This Week in the ACC: 1/14-1/20

[pfrduke]

The standings look a lot like what tournament projections/rankings would tell you about the season so far. The conference's 3 best teams are all undefeated - and we get two matchups among those three this week. Everyone else above .500 except for Georgia Tech and (probably) Louisville is very likely to be a tournament team, and Louisville's historic drubbing of the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill helps their case tremendously (have we discussed that Louisville won by 21 at UNC?). Of the sub-.500 teams, they're all not likely to be tournament teams except for FSU, and their record is explained entirely by their early season schedule (and their decision not to put anyone within 15 feet of Cam Reddish on the last shot). Lots of high profile matchups this week.

Monday

[1]Duke (3-0) (-17) hosts [40]Syracuse (2-1) (7:00, ESPN)
[80]Pittsburgh (1-2) (+4) hosts [19]Florida State (1-2) (7:00, ESPNU)

Tuesday

[2]Virginia (3-0) (-8) hosts [7]Virginia Tech (3-0) (8:00, ACCNE) - WHY IS THIS GAME NOT ON NATIONAL TV?!?!?
[161]Wake Forest (0-3) (+10) hosts [26]NC State (2-1) (8:00, ACCNE)
[10]North Carolina (2-1) (-15) hosts [79]Notre Dame (1-2) (9:00, ESPN)

Wednesday

[27]Louisville (2-1) (-12) hosts [119]Boston College (0-3) (7:00, ACCNE)
[47]Clemson (0-3) (-5) hosts [63]Georgia Tech (2-1) (9:00, ACCNE)

Thursday and Friday are dark

Saturday

[68]Miami (1-3) (+7) hosts [10]North Carolina (2-1) (12:00)
[79]Notre Dame (1-2) (+3) hosts [26]NC State (2-1) (2:00, ACCNE)
[40]Syracuse (2-1) (-7) hosts [80]Pittsburgh (1-2) (2:00, ACCNE)
[7]Virginia Tech (3-0) (-20) hosts [161]Wake Forest (0-3) (4:00, ACCNE)
[63]Georgia Tech (2-1) (+2) hosts [27]Louisville (2-1) (4:00, ACCNE)
[1]Duke (3-0) (-4) hosts [2]Virginia (3-0) (6:00, ESPN)

Sunday

[119]Boston College (0-3) (+7) hosts [19]Florida State (1-2) (12:00, ESPNU)


ACC Non-Conference: 148-41
ACC vs. Power 5: 29-26

[kmspeaks]

[2]Virginia (3-0) (-8) hosts [7]Virginia Tech (3-0) (8:00, ACCNE) - WHY IS THIS GAME NOT ON NATIONAL TV?!?!?


Probably because for the casual (and some of the more intense) basketball fan Virginia basketball is really really really really boring to watch.

[mattyoung18]

Watching Virginia has cured my insomnia .

[camion]

Probably because for the casual (and some of the more intense) basketball fan Virginia basketball is really really really really boring to watch.

Also expecting Va Tech to be this good is like expecting the Spanish Inquisition.

I believe their chief weapon is surprise.

[devildeac]

Also expecting Va Tech to be this good is like expecting the Spanish Inquisition.

I believe their chief weapon is surprise.

And fear...

[OldPhiKap]

(have we discussed that Louisville won by 21 at UNC?)

Not enough for my liking. 9F

[DarkstarWahoo]

I'll be in the stands at JPJ tonight - lowers, even! Look for the guy in the orange shirt who is debating whether or not to leave one of his children in the parking garage after he declares he was rooting for VT.

I'm almost more interested in what this game says about the Hokies, who are still a mystery due to their Charmin-soft schedule. I'd say there are six truly good teams at this point - UVA, Duke, Michigan, Tennessee, Gonzaga and Michigan State. We still don't know if VT belongs in that tier. A win for them tonight, distasteful as that would be, would go a long way toward putting them in that group for me. A close loss might even do it.

[SavDukeGrad]

UVA killing VaTech at the half, up 22. They look very impressive.

And Wake up big over State at the half, by 15! Although I might should have put that in the jinx thread.

[UrinalCake]

And Wake up big over State at the half, by 15! Although I might should have put that in the jinx thread.

