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March 2008
UNC-Louisville pregame thoughts and notes
I’ve had plenty of time today to think. Since I am driving home after the game, I couldn’t just stick around the hotel. Instead, I ventured over to the huge outlet mall in Concord and read the Sports Illustrated baseball preview (outstanding, as always, by the way).
But I started thinking about this North Carolina in terms of other great teams I have seen first-hand since I entered this business.
— 2005-06 Duke basketball was obviously talented, but I just always had the feeling that it would never cross into championship status. There were too many holes and the Blue Devils never dominated teams.
— 2006-07 UNC basketball was too young and too emotionally immature to handle a tough game, which it eventually ran into with Georgetown.
— 2007 Rocky Mount High football (I know, this is a completely altogether different scale, but the Gryphons were a great team) just ran into an opponent that was too tough and too versatile.
— The 2005-06 Carolina Hurricanes were the most similar team to these Tar Heels. That group was absolutely focused from day one until game seven of the Stanley Cup Finals, and never backed down from a challenge. There was also a confidence to the Hurricanes, where they didn’t think they were capable — they knew it.
The Tar Heels really do carry that bravado and swagger, yet back it up on the court. They’ve absolutely dominated these last three games, and show no signs of a tangible weakness (it’s outside shooting, maybe).
So what happens tonight?
UNC wins, 90-87. The Tar Heels are able to neutralize the Cardinals’ David Padgett, Wayne Ellington redeems himself for last year’s Elite Eight game and ol’ Roy bests slick Rick.
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Friday notes
Just a few quick items from Friday’s press conferences and breakout sessions:
— Rick Pitino was asked about Tyler Hansbrough’s chances to succeed in the NBA. The Louisville coach has twice taken his chances in the NBA, and knows something about the league. He said Hansbrough would be successful, because teams are always on the lookout for “relentless” players.
— Speaking of the NBA and Pitino, UNC coach Roy Williams said Pitino might still be in the league, had the ping pong balls fallen differently. He’s referring to the 1997 NBA Draft lottery, when Boston had the best chance to win the No. 1 pick (and Tim Duncan) but instead picked No. 3 and 6. That’s true, but Boston did pick Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer. That’s two pretty solid picks, but Pitino couldn’t take advantage.
— At this point, everyone is confident. Everyone believes they can win the next three games. But you got the feeling Friday that Louisville may just be a little too happy to be here, if you know what I mean.
— Pitino and Williams have made peace, Williams said. The two had a run-in way back.
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UNC-Washington State postgame thoughts/notes
That was a workmanlilke game from the Tar Heels, who advance to Saturday’s Elite Eight game (which, as of right now, has not been given an official air time (it will either be 6:30 or 9 p.m., if you trust the TV listings).
The 47 points Washington State scored were the least UNC has allowed in an NCAA Tournament game since Oklahoma A&M defeated the Tar Heels, 43-40, in the 1946 championship game. Suffice to say, that was before the advent of the shot clock.
A few notes, coming from the fine folks at UNC’s Sports Information Department.
— UNC has won eight straight Sweet 16 games, dating back to 1993.
— Tyler Hansbrough is now the highest scoring junior in ACC history. Dennis Scott, of Georgia Tech, previously held the record.
— For the 37th time this season, or every game UNC has played, Hansbrough scored in double figures. That’s a UNC record, previously held by Eric Montross (1993) and Antawn Jamison (1998).
— UNC is now 21-0 in games played away from the Smith Center.
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UNC-Washington State halftime thoughts
— There were a total of 66 possessions in the first half, or 33 on each side. Dean Smith always looked at 100 for his team as a benchmark of offensive success, and Ol’ Roy has never deviated from that. So 33 in 20 minutes is a little off, but not too far. Blame it on Washington State’s slow-down offense.
— Tyler Hansbrough as looked average. He was called for traveling early on, the Cougars’ big men are doing a great job of coming down to double-team him and he’s generally been out of the flow of the game.
— Before the game, the UNC band played “Jump Around,” House of Pain’s seminal hit and the unofficial pre-game anthem at the Smith Center. Yes, Danny Green danced. Not quite as emphatically as at home, but it was hard to pick up the beat of the trombone.
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UNC pregame thoughts
OK, so I am finally in Charlotte Bobcats Arena.
I say finally because the combination of foot traffic/car traffic/construction has created a FUBAR outside of the arena. There should be a law against building a downtown arena when your city does not rely on a major public transit system.
As you would expect, the city of Charlotte is collectively cheering on the North Carolina Tar Heels. Outside of a few fans of the other three schools, everyone is wearing Carolina Blue.
The big question, in my mind, for this game is whether or not Washington State is going to be intimidated. This is, after all, the Cougars’ first trip to the Sweet 16. Players said yesterday that a typical postgame press conference is a few cameras and a few guys on laptops.
There were 275 or so people credentialed for Raleigh, and there are more people than that here. The Cougars are a good team, bordering on great. But you never know what is going to happen in UNC jumps out to a 10-0 run, WSU coach Tony Bennett has to burn a timeout and Bobcats Arena explodes with UNC-fandom.
For a variety of reasons, mainly the fact that my seat on press row does not actually include a table, I will not be live-blogging this one. I’ll be back at halftime with a few thoughts.
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Davidson stealing the show
Members of the Wildcats basketball team came out to watch some of North Carolina’s 51-26 halftime beating of Arkansas. What awaited the Wildcats was a standing ovation from the RBC Center crowd. Two rows behind my seat, Stephen Curry hugged his mother, father and other family members. Some players signed autographs. Rocky Mount Academy graduate Mike Schmitt walked up some steps in the crowd and waived to fans.
