ACC Football Schedule Released
Not that there will be any major surprises… but the ACC has released the 2012 football schedule:
http://www.theacc.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/022712aaa.html
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ACC Basketball Rankings: February 27, 2012
This is particularly complex with Pitt and Syracuse not yet in the ACC, but it can still be done. Here is how we view the ACC basketball schools as of February 27, 2012:
1. Syracuse (29-1) Syracuse went on a 26-0 run to defeat South Florida. Syracuse gave up a 17-point lead against UConn, but still won. This team just wins right now.
2. Duke (25-4) Duke and North Carolina have identical 25-4 records, including the same 12-2 conference record. But Duke beat North Carolina.
3. North Carolina (25-4) North Carolina does get a chance at revenge this Saturday against Duke. It should be winner take all for the ACC crown.
4. Florida State (19-9) Have looked vulnerable lately. A loss to Boston College and now a loss to Miami by 16.
5. Virginia (21-7) At 8-6 in conference, Virginia is still a few wins behind Florida State. Still lacks a high-quality win.
6. Miami (17-10) Miami lost to Maryland earlier in the week, but rebounded nicely to take care of Florida State handily. Needs a few more wins for March Madness to call.
7. North Carolina State (18-11). The loss to North Carolina is excusable. At this time of year, no excuse for losing to Clemson.
8. Clemson (13-13) Clemson is now 7-7 in conference play. They followed up the win over Virginia by beating Georgia Tech and North Carolina State.
9. Maryland (16-12) After beating Miami, Maryland was primed to move up a few spots. But then they lost to Georgia Tech.
10. Virginia Tech (15-14) This team has had more closes losses. This past week was a 2-point loss to Virginia and an OT loss to Duke.
11. Pittsburgh (15-14) Pittsburgh’s small momentum is over. Hard to believe this team was once 13-2.
12. Wake Forest (13-15) They did beat Boston College by nearly 30. Not a bad way to end the week.
13. Georgia Tech (10-18). The losing streak is over. And Georgia Tech beat a good Maryland team to accomplish that task.
14. Boston College (8-20) Boston College had been showing some signs of life. Losing by 29 to a sub .500 Wake Forest team is not such a sign.
Agree? Disagree? Let us know!
ACC Basketball Recap: February 25, 2012
A very exciting day of college basketball in the ACC on February 25, 2012.
The day began with #5 Duke hosting Virginia Tech and getting everything it could handle in a 70-65 overtime win. Once again, it was Austin Rivers and Seth Curry stepping up for Duke, scoring 23 points and 19 points, respectively. Of course, it also helps to have a 34-16 free throw attempt advantage. Mason Plumlee added 15 rebounds as Duke stayed atop the ACC with a 25-4 overall record and 12-2 in conference play. For the Hokies, it was another tough loss, dropping them to 15-14 overall. Dorenzo Hudson, Erick Green, and Cadarian Raines each scored 16 points for Virginia Tech.
In another overtime game, Clemson once again pulled off an upset–beating North Carolina State, 72-69. At 18-11, North Carolina State suffers a defeat that will hurt their Big Dance chances. But credit pesky Clemson for winning and matching the Wolfpack’s 7-7 conference record. At 15-13, the Tigers are not going to be part of March Madness, barring an ACC tournament victory. Milton Jennings led Clemson with 17 points. North Carolina State was led by CJ Leslie and Lorenzo Brown, who each scored 18. With games against Miami and Virginia Tech, North Carolina State can still get to twenty regular season wins.
In two games of lesser importance to the conference and post-season picture, Wake Forest dominated Boston College, 85-56. CJ Harris scored 23 points for the Demon Deacons, while Ryan Anderson scored 18 for the Eagles. And Georgia Tech upset Maryland, 63-61. Kammeon Holsey had a double-double for Georgia Tech with 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Terrell Stoglin led Maryland, as usual, with 18 points.
ESPN Game Day was on hand for the night game featuring #2 Syracuse and UConn, which Syracuse won 71-69. Viewers got their money’s worth as Syracuse jumped out to a 14-point halftime lead, UConn rallied to tie it last in the second half, and the game came down to the final possession. Syracuse was led by Kris Joseph’s 21 points. With the win, the Orange improve to 29-1 on the season and clinch their status as regular season champions of the Big East. The ACC cannot get these guys here soon enough.
