ACC Basketball Recap: December 31, 2011
The last day of 2011 basketball games went very well for the ACC, as it won all three games.
Leading the way was Virginia Tech defeating Oklahoma State, 67-61. If this matchup sounds familiar, it is. The Hokies defeated Oklahoma State in the consolation game of the NIT Season Tip-Off in New York City. This time, Virginia Tech traveled to Stillwater to defeat the Cowboys. Although this is not a great Oklahoma State team (7-6), this is an important win for the Hokies, who seem to perennially be on the Big Dance Bubble. With the win, Virginia Tech moves to 11-3. Dorenzo Hudson led Virginia Tech with 18 points. The Hokies begin conference play next Saturday by traveling to Wake Forest.
North Carolina State improved to 10-4 with its 82-55 win over West Carolina. All five starters for the Wolfpack finished in double-figures in scoring, led by CJ Williams’ 21 points. Richard Howell added 14 rebounds. That’s four straight wins for NC State since losing to #1 Syracuse in early December. They get Delaware State on Wednesday before their January 8th ACC opener against Maryland.
And Maryland improved to 9-3 by edging pesky Samford, 75-63. It was the Terrell Stoglin show for Maryland, as he led the team with 24 points. ESPN’s recap added:
Maryland (9-3) has won six straight and finished the month of December undefeated — the Terrapins’ last loss coming Nov. 29.
It was the ninth time in 12 games that Stoglin, the Atlantic Coast Conference’s leading scorer, scored 20 points or more. He hit six 3-pointers, a career best, for the second game in a row. Maryland was 9 of 17 (52.9 percent) beyond the arc.
Indeed, the Terps were only 3-3 at the end of November and looking to match their football team in terms of disappointment. Maryland hosts struggling Cornell (4-8) on Tuesday as the final tune-up for its opener against NC State.
The Confidential 