Pulling off the upset of the day and perhaps the tournament doesn’t get you all-access. Davidson players Thomas Sander, Jason Richards and Stephen Rossiter decided to sit in the first row of seats that have been reserved for some media members. Even though there were a number of open seats, a security guard asked the three to move to seats behind the basket with the rest of their teammates. “That’s Jason Richards and Thomas Sander!” a Davidson fan told the security guard, obviously baffled that the players did not have freedom to choose their seats. The players walked over and sat with the rest of their teammates and watched the drubbing the Tar Heels are putting on the Razorbacks.
Speaking of the Tar Heels, Deon Thompson is looking good. He is 5-for-5 and has scored 10 points in the first half. The Tar Heels need a challenge. Doesn’t look like that will happen today.
The RBC Center videoboard often has trivia questions during timeouts of the games. During the first half they had a “Guess the school fight song” trivia. Playing loud above North Carolina coach Roy Williams’ huddle was the Kansas fight song. Bet he knew the answer. He might as well have answered it himself. This team can coach itself to the final 20 minutes of this victory-to-be.
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Davidson-Georgetown postgame observations
Wow. Amazing. What can you say? Stephen Curry scored 25 points in the second half to lead Davidson to a 74-70 upset of No. 2 Georgetown. Davidson is in the Sweet 16. Guess you can’t keep a good shooter down for long. Curry finished 8 of 21 from the field.
Curry’s father, Dell, was sitting two rows directly behind me. Dell Curry made some big shots in his NBA career but his son’s accomplishment is amazing. Georgetown looked as if they had Davdson under control. They led by 17 points with 17:52 remaining in the contest.
Curry made his last five field goal attempts and iced the game at the free-throw line.
-Former Rocky Mount Academy standout Mike Schmitt’s parents are in attendance. They watched as their son - a Davidson walk-on - celebrated on the court with his teammates. I went over to David Schmitt after the game and he asked me, “Can you believe this.” His wife, Misty, sang “Sweet Caroline” with the rest of the Davidson fan base as the school celebrated another NCAA Tournament victory. Georgetown has been to five Final Fours. It will be at least another season before they return.
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Davidson-Georgetown observations
- I’m normally not starstruck. My favorite New York Knick and perhaps basketball player of alltime, Patrick Ewing, is in the audience to see his son, Patrick Ewing Jr. play for Georgetown. I had a lifesize poster of Ewing (he stands at seven feet tall - I’m only 5-foot-6) in my room when I lived in Queens, New York. I interviewed him when he was an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards. I was in college then and the Wizards had training camp at UNCW. Doc Rivers, coach of the Boston Celtics is here too. His son Jeremiah is a sophomore guard for the Hoyas.
_ Georgetown 38, Davidson 27 at halftime. The Hoyas are doing a great job of defending sweet-shooting guard Stephen Curry. Curry is only 2-for-8 for five points. Rivers and Jessie Sappa have been guarding Curry the most in the first half. Curry missed his first four shots. The first two - both 3-point attempts - were halfway down, but rimmed out. He scored his first two points on a floater 10 minutes into the game. He did not score again until he knocked down a 3-pointer with less than a minute remaining in the half for the final points of the opening half.
Curry is not the only star having a sub-par outing. Georgetown’s 7-foot-2 center, Roy Hibbert has two points in only five minutes of action. He earned two quick fouls and watched the majority of the first half from the bench. Backup Vernon Macklin has performed well in Hibbert’s absence. Macklin has a team-high eight points in 13 minutes.
If Curry does not get going soon, the Wildcats will be in trouble. They have few scoring options in the post. The Hoyas’ are winning the battle physically. Their 66 percent shooting in the first half also shows their ability to put the ball in the basket.
Beating the Hoyas is going to be a tough task for anybody in this tournament.
Other observations: Hibbert received a cold reception from the RBC Center crowd during the introduction of the starting lineups. Wanna guess why? The partisan North Carolina crowd doesn’t seem to have forgotten last year’s loss to Georgetown. The crowd cheered Hibbert’s second foul with enthusiasm.
Who has the edge in cheerleaders? We’re not going by looks. The edge goes to Davidson. Their cheerleaders are louder. I’m sitting right in front of Davidson’s section and at one point someone yelled during the Hoyas’ performance during a timeout “We can’t here you.” Then the Hoyas cheerleaders made a bigger mistake. They left the letter ‘A’ on the court after they were done with the performance. A referee noticed and gave the ‘A’ to the Davidson cheerleaders. Oops.
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Woody Durham will not attend local golf tournament
Cell phone service is spotty in the RBC Center’s media room. I went up to the first level Saturday afternoon to use my phone and the voice of the North Carolina Tar Heels, Woody Durham, was walking off an elevator. I asked him what he knew about next month’s celebrity golf tournament at Northgreen Country Club.
Durham said that he had been invited, but will not be able to attend because of a Rams Club meeting he is committed to attending. He did thank me for asking about it and seemed genuine in his interest in the tournament. Guess the tournament just falls on the wrong day.
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Roy Williams on Duke’s near-upset
UNC coach Roy Williams was not watching Duke and Belmont play down to the wire on Thursday night. He was in the other room, watching his first-round opponent, Mount St. Mary’s, take on Sacred Heart in the Northeast Conference finals. He walked into the other room just in time to see Belmont’s final shot miss, and Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski and Belmont coach Rick Byrd shake hands. “That’s the only play I saw,” Williams said.
