Atlantic Coast Conference Notebook
By now, most teams have found their primary scoring options, if they didn’t know them already entering the season. Duke has J.J. Redick and Shelden Williams, while Miami has Guillermo Diaz and Robert Hite. Both of those duos terrorize opponents, who must scramble to guard two lethal scorers at all times – never mind trying to cover the other three players on the court.
But the teams with depth usually make the most noise in the post-season. Depth doesn’t necessarily mean a rotation of eight or nine players. Duke regularly excels in the NCAA Tournament with a seven-man rotation. Most teams, however, have three scorers they can turn to in a pinch. When playing the Blue Devils, everyone knows coach Mike Krzyzewski wants Redick to handle the ball in clutch situations. If it’s not in his hands, look for Williams in the post. But if Williams is in foul trouble and Redick is double covered, who gets the open look?
In this edition of the ACC Notebook, each team capsule focuses on a player that needs to step up as ACC squads enter the last few weeks of the regular season. In some cases, teams need a third scoring option to emerge. For example, Duke could use more production for Sean Dockery, and Boston College’s Craig Smith and Jared Dudley would greatly appreciate more help from Sean Marshall.
Some teams have an abundance of scorers but no go-to guy, as is the case for Clemson and Maryland. The Terrapins present the classic case of a team that desperately needs another scoring option to emerge. Maryland guard Chris McCray is academically ineligible for the remainder of the season, so the team desperately need other options to emerge. Otherwise, Maryland must play strong enough defense to win lower scoring games.
Every team has adjustments to make. As a conference, the ACC has recent non-conference losses to Seton Hall (North Carolina State), Georgetown (Duke) and Temple (Maryland). Those losses weaken the conference’s profile, which in turn makes it harder for the teams in the middle of the pack to earn NCAA Tournament bids come March. So the teams have an even greater responsibility to deliver more down the stretch.
ACC Player of the Week: J.J. Redick, Duke
The college game seems too easy for Redick, who continues to dump points on any and every opponent. He scored 24 against Virginia Tech and 40 against Virginia last week. The outburst against the Cavaliers marked his third game of the season in which he scored at least 40 points.
ACC Rookie of the Week: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina
These awards are becoming rather dull with Redick consistently winning Player of the Week and Hansbrough almost as often collecting Rookie of the Week. But they continue to excel in their respective categories. Last week, Hansbrough averaged 23.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per week – numbers worthy of Player of the Week consideration in conferences not featuring Redick or Gonzaga’s Adam Morrison.
ACC Coach Watch: Skip Prosser, Wake Forest
The last thing coach Skip Prosser wanted to hear was that his star guard, Justin Gray, was too sick to play against Virginia Tech. That said, the Demon Deacons did not expect to lose to the previously winless Hokies in Winston-Salem. Wake Forest now sits in the cellar with Virginia Tech at 1-6. The season is quickly unraveling, and Prosser needs to find a winning combination and soon.
Duke Blue Devils (19-1, 7-0)
Last week:
Win: at Virginia Tech 80-67
Win: Virginia 82-63
Next two games:
Feb. 1: at Boston College
Feb. 4: Florida State
Yes, Duke is no longer among the ranks of the unbeaten. That’s only a big deal to people who foolishly thought any college basketball team could run the table en route to a championship. For an ACC squad, that would require winning at least 27 regular season games, three conference tournament games and six NCAA Tournament wins – 36 in sum. That’s not gonna happen this season or any other time soon. So the myth of perfection can be put to rest, and the Duke doomsday sayers can sip a dose of reality.
But those among the Blue Devil nation who dismiss the loss at Georgetown as a fluke should also face the truth. Duke has some serious issues on offense when an opponent can shut down senior guard J.J. Redick or senior forward Shelden Williams. Redick, who ripped the Hoyas for 41 points, is seemingly unstoppable. Even if he’s not hitting his shots, Redick finds a way to score by taking the ball into the paint to draw fouls or easy layups. On the other hand, Williams seems easier to slow down. The Hoyas attacked Williams and forced him to play in foul trouble, which reduces his effectiveness on offense. On defense, they minimized his shot blocking by drawing him out of the lane with a spread offense.