State also played a Charmin soft schedule prior to losing to the CHeats. They did beat Auburn, but besides that we really didn't know anything about them. Still surprised they're down by so much, Wake is bad. As for UVA, the only thing I can hope for is that they use up all of their three pointers and have nothing left for us, kind of like we did against FSU.

[devildeac]

The Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum may have to be re-built with all the masonry being flung wildly about the building. Each team shooting 20% currently from 3 point land. They must have watched Duke highlights (lowlights?) from yesterday.

[SavDukeGrad]

The Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum may have to be re-built with all the masonry being flung wildly about the building. Each team shooting 20% currently from 3 point land. They must have watched Duke highlights (lowlights?) from yesterday.

Wake hangs on for a big win! Crazy week in the ACC!

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Wake hangs on for a big win! Crazy week in the ACC!

A game of streaks. And dear Lord, someone teach that Wake pep band something besides their fight song.....that's all they know I think.

[devildeac]

cheats have shot 2 FT total with 15:38 to go in the second half. At the dean's myth center. Two. The commish must be apoplectic. This cannot continue. :rolleyes:

[PackMan97]

If NC State were Superman, Wake would be our kryptonite.

[PackMan97]

State also played a Charmin soft schedule prior to losing to the CHeats. They did beat Auburn, but besides that we really didn't know anything about them. Still surprised they're down by so much, Wake is bad. As for UVA, the only thing I can hope for is that they use up all of their three pointers and have nothing left for us, kind of like we did against FSU.

State's starting PG is out with an injury. Still, with the 7 other guards on the team, including a few other PGs...no excuse.

[devildeac]

cheats have shot 2 FT total with 15:38 to go in the second half. At the dean's myth center. Two. The commish must be apoplectic. This cannot continue. :rolleyes:

6 FT in the last ~4 minutes for the cheats. The commish is hard at work.

[Dukehk]

UVA killing VaTech at the half, up 22. They look very impressive.

And Wake up big over State at the half, by 15! Although I might should have put that in the jinx thread.

They look like the real deal..this uva team. I suppose they have a chip on their shoulder after last seasons debacle in the tourney.

They are just murdering ranked teams this season. We are in for a SUPER tough game on Saturday. Without Tre Jones it might be difficult to overcome them.

[dukelifer]

They look like the real deal..this uva team. I suppose they have a chip on their shoulder after last seasons debacle in the tourney.

They are just murdering ranked teams this season. We are in for a SUPER tough game on Saturday. Without Tre Jones it might be difficult to overcome them.

They may waltz through the ACC but somehow I think they falter again in the tourney. That pressure is huge.

[richardjackson199]

They may waltz through the ACC but somehow I think they falter again in the tourney. That pressure is huge.

I'll gladly make the same pie bet I made and lost last year. UVA makes the Elite 8 - I win the pie. UVA does not make the Elite 8 - you win the pie. Live bet only to the first taker. Anybody wanna play?

[dukelifer]

I'll gladly make the same pie bet I made and lost last year. UVA makes the Elite 8 - I win the pie. UVA does not make the Elite 8 - you win the pie. Live bet only to the first taker. Anybody wanna play?

Tempted.

[Mtn.Devil.91.92.01.10.15]

I'll gladly make the same pie bet I made and lost last year. UVA makes the Elite 8 - I win the pie. UVA does not make the Elite 8 - you win the pie. Live bet only to the first taker. Anybody wanna play?

**crickets**

[Papa John]

I'll gladly make the same pie bet I made and lost last year. UVA makes the Elite 8 - I win the pie. UVA does not make the Elite 8 - you win the pie. Live bet only to the first taker. Anybody wanna play?

What type of pie?

Alas, I can’t take this bet because my wife is a UVA alum, and I ain’t inviting bad juju into the household.

[flyingdutchdevil]

They may waltz through the ACC but somehow I think they falter again in the tourney. That pressure is huge.

Certainly a possibility. But UVa will not falter in the first weekend. I think Bennett- with guidance from a bunch of folks, including Coach K- will force the importance of the tournament to this team. Clearly, urgency wasn't a factor in last year's game. UVa clearly wasn't ready for whatever that mid-major had. Bennett- unlike in the ACC- got completely and utterly outcoached.