Finally, the big match up of the day featured #7 North Carolina and #25 Virginia. As expected, this was a game of contrasts, with Virginia hoping to control tempo. The Cavaliers certainly did that, holding the Tar Heels to 54 points. The problem was that Virginia only scored 51, resulting in a loss. Virginia had multiple opportunities in the final seconds to tie, but fell short. Still, it was an impressive game for Virginia as they get prepared for the Big Dance. Jontel Evans led Virginia, who dropped to a very respectable 21-7 overall, with 13 points. Tyler Zeller led the Tar Heels with 20 points. North Carolina improved to 25-4 overall and 12-2 in conference play–the exact same records as Duke. Both teams hope to win their midweek games, resulting in a match up for the conference title next Saturday.
Weekend Preview: February 25-26
Although the basketball season is, unfortunately, winding down… there are a number of ACC games this weekend (February 25 & 26, 2012).
Saturday
The day begins at noon with Virginia Tech traveling to #5 Duke. The Hokies’ Big Dance bubble has all but burst, but getting a win here could lead to big things in the ACC tournament.
At 1pm, Wake Forest hosts Boston College. Both teams are 3-10 in conference play and playing for pride. And for next year.
At 1:30 pm, North Carolina State travels to Clemson. Clemson has surprised some teams this year. And, at 18-10, the Wolfpack do not have a huge margin for error.
At 2:30 pm, Georgia Tech hosts Maryland. At 16-11, all games may be must wins for Maryland. Losing this one would be terrible to the post-season chances though.
The big game of the day, however, is the 4pm matchup between #7 North Carolina and #25 Virginia. The host Cavaliers are 21-6 but certainly could use an upset win like this to improve its seeding prospects. At 24-4, the Tar Heels look to keep momentum going.
In another big game, #2 Syracuse travels to Connecticut for a 9 pm game. At 28-1, Syracuse is looking to set a record for most regular season wins. Although UConn is struggling, they also play Syracuse tough at home.
Sunday
At 2p.m., disappointing Pittsburgh takes its 15-13 record into #17 Louisville. The Panthers are playing for pride right now.
The Sunday game of the week is a rivalry matchup between #15 Florida State and host Miami. At 19-8, the Seminoles would like to get that 20th victory on the season. At 16-10, Miami really needs this win. This game should be quite a battle.
Duke Defeats Florida State
#5 Duke avenged its earlier home loss to #15 Florida State by returning the favor last night, defeating the Seminoles 74-66. With the win, Duke improves to 24-4 and is now tied with #8 North Carolina for first place in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings. Both teams share a 24-4 overall record and 11-2 conference record.
The Blue Devils were led by Andre Dawkins’ 22 points off the bench, while Austin Rivers added another 20. Surprisingly, Duke was able to win despite being outrebounded. Florida State had the rebounding edge, 37-30. From a scoring standpoint, the Seminoles were led by Michael Snaer’s 18 points. Bernard James added 13 points and 9 rebounds.
With the loss, Florida State drops to a very respectful 19-8, with a 10-3 conference record. That is good enough for third in the conference standings. See below. Florida State has little time to rest, however, as it must head on the road to Miami and Virginia for its next two games. Both teams are in the top half of the standings. The finale is a home game against Clemson.
Duke’s next two games are against Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. As is the case every year, its season will conclude against North Carolina on March 3.
With only three regular season games remaining for all teams, here are the updated standings:
| Team | Conf. W-L | Tot. W-L |
| Duke | 11-2 | 24-4 |
| North Carolina | 11-2 | 24-4 |
| Florida St. | 10-3 | 19-8 |
| Virginia | 8-5 | 21-6 |
| N.C. State | 7-6 | 18-10 |
| Miami (Fla.) | 7-6 | 16-10 |
| Maryland | 6-7 | 16-11 |
| Clemson | 6-7 | 14-13 |
| Virginia Tech | 4-9 | 15-13 |
| Wake Forest | 3-10 | 12-15 |
| Boston College | 3-10 | 8-19 |
| Georgia Tech | 2-11 | 9-18 |
ACC Daily News: February 23, 2012
Here are your news and notes regarding the Atlantic Coast Conference for February 23, 2012.