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Trivia winners
Mike and D.H., you are today’s trivia winners.
Please e-mail me (hwkellenberger@coxnc.com) with your home addresses.
Thanks guys, and we’ll have more trivia/user interaction all weekend.
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UNC-Mount St. Mary’s live blog
9:09: Wow. Surry Wood.
8:55: Do the fans get biscuits if the game is on a neutral court?
It’s long been a UNC tradition that if the Tar Heels score 100 in the Smith Center, biscuits are discounted the next day at Bojangle’s. It usually happens in the final moments (2006-07 walk-on Dewey Burke was nicknamed Biscuits for how many times he hit the lucky shot).
Well, UNC is up 101-58 with 4:39 remaining. This is ugly.
And the walk-ons are on the court. This may be a new Roy Williams record for quickest exit of all scholarship players.
8:40 p.m.: UNC continues to push the temp and is now up 86-52.
What has to be encouraging for Tar Heels coach Roy Williams is that his team is not letting up. This is a classic scenario where an unmotivated team could sleepwalk through the second half, and shrug its shoulder at every turnover and wasted offensive possession.
But Danny Green made a bad pass, then came up with a loose ball the next time down court. In a 30-point game, the extra two points mean little. But it means alot when you consider how far this North Carolina team can go.
8:29 p.m.: Let’s just pretend Marcus Ginyard did not miss that dunk.
He’s a good kid, and lord knows I could not dunk the ball, running, flat-footed or perhaps even on a trampoline. My main basketball move consists of posting up someone a good four-six inches shorter than me and making a four-footer.
Yeah, that didn’t happen.
8:21 p.m.: Fifty-five seconds into the second half, and a 6-0 run forces Mount St. Mary’s to burn a timeout.
I suppose this would be as good a time as any to talk about the possiblity of the presidential candidates playing a round of golf in Rocky Mount. If Michael Jordan and Woody Durham do indeed show up, would they support a candidate? And, if so, should the other candidate even bother continuing to campaign in the state of North Carolina?
People around the country will look at it and laugh, but sowing up the UNC endorsement could really go a long ways towards becoming our next president.
I cannot believe I just typed those words.
8:07 p.m.: This is when CBS carefully and slowly changes the broadcast to other games.
UNC is up 60-41, is shooting 57.9 percent and has 27 rebounds. Mount St. Mary’s has nine.
Tyler Hansbrough has 17, Wayne Ellington 12 and Ty Lawson is running third with 11. The three-headed power forward of Deon Thompson, Alex Stepheson and Danny Green has combined for 15 points and 16 rebounds.
8 p.m.: Mount St. Mary’s said they wanted to run. Well, it is.
The Tar Heels have come out firing, with the gas pedal to the floor. The Mountaineers are heaving, and are not getting the same lift on their jump shots that they were early.
It’s 60-41 UNC, but it’s a deceiving 41. The pace of the game is so fast that it just leads to more possessions and, thus, a higher score.
7:40 p.m.: UNC is up 39-27 with 7:13 left in the first half.
Behind me, section 105 is going wild. The lower level section is full of folks from Mount St. Mary’s, and they’ve made more noise than the UNC fans so far. That’s probably because UNC fully expects to have another five games in this NCAA Tournament.
7:29 p.m.: What we’re seeing right now (UNC is up 24-15 with 10:36 left in the half) is an obvious difference in athleticism.
UNC coach Roy Williams recruits the best athletes he can find, because they are suited to run his up-tempo, breakneck game.
Mount St. Mary’s is trying to keep up, it really is, but that’s easier said than done. As this game wears on, UNC is going to pick up steam and open up a sizable margin. Once again, that’s your completely obvious analysis.
7:20 p.m.: UNC has scored on eight of its first 10 possessions, and own a 17-12 lead at the first television timeout.
Good news, Mom — I was able to avoid eating meat. The good people in catering provided a fried fish option to go with the fried chicken and BBQ. The fish was pretty good, too.
7:06 p.m.: The RBC Center is back at capacity for the second session, and it is full of Carolina Blue. It is a little jarring to see all these UNC fans sitting in N.C. State’s home arena, but I am sure that feeling will pass.
Stuart Scott, the ESPN anchor and UNC alum, was on the court right before gametime. He was standing with the assistant coaches for so long that the officials came over to shake his hand too. He and point guard Ty Lawson pointed at each other, and Stuart finally went to his seat.
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Georgetown-UMBC second-half live blog
5:04: Georgetown has been far from great, but is pulling away from UMBC. Patrick Ewing Jr. with the nice dunk to make it 66-47, and he was able to gaze at rows and rows of empty seats.
4:42: Jay Greene’s two 3-pointers have the Retrievers within 15.
Which is funny, since that’s about how old Greene looks.
4:36: Not to get all Sports Guy on you and assume you all care about my NCAA Tournament bracket, but I am doing very well. I had Western Kentucky, Davidson and Miami.
What kind of shape is your bracket in?
4:19: Watching 5-foot-8 Jay Greene of UMBC stand next to 7-foot-2 Roy Hibbert of Georgetown on the free-throw line made me giggle.
He’s so little — Greene, that is.
4:13: Both teams are warming up for the second half, with the Hoyas up 34-22.
The Currys are still hanging out in section 102, but most of the rest of the Davidson fans are somewhere else, presumably celebrating.
