The p-word
Paul Tagliabue would be pleased as peaches.
But parity is not proving to be as fruitful for Atlantic Coast Conference commissioner John Swofford.
Indeed, with the 2005-2006 men's basketball season winding down, it appears that the dreaded p-word is going to bite the ACC in the bum.
It appears more and more that only four ACC teams - Duke, North Carolina, North Carolina State and Boston College - are going to get invites to the Big Dance this month.
Members of another quartet - Florida State, Maryland, Miami and Virginia - all have outside chances to get their tickets punched, but it's looking more and more like all four will be headed to the NIT.
The problem is clear - the league is just too balanced from 5-12 for anybody to emerge from the shadows of the tournament bubble.
A case in point is the 90-64 butt-whuppin' that Clemson put on Virginia last weekend in Littlejohn Coliseum that effectively burst the Cavs' NCAA bubble.
The Tigers entered the contest with a middling 4-9 conference record - but with three of those losses coming by one point or in overtime, it could very well have been Oliver Purnell's squad playing with a shot at the tournament on the line.
And then consider Virginia Tech - which currently sits at 4-10 in the conference with a one-point loss to BC, a two-point loss (at the buzzer) at Duke and a three-point loss to Carolina.
A break here and there, and the Hokies are gunning for a shot at taking part in March Madness.
Alas, it appears not to be the ACC's year for sending six or seven or eight teams to the NCAAs.
If only the teams sitting on the outside looking in could benefit from being able to play the schedules of some of the sexier-than-thou midmajors that are making so much noise these days.
- Chris Graham

ACC roundup
- Latta, Currie picked to All-ACC team
- Prosser no-go, FSU no fans, more
- Feinstein discusses the Final Four
- Coach K on referees

Commentary
The Virginia women's basketball program said its public goodbye on Sunday to University Hall.
It would have been nice if this hadn't taken place in an apparent vacuum.
The game was not aired on regional television - which would have been understandable had the choice been made instead to showcase, let's say, Duke and North Carolina.
But given that the two Atlantic Coast Conference heavies squared off on Saturday, one has to wonder where the heads of the powers-that-be were on this.
Sure, coach Debbie Ryan's teams have struggled in recent years - with but one 20-win season in the past five, and just two NCAA tournament wins in that same span.
Even with that run of relative mediocrity - which still featured four appearances in the Big Dance in a five-year stretch - it hasn't been all that long since U Hall was one of the centers of the women's hoops universe.
Ryan's program was a Final Four fixture in the early 1990s - and won six straight regular-season conference titles from 1991 to 1996.
That the Cavs - who went 9-5 at home in 2005-2006 to finish 371-81 overall in University Hall - were closing out an era was worthy of something in the way of TV attention.
- Chris Graham


ACC roundup
- Carolina back on top

ACC Nation has released its all-ACC women's basketball team, and all-freshman team, as well as rookie, player and coach of the year. The results follow:

ALL-ACC TEAM
Ivory Latta, North Carolina
Tamara James, Miami
Monique Currie, Duke
Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
Cotelia Bond-Young, Wake Forest

ALL-FRESHMAN
Marissa Coleman, Maryland
Deirdre Naughton, Wake Forest
Kristi Toliver, Maryland
Abby Waner, Duke
Lyndra Littles, Virginia

ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Marissa Coleman, Maryland

COACH OF THE YEAR
Sylvia Hatchell, North Carolina

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ivory Latta, North Carolina

Several ACC teams with NCAA Tournament hopes found trouble yesterday.
Virginia lost - should we say LOST - to Clemson.

Meanwhile, FSU fell to Virginia Tech.

Maryland plays tonight and Miami is off this weekend.

Does anyone want that fifth berth in the Big Dance?

And in the women's game, North Carolina beat Duke yet again.

J.J. didn't have a great game - 11 points - but it was enough to break the all-time ACC scoring record.

And Duke won. So, I guess that makes it a good day overall for the Blue Devil senior.

Congrats to Redick.

Good story in the Miami Herald about Canes superstar Tamara James, a lock for first team all-ACC in the women's game this year.

Speaking of which, ACC Nation will release our all-ACC women's team Sunday evening. Please try to contain your enthusiasm.

Maryland still thinks they have a chance at earning an NCAA Tournament berth.

I'll wait here while you finishing laughing ...

I know I made the case for Maryland a few weeks ago, but that's before I realized it is incapable of winning without Chris McCray.

The Terps have lost 6 of 8 heading into Chapel Hill today. After that they host Miami and then play at UVa. in the final game at University Hall.
Friend of the Nation, Eric Prisbell, writes 8-8 in the conference and one win in the ACC Tournament would likely be enough.

Maybe.

Still, the only quality team Maryland has beaten this year is Boston College and that was way back in early December. That would play against them when being considered for an at-large berth.

And it doesn't matter anyway. I can't see Maryland winning two of those last three.

Carolina is playing so well right now that the Terps won't go into Chapel Hill and win. Miami is a toss-up, although even in College Park I'd give the edge to the Canes at this point. And winning what will be a very emotional game in Charlottesville doesn't seem likely.

