ACC Tournament: unc 79, VPI 76

[hurleyfor3]

For anyone watching this game, help out those of us who have to pretend we're working and report. I'd rather make this its own thread and keep the "non-Duke ACC games" thread for non-in-game discussions.

ESPN says VPI up 18-13 about halfway through the first.

[chattpanther]

20-13 VT leading UNC with 9:30 remaining. Anywhere to watch this online?

[InSpades]

Just watching the gamecast on ESPN (damn work!) but I certainly wouldn't be surprised by a VT win here. UNC without Lawson is just a very different team. That's not a knock on UNC, more of a credit to Lawson. I think it would be like Duke playing without Singler. I know they have 2 backups in Frasor and Drew but it's such a difference. Duke could much easier absorb a loss in the backcourt while UNC could much easier absorb a loss in the frontcourt (Zeller and Davis could fill in better for Hansbrough than Frasor and Drew can fill in for Lawson).

[DBFAN]

Did anyone see the charge call on Vesaillo (I have no idea how to spell that) while the carolina defender was jumping in the air? That may have been the worst call I have ever seen, funny thing is, Raycom did not show one replay:rolleyes:

[BlueintheFace]

Vasallo on the bench kills this team...

[hurleyfor3]

Unc up 43-42 at the half. Without watching the game I gotta believe that pace facors unc.

[Matches]

Justin Watts got in the game for UNC? Was there an ebola virus outbreak or something?

[jjasper0729]

Did anyone see the charge call on Vesaillo (I have no idea how to spell that) while the carolina defender was jumping in the air? That may have been the worst call I have ever seen, funny thing is, Raycom did not show one replay:rolleyes:

no they didn't, but "legally" a defensive player CAN jump as long as 1) he has established defensive position prior and 2) jumps ONLY vertically.

now, that being said, the next play at the other end really seemed like a payback/makeup call to me on Green.

also.. who got the foul at the end of the half when thompson went to the line for VPI? the announcers on ESPN never said.

[hurleyfor3]

also.. who got the foul at the end of the half when thompson went to the line for VPI? the announcers on ESPN never said.

...thus confirming it's Mike Patrick...

[jjasper0729]

nope... brad nessler and jimmy dykes

[BlueDevilJay]

Did anyone see the charge call on Vesaillo (I have no idea how to spell that) while the carolina defender was jumping in the air? That may have been the worst call I have ever seen, funny thing is, Raycom did not show one replay:rolleyes:

Yes I saw it too, and the room full of unc-ch fans I was watching with thought it to be the correct call obviously. I said, in my 25+ years of watching basketball, I have never seen a charge called when the defensive player left his feet in an attempt to block the shot. Probably one of the worst, most blatent biased calls I've ever seen in my life.

[jv001]

Did anyone see the charge call on Vesaillo (I have no idea how to spell that) while the carolina defender was jumping in the air? That may have been the worst call I have ever seen, funny thing is, Raycom did not show one replay:rolleyes:

I saw the play you mentioned. I said to myself that has to be the worst call I have ever seen in college basketball. And I'm not being a unc hater when I say that. I would have said if it had been against a Duke opponent. Go Duke!

[hurleyfor3]

nope... brad nessler and jimmy dykes

Then where the hell are Patrick/V? (Not that I'm demanding their presence or anything.) Don't they always do the ACC Tournament? Or is four games in one day too many for them and they're only doing the night session?

[jv001]

the refs call the 3rd foul on Vasello(sp) and Allen? Go Duke!

[MonitorMom]

Roy just did a Gary impersonation...gritty teeth, yelling at the bench and I may have seen a bead or two of sweat!

[Neals384]

54-53 with 14:21 left...

[jjasper0729]

allen has four now... that was a bad call...

[geraldsneighbor]

This officiating is a joke. Hansbrough gets breathed on it a foul.

[jv001]

3rd on Allen hand on ball but foul called. 4th just not smart play by Allen. Go Duke!