UVa will win the ACC reg season. To me, that is clear as day (unless Tre comes back on Saturday, which is very, very doubtful). They will probably make it far in the ACC Tournament, although I am expecting Duke to win that (assuming a healthy team, especially across our 4 frosh). This is not me being pessimistic; this is me being realistic given what happened on Monday (an unexpected loss plus, more importantly, temporarily losing our most important player).

[DarkstarWahoo]

UVa clearly wasn't ready for whatever that mid-major had. Bennett- unlike in the ACC- got completely and utterly outcoached.


WARNING: EXTREMELY LENGTHY UVA-CENTRIC POST AHEAD

I actually went back recently and watched part of that game for the first time, and I do think Tony got outcoached to a point. A lot of it was execution on both ends, too, but we didn't look like we had a plan for a team with fast guards that spread us out, ran the weave and looked to go one-on-one. They consistently had success with that, and if we helped, they kicked to the open man, who generally hit that night.

UMBC won that game in a four-minute stretch where it went from tied at the half to down 14. At that point, we folded under the pressure. Here's how it went down:

- UMBC runs a basic weave at the top of the key. Sherburne gets a pass and drives past Wilkins. No help comes, layup and 1, UMBC up 3.
- In transition, Salt's man beats him down the floor. Diakite helps at the free throw line and Salt recovers, but Diakite's man (Sherburne) runs the secondary break and is wide open from NBA range and hits. UMBC up 6.
- Guy makes one of two free throws, UMBC misses 3. UMBC up 5.
- Nigel Johnson barely draws iron on a baseline 18-footer. Awful shot. UMBC spreads the floor, Maura blows past Johnson, Hall offers no help. Wide-open layup for Maura with no defender even close. UMBC up 7.
- Jerome posts up Maura for, somehow, the only time in the game. UMBC up 5.
- UMBC runs the weave, Sherburne gets past Hall, Johnson lets Lyles get away for a rhythm 3. UMBC up 8.
- Jerome comes up short on a 3, UMBC in transition. Guy leaves his man for some reason, and the ensuing scramble allows Lamar from UMBC to get an easy offensive board. He kicks to an open Sherburne for a 3. UMBC up 11.
- Hall hands off to Jerome, then looks away as Jerome passes back to him. Turnover. Meltdown fully on at this point.
- UMBC spreads the floor, Lyles gets a rhythm 3 from deep. Hall contests and doesn't make contact, but as Lyles is coming down, well after the ball is released, Hall's foot grazes Lyles' foot in the air. Lyles lands perfectly, unaffected by the tiny bit of contact, but the ref calls a foul, clearly caught up in the momentum. Lyles makes all 3, UMBC up 14.

At that point, we were cooked. They had all the momentum and we tried to score a 14-pointer every time down the court. UMBC continued to run the weave and got layups or kickouts for 3. All game long, they beat us off the dribble and we didn't help until it was too late.

[Rich]

I actually went back recently and watched part of that game for the first time,

You're a better man than I am! No way I would ever have watched again if that was Duke. I still haven't re-watched the 1990 Finals game against UNLV.

[PackMan97]

UVa clearly wasn't ready for whatever that mid-major had

Let's not pretend that was a mid-major...or even a low-major.

[Troublemaker]

But UVa will not falter in the first weekend. I think Bennett- with guidance from a bunch of folks, including Coach K- will force the importance of the tournament to this team. Clearly, urgency wasn't a factor in last year's game.

Wait, your analysis of why UVA didn't make it out of the first weekend last season is that the players didn't know the importance of the NCAA tournament? Really? I wonder what UVA fans think of that (or really anyone with common sense :-)

UVA already had somewhat of a rep for failing in the tournament (mostly unfair, imo) before the UMBC loss. I think the Hoos definitely knew the importance of the NCAAT and were motivated. Incidentally, UVA has an Elite 8 and a Sweet 16 already under Bennett.


You're a better man than I am! No way I would ever have watched again if that was Duke. I still haven't re-watched the 1990 Finals game against UNLV.

Darkstar might be female. For some reason, I remember Darkstar is a girl, but I might be confusing her/him with someone else.

[DarkstarWahoo]

Darkstar might be female. For some reason, I remember Darkstar is a girl, but I might be confusing her with someone else.