Duke occasionally struggles to find a third scorer. Neither senior guard Sean Dockery nor freshman guard Greg Paulus are automatic scoring options when the team needs a score. As the third most talented senior on the team, Dockery needs to step up his game during the final weeks before the NCAA Tournament. He averages 8.5 points per game and does everything else, too, averaging four rebounds, 3.1 assists and 2.3 steals per game. Despite being an exceptional all-around player, Dockery is not a reliable third scoring option, which is what the Blue Devils need more than anything else.
Nine times out of 10 – or more accurately so far, 19 times out of 20 – Duke won’t need Dockery, Paulus or another Blue Devil to step forward to fill in for Redick or Williams on offense. But the Blue Devils can ill afford to enter the NCAA Tournament and risk running into an opponent that erases Williams and forces someone else not named Redick to deliver big shots.
North Carolina State Wolfpack (16-4, 5-2)
Last week:
Loss: Seton Hall 83-65
Win: at Clemson 94-85, double OT
Next two games:
Feb. 1: Virginia
Feb. 5: Maryland
With more than half of the ACC on the heals of the Wolfpack, North Carolina State cannot afford to drop winnable games. The Wolfpack lost an ugly home game to Seton Hall last week but bounced back to survive a tough outing at Clemson in double overtime. With five of the next six games at home or against the bottom half of the ACC, the Wolfpack need to build a winning streak to create separation at the top of the standings..
If the Wolfpack build a winning streak, senior guard Cameron Bennerman will probably have a significant role in most games. Bennerman doesn’t get the recognition of fellow senior forward Ilian Evtimov. And he doesn’t lead the team in scoring – a category led by sophomore forward Cedric Simmons. But Bennerman is the team’s most athletic player. He is right behind Simmons in scoring, averaging 12.7 points per game. Against Clemson, he hit the game-tying three-pointer that forced overtime. He finished with 17 points in the game, including four three-pointers. When Bennerman hits shots, the Wolfpack are hard to stop because he can score in many different ways. With Evtimov having an up-and-down season, Bennerman needs to become the go-to guy for North Carolina State in the clutch, and he proved willing to handle the responsibility at Clemson.
Maryland Terrapins (14-5, 4-2)
Last week:
Win: at Georgia Tech 86-74
Loss: at Temple 91-85
Next two games:
Feb. 2: North Carolina
Feb. 5: at North Carolina State
In the course of a week, Maryland’s lineup changed drastically because of the news that senior guard Chris McCray, the team’s leading scorer at 15.2 points per game, is academically ineligible for the remainder of the season. Since McCray’s suspension, senior forward Nik Caner-Medley has stepped up to become the team’s leading scorer at 15.6 points per game. But the key to Maryland’s success the rest of the season is McCray’s replacement, junior guard Mike Jones.
Jones started in McCray’s place at Georgia Tech and delivered a modest 12 points. That’s better than his 8.8 points per game average, but it doesn’t match McCray’s production. Jones proved he is ready for the challenge, however, when Maryland visited Temple. Jones delivered 23 points, hitting seven three-pointers. Although Jones deserves credit for stepping into McCray’s place in the starting lineup and playing well, he needs to become more than a long-range shooter. Every field goal Jones hit last week was from beyond the arc. One of McCray’s greatest assets was his threat to attack the lane, forcing opponents to give space on the perimeter. Jones must learn to add that skill to his repertoire or else opponents will quickly figure out how to shut him down. If Jones can score between 13-20 points per game the rest of the way, Maryland should be OK.