[jjasper0729]

i thought seth was going to get T-ed up on the one before... it's like they are anticipating contact and blow the whistle then HAVE to call something

[Cormac]

Dear NCAA tournament refs,

Please do not bail out Hanstravel like your ACC counterparts.


Thank you,
-Every non-unc fan


This is awful. I'm only 24, so my frame of reference is pretty small, but I have never seen calls like this favor a "star" player except in the NBA. Awful to watch. And I don't even like Va Tech in the slightest.

[TNDukeFan]

Q: When is a clean block/tie up not a clean block/tie up?
A: When it's done to Tyler Hansbrough. Then it's a foul.

[jjasper0729]

i cringe every time i pump my fist when they score (VPI)... too bad i can't cheer for the meteor

[jjasper0729]

Q: When is a clean block/tie up not a clean block/tie up?
A: When it's done to Tyler Hansbrough. Then it's a foul.

in all fairness... they DID call one in the first half that i just KNEW would be called a foul... but then they got scolded at halftime probably so it's all done now.

[Cameron]

Tech handing this one away just like they did a year ago in Charlotte.

Goodnight, Hokie Hi.

[jjasper0729]

two guys on the bench with stuipd 4th fouls

[jjasper0729]

I thought for sure they were giong to call that flop as a charge on ADV

[Cameron]

Carolina has this game in the bag. The Heels will determine the winner here..

[jv001]

VT by 3 and ball. Didn't think VT was going to shoot a FT in the 2nd half. Why do people say Duke get's all the calls. Just look at unc and Wake. Go Duke!

[jjasper0729]

"Game Blog: VT 72 UNC 1"

-- headline on wralsportsfan.com

if only

[jjasper0729]

HOLY CRAP!

a whole SECOND half with 3 team fouls

that's almost as bad as their first half with GT when they had a total of ONE

[jdj4duke]

If I were a Hokie fan (which I guess I am today) my head would be exploding.

2nd half fouls on UNC 3; on VT 9

[jdj4duke]

Criminal jump ball. This is embarrassing for the conference

[jjasper0729]

OH MY GOD!!!

ONE HAND and he gets a jump ball and NO FOUL?

[Cormac]

Boy, that was a mugging. Especially considering he was TRYING to foul again..... ugh

[jjasper0729]

this second half has been almost blatant favoritism... they'll say it's not but good grief. Seth has every right to get ticked after that play

[DukieInKansas]

What is really annoying about that tie up that gave the ball to UNC was that the pass wasn't to the guy that got tied up. I thought he intercepted the pass to the player on the perimeter.

[Newton_14]

I am so tired of watching this. Thank God his career is almost over. Hanstravel walks on the basket that gives the holes the lead, then fouls on purpose on the deciding play of the game and the unc refs call a jump ball that gives their team the ball back.

Unfrickin believable..

Hogwash.

The ACC should be embarrassed to allow crap like that to happen.

[jv001]

VA Tech played a good game, but hard to win if _______________________
___________. Fill in the blanks. Go Duke!

[jjasper0729]

I thought the same thing DIK... it was supposed to go back out to the perimeter.

and i'm so sick i want to throw up. that was so blatantly bad.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

you actually thought that VT was going to beat carolina this afternoon. ..... I'm waiting....... anybody? Guess not.

[geraldsneighbor]

The officiating was as bad as I have ever seen in an ACC game. Hansbrough getting all those calls and then for the game to be as physical as it was and UNC to have 3 Team Fouls with a minute to go is embarrassing. How that wasn't a reach in on Tyler is beyond me. Just awful.

[The Gordog]

I am so tired of watching this. Thank God his career is almost over. Hanstravel walks on the basket that gives the holes the lead, then fouls on purpose on the deciding play of the game and the unc refs call a jump ball that gives their team the ball back.

Unfrickin believable..

Hogwash.

The ACC should be embarrassed to allow crap like that to happen.

CBS Sports Glogger writes: "Tyler Hansbrough gets away with his hands all over the Tech player and they will get the ball back on the possession arrow. A poor job by the officials on that sequence as Hansbrough was all over his man."

