLINA
The Tar Heels are not just the number one team in the ACC, they are the clear number one team in the land. They return everybody that matters, including potential All-American Harrison Barnes. You could argue that the Tar Heels have not only the best small forward (Barnes) in the conference, but also the top point guard (Marshall), best center (Zeller) and best power forward (Henson). While I wouldn’t label Strickland the top SG, he’s still pretty effective.

If you’re looking for any kind of weakness, maybe we could talk about frontcourt depth, but let’s be honest, incoming freshman James McAdoo will probably be better than Justin Knox. Anything short of a national championship will be a disappointment for this team.

No. 2 DUKE
The Blue Devils are stunningly deep next season, to the point where I have no idea how Coach K is going to handle it. Hell, their incoming freshman class (Cook, Rivers, Gbinije, Murphy and Marshall Plumlee) could all start and still finish second in the ACC. Assuming Austin Rivers is as good as advertised, then Duke is looking like a solid 2-seed (potential one) in the NCAA Tournament.

However, if they’re looking to remain the top dogs of the ACC over UNC, then the Plumlee brothers (I’m talking about Miles and Mason) need to step up their games. They are the keys to any late push into March.

No. 3 MIAMI
This is where things get hazy. The ACC is clearly North Carolina/Duke and then everyone else. The popular third pick will be the Seminoles, but I’m going to shake things up and put the Hurricanes up to three. I really think Jim Larranaga is going to improve this veteran team.

The fact is, I love their “Big Three” of Malcolm Grant, Durant Scott and big man Reggie Johnson. I’m especially excited to see Johnson in the middle. I think the 300-pound center will play like an All-ACC player next season.

No. 4 FLORIDA STATE
The Seminoles lost their two top players in Singleton and Kitchen. Don’t discount how important the pair were. In fact, I would argue Kitchen was the bigger loss, because he’s going to be the toughest to replace.

Ian Miller will take over the point guard role, even though his natural skill set is scoring. If he can run the offense and keep the turnovers to a minimum, then I’d probably stick them back up to the three spot in the ACC. I just suspect he’s going to be sizzle some days and fizzle others.

In the end though, Hamilton’s team has always been about the defense and that won’t change. Okaro White, Bernard James and Xavier Gibson will again make life difficult in the paint for just about everybody.

No. 5 CLEMSON
You have to hand it to Coach Brownell, he has a strategy…although I’m not sure what it is. With the addition of five new freshman (all should be coming off the bench in 2011-2012), the Tigers might have the most athletic team in the ACC. However, Clemson will probably be the worst shooting team in league as well.

Three things need to happen for Clemson to head back to the NCAA Tournament. First, Andre Young needs to stop jacking up threes and be a Kendal Marshall-type facilitator. Second, Devin Booker needs to become a finisher inside like his brother and third, Milton Jennings needs to show us why he was a McDonald’s All-American. (more…)

Heading into the season, the Big Ten actually had the clear edge heading (three teams ranked in the top-10) and so far, I haven’t seen anything that would change that perspective.  ACC teams have already dropped 21 games this season. Every team but Duke has lost already. In fact, seven ACC teams have already suffered two defeats.

The Big-Ten has also suffered some set backs, Michigan State dropped one in Maui and Purdue has some issues minus Robbie Hummel. Overall though, they’re already 2-0 against the ACC and four teams remain undefeated, including Ohio State, who looks like a real contender right now.

So let’s look ahead and see what we have to look forward to for Monday and Tuesday night (Wednesday’s match ups will come Tuesday).

Monday, November 29th

Virginia @ Minnesota
One team beat North Carolina and West Virginia, the other lost to Stanford by 21 and Washington by 43. Who you got in this one? Minnesota and Virginia have faced off twice before in this Challenge. Like this one, both were in Minneapolis and both were won by the Golden Gophers. This one should be no different.

The Cavaliers have been killed in the paint. Outside of Mike Scott’s 16.5 points and 9.3 rebounds per game, no other Cavalier big man has produced much of anything. Of the four other forwards/centers getting playing time, they have combined to score just over 11 points, grabbing nine rebounds per game.

Minnesota has three guys averaging nearly seven boards per game. Forward Trevor Mbakwe is Da Man inside. A year after popping a woman in the face twice (it never went to trial), Mbakwe finally got back on the court and is dominating. He’s averaged 13 per game, hitting 69-percent of his shots, grabbing nine rebounds per game.