I'm a man. An extremely attractive man, but still a man :)

[Troublemaker]

I'm a man. An extremely attractive man, but still a man :)

Ah, my apologies then. I was wrong.

And I agree with Rich that you are a better man than him. I've never been able to watch the replay of any Final Four or national championship loss, much less a loss to a 16 seed. Props.

[devildeac]

I'm a man. An extremely attractive man, but still a man :)

Ah-ha!

Tony Bennett does read and post on DBR!

Next thing ya know, someone will try to convince us that jimsumner is really Jim Sumner:rolleyes:;).

[sagegrouse]

I'm a man. An extremely attractive man, but still a man :)

Woo-woo!! Wa-hoo!!!

[devildeac]

Ah, my apologies then. I was wrong.

And I agree with Rich that you are a better man than him. I've never been able to watch the replay of any Final Four or national championship loss, much less a loss to a 16 seed. Props.

Wait! Someone on DBR admitting they were wrong? Must be a typo :rolleyes:.

[flyingdutchdevil]

WARNING: EXTREMELY LENGTHY UVA-CENTRIC POST AHEAD

I actually went back recently and watched part of that game for the first time, and I do think Tony got outcoached to a point. A lot of it was execution on both ends, too, but we didn't look like we had a plan for a team with fast guards that spread us out, ran the weave and looked to go one-on-one. They consistently had success with that, and if we helped, they kicked to the open man, who generally hit that night.

UMBC won that game in a four-minute stretch where it went from tied at the half to down 14. At that point, we folded under the pressure. Here's how it went down:

- UMBC runs a basic weave at the top of the key. Sherburne gets a pass and drives past Wilkins. No help comes, layup and 1, UMBC up 3.
- In transition, Salt's man beats him down the floor. Diakite helps at the free throw line and Salt recovers, but Diakite's man (Sherburne) runs the secondary break and is wide open from NBA range and hits. UMBC up 6.
- Guy makes one of two free throws, UMBC misses 3. UMBC up 5.
- Nigel Johnson barely draws iron on a baseline 18-footer. Awful shot. UMBC spreads the floor, Maura blows past Johnson, Hall offers no help. Wide-open layup for Maura with no defender even close. UMBC up 7.
- Jerome posts up Maura for, somehow, the only time in the game. UMBC up 5.
- UMBC runs the weave, Sherburne gets past Hall, Johnson lets Lyles get away for a rhythm 3. UMBC up 8.
- Jerome comes up short on a 3, UMBC in transition. Guy leaves his man for some reason, and the ensuing scramble allows Lamar from UMBC to get an easy offensive board. He kicks to an open Sherburne for a 3. UMBC up 11.
- Hall hands off to Jerome, then looks away as Jerome passes back to him. Turnover. Meltdown fully on at this point.
- UMBC spreads the floor, Lyles gets a rhythm 3 from deep. Hall contests and doesn't make contact, but as Lyles is coming down, well after the ball is released, Hall's foot grazes Lyles' foot in the air. Lyles lands perfectly, unaffected by the tiny bit of contact, but the ref calls a foul, clearly caught up in the momentum. Lyles makes all 3, UMBC up 14.

At that point, we were cooked. They had all the momentum and we tried to score a 14-pointer every time down the court. UMBC continued to run the weave and got layups or kickouts for 3. All game long, they beat us off the dribble and we didn't help until it was too late.

I didn't see the game (only highlights), but my impression is UVa completely and utterly underestimated this opponent. Which makes sense when you take a look at the top 1 seed vs lowest 16 seed, but the tournament is...well...the tournament! And you highlights, especially the bolded part, seems to reinforce that Bennett nor the team adjusted until it was too late. Bennett makes changes during ACC games but clearly didn't during this one. Seems to me that he didn't take that first game seriously.

For that reason, I would expect Bennett to treat the first game (and every game thereafter) like an ACC game moreso than a mid-major (or low-major) game. And, given that UVa is on their way to a 1-seed (possibly the top if they murder the ACC), the first weekend shouldn't be that challenging.

[Rich]

You're a better man than I am!


And I agree with Rich that you are a better man than him.

Umm, now I understand the basis for your moniker!

