ACC Goes Down To The Wire
by Joe Phillips
This has to be the best battle in any major conference with 4 teams all within ½ game of the top spot
1. Boston College is atop the all with a 9 – 3 record, and they have one of the best forwards in the league in Jared Dudley averaging 19.6 ppg., 59% fg % also wp front is Shamari Spears 5.6 boards pg. and John Oates. In the back court is Tyrese Rice 17.1 ppg., 144 assists and Sean Marshall 15.1 ppg. The bench isn’t too deep with Marquez Haynes, Tyrelle Blair and Tyler Roche. The loss of Sean Williams the best shot blocker in the country (5.1 pg.) 12.1 ppg. and 6.9 boards has hurt the Eagles.
2. North Carolina is loaded and has the deepest bench in the A.C.C. Carolina is the #2 scoring team in the country averaging 88.1 ppg., is 6th in field goal %, and is the #1 defensive rebounding team with 28.1 pg. Tarheels are led by Tyler Hansbrough 18.6 ppg. and Brandon Wright – 14.6 ppg. in the front court as well as Wayne Ellington – 12.1 ppg. and Ty Lawson 10.3 ppg., 134 assists, and 43 steals in the back court. They don’t lose anything when going into the bench with Forwards – Reyshawn Terry, Deon Thompson and Danny Green. Guards Marcus Ginyard, Wes Miller, and Bobby Frasor don’t lose a step leading this team. N.Carolina has topped the 100 point mark 7 times, and will be a final 4 team.
3. Virginia Tech is 8 – 3 in conference play and Head Coach Seth Greenberg has done a great job with this hokie team, a lot of interchangeable parts as Deron Washington at 6’ 7” can play guard or forward averaging 11.9 ppg. and A.D. Vassallo has now moved back into the starting line-up at forward – 11.2 ppg. In the back court is Zabian Dowell who leads the team in scoring 18.2 ppg. and is connecting on 42% beyond the Arc. The general is Jamon Gordon – 11.6 ppg., 112 assists, and 64 steals. They do have size with center Colman Collins – 6’ 9”, 7.8 ppg. and off the bench is Lewis Witcher – 6’ 9”, Cheick Diakite, and 7 footer Robert Krabbendam. They do have a favorable schedule with 3 home games left B.C., Miami, FL, and Clemson and on the road at N.Carolina State and Virginia.
4. The Cavaliers of Virginia are also 8 – 3 in the A.C.C. and have won 8 of 9 as of this report. Virginia has knocked off Maryland twice, Duke, Clemson in S. Carolina, Gonzaga and Arizona. A nice resume for selection Sunday. Virginia has J.R. Reynolds – 18.5 ppg. and Sean Singletary – 18.4 ppg., 89% free throws, 41% 3 point % in the back court and up front is Mamadi Diane – 11 ppg., Jason Cain who leads the team in rebounding. Also off the bench is Adrian Joseph, Laurynas Mikalayskas and Center Tunji Soroye. This team goes 10 – 11 deep, and has FL State without Toney Douglas, Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech all at home and bottom feeders Miami, FL and Wake Forest on the road.
5. Duke is 6 – 6 in the A.C.C. but don’t count them out yet. A good showing in the conference tourney and the Blue Devils will again be dancing. This is a young and inexperienced team but have the talent especially defensively to make waves. Duke is led by guards Greg Paulus 9.9 ppg. and De Marcus Nelson – 14.1 ppg. and up front Josh Mc Roberts – 13.3 ppg. and David Mc Clure. A lot more playing time has been given to Center Brian Zoubek and Gerald Henderson. A win at home vs. Georgia Tech and Maryland, plus a split in Clemson and North Carolina will have the selection committee.
www.procappers.com