Carowhina gets all the calls.

PS. I'm Mike Lewis !

[dukie8]

I am so tired of watching this. Thank God his career is almost over. Hanstravel walks on the basket that gives the holes the lead, then fouls on purpose on the deciding play of the game and the unc refs call a jump ball that gives their team the ball back.

Unfrickin believable..

Hogwash.

The ACC should be embarrassed to allow crap like that to happen.

where is the foul all of you think you saw? i saw a hand on the ball and that's about it. if anything, it looked like hansbrough fouled on the last shot but you have to be kidding me that that was a foul with 5 seconds to go.

[Delaware]

Hans literally grabbed the Hokie ... not getting that foul call was criminal. Seth has a right to say whatever he wants in the presser.

[CameronBornAndBred]

They shoulda. sigh.

[aro24]

Ol Roy owes Karl and his buddies a beer after this one. Ridiculous !
I am by no means a fan of VaTech....but they got screwed.

[jdj4duke]

Shouldn't carolina cut down the nets after this game? Or put up a banner for their quarterfinals victory?

Maybe they will hang a striped shirt in the dean dome rafters now

I have tried my best to remove my Duke glasses over the last 10 minutes, but it is still not possible to overlook the calls for carolina and against VT. I am amazed that Seth is not getting defib paddles applied. What terrible nonsense-

[MonitorMom]

Vassallo looked like he expected no less from the refs. I guess he wouldn't have raised his hand either.

[TaiAdmiral]

*raises hand*

[BlueintheFace]

Raise your hand if you knew any call on the last play would go Carolina's way...

(raising both hands)

terrible call.

[Vincetaylor]

The officiating in that game was a total joke. Hansbrough blatantly had his right arm draped around the guy's back on the jump ball call. The play when he was fouled to put UNC ahead was a terrible call too(a call which psycho T always gets). Plus, UNC had 3 fouls in the first 19 minutes of the 2nd half....come on. I guess the ACC really wants UNC to be in this tourney a little longer.

[jipops]

VT in a close game - what has the outcome usually been?

[Black Mambo]

Trying something different...

Although it sucked, maybe it's good overall for UNC to win. Duke NEEDS to beat a strong UNC team for several reasons. The firts of which is seeding. if we eat UNC, it'll be in the finals and it will be a strong statement for a 1 seed. Also, just to get throw-up blue colored monkey off our back.

Thoughts?

[Billy Dat]

That held ball was a killer.

[RockyMtDevil]

it truly is unbelievable how Hansborough has the refs in his pocket. I don't know that I have EVER seen a player with less fouls called against him vs the fouls he draws in the history of the NCAA. It's completely a farce and I hate it for Va. Tech. It is no wonder that several ACC teams have a chip on their shoulder and play the martyr role. Let's just go ahead and give them the title, because this will only continue...

It really is pathetic.

[jjasper0729]

how about this conspiracy theory...

the ACC office wants Hans-travel to break the scoring record at the ACC tournament, not the NCAA tournament so they make sure the refs are aware of that.

[jdj4duke]

Never ever ever would I pull for ref-olina to win. Never ever ever. And it looks worse for them to lose to VT than to Duke.

The ESPN commentators just lightly danced around the jump ball call as just one of those tough game calls which in commentator speak of course translates as that was a terrible call. Even Hubert Davis kept his gob shut

[BoC]

you actually thought that VT was going to beat carolina this afternoon. ..... I'm waiting....... anybody? Guess not.

I learned long ago that, in this type of game, to not get excited until the game ends with UNC's opponent the victor, or in rare cases, for them to be up 15-20+ with just minutes to go.

As this game wound down I waited, and waited, and waited...oh, there's the big call, jump ball this time. Oh, well; good try, VT.

[Bostondevil]

Tyler scored 28 today which puts him, I think, 24 behind JJ. Does that kind of put us on course for him breaking the record in Sunday's final? Assuming they win tomorrow. No guarantees but you know, they could be playing us in the finals. I ask you, does that seem right? Does God hate us after all?