Boston College Eagles (16-4, 4-3)
Last week:
Win: at North Carolina 81-74
Win: Georgia Tech 66-64
Next two games:
Feb. 1: Duke
Feb. 4: at Virginia Tech
Don’t look now, but the Eagles are rising in the ACC standings. Trailing 2nd-place North Carolina State by a game in the ACC, Boston College is on a roll, winning four consecutive conference games. That includes an important win at Chapel Hill last week. The trip was victorious, yet tragic, as the team’s bus killed a lifelong Tar Heel fan in accident. The bus struck the man while he was riding his bike on a highway leading to Chapel Hill, and he died.
As Boston College starts to meet early expectations, senior forward Craig Smith and junior forward Jared Dudley receive most of the accolades. But Boston College’s future success largely depends on an unheralded backcourt. Specifically, junior guard Sean Marshall, the team’s third leading scorer at 12.5 points per game, has played well all season. He has reached double figures in 15 of 20 games this season. But he hasn’t scored more than 15 points in any conference games. Although he’s a 42 percent shooter from three-point range, he’s only hit more than one three-pointer in an ACC game once. So Marshall needs to play big in the games that count most – conference games.
Miami Hurricanes (12-8, 4-3)
Last week:
Loss: at Virginia 71-51
Win: at Florida State 84-78, OT
Next two games:
Jan. 31: Wake Forest
Feb. 4: at Georgia Tech
Miami split two road games last week, keeping the Hurricanes stuck in the middle of the ACC’s pack. The backcourt combination of junior guard Guillermo Diaz and senior guard Robert Hite continues to be one of the most lethal in the country. They combined for 55 points against the Seminoles in an 84-78 overtime victory. But even they need time to rest, and coach Frank Haith needs freshman guard Denis Clemente to become a more reliable contributor.
Clemente has not met expectations yet, but he’s also playing limited minutes behind Diaz, Hite and senior point guard Anthony Harris. One of Clemente’s problems is turnovers. He averages nearly two turnovers per game and only a little more than two assists. That turnover ratio is not steady enough to earn more playing time. And Haith has played him less during the past couple of games. If Miami plans to make a serious run to the NCAA Tournament, the Hurricanes need Clemente to log more successful minutes to spell Hite, Diaz and Harris.
Virginia Cavaliers (10-7, 4-3)
Last week:
Win: Miami 71-51
Loss: at Duke 82-63
Next two games:
Feb. 1: at North Carolina State
Feb. 4: Wake Forest
Virginia continued its surprising start to the ACC schedule with a 71-51 blowout of Miami last week. The Cavaliers needed a solid start to build some confidence entering the toughest portion of the team’s schedule. Following the Miami game, the Cavaliers started a stretch in which they play three of four away from Charlottesville. Virginia dropped the first game at Duke 82-63, and the next opponents on the schedule are North Carolina State, Wake Forest – in Charlottesville – and Maryland.
Virginia’s start has been a product of solid guard play by sophomore Sean Singletary and junior J.R. Reynolds. But sophomore forward Adrien Joseph could be the most critical piece of the puzzle for coach Dave Leitao heading down the final stretch of the season. When Joseph scores in double figures, the Cavaliers are 8-2. But when opponents hold him to less than 10 points, the team is only 2-5. Joseph averages about 10 points and five rebounds per game for the season, and he is the most versatile starter because he can shoot the three-pointer and also score in the paint. If Joseph continues to improve to reach 12 or 13 points per game, the Cavaliers could remain in the mix for a fourth or fifth NCAA Tournament bid from the ACC.
North Carolina Tar Heels (12-5, 3-3)
Last week:
Loss: Boston College 81-74
Win: Arizona 86-69
Next two games:
Feb. 2: at Maryland
Feb. 4: Clemson
The Tar Heels have passed several early season tests, most recently winning the team’s ninth non-conference game in a huge victory against Arizona. North Carolina enters a tough four-game stretch in conference play that could make or break the Tar Heels’ NCAA Tournament hopes. North Carolina plays road games at Maryland and Miami with home battles against Clemson and Duke sandwiched in between. The tip time of the Clemson game is less than 48 hours after North Carolina visits Maryland. The Tigers have never won in Chapel Hill, but this year could be their best opportunity in many years.