[dtl5g]

I didn't see the game (only highlights), but my impression is UVa completely and utterly underestimated this opponent. Which makes sense when you take a look at the top 1 seed vs lowest 16 seed, but the tournament is...well...the tournament! And you highlights, especially the bolded part, seems to reinforce that Bennett nor the team adjusted until it was too late. Bennett makes changes during ACC games but clearly didn't during this one. Seems to me that he didn't take that first game seriously.

For that reason, I would expect Bennett to treat the first game (and every game thereafter) like an ACC game moreso than a mid-major (or low-major) game. And, given that UVa is on their way to a 1-seed (possibly the top if they murder the ACC), the first weekend shouldn't be that challenging.

I do not agree with this.

I was at the game with my son, unfortunately, and got to listen to my fellow fans snickering at Maura in warmups. However, the fact is that we simply had no answer for UMBC's quickness (Maura and Lyles). Guy and Jerome simply weren't quick enough, and Johnson wasn't getting it done either, and really hurt us on the offensive end.

This would have been a problem even if we got to play them a second time. I think if we played them 10 times in March/April of 2018, UMBC would've won 3 or 4 just based on the fact that we had no defensive answer for their quickness and they were probably the worst possible matchup for us (experienced guards who could hit 3s). The fact that we didn't have Hunter meant that we couldn't mix things up on Lyles/Maura defensively.

But really, what we desperately needed was a quick, bulldog defender like the freshman we have now, Kihei Clark, to check Maura. That would've completely changed the game. Not sure even having Hunter would've made that much of a difference on the defensive end (though obviously Hunter probably would've been able to make a difference offensively), because I don't think he could've guarded Maura, and UMBC's offense was consistently initiated by Maura, where he would get into the lane at will and kick it out which started the rotations and mostly ended up with UMBC getting a wide open shot.

I hate to say it, but that game was not a fluke. UMBC deserved to win and could've beaten us again if it came down to it. They also were peaking at the right time, and would've beaten Kansas State in the next game if they could've thrown it in the ocean from 3. UMBC outplayed Kansas State too, they just weren't as hot from the outside as they were against us.

[flyingdutchdevil]

I do not agree with this.

I was at the game with my son, unfortunately, and got to listen to my fellow fans snickering at Maura in warmups. However, the fact is that we simply had no answer for UMBC's quickness (Maura and Lyles). Guy and Jerome simply weren't quick enough, and Johnson wasn't getting it done either, and really hurt us on the offensive end.

This would have been a problem even if we got to play them a second time. I think if we played them 10 times in March/April of 2018, UMBC would've won 3 or 4 just based on the fact that we had no defensive answer for their quickness and they were probably the worst possible matchup for us (experienced guards who could hit 3s). The fact that we didn't have Hunter meant that we couldn't mix things up on Lyles/Maura defensively.

But really, what we desperately needed was a quick, bulldog defender like the freshman we have now, Kihei Clark, to check Maura. That would've completely changed the game. Not sure even having Hunter would've made that much of a difference on the defensive end (though obviously Hunter probably would've been able to make a difference offensively), because I don't think he could've guarded Maura, and UMBC's offense was consistently initiated by Maura, where he would get into the lane at will and kick it out which started the rotations and mostly ended up with UMBC getting a wide open shot.

I hate to say it, but that game was not a fluke. UMBC deserved to win and could've beaten us again if it came down to it. They also were peaking at the right time, and would've beaten Kansas State in the next game if they could've thrown it in the ocean from 3. UMBC outplayed Kansas State too, they just weren't as hot from the outside as they were against us.

Thanks. Really interesting. I’m curious as to how UVA crushed the ACC last year. Did UMBC have faster guards than anyone in the ACC? That would be shocking if true.

[dtl5g]

Thanks. Really interesting. I’m curious as to how UVA crushed the ACC last year. Did UMBC have faster guards than anyone in the ACC? That would be shocking if true.

Maura was like 5'5" and very quick. He could not have been a pound over 130 lbs sopping wet. He really looked like someone's kid brother in warmups.

At times we had the 6'5" and somewhat slow-footed Ty Jerome defending him. I can't blame Bennett for that, however, as we just didn't really have anyone on the roster who could guard him and it was worth seeing if some extra length would bother him. It didn't.

Chris Lykes for Miami is probably just as quick as Maura but doesn't make nearly as good decisions as Maura was making. (Maura was a facilitator, not a scorer) Most ACC teams depend on larger guards/wings to score that were easier for us to handle.