In basketball, the big news is tonight’s game between #5 Duke and #15 Florida State. As you may recall, Florida State went on the road and defeated Duke on a shot by Michael Snaer at the buzzer. This helped propel Florida State into the top 15 (along with the dominating win over North Carolina). Needless to say, Duke is looking for revenge. And, as of right now, both teams are tied for 2nd place in the conference standings with identical 10-2 records. The winner will share #1 with North Carolina, who is 11-2. The game is at 7:00 p.m. and will be televised on ESPN.
Syracuse improved to 28-1 overall and 15-1 in Big East play with a win over surprising South Florida. Although it may be another year before Syracuse’s wins count for the conference, the Orange’s season does provide promise for the future.
In football, Randy Edsall was gracious enough to allow 2010 ACC Rookie of the Year Danny O’ Brien to transfer. But he would not allow the sophomore quarterback to transfer to Vanderbilt. Well, after receiving ample criticism from the media, Edsall finally did the honorable thing and will allow O’ Brien to consider Vanderbilt. Its kind of like when the Grinch’s heart grew three sizes in one day.
Former ACC Players on NFLDRAFTSCOUT’s Top 64
With the NFL football draft looming, NFL Draft Scout has released its Top 64. There are a number of former ACC players on the list.
In fact, the ACC should be quite proud of its representation here. 14 of the top 64 players. To be sure, the absence of a player in the top 15 is discouraging. But the depth of talent leaving the conference is impressive.
Here are snippets of the analyses of the ACC players:
19. Luke Kuechly, ILB, Boston College, 6-2, 237, 1 “his name was called on 532 tackles, an NCAA career record, including 299 solo, or an average of 14 total/7.9 solo in his 37-game stay at BC.”
20. Quinton Coples, DE, North Carolina, 6-6, 281, 1 “He showed pro scouts he had the toughness and tenacity to get the job done at either position and finished with 59 tackles, including 15.5 for a loss and 10 sacks.”
32. Brandon Thompson, DT, Clemson, 6-2, 311, 1-2 “He has been a classroom and weight-room fanatic since high school, which earned him academic honor roll recognition in 2010 and the weight-lifting statistics of a tractor — 450-pound single bench press, 36 reps with 225 pounds, 615-pound squat lift and 370-pound power clean.”
33. Dwayne Allen, TE, Clemson, 6-4, 255, 1-2 “Last season he caught 50 passes for 598 yards and eight touchdowns after a 2010 season in which he grabbed 33 for 373 and one TD.”
34. Zach Brown, OLB, North Carolina, 6-1, 236, 1-2 “Brown is fast and fascinating, but is only beginning to learn how to maximize his exceptional athletic ability on a football field.”
35. Andre Branch, DE, Clemson, 6-4, 260, 1-2 “He was selected first-team All-ACC in 2011 after leading Clemson in sacks (10.5) and tackles for a loss (17).”
38. David Wilson, RB, Virginia Tech, 5-10, 205, 2 “Last year he collected 1,709 yards on 290 carries with nine touchdowns. That earned him ACC Player of the Year honors and he was named second-team All-American.”
40. Brandon Washington, OG, Miami, 6-4, 320, 2 “Washington is a stout, no-nonsense, get-it-done lineman who played guard and tackle at Miami but will move inside at the next level.”
43. Lamar Miller, RB, Miami, 5-11, 212, 2 “He is a tough runner with deceptive second-gear acceleration, both of which serve him well as a kickoff returner.”
46. Zebrie Sanders, OT, Florida State, 6-6, 308, 2 “He is a lithesome, long-limbed athlete who was very effective in FSU’s zone-slide pass protection scheme.”
54. Chase Minnifield, CB, Virginia, 6-0, 185, 2 “Minnifield is a menace in press coverage as he re-routes receivers well and has exceptional ball skills, aided by excellent leaping ability and long arms.”
58. Sean Spence, OLB, Miami, 5-11, 228, 2 “Spence is not fooled often by play-action, and shows above average skills as a pass defender.”
60. Chandler Jones, DE, Syracuse, 6-5, 265, 2 “Jones is a strong, fast, long-armed, raw talent who can play LDE right now, but might have upside as a decent pass rusher.”