But, hey, we shall see.

Carmichael or the Dean Dome? That was the question the Carolina women's team had to answer at the beginning of the season when deciding where to play Duke.

Carmichael won, and today two of the top teams in the country will meet in the smaller, cozier Carmichael Auditorium.

One of the more interesting items in the story pointed out that the Duke women have been practicing against the men, trying to become more aggressive as they get ready for Carolina.

The Heels have won four games in a row over Duke, including earlier this season in Durham. The winner will be the top seed in next weekend's ACC Tournament.

N&O columnist Caulton Tudor asks who are the best all-time players in the ACC. Then he tries to answer it.

The questions comes up, of course, because J.J. Redick is about to break the all-time conference scoring record. But do points alone make him the best player of all time?

According to Tudor, no. He doesn't even think he's the all-time best Duke guard, placing Bobby Hurley ahead of J.J.

This sounds like a Sound and Fury topic for next week's ACC Nation.

Crystal Langhorne became the fastest player in Maryland women's basketball history to score 1,000 points when she scored 16, to go along with 10 rebounds, in the Terps win over Clemson Thursday night.

So whose record did Langhorne beat? Here teammate, Shay Doran, who reached the mark in 64 games.

And don't be surprised if freshman Marissa Coleman - a lock for rookie of the year in the ACC - breaks Langhorne's mark.

Now, think of this. First, how good is Maryland with those three players? And how good is the ACC when Maryland is only third best in the conference.

There's a new ACC Nation available for your listening pleasure.

On this week's show we talk with best-selling author John Feinstein about his latest book, "Last Dance: Behind the Scenes at the Final Four."

We also talk ACC basketball with television analyst Dan Bonner, the Orlando Sentinel's Emily Badger and Kris Wright of The Sabre.com. And, as always, we have the Sound and the Fury and Inside the Nation.

Click here for show: http://www.ourmedia.org/node/170614

Good story in the News and Record on Dickie Hemric, the all-time leading scorer in the ACC.

Well, at least for a few more days.

J.J. Redick needs nine points Saturday against Temple to break the 51-year-old record.

Shouldn't he break it against an ACC team? Maybe Coach K will let J.J. sit out the non-conference game. Temple fans can only hope so.

ACC Nation has three new polls up and ready for your votes.
This week we're asking:

What is the best John Feinstein book (in honor of his appearance on this week's ACC Nation - check it out Friday)

Who is better - Dick Vitale or Billy Packer?

Which ACC bubble team makes the NCAA Tournament?

Like we always say, vote early and vote often.

Seven years after opening, the RBC Center is starting to give the NC State Wolfpack a homecourt advantage, according to this story in the News and Observer.

Still, Coach Herb Sendek said the atmosphere isn't what it was at Reynolds, the Pack's home for many years.

Carolina comes to town tonight with a 4-2 overall record at the RBC.

A couple of breaking news items (nothing earth shattering) from the Roanoke Times:

UVa. hires football assistant coach

VT gets basketball commitment

A report on CavsCorner.com has Virginia fans wondering of linebacker Ahmad Brooks will be part of the UVa. program next season.

The Web site reported that Brooks had been dismissed from the team, but Coach Al Groh and school officials are denying the story.

Brooks father also tells the Times Dispatch that his son will be back in Charlottesville next season.

UVa. fans have to be wondering what the heck has gone wrong with Brooks. It looked like he would be one of the best to ever come through the program after his first two seasons at UVa, but injuries ruined his junior year.

There were lots of questions about whether Brooks would enter the NFL Draft after this past season, but he decided to come back to UVa. for one more year.

We'll have to wait and see if that actually happens.

J.J. Redick scored 30 points Sunday and passed Johnny Dawkins as the all-time scorer in Duke basketball history.

The News and Observer's Ned Barnett writes that J.J. being the leader is exactly how it should be.

The senior is now 31 points from breaking the all-time ACC scoring record held by Wake's Dickie Hemric.

In this edition of the News and Observer's Foul Shots, J.P. Giglio and Lorenzo Perez examine Duke's Mike Krzyzewski offers an explanation - in Polish, if you want - for what seemed like derogatory comments about his own players.

Earlier this season, Coach K was telling reporters why his team wouldn't go undefeated.

"We're starting Lee Melchionni and Sean Dockery," said Krzyzewski.
OK, he doesn't exactly explain it - probably because he can't - but instead tells reporters to ask him for an explanation before assuming what he means.

Whatever.

The Lisfranc ligament. Never heard of it? Well, NC State fans will want to know more because Llian Evtimov sprained his against Florida State the other night.

For those wanting to know more, according to the American Academy of Family Physicians the Lisfranc ligament is a large band of plantar collagenous tissue that spans the articulation of the medial cuneiform and the second metatarsal base.

Much clearer now, isn't it?

Anyway, Evtimov's status for this weekend's game is still uncertain.

According to this story in the News and Observer, Tyler Hansbrough has ceased being a freshman. A 40-point game will do that to you.

Friend of the Nation Dan Bonner tells writer Robbi Pickeral that, not only is Hansbrough one of the best rookies in the country, but one of the best players.