I never had an opportunity yesterday, during practice and interview sessions, to ask, but I wanted to question some of the UMBC guys as to whether or not they watch the HBO show, The Wire. It’s set in Baltimore, and does an excellent job of breaking down the destruction of a once-great American city.
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Trivia question No. 2
It only seems appropiate that we can continue with the Stephen Curry line of questioning. The Davidson guard scored 40 points in the first game. But who holds the all-time record for points in a first or second-round game? Winner receives the 2008 official NCAA men’s Final Four record book. This glossy media guide is 255 large pages, containing just about every fact and figure you could ever want. My favorite feature is every bracket since the beginning, 1939 of the tournament.
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No. 7 Gonzaga vs. No. 10 Davidson live blog
3:32: Curry put on a show, didn’t he?
On the court, UMBC is hanging with Georgetown. It’s too early to start making predictions about upsets, but the Hoyas are not as strong as some think.
2:29: Adam Morrison, probably the best player Gonzaga has ever produced, is near the bench. They just showed him on the big screen, and he looks pretty close to crying. I am just saying — he has a history of such behavior.
Somewhere, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg is crying, too. He could have had Curry and didn’t think he had the game. Oops.
2:23: The intriguing subplot of the day? Whether or not I remain true to my Catholic upbringing and, thus, my mother.
As it is Good Friday, I should restrain my meat. I’ve done a good job of that throughout Lent, but today is really important.
Problem is that the NCAA Tournament provides very little options in the terms of food. Goldfish crackers and potato chips are just not going to get it done.
Hopefully, there will be a Catholic option on the buffet.
As far as the game, Curry just hit another 3-pointer (that’s 37 points) and the Wildcares are up 77-74 with 58.6 seconds left.
And Dell Curry is behind me.
2:15: Davidson is doing a great job of getting out into the Gonzaga passing lanes.
The Wildcats’ main problem right now is that everyone in the arena knows the ball is going to Curry. Bob McKillop needs to find a way to get him open. The kid doesn’t need but a little bit of room and his jumper is absolutely wet.
2:10: Stephen Curry is literally averaging a point per minute. And the Wildcats band is breaking out a rousing rendition of “Sweet Caroline.”
2:03: Rocky Mount Academy product Mike Schmitt nearly took out a few teammates running out to greet Stephen Curry after Curry’s 3-pointer tied the game at 62 with 9:41 remaining. Schmitt may be just a freshman, but he has a senior walk-on’s ability to put himself in the TV shots. Bravo, Schmitty.
1:58: Rumor from back in Rocky Mount has it that TV has switched over to Tennessee and American.
Well, you might be coming back. Davidson is back within five, and momentum has swung over to the Wildcats.
1:48: Stephen Curry with the steal, layup and free throw. Suddenly, the Wildcats are back within eight, with 14 minutes remaining.
If the Wildcats are going to make a game of this, Curry is going to have to put his team on his shoulders. I know that’s not a stunning bit of basketball analysis, but sometimes this stuff really is KISS.
1:38: This is turning into a see-saw affair, with Gonzaga’s early run really providing the difference in the game. The arena is filling up, as more and more UNC fans start to trickle in. Gametime for their contest is still more than five hours away, but it’s a little cold outside and someone is playing basketball inside the arena. In North Carolina, that’s as good a reason as any to end the tailgate.
1:03:With 3:52 left in the half, Davidson is still down by six, 33-27.
Let’s take a moment to discuss Stephen Curry. Davidson’s sophomore guard has not left the court, and is absolutely sensational.
Of course, we all know that. The son of Dell is the worst-kept secret in college basketball, and any hoop-head worth his salt knows this kid can play. But will it translate to the NBA? He’s only 6-foot-3, and he is still rain thin. But Kevin Martin was similarily thin, and also came out of the Southern Conference (Western Carolina).
I saw Martin play a few times during his last college season, and I thought he didn’t have a chance. He scored too many of his points at the free-throw line, and NBA refs would not give him the calls he got from SoCon officials.
But, Martin has excelled. A late first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings, Martin is averaging 23 points a game this season.
Granted, Martin is four inches taller. But Curry has the talent and basketball IQ to at least come off the bench for a competitive NBA team.
12:50: Gonzaga’s Steven Gray just hit a 3-pointer, and the Zags are up 25-17. Any notion that Gonzaga would come out flat because of having to make the cross-country trip earlier this week (it’s 9:50 in Spokane) has been quickly dismissed.
12:31: First timeout, and Gonzaga is up on Davidson, 10-8. There’s some cultural diversity to this game that you might not necessarily expect. Of the 10 starters, two are from Canada (Gonzaga’s Robert Sacre and Davidson’s Max Paulhus Gosselin), one from Nigeria (Davidson’s Andrew Lovedale), two from the home of Lincoln (Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo and Davidson’s Jason Richards) and one from Ohio (Davidson’s Thomas Sander). It says something about these schools and their ability to break out of the “mid-major” label. They are able to recruit nationally (and internationally), not just in their respective backyards.
12:17 p.m.: The Gonzaga band is busting out some Maroon 5. Oh, dear. Do yourself a favor kids, and look up Hall & Oates on iTunes. So, so much better. Davidson has just come out on the court and the fans behind me are riled up.
Overall, the crowd is what you would expect — the arena is half-full, with about 30 percent wearing Davidson red and another 50 percent wearing Carolina blue. Some Georgetown fans are hanging around.