Then their best scorer was around 6'0", and also very quick, and we couldn't really handle him either. Combine that with the fact that we didn't really have post scoring last year (other than Hunter who was unavailable) that could've taken advantage of UMBC's small front line, and it was a recipe for an upset if we weren't "on" offensively. And we weren't.

And then as we got behind, we started to try to press them (which we aren't very good at) which just made things worse as it gave them some easy buckets.

[JasonEvans]

UMBC won that game in a four-minute stretch where it went from tied at the half to down 14. At that point, we folded under the pressure.

Just so we are clear, the only way there is an opportunity for that back-breaking run is because you were TIED AT THE HALF WITH A #16 SEED.

-Jason "the fact that UVA was missing Hunter is an oft forgotten aspect of this game... dude is a stud and they were not the same without him" Evans

[richardjackson199]

What type of pie?

Alas, I can’t take this bet because my wife is a UVA alum, and I ain’t inviting bad juju into the household.

Any pie you want from this website:

https://shop.gtpie.com/category/fruit_pies

They're quite tasty.

No pies from Papa John's. ;)

To no surprise, nobody took me up on that bet.

[Wahoo2000]

Just so we are clear, the only way there is an opportunity for that back-breaking run is because you were TIED AT THE HALF WITH A #16 SEED.

-Jason "the fact that UVA was missing Hunter is an oft forgotten aspect of this game... dude is a stud and they were not the same without him" Evans

An often overlooked factor in the upset. Mostly because BOTH Hall and Wilkins picked up 2 fouls in very limited PT in the first half and Bennett has a hard-and-fast rule (that many may disagree with, but that's another discussion altogether) that once you have 2 fouls, you don't play again until after the half. So, with UVA down Hunter (injury), Huff (injury), Wilkins (foul trouble), and Hall (foul trouble), this left a pretty limited product on the floor. Jerome and Guy were a little off with their shots, and neither had really developed a solid driving game at that point. Nigel Johnson never quite really fit in from a team chemistry/ideals standpoint, Diakite was still pretty raw, and Salt is... well... kind of useless offensively. We just couldn't score. At all.

I remember that first half so clearly because.... honestly, I never watched the second half. I always DVR the games, and thought to myself at half...... there's no good that comes from watching the second half live. I was already a wreck, and figured even if we rebounded to win, I had already seen enough to know that without Hunter, this team had lost a vital cog - someone to go "get a bucket" when we're struggling, and that our chances of winning this tournament, or even going to a FF were veeeery low. Just distraught. I still expected we'd come back and win, but I could watch/evaluate the performance by watching the recording later. I went for a walk, waited about an hour, then checked the final score on my phone. Only time in my sports life I've felt physically ill from seeing a final score. I just wasn't right for about a day or two - walking around with that same sort of sick-to-the-stomach "this can't be real" feeling you get after a MAJOR break-up, or death/serious illness of an acquaintance. Nothing else in sports ever affected me that way - the choke to Syracuse in the E8 pales in comparison. It was absolutely incomprehensible to me that a team that went 20-1 (TWENTY AND ONE!!!!) against ACC opponents could get "blowed out" by a 16 seed. This wasn't a team that barely snatched a one seed..... this was the #1 overall seed. Unfathomable. Absolutely unfathomable. Someday, maybe not even that far in the future, a #1 will lose to a 16 again. But a #1 overall? Lose by 20? I doubt it happens again in my lifetime.

That's not just the biggest upset in cbb history, I'd argue the biggest upset (factoring in MARGIN of victory, and postseason setting as well) in the history of sports. The way that Bennett handled that postgame presser and the subsequent media requests and all talk of it since........ well, let's just say I didn't think I could respect the guy as a PERSON any more before that but.... he proved me wrong. What a GREAT dude. He's a great, GREAT coach. But I suspect his coaching skills pale in comparison to the quality of PERSON he is.