[Cameron]

After that jump ball, I'd be inclined to say yes.

As time expired, I honestly think I had the same feelings I felt when Jill Dussel broke things off with me in sixth grade. My stomach just dropped.

Two years in a row now that Va Tech -- and I -- has been screwed like this.

I will NOT be watching Carolina's next game.

[TillyGalore]

Tyler scored 28 today which puts him, I think, 24 behind JJ. Does that kind of put us on course for him breaking the record in Sunday's final? Assuming they win tomorrow. No guarantees but you know, they could be playing us in the finals. I ask you, does that seem right? Does God hate us after all?

I just don't see how God can hate Duke, it's a Christian school. ;):rolleyes::eek:

[Highlander]

Pretty much same first half as second. VT leads most of the way, but never by much. UNC hits a couple of big shots at the end, and Va Tech holds for the last shot but fails to get one.

In the end, VTech played Carolina to a draw. Tech had ball in hand, down one with 30s to go and the shot clock off. All they had to do was make a play to win the game. They even called two timeouts and ran two set plays. Not only did they fail to make a play, they couldn't even get a shot off. That's just poor execution. If you want the game, you have to go and take it and not hope that the refs bail you out on a foul call underneath.

I didn't watch enough of the game to see the officiating, but Tech certainly didn't do anything productive in the last minute of the game.

[aro24]

* When asked about the 9-3 foul discrepancy......"I guess we foul and they don't"
* When asked what he saw on the play resulting in the jump ball......."It doesn't really matter what I saw, it only matters what the officials see"
* On how this game will affect their NCAA tourney chances..... No comment
* On boxing out and rebounding.....I thought our guys worked hard and did their best to box out, but their guys were able to jump over us to get the rebound.
* On whether he changed game plans with Lawson out......No change, we knew they were still going to push the ball, even though the guy replacing Lawson was not as fast, they were still able to replace the ACC POY with a McD's AA in Frasor. That is a nice luxury to have.

All in all, you could really tell that Seth was extremely upset, as he should be. I commend him for being as reserved as he was.
If I were a coach I would probably have a negative salary due to the amount of fines I would get :D

[davekay1971]

That was just sad. Carolina fans should hang their heads in shame, but they won't. If you know anything about the long and glorious history of Carowhina reffing, you knew that Carolina could hack, punch, push, stick a shiv in someone on that play, and they wouldn't get called. The Va Tech players knew it. The Carowhina players knew it (and that's why Beaker felt free to tackle his man). Seth Greenberg knew it. Va Tech got screwed, the 'holes were handed yet another undeserved win, and that's all there really is to it. Beaker may be gone next year, but prepare yourselves to enjoy watching Zeller and Davis get away with murder about this time in 2010.

[jjasper0729]

now the question becomes will GT win this game so the 'holes can walk into the final?

[davekay1971]

Never ever ever would I pull for ref-olina to win. Never ever ever. And it looks worse for them to lose to VT than to Duke.

The ESPN commentators just lightly danced around the jump ball call as just one of those tough game calls which in commentator speak of course translates as that was a terrible call. Even Hubert Davis kept his gob shut

If you thought the ESPN guys danced, you should have heard the Carolina TV Network...er....Raycom's announcers (Woody Durham's son-in-law on the play by play and Smilin' Dan Bonner on the Hansbrough love-mike). The play-by-play guy dared to venture "tough to lose on a play like that" and Bonner interjects, sounding shocked, "Are you saying it was a bad call?!"

Uh, Dan, YES!

[hurleyfor3]

Moderator note: We need some thread discipline over the next few days, and I'll be locking this thread shortly. I'll try to wait until someone redacts Roy's postgame comments, if anyone wants to post them.

Please do not start new threads on a game in progress or recently finished. Any such threads will be merged into the existing game thread, with possible points assigned. Thanks.

[namvet1965]

Being a fan of both Duke and UNC I watched it. Who says a stubbed toe can't disable a man? I guarantee you it can. Wait until you guys get old enough to have an ingrown toenail! Talk about pain!! Of course Ty did dn't play. May both teams meet on Sunday!