For the Tar Heels to survive the next four games, they need junior forward Reyshawn Terry to become a more dominating force. Everyone knows freshman forward Tyler Hansbrough is a man in the middle, and senior forward David Noel is the sage elder from last season’s championship squad. But Terry is a talented forward who is second on the team in scoring, averaging 12.9 points per game and hitting nearly 39 percent of his three-point attempts. Despite his talents, Terry’s impact on a game tends to ebb and flow. Before Terry becomes a household name in the ACC, he needs to play more consistently. Right now, Williams plays Terry for only a little more than 22 minutes per game. Granted, Williams prefers to substitute players frequently to keep them fresh. But if Terry can demonstrate that he can handle the load, the Tar Heels will be better off with him on the floor for 27-30 minutes per game.
Clemson Tigers (14-6, 3-4)
Last week:
Loss: North Carolina State 94-85, double OT
Next two games:
Feb. 1: at Florida State
Feb. 4: at North Carolina
The Tigers missed an opportunity to surge forward in the ACC standings after North Carolina State snuck out of Clemson with a double overtime victory. The Tigers misplayed the Wolfpack’s Cammeron Bennerman in the closing seconds of regulation, giving him an opportunity to hit a game-tying three-pointer. In the second overtime, Clemson ran out of gas against the Wolfpack, who pulled away to a 94-85 win. Clemson has a tough stretch ahead with three road games at Florida State, North Carolina and Boston College in the next four games. The Tigers must steal a win or two on the road to stay competitive for an NCAA Tournament bid.
In the Tigers’ push to reach the NCAATournament for the first time this millennium, senior forward Akin Akingbala must play a bigger role. Clemson plays a guard-oriented, perimeter-focused offense. Akingbala is the biggest contributor in the paint, but he only averages 9.8 points per game. He is great on the glass, averaging 7.1 rebounds per game. But Akingbala doesn’t play a significant enough role on offense to force opponents to honor his presence in the paint with more than token coverage. In seven conference games, Akingbala has scored more than 10 points only twice. And he’s picked up at least four fouls three times. For the Tigers to realistically make the NCAA Tournament, Akingbala needs to increase his offensive production by two or three points per game. He must score early and often in games to force opposing defenses to collapse into the paint when he touches the ball. That will open looks on the perimeter for the Tiger guards, who love to jack up the long ball.
Florida State Seminoles (12-5, 3-4)
Last week:
Win: at Wake Forest 75-68
Loss: Miami 84-78, overtime
Next two games:
Feb. 1: Clemson
Feb. 4: at Duke
As evidence of Florida State’s proximity to greatness, the Seminoles have lost only five games this season, and none by more than eight points. Florida State has become a usual suspect in tight games, especially in the conference. All seven of the Seminoles’ ACC games have been decided by seven points or less. So the margin for error is miniscule with Florida State, which beat Wake Forest on the road by seven but lost at home to Miami by six in overtime last week.
Junior forwards Alexander Johnson and Al Thornton lead this team, combining to average about 28 points per game. Both players are athletic forwards who can explode to the hoop, and they can step outside to hit an occasional three-pointer. But Florida State’s hopes to move forward in the ACC rest in the backcourt. Specifically, senior guard Todd Galloway must lead this team to victories, especially in tight games. But Galloway is a poor free-throw shooter for a guard. With a game on the line, most teams want the ball in the hands of their point guards. And with a nearly 2-to-1 assist-to-turnover ratio, Galloway is an adequate ball handler. But he hits less than 54 percent of his free-throw attempts. That’s not going to cut it.
The Seminoles don’t need Galloway to score in double figures consistently, but they need him to hit timely three-pointers and free throws. He hasn’t show a propensity to do either. If he can increase his shooting percentages in both categories, the Seminoles’ close losses could easily turn into close victories.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-9, 2-5)
Last week:
Loss: Maryland 86-74
Loss: at Boston College 66-64
Next two games:
Jan. 31: at Virginia Tech
Feb. 4: Miami
By virtue of the team’s loss at Boston College last weekend, Georgia Tech becomes the first ACC team in peril of falling below .500 in 2006. The Yellow Jackets are in the midst of a youth movement, so some struggles are not surprising. But after starting 2-0 in conference play, some fans turned optimistic. So the current five-game losing streak is disappointing to them.