61. Stephen Hill, WR, Georgia Tech, 6-4, 206, 2 “Hill should be worth watching at the combine, where if he surely will wow scouts who are seeking more data on this undergrad who averaged a lot of yards per catch.”
For the complete write-ups, check out the original source.
Lacrosse is Back: Weekly Report 2, February 22, 2012
ACC lacrosse is off and running.
News:
The Virginia Cavaliers remain ranked #1 in the Nike Top 20. See here. North Carolina is #5, Syracuse is #6, Maryland is #7, and Duke is #8. So, yeah, the ACC can claim 5 of the top 8 schools, which is nice.
Recap of Last Week:
Saturday, February 18, 2012
North Carolina defeated Detroit, 18-8. Jimmy Dunster led the Tar Heels with three goals, while Marcus Holman and Chad Tutton had four-point games.
Notre Dame defeated Duke 7-3. Duke’s defense was fine, Notre Dame’s defense was just better.
Maryland defeated Hartford 12-6. Maryland was led by John Haus, who tied his career high with four points (2 goals). Notably, Curtis Holmes dominated face-offs, winning 19-of-20.
Virginia defeated Drexel 9-8. With about 8 minutes to go, Virginia trailed 8-7. Bobby Hill’s first career goal tied it at 8-8, while Rob Emery scored the game winner with 4:48 to go.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Syracuse defeated Albany 12-7. Although Syracuse trailed 2-0, they went on a 10-0 run to put the game out of reach.
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Virginia defeated VMI, 19-5.
Upcoming Games:
Friday, February 24, 2012
Maryland @ Georgetown
Penn @ Duke
Saturday, February 25, 2012
North Carolina @ Navy.
Stony Brook @ Virginia.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Jacksonville @ Duke
Army @ Syracuse
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Virginia @ Mount St. Mary’s.
Records:
North Carolina 3-0
Virginia 2-0
Syracuse and Maryland 1-0
Duke 1-1
The Confidential’s ACC Lacrosse Rankings:
1. North Carolina (3-0). Until North Carolina loses, Virginia will just have to wait.
2. Virginia (2-0). A win over Drexel and a romp over VMI put Virginia ahead of the rest.
3. Syracuse (1-0). Comparable win to Maryland, but Syracuse won the scrimmage.
4. Maryland (1-0). See above.
5. Duke (1-1). A loss is a loss is a loss.
If you have any comments on the ACC Lacrosse season or this entry, please feel free to share!
The Confidential’s Basketball Top 30 for February 22, 2012
With over 300 teams in college basketball, the top 25 is just not enough anymore. Here is the Confidential’s Top 30 for February 22, 2012:
- Syracuse (27-1). Another road win for Syracuse as it continues its best season ever. Looking to win the regular season title with two wins in the last three games Next up: @ South Florida.
- Kentucky (26-1). A light week, with only a game against Mississippi. Yes, they won. Next up: @ Mississippi State.
- Missouri (25-2). The Tigers are firmly entrenched as the #3 team right now. Think the SEC folks are happy? Next up: Kansas State.
- Michigan State (22-5). Took care of Wisconsin. Then defeated Purdue on the road. Next up: @ Minnesota.
- Duke (23-4). Narrowly escaped North Carolina State. Revenge game upcoming. Next up: @ Florida State.
- Kansas (22-5). Light week, with only a game against mid-major Texas Tech. Wait, they are in the Big XII? Next up: @ Texas A&M.
- North Carolina (23-4). Tough week with road trips at Virginia and North Carolina State. The Tar Heels try to keep pace with Duke. Next up: @ NC State.
- Ohio State (22-5). Road loss to Michigan was not horrible, but keeps the Buckeyes on the outside of the 1 seed discussions for now. Next up: Illinois.
- Georgetown (20-5). Beat Providence on the road. Looking for a double-bye in the Big East tournament. Next up: @ Seton Hall.
- Marquette (22-5). Convincing win at sinking Connecticut. Still in the hunt for the Big East regular season championship. Next up: @ Rutgers.
- Baylor (23-5). Baylor is starting to lose momentum. The loss to Kansas State was the first upset. Next up: Oklahoma.
- Michigan (20-7). Big win over Ohio State. No… huge win! Next up: @ Iowa.