[DukeUsul]

If you thought the ESPN guys danced, you should have heard the Carolina TV Network...er....Raycom's announcers (Woody Durham's son-in-law on the play by play and Smilin' Dan Bonner on the Hansbrough love-mike). The play-by-play guy dared to venture "tough to lose on a play like that" and Bonner interjects, sounding shocked, "Are you saying it was a bad call?!"

Uh, Dan, YES!

Could be worse. I was listening to Woody on the radio in the car. Ugh. My immediate first thought was calling my VT-fan office mate at work to ask if it was a legit call.

[DBFAN]

The charge called on Vesallo in the first half, that gave him the third foul, and made him sit out the remainder of the half. How was that a charge, did the Carolina player not jump in the air to block the shot? Maybe my Dark blue shades are on right now, but I can no way figure that out. Maybe I just did not see what really happened since Raycom never replays questionable calls that favor UNC.

[namvet1965]

Why must you make fun of a guy's nosw? You some kind of Adonis?

[zingit]

Pretty much same first half as second. VT leads most of the way, but never by much. UNC hits a couple of big shots at the end, and Va Tech holds for the last shot but fails to get one.

In the end, VTech played Carolina to a draw. Tech had ball in hand, down one with 30s to go and the shot clock off. All they had to do was make a play to win the game. They even called two timeouts and ran two set plays. Not only did they fail to make a play, they couldn't even get a shot off. That's just poor execution. If you want the game, you have to go and take it and not hope that the refs bail you out on a foul call underneath.

I didn't watch enough of the game to see the officiating, but Tech certainly didn't do anything productive in the last minute of the game.

I don't think it was that bad. Carolina had three fouls to give, so they could afford to be super-aggressive, and it's hard to run a play when they foul you and stop the clock a few times.

[bjornolf]

We were out, but I was listening to the game on the radio in the car. We have ESPN radio out of DC, so we were getting the feed from the VT radio network. They were going NUTS about the refs.

I got home right before the game ended, and I noticed they never showed a replay of the last shot from any kind of angle where you could actually see anything. Hmmmm...

Did Hansbrough shake any of the Hokies' hands? Roy, who I thought was at the front of the line, was still shaking hands with Hokie players when they showed Tyler doing a victory lap of the gym (I think he was high-fiving all the refs) and running out the wrong tunnel, then being re-directed by a little old lady and running across the court, again with his hands raised high... did they just win the tourney, or did I miss something? I half-expected him to pull out scissors and start cutting down the nets. What a tool.

[rsvman]

Probably a bad "held ball" call, but two things:

1) What VT did in the last 2-3 minutes of the game must've come out of a book called "How to Lose to Carolina." They had been playing decent interior defense and at least making it hard to get the ball into Hanstravel, but in the last two minutes? Free reign. Free inlet pass. Once he catches the ball in there and the game is on the line, he either gets the hoop and the harm or he gets to the free throw line and makes both shots. Why did they stop trying to disrupt the passes? On offense they were equally inept, making extra passes that weren't necessary, throwing bad passes, dribbling cavalierly, etc.

2) The reason they couldn't make a play at the end of the game was because Carolina had 3 or 4 fouls to give. Carolina fouled them and took them out of their plans twice. By the end they were only left with a few seconds, and then it fell to Vasallo to make a 3 over the outstretched hands of Hanswalker?

Just a terrible end to an otherwise good game, IMO.

[bjornolf]

By the end they were only left with a few seconds, and then it fell to Vasallo to make a 3 over the outstretched hands of Hanswalker?

I watched as much of that shot as I could with the horrible camera angle and no replays, but there was a LOT of body on that shot. It wasn't just outstretched hands.

And to the person who talked about the charge call where the UNC player jumped to block the shot... I didn't see that part of the game, so I can't say for sure, but the rule is that a defender can jump STRAIGHT up with their hands STRAIGHT up in the air and still draw a charge. As long as they don't break their veritical plane, they can draw a charge. If he moved his hands toward the VT player in any way or leaned in in any way, then all bets are off and it should be a block, but if he goes straight up after establishing position, then he has the right to jump and can still draw a charge.