WORTHLESS PREDICTION: MINNESOTA, 75-52

Tuesday, November 30th

North Carolina @ Illinois
These two teams have faced off three times in this tournament and the Fighting Illini have taken two of the three games. Both teams have faced off with a team from the opposing conference. North Carolina fell to Minnesota, while Illinois took down Maryland in Madison Square Gardens.

It’s early, but the Tar Heels are about as sharp as Aaron Ralston’s right arm. They’ve already dropped two games and they barely beat the College of Charleston. Pre-season All-American (and second coming of Christ), Harrison Barnes has struggled in the early going. He is second in scoring on the team, but he’s hit just 38-percent of his shots, struggling to finish plays up close and personal with the basket. Thank god for that business degree he plans on getting at UNC.

The Fighting Illini have been one of the most balanced teams in the nation. Nine guys see solid minutes on the floor and five different players average double-digit in points. The Tar Heels clearly have more future pros on their roster, but until they start playing like a team, they’ll continue to lose as a team.

WORTHLESS PREDICTION: ILLINOIS, 87-84

Ohio State @ Florida State
The Buckeyes have faced the Seminoles once before in the tournament back in 2009. The game was played in Columbus and was won by Ohio State, 77-64.

Florida State has typically been known for their defense, but so far this year, they’ve turned into Scott Baio at a “Charles in Charge” Reunion (i.e., they’re scoring a lot). Florida State is averaging 83.6 ppg, second in the ACC behind Duke. Chris Singleton has done about everything short of strangling a charging bear with his bare hands. He’s averaging a double-double (17/10), producing three blocks and three steals just for fun.

Buckeyes’ big man Jared Sullinger may be hogging all the national headlines (and he certainly deserves it), but let’s not forget about senior David Lightly. While Sullinger dominates the inside, Lightly has been unstoppable on the outside. He actually leads the team in scoring (15.6 per game), hitting 51-percent of his shots.

While I can get bogged down in the players and numbers of these two teams, here is the simple math that even a Florida State graduate could understand…Florida State lost to Florida by five in Gainesville. Ohio State beat the same Florida team in Gainesville by 18. Those kind of numbers don’t lie.

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(3) KANSAS STATE OVER VIRGINIA TECH, 73-57
After being ripped for a cupcake schedule last season, Virginia Tech went out of their way to put some meat on their schedule this season. Against Kansas State, the Hokies had a chance to prove something. Saying they came up short might be an understatement.

The Kansas State Wildcats were without power forward Curtis Kelly and preseason all-american, Jacob Pullen missed most of the first half in foul trouble. Everything was coming up Hokie. Yet with a two-point lead with 14 to play, Virginia Tech collapsed. Kansas State went on a 28-9 run and the game was over.

So what went wrong?

The Hokies struggled with K-State’s pressure defense and their length. Malcolm Delaney actually had a double-double, but not the kind you like. He scored 22 (leading all scorers), but he turned it over 10 times. The reality is, if Delaney wants to play at the next level, the 6’3 guard will have to play the point, but in college, he’s most dangerous as the two guard.

In the end, Virginia Tech fans had to be disappointed in the scoring total (57) and the margin of defeat (16), but there is no real shame in losing on the road to the No. 3 team in the land. Their next true test will come in two weeks when Purdue comes to town. If they lose that one, then we have some issues in need of discussion.

(19) MEMPHIS OVER MIAMI, 72-68
Like Virginia Tech, the Miami Hurricanes have put together a more challenging schedule for themselves. While Memphis is no Kansas State, they are ranked (#19) and the game was at midnight. While Miami failed to walk away with a win, there were plenty of positives for this young Canes team.

They played great defense, holding Memphis to only 19 made baskets (including 4-22 from three). Miami also owned the boards, out-rebounding the Tigers 51-31. Miami’s two guards and stars, Durand Scott and Malcolm Scott, did score 38 points, although they needed 27 shots to get it. Too many.

In the end, the game was a tough, physical game. The two teams combined to take an incredible 75 free throw attempts. The Hurricanes actually led by four with just under four to play, but when Memphis took the lead back, they held it for good by hitting six of their last eight free throws.

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WAKE FOREST’S 2010-2011 SCHEDULE

Wake needed a break early, but they aren’t getting one. The Deacons will be participating in the NIT Season Tip-Off.

Sure they’ll be hosting the east regional side of the bracket, but if they want to advance to Madison Square Gardens, they need to win both games. I’m not sure it’s a lock.

At first, they’ll take on Hampton. If they win that one, Wake will either face VCU or Winthrop. The two mid-majors can easily walk into Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum and pull out a win.

If Wake Forest can avoid the upset, they potentially find schools like Villanova, Tennessee and UCLA. Right now, I wouldn’t label Wake the favorite over any of those four teams.