[DarkstarWahoo]

An often overlooked factor in the upset. Mostly because BOTH Hall and Wilkins picked up 2 fouls in very limited PT in the first half and Bennett has a hard-and-fast rule (that many may disagree with, but that's another discussion altogether) that once you have 2 fouls, you don't play again until after the half. So, with UVA down Hunter (injury), Huff (injury), Wilkins (foul trouble), and Hall (foul trouble), this left a pretty limited product on the floor. Jerome and Guy were a little off with their shots, and neither had really developed a solid driving game at that point. Nigel Johnson never quite really fit in from a team chemistry/ideals standpoint, Diakite was still pretty raw, and Salt is... well... kind of useless offensively. We just couldn't score. At all.

I remember that first half so clearly because... honestly, I never watched the second half. I always DVR the games, and thought to myself at half... there's no good that comes from watching the second half live. I was already a wreck, and figured even if we rebounded to win, I had already seen enough to know that without Hunter, this team had lost a vital cog - someone to go "get a bucket" when we're struggling, and that our chances of winning this tournament, or even going to a FF were veeeery low. Just distraught. I still expected we'd come back and win, but I could watch/evaluate the performance by watching the recording later. I went for a walk, waited about an hour, then checked the final score on my phone. Only time in my sports life I've felt physically ill from seeing a final score. I just wasn't right for about a day or two - walking around with that same sort of sick-to-the-stomach "this can't be real" feeling you get after a MAJOR break-up, or death/serious illness of an acquaintance. Nothing else in sports ever affected me that way - the choke to Syracuse in the E8 pales in comparison. It was absolutely incomprehensible to me that a team that went 20-1 (TWENTY AND ONE!!!!) against ACC opponents could get "blowed out" by a 16 seed. This wasn't a team that barely snatched a one seed.... this was the #1 overall seed. Unfathomable. Absolutely unfathomable. Someday, maybe not even that far in the future, a #1 will lose to a 16 again. But a #1 overall? Lose by 20? I doubt it happens again in my lifetime.

That's not just the biggest upset in cbb history, I'd argue the biggest upset (factoring in MARGIN of victory, and postseason setting as well) in the history of sports. The way that Bennett handled that postgame presser and the subsequent media requests and all talk of it since.... well, let's just say I didn't think I could respect the guy as a PERSON any more before that but... he proved me wrong. What a GREAT dude. He's a great, GREAT coach. But I suspect his coaching skills pale in comparison to the quality of PERSON he is.
I think I've said this here before, but we brought our youngest son home from the hospital the morning of that game. To say it was a week of emotional swings is putting it mildly.

And it would have been a lot worse if we'd followed my idea of naming him Ty, Kyle or Tony. As usual, my wife had things right when she rejected those names.

[Bob Green]

Saturday

[68]Miami (1-3) (+7) hosts [10]North Carolina (2-1) (12:00)
[79]Notre Dame (1-2) (+3) hosts [26]NC State (2-1) (2:00, ACCNE)
[40]Syracuse (2-1) (-7) hosts [80]Pittsburgh (1-2) (2:00, ACCNE)
[7]Virginia Tech (3-0) (-20) hosts [161]Wake Forest (0-3) (4:00, ACCNE)
[63]Georgia Tech (2-1) (+2) hosts [27]Louisville (2-1) (4:00, ACCNE)
[1]Duke (3-0) (-4) hosts [2]Virginia (3-0) (6:00, ESPN)



Saturday, and a full slate of games, has arrived. There are several interesting games prior to the UVa at Duke marquee match-up.

1. Jeff Capel takes his Pitt Panthers to Syracuse to face the Orange. Both teams are coming off big victories so will one team carry momentum forward while the other has a letdown? Will both teams be sky high? This could be a very entertaining game.

2. Virginia Tech was curb stomped by Virginia last time out so will they take out their frustrations on Wake Forest? Or, will Wake Forest carry some momentum to Blacksburg coming off their win over N.C. State?

3. I will watch the Carolina at Miami game due to the whole "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" thing, but I'm not sure how interesting the game will be. I'm not sure Miami can compete but one can hope.

[Troublemaker]

S
3. I will watch the Carolina at Miami game due to the whole "keep your friends close and your enemies closer" thing, but I'm not sure how interesting the game will be. I'm not sure Miami can compete but one can hope.

Last I checked (about a year ago), I think Larranaga has a winning record against Roy. He's either +1, even, or -1. It's very close in any case.

[Bob Green]

Last I checked (about a year ago), I think Larranaga has a winning record against Roy. He's either +1, even, or -1. It's very close in any case.

