NC State in the semis

[dukelifer]

NC State's patient O did in another opponent- Virginia. This is a masterful coaching job by Lowe so far. His guys are playing within themselves and passing like a veteran team. I am impressed. Virginia was clicking for a while- and just like in the Duke game- State started to go inside in the second half and started to make layups. Costner is playing great. He hit 3 threes tonight. Go State! They have beaten Va Tech and can beat Wake. I think they will be in the finals!

[AluminumDuke]

maybe Coach K should borrow that red jacket for the NCAA Tournament!

[Bob Green]

State played another tough game today. They are playing with a passionate fire. I hope they win it all.

Bob Green
Yokosuka, Japan

[hurleyfor3]

Gotta be the jacket. This is a great story in the making. I'm rooting for 'em.

[rthomas]

Reminiscing 1983. Sidney Lowe and the Cardiac Kids. Go Jimmy V.

I hope they go all the way!!!

[dukelifer]

What is amazing is that are doing this in slow motion. They seem to be conserving energy. For a team that has no depth- that is critical. They are controlling tempo and executing. Last time Lowe was in the ACC final (as a player)- his team won it all as a six seed (I believe) and then went on to win the NCAA. Who knows. Got to pull for State.

[mapei]

I hate that red jacket but I'm rooting hard for them. Win the ACC, go to the dance and represent (unless you play Duke again or Georgetown)!

[mph]

Rootin' for the Pack the rest of the way.

[Cameron]

^^Same here. I hope the Pack seniors can get it done. As much as I hated Atsur last night (and boy did I despise him), he's a hell of a player. Him and Costner make a great scoring duo.

Good luck to NC State the rest of the way.

[KyDevilinIL]

Do the results so far of the ACCT give any credence to a theory that the ACC will get a bunch of teams in the NCAAT, but not many will make it past the first weekend? I fear we might be in that sort of situation this year.

Honestly -- BC, UVA, Ga Tech, Va Tech...I say maybe one, at the most, of that bunch makes the Sweet 16, depending on whether Ga Tech actually makes the bracket. UNC's probably in the second weekend. And who knows with Duke and MD?

Not that any of this really matters one way or the other. I just don't see this conference blazing deep into the tournament for some reason.

[VaDukie]

I don't see any ACC team making it to the Final Four, and I only consider Carolina a contender to make it to the Elite Eight.

Everyone's good, but no one is great.

[Indoor66]

Do the results so far of the ACCT give any credence to a theory that the ACC will get a bunch of teams in the NCAAT, but not many will make it past the first weekend? I fear we might be in that sort of situation this year.

Honestly -- BC, UVA, Ga Tech, Va Tech...I say maybe one, at the most, of that bunch makes the Sweet 16, depending on whether Ga Tech actually makes the bracket. UNC's probably in the second weekend. And who knows with Duke and MD?

Not that any of this really matters one way or the other. I just don't see this conference blazing deep into the tournament for some reason.

From the games I have seen around the country, nobody is going to make the Final 4! There is no lock down favorite, IMO. This is a wide open tourney.

[throatybeard]

I would and should root for them (a degree from there, and all), but I really don't want to see Virginia Tech removed from Carolina's path.

[dukelifer]

Both Tech and State have been thorns in different ways and different eras. Either upsetting Carolina would be fine with me.

[throatybeard]

Sure thing, but VT is a lot more likely to do it on day 3 than State is on day 4. IMO.

[TheDuke11]

if bc wins today then I'll pull for ncsu. otherwise, the heels must die and va tech gives the best chance for that.

at some point however, if these teams that would not have otherwise make the tournament, Duke might have to start sweating it out some.

[dukie8]

Do the results so far of the ACCT give any credence to a theory that the ACC will get a bunch of teams in the NCAAT, but not many will make it past the first weekend? I fear we might be in that sort of situation this year.

Honestly -- BC, UVA, Ga Tech, Va Tech...I say maybe one, at the most, of that bunch makes the Sweet 16, depending on whether Ga Tech actually makes the bracket. UNC's probably in the second weekend. And who knows with Duke and MD?

Not that any of this really matters one way or the other. I just don't see this conference blazing deep into the tournament for some reason.

sounds like the mvc last year. at least the acc figured out how to manipulate the rpi this year...

[drion97]

Judging from how strong/weak teams have done lately in the tourney (and the fact that my girlfriend beat me in the bracket last year despite knowing nothing), I'd say we have nearly no idea how far teams will go. And WHICH teams.

Several times in the last few years some random ACC team has made the sweet 16 after ACC fans have watched it all year be average. Who would've predicted Maryland's loss in the opening round of the ACC's?

Literally nothing would surprise me at this moment. Either Tech could make the Elite 8, or fall in the first round. Virginia could go to the Final Four with the right draw, Duke or Maryland could get to the finals with the right draw.

OR, everyone but UNC could lose in the first round. You just never know...

[KyDevilinIL]

at some point however, if these teams that would not have otherwise make the tournament, Duke might have to start sweating it out some.

I don't think we can lose our spot in the tourney to a surprise tourney champ. But these unexpected champs will influence the where and when of Duke's bracketing.

Of course, a case could be made that an influx of unexpected NCAAT participants could actually improve Duke's seeding, since those new teams will almost certainly be placed below the 10 line, thereby pushing some at-large locks upward to make room.

But whatever. I still think we're solidly in, but there's absolutely no telling what will happen on Sunday. I'd rather be in our normal position, but in some ways the suspense is kind of fun.

[dukie8]

I don't think we can lose our spot in the tourney to a surprise tourney champ. But these unexpected champs will influence the where and when of Duke's bracketing.

Of course, a case could be made that an influx of unexpected NCAAT participants could actually improve Duke's seeding, since those new teams will almost certainly be placed below the 10 line, thereby pushing some at-large locks upward to make room.

But whatever. I still think we're solidly in, but there's absolutely no telling what will happen on Sunday. I'd rather be in our normal position, but in some ways the suspense is kind of fun.

i don't understand your reasoning. if we currently are a 7/8, which is what most people think, then how does it affect duke if teams like nc st, gw or houston grab auto bids? that's going to mean that teams like fsu or syracuse, which currently are 12 seeds (or whatever the lowest at large seed is), will be bumped out and either replaced by the upstarts or, if the upstarts are 13 or 14 seeds, then replaced by teams currently in the 13 range. i don't see how any of this has any bearing on 7/8 seeds. it will have bearing on 3/4/5 seeds because it will change who their first round opponents are. however, i don't think you can say that playing a meddling bcs school that lost in its tournament (eg, fsu or texas tech) or playing a meddling bcs or mid major school that got hot and won its tournament (eg, possibly nc st, gw or utah st) really matters for a 3/4/5 seed.