Not much Gonzaga. Rumor has it that the school returned at least a portion of its tickets, which went on sale yesterday morning.
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Trivia Question # 1
H. Williams Kellenberger and I would like to hear from you. Let’s start some trivia. This is the NCAA Tournament. Let’s have some fun.
Where did Stephen Curry’s father play college basketball? First person to answer correctly wins a Davidson postseason media guide.
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Davidson-Gonzaga pregame thoughts
There’s no doubt about it. When the NCAA scheduling gods released the brackets Sunday, my mind immediately raced to the Davidson-Gonzaga contest. I believe this is going to be the game of the day here in Raleigh. It might be the best first-round game of the tournament.
When I talked to Davidson players and coaches before their practice session Thursday, each one talked about the similarities between the two programs. Gonzaga used to sneak up on teams in the NCAA Tournament. Now, they hold the No. 7 seed in the Midwest Region. “Their a great team, a phenomenal program,” former Rocky Mount Academy walk-on Mike Schmitt said. “They’ve escalated out of their mid-major status. At the same time, we’re really going to try to focus on the things we do best and stick to the same gameplan we’ve had all year.”
-Davidson nearly knocked off Maryland last season in the first round. There are few players in the country who shoot the 3-pointer like Wildcats guard Stephen Curry. Curry is the nation’s fifth leading-scorer (25.1) points per game. Two of the nation’s better point guards - Gonzaga’s Jeremy Pargo (six assists per game) and Davidson’s Jason Richards (leads nation with eight assists per game) will be featured.
- Guard play is going to win this contest. I give the edge to Davidson.
- My prediction (for what it’s worth): Davidson 81, Gonzaga 76 By the way, I filled out a bracket only for myself to see and I predicted 10 of yesterday’s 16 winners. I’m no genius. Take my predictions for what they are worth.
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The games will soon begin
Wow, did Duke look tired last night. So did coach Mike Krzyzewski. I picked the Blue Devils to lose in round two, to West Virginia, and I see no reason to worry about that choice.
Overall, my bracket is intact. Thirteen of 16 games, and my entire Sweet 16 is still together. Like I said in print earlier this week, Cinderella does not exist this year.
Jessie and I just arrived in the RBC Center, where my venti two percent peppermint mocha from that really big coffee chain made it through security.
OK, how about some reader interaction?
Let’s list the coaches in this regional, from best to worst. I’ll start.
Roy Williams, UNC
John Thompson III, Georgetown
Mark Few, Gonzaga
Bob McKillop, Davidson
Mike Pelphrey, Arkansas
Dan Dakich, Indiana
Milan Brown, Mount St. Mary’s
Randy Monroe, UMBC
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UNC players audio
UNC’s Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington Ty Lawson and Wayne Ellington 3:20:08.mp3">spoke to the media Thursday afternoon. Lawson talked about his ankle and both discussed coming into the NCAA Tournament as sophomores, not freshman.
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Live from Raleigh
3:05 p.m.: The NCAA has divided up the practice sessions into two groups, based on the pairings. The first four teams are all off the court. At 3:45, UNC student-athletes head to the media room for interviews, then Roy Williams. They’ll practice at 4:25, so if you’re reading this in real-time, there is still time to get to Raleigh. Williams has already said that he’ll just have the guys run around and entertain the fans. No real work can be done in 40 minutes, anyways — especially when your opponent is probably watching. A sentence or two ago, I used the phrase student-athlete. That’s one of the many NCAA-isms that the organization puts on everything throughout the tournament. No longer is Tyler Hansbrough a player, but a guy who happens to play basketball in his spare time (yeah, right). And it’s always fun during the press conferences, when our friendly moderator asks that we identify ourself before asking a question. There’s urban legends of reporters being asked to re-identify themselves after asking a follow-up question. Far more likely is a scenario where you are forced to say your name to a group of kids or coaches who already know it.
1:19 p.m.: Gonzaga just finished its allotted time in the media room and will head to practice in about 10 minutes. Davidson has already come and gone from the RBC Center Court, and UM-Baltimore County is just finishing up. The Zags probably got hosed more than any other team in the tournament not named Butler when it comes to the NCAA Tournament pairings. The No. 7 seed was sent across the country, to Raleigh, to play Davidson. “I can’t deny that we were disappointed,” Gonzaga coach Mark Few said. “But that’s the way it goes.” Davidson coach Bob McKillop was predictably quite happy about the location of tomorrow’s game. “It gives our fanbase an opportunity to be upfront and close with us,” McKillop said.
11:23 a.m.: In about an hour, NCAA Tournament games will begin at tournament sites across the country. Here, in Raleigh, we’ll start practice. Davidson takes the floor at noon, followed by: UM-Baltimore County, Gonzaga, Georgetown, North Carolina, Indiana, Mount St. Mary’s and, finally, Arkansas.
Each team will practice for 40 minutes, with fans (admission is free) and media watching. For many of these programs, it will be the first open practice all season.
Jessie H. Nunery and I are two of the hundreds of reporters, radio guys and TV talking heads circulating around the RBC Center. Right now, Nunery is searching for Davidson’s SID. He’ll have a story in tomorrow’s Telegram about Mike Schmitt, the former Rocky Mount Academy standout that is a walk-on freshman for the Wildcats.
We’ll be updating the blog with any interesting info and audio whenever it becomes available.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: North Carolina Wins Record 17th ACC Crown
3:15 p.m. After a back-and-forth first half, the North Carolina Tar Heels pulled away from the Clemson Tigers and won their record 17th ACC Tournament championship.