I hope the trend continues with a Miami win today. Normally, it is hard for me to root for Miami but a game against Carolina makes it easy.

[Dr. Rosenrosen]

I hope the trend continues with a Miami win today. Normally, it is hard for me to root for Miami but a game against Carolina makes it easy.
Rooting for the canes is a waste of time. They are totally undisciplined.

[BandAlum83]

Any pie you want from this website:

https://shop.gtpie.com/category/fruit_pies

They're quite tasty.

No pies from Papa John's. ;)

To no surprise, nobody took me up on that bet.

I haven’t checked, but by any chance are there any diabetic-friendly sugar free pies?

[devildeac]

Rooting for the canes is a waste of time. They are totally undisciplined.

Yet, when Miami plays us...

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Rooting for the canes is a waste of time. They are totally undisciplined.

Ditto Florida State......until they play Duke.

[BandAlum83]

Pitt stinking up the arena in the second half. What a shame.

[Bob Green]

N.C. State 77, Notre Dame 73. An entertaining game and road win for the Wolfpack.

[richardjackson199]

I haven’t checked, but by any chance are there any diabetic-friendly sugar free pies?

I didn't call customer service. But I don't think they do. I saw some gluten-free options (probably with even more sugar) but no sugar free. If someone wanted to make a sugar-free equivalent friendly wager just PM me and I'm sure we could work something out.

I think it's fun and fascinating as long as the stakes are low. Like the Duke-3.5 at Cameron wager I proposed and get crickets. That is current Vegas line, so a presumably fair bet, maybe even sharp bet. I imagine the House would gladly take sharp money as well as public. But you have to imagine that public money is just pouring in for UVA +3.5 with that line.

What a huge game! Go Duke!

[brevity]

Louisville and Georgia Tech in a real nail-biter. The visiting Cardinals lead at the half, 43-16, and I'm so bored that I've started biting my nails.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

FSU is pulling a classic FSU maneuver......playing lights out against Duke....then totally folding for Pitt and now BC. They've turned a 10 point halftime lead into a 12 point deficit with 5 minutes to go. Very talented, very tall, very deep - and seemingly only focused and disciplined when they play Duke.

[robed deity]

FSU is pulling a classic FSU maneuver...playing lights out against Duke...then totally folding for Pitt and now BC. They've turned a 10 point halftime lead into a 12 point deficit with 5 minutes to go. Very talented, very tall, very deep - and seemingly only focused and disciplined when they play Duke.

Yeah, it seems that Reddish shot has sent them reeling. About to taste 1-4. They do have a light-ish schedule upcoming.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Yeah, it seems that Reddish shot has sent them reeling. About to taste 1-4. They do have a light-ish schedule upcoming.

I'm not sure it'd be any different had they won the Duke game.....FSU only seems to really care about games against Duke at times. And they've had Pitt and BC....how much lighter can the schedule get????

[devildeac]

I'm not sure it'd be any different had they won the Duke game...FSU only seems to really care about games against Duke at times. And they've had Pitt and BC...how much lighter can the schedule get????

Miami comes to mind, too. :mad:

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Miami comes to mind, too. :mad:

YES, Miami is very much the same in this situation. Great minds.......ya know......
(and to some extent NCSU in the past.....WF in the past.....Clemson at times.....you know, the places that are half empty for most games yet have a K Ville type camp out for their home Duke game....

[ChrisP]

I knew FSU wasn't going to bring it against teams not named "Duke". On a related note, does anyone know why Cofer didn't play against BC? I can't find him in the box score

[DangerDevil]

I knew FSU wasn't going to bring it against teams not named "Duke". On a related note, does anyone know why Cofer didn't play against BC? I can't find him in the box score

He was in street clothes, lingering issues with the foot injury that caused him to miss time earlier this season.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

He was in street clothes, lingering issues with the foot injury that caused him to miss time earlier this season.

Remarkable that he was fully recovered for the Duke game....

[devildeac]

Remarkable that he was fully recovered for the Duke game...

Probably attended the dean's myth academy of rapid and miraculous healing :rolleyes:.

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Probably attended the dean's myth academy of rapid and miraculous healing :rolleyes:.

...did he get wine and cheese?