- Notre Dame (19-8). After starting conference play 3-3, the Fighting Irish are now 11-3 and 19-8 overall. That’s 7 wins in a row. Next up: West Virginia.
- Wisconsin (20-7. Loss at Michigan State was disappointing, but respectable. Travel to Ohio State this week, cursing the schedule maker along the way. Next up: @ Iowa.
- Florida State (19-7). Florida State looked really good beating up NC State on the road. Also took care of the Hokies. Next up: Duke.
- Florida (21-6). Florida is not getting impressive wins, but they are getting wins. Next up: @ Auburn.
- Murray State (26-1). Big bracket buster win over St. Mary’s. That helps the at-large cause. Next up: @ Tennessee State.
- Louisville (21-6). Took care of DePaul on Saturday. Remember, played Syracuse very tough. Next up: @ Cincinnati.
- Virginia (20-6). Bounced back against Maryland with a convincing win. Need to pull an upset sooner or later though. Next up: @ Virginia Tech.
- Indiana (20-7). Loss to Iowa hurts, no way around it. A rare OOC game in February for the Hoosiers next. Next up: North Carolina Central.
- Wichita State (24-4). Got a nice win over Davidson on Saturday to help the at-large cause. Next up: Illinois State.
- New Mexico (22-4). Even New Mexico fans have to be surprised… they beat San Diego State on the road and then throttled UNLV. Next up: @ Colorado State.
- Temple (21-5). The Owls have a bunch of good wins. Time to make plans for March. Next up: @ La Salle.
- UNLV (22-6). Losing momentum here with 3 losses in two weeks. Need to turn it around soon. Next up: Boise State.
- San Diego State (20-6). Not only has San Diego State been struggling, but they have given struggling UNLV its only recent win. Next up: Wyoming.
- Vanderbilt (19-8). Wins over Mississippi and Georgia beef up the totals, but nobody will be impressed until they host Kentucky. And win. Next up: South Carolina.
- St. Louis (21-5). Time to give St. Louis some publicity. They have won six straight. Next up: @ Rhode Island.
- St. Mary’s (23-5). Like a lot of West Coast teams, St. Mary’s is in a funk lately. Next up: @ Portland.
- Virginia Commonwealth (23-6). Rebounded from the George Mason loss to beat Northern Iowa. Next up: NC Wilmington.
- Creighton (23-5). Trying to rebound after that three-game losing streak. The win over Long Beach State helps. Next up: Evansville.
Tell us what you think. Is anyone unfairly missing? Anyone too high or too low?
ACC Reprimands Official Karl Hess
One of the minor news stories making the rounds was ACC referee Karl Hess’s ejection of Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta from their seats behind the scorer’s table during North Carolina State’s loss to Florida State on Saturday. Apparently, Corchiani and Gugliotta were never given an explanation as to why they had been given the boot. Today, the ACC reprimanded Hess.
The ACC specifically stated as follows:
In a statement Monday night, the league said it had conducted a “thorough review” of the events leading up to Hess’ ejections of former Wolfpack stars Chris Corchiani and Tom Gugliotta from seats behind the scorer’s table during the second half of Saturday’s loss to Florida State.
The ACC said after the game that officials have the authority to ask the home team’s management to remove fans when, in the official’s judgment, their behavior is extreme or excessive. After Hess gestured to have Gugliotta and Corchiani removed, they were approached by an officer from the Raleigh Police Department.
“Karl Hess is one of the best on-court officials in college basketball, but the ACC has established a game management protocol, which allows the opportunity to potentially diffuse any situations before they reach the level of ejection,” ACC commissioner John Swofford said in the statement. “His reprimand is a result of a failure to follow that protocol.
“We have to depend on our officials and their judgments; and the explanation from Karl Hess regarding this matter has been shared with the ACC and N.C. State University.”
Thus, in this battle between uber-fans of the Wolfpack and the ACC powers-that-be, the Wolfpack won.
ACC fans, of course, recall that Gugliotta and Corchiani are top players in North Carolina State history. Both spent time in the NBA, with Gugliotta having a 13-year career. It is great that the players remain passionate about their alma mater. Hopefully, they can avoid being tossed in the future. More importantly, how about the rabbit-eared referees concentrate on doing their typical mediocre job instead of worrying about the fans?
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