And this time, they didn’t need overtime.
The Tar Heels beat the underdog Clemson Tigers, 86-81, pulling away bit by bit during the second half. Clemson closed to within four points late but was unable to hit free throws, the same problem the team suffered all season. The Tigers 14 of their 26 free throws.
Guard Wayne Ellington scored 24 points and center Tyler Hansbrough scored 18.
Clemson guard K.C. Rivers scored a game-high 28 points and finished with six steals.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Clemson 39, North Carolina 38, Halftime
1:50 p.m. North Carolina and Clemson traded the lead seven times during a back-and-forth, up-and-down first Sunday, but at halftime of the ACC Tournament championship game, the Tigers lead the Tar Heels by a point, 39-38.
North Carolina guard Wayne Ellington has scored 14 points (what is it about Ellington against Clemson? He always seems to come up with a big game against the Tigers) and center Tyler Hansbrough has scored six.
Clemson guard K.C. Rivers has scored a game-high 15 points.
For what it’s worth, this is the highest-scoring first half since 2002.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: On the Court with the Tar Heels and Tigers
12:55 p.m. Both teams are on the court and winding down their pregame layup lines and shootarounds in Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The pep bands are trading songs back and forth. A little more than a minute remains on the clock.
Yep, this is the ACC Tournament championship game.
North Carolina.
Clemson.
One team has so much history. The other? Not nearly as much.
Something has to give.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: On the Court with the Tar Heels and Tigers
12:55 p.m. Both teams are on the court and winding down their pregame layup lines and shootarounds in Charlotte Bobcats Arena. The pep bands are trading songs back and forth. A little more than a minute remains on the clock.
Yep, this is the ACC Tournament championship game.
North Carolina.
Clemson.
One team has so much history. The other? Not nearly as much.
Something has to give.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Morning Roundup, Day Four
11:35 a.m. Well, now a little more than an hour and a half remains until the North Carolina Tar Heels tip off against the most unlikely opponent for another ACC Tournament championship here in Charlotte Bobcats Arena.
The Tar Heels will shoot for their 17th tournament title, which would break a tie with the Duke Blue Devils. Their opponents, the Clemson Tigers, have never won an ACC tourney championship. Heck, two ACC coaches — Georgia Tech’s Paul Hewitt and Miami’s Frank Haith — weren’t born the last time the Tigers played in a championship game back in 1962.
If anything, this game should be fun to watch and, in a few hours, fun to write about.
Check the blog and the Telegram Web site all day for updates from Charlotte.
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Duke Postgame Audio vs. Clemson
Audio Link Below:
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Clemson Postgame Audio vs. UNC
Audio Link Below:
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Saturday night Bracketology
This will be final update before Sunday’s 6 p.m. official announcement of the NCAA Tournament field. That’s essentially because I’d like a Sunday morning/afternoon with the lady friend, and the field is pretty much set.
We’ve officially hit the point of championship week where you can no longer do anything to solidify your bid. The committee likely knows the field of 65, and is just messing with seeding.
AUTOMATIC BIDS
1.American, Patriot League
2.Austin Peay, Ohio Valley Conference
3.Belmont, Atlantic Sun Conference
4.Butler, Horizon League
5.Coppin State, Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference
6.Cornell, Ivy League
7.Davidson, Southern Conference
8.Drake, Missouri Valley Conference
9.George Mason, Colonial Athletic Association
10.Maryland-Baltimore County, America East Conference
11.Memphis, Conference USA
12.Mississippi Valley State, Southwestern Athletic Conference
13.Mount St. Mary’s, Md., Northeast Conference
14.Oral Roberts, Summit League
15.Portland State, Big Sky Conference
16.San Diego, West Coast Conference
17.Siena, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
18.Temple, Atlantic 10 Conference
19.UCLA, Pacific-10 Conference
20.UNLV, Mountain West Conference
21.Western Kentucky, Sun Belt Conference
22.Winthrop, Big South Conference
ONE-BID CONFERENCES
23.Big West (CSU-Fullerton)
24.Southland (Texas-Arlington)
25.WAC (Boise State)
SURE THINGS
No. 1 SEEDS
26.North Carolina
27.Memphis
28.Kansas
UCLA
No. 2 SEEDS
29.Duke
30.Tennessee
31.Texas
32.Georgetown
No. 3 SEEDS
33.Wisconsin
34.Xavier
35.Stanford
36.Notre Dame
No. 4 SEEDS
37.Connecticut
38.Indiana
39.Marquette
40.Vanderbilt
THE REST
41.Purdue
42.Clemson
43.Miami
44.Louisville
45.Michigan State
46.Oklahoma
47.BYU
48.Washington State
49.Southern California
50.Mississippi State
51.Kentucky
52.Gonzaga
53.Pittsburgh
54.West Virginia
55.Arkansas
56.Texas A&M
57.Virginia Tech
58.Kansas State
59.South Alabama
60.Baylor
SLIGHTLY SWEATING THINGS OUT
61.Ohio State
62.Arizona State
63.Mississippi
THE BUBBLE COULD BURST
64.Arizona - The Wildcats took care of business in round one of the Pac-10 Tourney, blowing out Oregon State by 31. Stanford was the better team in the quarterfinals, but the Wildcats should still be in, thanks to a weak field.
65.Saint Joseph’s - Wins over Fordham and Richmond in the Atlantic 10 Tournament have given the Hawks 20 wins to go along with 11 conference wins. They’re in.