One concern for coach Paul Hewitt is the team’s inability to shoot the ball, especially from behind the arc. Sophomores Anthony Morros and Jeremis Smith form a solid tandem, and they should be a fearsome duo for the next two years in the ACC. But Hewitt needs sophomore guard Zam Fredrick to shoot better. Although Fredrick does a solid job running the offense, averaging 4.1 assists per game, he does not possess a jump shot worth defending. Fredrick hits 37 percent of his field-goal attempts, including only 29 percent of his three-point attempts. Those numbers would not be as important if Fredrick only created opportunities for opponents and took shots sparingly. But Fredrick is second on the team in field goal attempts. For Georgia Tech to build momentum heading into the conference tournament, Fredrick must shoot more judiciously or focus on sharing the ball to teammates who can hit more shots.
Virginia Tech Hokies (11-9, 1-6)
Last week:
Loss: Duke 80-67
Win: at Wake Forest 76-70
Next two games:
Jan. 31: Georgia Tech
Feb. 4: Boston College
After the Hokies dropped their second game of the season to Duke, a trip to Wake Forest did not seem appealing, especially with junior forward Coleman Collins out while he deals with family health issues and sophomore forward Deron Williams suspended for kicking Lee Melchionni in the face late during the loss to the Blue Devils. But Virginia Tech responded with a solid 76-70 road win, the Hokies’ first victory in conference play.
One of the reasons the Hokies have suffered a sophomore slump in the ACC is the lack of production from the bench. Although starting guards Zabian Dowdell and Jamon Gordon have struggled at times this season, freshman forward A.D. Vassallo may be the most important player for coach Seth Greenberg to develop. Vassallo has a lot of talent and can provide much-needed rest to the Hokie starters. Against Wake Forest, Vassallo had to play more minutes in the absence of Collins and Washington. He responded with 29 points in 37 minutes. That’s more minutes than Vassallo has played in the past six games combined and more points than he has scored in the past 10 games combined. If Vassallo can average between seven and nine points per game, Greenberg can let him play between 15-20 minutes to give his starters more breathers on the bench, which could lead to more wins if his most significant contributors can stay fresh toward the end of games.
Wake Forest Demon Deacons (12-8, 1-6)
Last week:
Loss: Florida State 75-68
Loss: Virginia Tech 76-70
Next two games:
Jan. 31: at Miami
Feb. 4: at Virginia
The Demon Deacons are off to a miserable start in conference play after a solid non-conference slate. Before starting ACC competition, Wake Forest had an 11-2 record. After losing six of seven conference games, the Demon Deacons now appear NIT-bound, if the team can keep its record above .500. In the next five games, Wake Forest plays Miami and Virginia – both on the road – then Boston College, Charlotte and Duke. The Demon Deacons must win four of those games to have any chance of earning an NCAA Tournament bid.
A prime reason the Demon Deacons have encountered rough times is that they can’t find a reliable third scoring option behind seniors Justin Gray and Eric Williams. Gray missed the Demon Deacons’ last game against Virginia Tech with an illness, and Wake Forest’s offense clearly lacked any rhythm. Freshman point guard Harvey Hale must find a way to learn on the job if Wake Forest plans to make a significant push toward the post-season. Hale averages only 2.2 assists per game while turning the ball over 2.3 times per game. That’s a bad ratio for a point guard. Hale often appears unable or unwilling to fire the ball into the post to Williams. Although Gray is the team’s leading scorer and is having a sensational season, Williams presents the biggest mismatch for opponents, so Hale and the other makeshift point guards must find a way to get the big man the ball. If Williams can touch the ball every possession, the pressure on opposing defenses to defend him will create looks on the perimeter for Gray and Wake Forest’s other shooters.