Wake Forest will end the month of November against Iowa in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.

After a tough first month to the season, December becomes a lot easier for the Demon Deacons. The schedule is loaded with cupcakes (Holy Cross, UNC Wilmington, UNC Greensboro, Presbyterian and Richmond).

The lone exception is the Skip Prosser Classic where they’ll take on a very good Xavier team in Cincinnati.

Once the New Year kicks in, Wake heads home to take on Gonzaga. The Bulldogs will be looking for revenge after the Demon Deacons won in Spokane last year.

In ACC play, Wake avoided two games with Duke and North Carolina.  They host the former and visit the latter. However, don’t assume that gives them an easy schedule.

They do double-duty against the likes of Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland, NC State and Virginia Tech, All five of those team will have legit shots at the NCAA Tournament.

I know the economy is sinking there, but are they this starved for talent?

The 6’11 Weaver averaged 2.5 points and 2.1 rebounds per game in four years at Wake. His career game came last year against Oral Roberts. He finished with eight points, grabbing seven boards.

Fact is, if the guys who left early (Teague, Johnson and Al-Farouq) had stayed to become seniors, Wake would be one of the top-three teams in the nation right now. Welcome to college basketball, folks.

The Demon Deacons are practically rebuilding the wheel here. There is only one senior on this club (Gary Clark) and he won’t see much action. Five freshman are coming in and don’t be surprised if two are starting on day one.

Last year, forward Ari Stewart and C.J. Harris both started for Wake as freshman and both played surprisingly well. One will have to be “the man” for this team in 2010. My money is on Harris. (more…)

That debate is no longer happening. Now I’m not even sure the ACC is as good as the PAC-10 or the Big 10. The breakdown in the first round was:
- Big 12: 6-0
- Big East: 5-1
- PAC 10: 5-1
- Big 10: 4-3
- ACC 3-4
- SEC: 1-2

Well, at least we’re still better than the SEC. The worst part was the 0-2 mark against the Big Ten (Florida State lost to Wisconsin, Clemson lost to Michigan).

What went wrong?

No 4 Wake Forest - There was no excuse for the Demon Deacons to lose to Cleveland State. They have three players who would be drafted in the first round of the NBA draft. In fact, I’m sorry Wake fans, but I hope you enjoyed your first round ride, because the big three will be gone. Do you really think these three are going to pass up million dollar paychecks in two months just to come back and lose to Cleveland State. We should have known this was coming. Despite being number one at mid-season at 16-0, but the Demons finished 8-6.
History should have told us what to expect: Since 1997, Wake Forest has made it to the second weekend in the tournament only once (2004).

No 5 Florida State - The Seminoles were young, but they had Tony Douglas, one of the best players in the NCAA. Who was going to stop him? Um, Wisconsin did. Wow. The Seminoles were so talented, they were even going to give Pittsburgh trouble in the Sweet 16. Luckily for the Seminoles, even though they’re losing Tony Douglas, they have a young group of solid players and have another great recruiting class coming in.
History should have told us what to expect: How could we expect a team who hasn’t sniffed the NCAA Tournament since the 1997-1998 season, the suddenly make a run this season?

No 7 Boston College - We could simply argue that the young Eagles ran into a hot Southern California. The Trojans finished 5th in a weak PAC-10, entered the tournament with a five-game winning streak and a PAC-10 tournament title. Unlike the Seminoles’ Tony Douglas, who had a great game in defeat, Tyrese Rice finished his career with a nine-point game on 4-11 shooting.
History should have told us what to expect: The Eagles have survived the first weekend only once since 1994.

No 7 Clemson - Seriously, was anyone surprised by this. It’s becoming a yearly tradition…Clemson rolls out of the gate in the first half of the season, falls apart in the back end, drops out the ACC tournament quickly and loses in the NCAA tournament even quicker. Too much talent for this team to fall like this.
History should have told us what to expect: The Tigers haven’t won a NCAA Tournament game since 1997.

- First 20 minutes were the deciding factor against Wake (Seattle PI)

- For the Sultan, 18-2 is a sign of weakness (Sultan of Sport)

- Despite the agony of defeat, a good night for the ACC (Star News Online)

I’m talking to the one and only Nina Mandell. After watching the amazing Duke/Wake Forest game, the headline she comes up with is “Wake wins shows Duke’s inside game still wanting.”

Okay, where do we start? Does Duke have a big man who can dominate; a Brand, a Boozer? Nope. Do we need one? If we learned anything last night, we’ve proven that Duke can do just fine without one this year.

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