LAST FOUR OUT
Saint Mary’s, Virginia Commonwealth, New Mexico, Massachusetts
NEXT FOUR OUT
Oklahoma, New Mexico State, Illinois State, Villanova
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Clemson Upends Duke for Shot at a Title
6:10 p.m. The Clemson Tigers held off the Duke Blue Devils, 78-74, late Saturday afternoon. Now, they’re headed to the ACC Tournament championship game for the first time since 1962.
Clemson led throughout the second half, then secured the win thanks to free throws. The Tigers have struggled at the line all season, but hit 15 of 22 free throws during the win.
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Virginia Tech Postgame Audio vs. UNC
Audio File Link Below:
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North Carolina Postgame Audio vs. VT Pt. 2
Audio Link Below:
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North Carolina Postgame Audio vs. VT Pt. 1
Audio Link Below:
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Clemson Postgame Audio vs. Boston College
Audio Link Below:
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Boston College Postgame Audio vs. Clemson
Audio link below:
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Hansbrough Carries Tar Heels to Championship Game
3:50 p.m. North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough grabbed an offensive rebound and fired a game-winning jump shot with 0.8 seconds remaining Saturday to push the Tar Heels back to the ACC Tournament championship game.
Hansbrough jumped high in the air on the right side of the basket to grab the ball after the Tar Heels missed the shot on the play coach Roy Williams designed during a timeout. Then he pushed the ball back to the basket, it dropped and Hansbrough danced down the court, throwing his arms and legs high.
Hansbrough finished with 26 points and nine rebounds. The Tar Heels with play either the No. 2 seed Duke Blue Devils or
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Saturday afternoon Bracketology
The same 65 teams are still in, but several teams have helped their chances.
Arkansas, Texas A&M and Virginia Tech have all played well enough in the conference tournaments to now be “sure things.”
Tonight’s MAC championship game is of interest. Kent State plays Akron, and while the Golden Flashes are favored, the Zips have played them tough twice. An Akron win would send Kent State into a group with Arizona, Saint Joseph’s, Saint Mary’s and Temple - all fighting for three at-large bids.
AUTOMATIC BIDS
1.American, Patriot League
2.Austin Peay, Ohio Valley Conference
3.Belmont, Atlantic Sun Conference
4.Butler, Horizon League
5.Cornell, Ivy League
6.Davidson, Southern Conference
7.Drake, Missouri Valley Conference
8.George Mason, Colonial Athletic Association
9.Maryland-Baltimore County, America East Conference
10.Memphis, Conference USA
11.Mount St. Mary’s, Md., Northeast Conference
12.Oral Roberts, Summit League
13.Portland State, Big Sky Conference
14.San Diego, West Coast Conference
15.Siena, Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference
16.Western Kentucky, Sun Belt Conference
17.Winthrop, Big South Conference
ONE-BID CONFERENCES
18.MEAC (Morgan State)
19.MAC (Kent State)
20.Big West (CSU-Fullerton)
21.Southland (Texas-Arlington)
22.SWAC (Mississippi Valley State)
23.WAC (Boise State)
SURE THINGS
No. 1 SEEDS
23.North Carolina
24.Memphis
25.Kansas
26.UCLA
No. 2 SEEDS
27.Duke
28.Tennessee
29.Texas
30.Georgetown
No. 3 SEEDS
31.Wisconsin
32.Xavier
33.Stanford
34.Notre Dame
No. 4 SEEDS
35.Connecticutt
36.Indiana
37.Marquette
38.Vanderbilt
THE REST
39.Purdue
40.Clemson
41.Miami
42.Louisville
43.Michigan State
44.Oklahoma
45.BYU
46.UNLV
47.Washington State
48.Southern California
49.Mississippi State
50.Kentucky
51.Gonzaga
52.Pittsburgh
53.West Virginia
54.Arkansas
55.Texas A&M
56.Virginia Tech
THE BUBBLE IS STRONG
57.Ohio State - The Buckeyes went to the championship game last season, and Sunday’s win over Michigan State seals a 2008 bid.
58.Baylor - One of the better stories of basketball this season, the Bears are going dancing for the first time in 20 years.
59.Kansas State - The selection committee loves big names, and super-freshman Michael Beasley has to be showcased.
60.Arizona State - That’s right, Herb Sendek has his Sun Devils in the field of 65. Maybe he’ll be sent to Raleigh for round one.
61.Mississippi - Ole Miss has three wins over teams in the RPI top 25, and that’s good enough to make a weaker-than-usual field.
62.South Alabama - Loss or not, this is one of the best 65 teams in the country. To leave the Jaguars out would be an injustice towards the non-majors.
THE BUBBLE COULD BURST
63.Arizona - The Wildcats took care of business in round one of the Pac-10 Tourney, blowing out Oregon State by 31. Stanford was the better team in the quarterfinals, but the Wildcats should still be in, thanks to a weak field.
64.Saint Joseph’s - Wins over Fordham and Richmond in the Atlantic 10 Tournament have given the Hawks 20 wins to go along with 11 conference wins. They’re in.
65.Saint Mary’s - The Gaels are going dancing, at least for now. They do have 25 wins, including a 12-2 mark in the West Coast Conference. But that first-round tournament loss had me doubting. Because of the many major-conference losses this week, Saint Mary’s was able to earn its way back into the field.