[gumbomoop]

I like Dan Bonner [though that may simply be a commentary on the paucity of good color men], but think he and Brant missed the obvious: not only was UNC (smartly) trying to give their 6th foul, but the replay clearly shows the shocked surprise by TH and 2 other UNC players that it was called a jump ball.

Now at some point one of TH's hands was indeed on top of the ball, but what happened in the 2 seconds prior to that instant was a foul (or 3), as, to repeat, was UNC's intent.

So, despite correctly noting the 9-3 foul discrepancy, and how UNC would milk this in the final 30 seconds to take up precious seconds, the announcers suddenly forgot about that in their comments on the call.

What appears to be a really blown call will hardly end the "Duke gets all the calls" nonsense, but it will lend credence to the complaint that "So does Carolina."

[sandinmyshoes]

This thread reads like a NCSU board.

I thought the jumpball call was the correct call, although mostly due to luck rather than any sterling defensive play. UNC was playing with abandon on the defensive end since they had fouls to give and Hansbrough got a lucky hand on the ball.

One thing that I've learned having to often watch games with fans of others teams (mostly UNC and NCSU fans) is that fans of all teams could spend hours trading "bad calls" with one another after a game.

The bottom line is that UNC won. But the future line is that it looks doubtful they can win the ACC title without Lawson. So we have that going for us.

[sagegrouse]

I like Dan Bonner [though that may simply be a commentary on the paucity of good color men], but think he and Brant missed the obvious: not only was UNC (smartly) trying to give their 6th foul, but the replay clearly shows the shocked surprise by TH and 2 other UNC players that it was called a jump ball.

Now at some point one of TH's hands was indeed on top of the ball, but what happened in the 2 seconds prior to that instant was a foul (or 3), as, to repeat, was UNC's intent.

So, despite correctly noting the 9-3 foul discrepancy, and how UNC would milk this in the final 30 seconds to take up precious seconds, the announcers suddenly forgot about that in their comments on the call.

What appears to be a really blown call will hardly end the "Duke gets all the calls" nonsense, but it will lend credence to the complaint that "So does Carolina."


I thought the pass was intended for a three-point shooter (Delaney?) and Jeff Allen intercepted it. He was triple-teamed and didn't have a chance. A three-point shot for the win? That's a good play for VPI.

sagegrouse

[hurleyfor3]

This thread reads like a NCSU board.


Sounds like as good a time as any to close it. Next game, folks.

[OldSchool]

What VT did in the last 2-3 minutes of the game must've come out of a book called "How to Lose to Carolina." They had been playing decent interior defense and at least making it hard to get the ball into Hanstravel, but in the last two minutes? Free reign. Free inlet pass. Once he catches the ball in there and the game is on the line, he either gets the hoop and the harm or he gets to the free throw line and makes both shots. Why did they stop trying to disrupt the passes?

In fairness, Jeff Allen was playing with four fouls during that time, so accordingly the VT interior defense was more passive.

Allen's third foul was a classic Hansbrough "vicinity" foul -- if Hansbrough is down low fumbling with the ball, and you're a defender in the vicinity, you're getting whistled.

I get annoyed when officials call a tie ball as the result of a player reaching around the player with the ball to get a hand on it - I've seen that call a number of times this season, not just at the end of this particular game, and I don't believe a player should be allowed to tie up the ball by reaching around.

[elvis14]

I'm an ACC fan and have been for many years. I'm embarassed by that game. I had knee surgery yesterday so I'm at home watching the games. That means I was able to use my DVR to re-watch many questionable calls (and no calls). I mean really, UNC commited only 3 or 4 fouls in the frist 19 minutes? Really? There are been a few posters on here that thought the jump ball at the end was a good call....very few. I respectfully disagree and I'll state that if that was the ONLY ref-owina call I'd not be that upset. Instead I'm embarassed for the ACC right now.