LAST FOUR OUT
Virginia Commonwealth, Temple, New Mexico, Massachusetts
NEXT FOUR OUT
Oklahoma, New Mexico State, Akron, Villanova
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Hansbrough Moves Up UNC Scoring List
3:27 p.m. North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough moved one more spot up the school’s alltime points scored list Saturday afternoon against Virginia Tech during the ACC Tournament semifinals in Charlotte Bobcats Arena.
Hansbrough, who has scored 24 points with 1:28 remaining, passed Lennie Rosenbluth for third on the list. Hansbrough has scored 2,046 career points. He scored the basket on a tip off a missed free throw with 2:45 remaining in the second half. He trails only former Rocky Mount High star Phil Ford (2,290) and Sam Perkins (2,145).
The game is tied at 64-64 with 1:28 remaining in the second half.
Check the Telegram Web site later for more on this story and the rest of the ACC Tournament.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Tar Heels Rally for Halftime Tie
2:20 p.m. North Carolina trailed Virginia Tech by as many as eight points during the first, but center Tyler Hansbrough carried the Tar Heels through a rally to tie the game at 38-38 at halftime.
Hansbrough scored a game-high 16 points during the first half. He needs to score seven more points to pass Lennie Rosenbluth for third on the school’s alltime points scored list.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Morning (Er, Uh, Afternoon) Roundup, Day Three
1:30 p.m Because of a later tip Saturday afternoon than during each of the last two days, I was able to sleep until 9:30 a.m. and arrived at Charlotte Bobcats Arena around 11:30 a.m. Thank goodness the fine city planners here changed the route for their annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade (which, oddly enough, runs the Saturday prior to SPD) because of the ACC Tournament.
No traffic jams.
No late arrivals.
And now, with less than a minute remaining on the pregame clock, and the North Carolina Tar Heels and the Virginia Tech Hokies on the court, and more fans in the stands than for any Bobcats game, we almost ready to tip off. Enjoy the games. Check back throughout the afternoon for game updates and stories.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Evening Roundup, Day Two
1 a.m. Eight games down. Eight teams down, too. Now, only four teams remain alive and with a shot to win the 55th annual ACC Tournament here in Charlotte Bobcats Arena. Who will win, folks? North Carolina? Duke? Clemson? Virginia Tech? What are your thoughts on the surprising lack of upsets? (And could I have been more wrong with my prognostications prior to the tournament?) Let me know.
In the meantime, a look back at Day Two and a short look ahead to Day Three.
BEST GAME … Virginia Tech vs. Miami. In reality, none of the four games Friday provided much drama, at least late during the second half. But this game shined because the Hokies shut down the Hurricanes and limited them to a season-low 49 points. Not an easy task, to be certain.
BEST PERFORMANCE … Duke guard DeMarcus Nelson. The senior guard scored 19 points during a win over Georgia Tech, including 14 during the second half. He also grabbed nine rebounds and finished the game with a career-high seven assists. “He had a senior captain kind of night,” coach Mike Krzyzewski said.
BEST SHOT … Duke forward Kyle Singler struggled all night — he finished 2-for-4 and scored a career-low five points — but he hit a big shot when the Blue Devils needed it. With Duke up, 66-56, and Georgia Tech hanging around, Singler received a pass from Nelson in the left corner, then fired a 3-pointer that dropped and stretched the lead to 13. The game was not on the line, but it takes guts to attempt that shot.
BEST PLAY … North Carolina center Tyler Hansbrough did not attempt a free throw during the first half of a win over Florida State. That marked more than 60 straight minutes for Hansbrough without so much as an attempt. So he pushed inside during the second half and, guess what, got to the line. He hit eight of 10 free throws.
BEST COMEBACK … Georgia Tech. The Yellow Jackets trailed the Duke Blue Devils by 19 points during the second half, then cut it down to two in the stretch of a few minutes. They lost and will not play in a postseason tournament, but the Yellow Jackets showed a lot of moxie Friday.
BEST CALL … North Carolina coach Roy Williams told his players during halftime, in some words or other, to attack the basket and play the style of basketball that has worked all season for the Tar Heels. It worked. After the Tar Heels hit three of three free throws during the first half, they finished the second half 13-for-21.
BEST CHEERING SECTION … North Carolina. And, no, it’s not even close. The arena was no louder than when the Tar Heels were at their best Friday.
BEST BAND … Georgia Tech. Maybe it’s because my seat is about 15 feet from the first row of trumpet players, but these kids were loud. They sounded good, too.
BEST DANCE TEAM … Florida State. Turns out they’re the ones who are the self-proclaimed “best in the ACC.” And those red-and-gold tops are, uh, attractive.
BEST LAUGH … Krzyzewski. Who laughed when asked during a news conference what the win Friday night meant for the Blue Devils after first-round losses last season in the ACC and NCAA tournaments. “It’s funny to me,” he said. “We went something like 23-1 in the ACC Tournament before that loss. But we’ll address that later.” For the record, Nelson said the win helped the team take “a step in the right direction to accomplish our goal.”
BEST POTENTIAL GAME … Duke vs. Clemson. The Blue Devils beat the Tigers, 93-80 in Durham, on Jan. 19. Krzyzewski said that seemed like years ago. In a sense, he’s right. Both teams have developed since that game — and Clemson has improved markedly — and this game might be closer than folks think.
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LIVE FROM CHARLOTTE: Tigers Roll to Historic Win over Eagles
12:30 p.m. Another ACC Tournament game, another blowout.
And this was one of the more lopsided tourney games in recent memory.
Clemson started an 82-48 win late Friday night over Boston College with a flurry, then wrapped