And Caulton Tudor points out that scoring 40 in a game will make future opponents play that much tougher against you.

A new ACC Nation is now available: http://www.ourmedia.org/node/165980

On this week's show 2005 Miss America (and former UVa. volleyball player) Deidre Downs joins us in the Best Seat in the House.

We go Around the ACC with Rachel Carter of the News and Observer; Matt Winkeljohn of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Bill Roth, the Voice of the Virginia Tech Hokies; and Johnny Holliday, the Voice of the Maryland Terrapins.

And we go inside the RPI on Inside the Nation with CollegeRPI.com's Jerry Palm.

Is Virginia getting away with illegal screens? According to this story in the Roanoke Times, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg thinks that might be the case.

He has even alerted ACC officials to the matter, although the conference's head of officiating tells Doug Doughty that his officials get most of the illegal screens and if there's no contact, there will be no foul called.

Tyler Hansbrough puts up 40 and helps North Carolina rally from 20 down to beat Georgia Tech.

Hansbrough's 40 were the most points ever scored in the Smith Center. That's the MOST EVER. Not most ever by a freshman. Simply MOST EVER.

It was also an ACC record for a freshman.

Can an ACC team win four games in four days to win the ACC Tournament this year?

Carolina coach Roy Williams doesn't think so. He said it was never done in the Big 12 when he coached at Kansas and he didn't want to be the team to try and do it in the ACC.

On the other hand, Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg said it's more important to be opposite Duke's bracket than being in the top four.

Perhaps he has a point, with the way Duke is playing this season. Of course, with Tech sitting at 3-8 in conference play, it probably isn't worth Greenberg's time to worry about a top-four finish.

Virginia Tech wide receivers coach Tony Ball is leaving the Hokies for a position on the Georgia staff. Ball will coach running backs for the Bulldogs.

Ball is the second Hokie assistant to leave this offseason. Quarterbacks coach Kevin Rogers also left to take a job with the NFL's Minnesota Vikings.

In listing his reasons for taking the Georgia job, Ball mentions his spiritual growth.

So, he couldn't stay at Tech and grow spiritually? Perhaps that proves what most most UVa. fans have always believed to be true: Blacksburg is a godforsaken hellhole.

(To all you Hokies - just kidding)

In a stunning revelation, Wake Forest coach Skip Prosser said, after his team lost to Duke, "In all candor, they're a better basketball team than we are."

You think so Skip? Duke is headed for an unbeaten conference season. Wake is 1-10 in the ACC. Take a close look at that conference record again: 1-10. There's something about that 10th conference loss that just makes this season seem even worse for Wake Forest.

Ned Barnett of the News and Observer sums up Wake's problems like this: No offense, outside of Justin Gray's have-ball-will-shoot approach, and no defense. Other than that, Wake is just fine.

Oh yeah, there is that rumor about the Deacons coach leaving after this year, which should keep away some recruits.

Can things get any worse in Winston Salem? Well, considering that three of Wake's final five games are against North Carolina, Boston College and North Carolina State, the answer is probably yes. Much worse.

J.J. Redick now holds the NCAA record for made three-point shots after passing Curtis Staples Tuesday night. Duke beat Wake Forest 93-70.

Redick made it an even worse night for fans of the University of Virginia, where Staples played, when he passed former Cavalier Bryant Stith for fourth on the ACC all-time scoring list.

Kyle Visser, Kevin Swinton, Michael Drum, Harvey Hale and Shamaine Dukes.

Here's a scary thought if you are a Wake Forest basketball fan - those five players above could be the Deacons' starting line up next season.

Caulton Tudor of the News and Observer examines not only the mess at Wake this season, but what could be a mess in years to come.

Of course, Skip Prosser won't have to worry about it since he'll be heading to Cincinnati after this season.

Which Duke player is the best? Which ACC team won't make it to the postseason? What game was worse this week?

Do your civic duty by voting early and often at ACC Nation.

Tony Kornheiser professes his love for J.J. Redick. Mr. Tony even goes as far as comparing the Duke star to the Mona Lisa.

OK, maybe that's taking it a bit far, but his point is a well-taken one: hate Redick if you must, but stop all of this nonsense about how he's overrated and won't make a good pro.

Redick is the best college basketball player in the country (sorry Adam Morrison) and will be a solid pro for years.

Surprising news - or is it? - out of College Park that Maryland offensive coordinator Charlie Taaffe resigned on Sunday.

Head coach Ralph Friedgen tells the Washington Post that he was a "little surprised" by the announcement, but the move comes after two seasons in a row in which the Terps' offense had lots of questions.

And don't you find it odd that a man who Friedgen says has the potential to be a head coach leaves a job at a major university without having something else lined up?

The move also follows the loss of Maryland's defensive coordinator, Gary Blackney, who retired at the end of this past season.

Good story by Friend of the Nation Luci Chavez on Bob Harris, the Voice of the Duke Blue Devils.

The former tire salesman called his 1,000th basketball game this weekend as Duke beat Maryland.

I do find it interesting tht Harris is the News and Observer's Tar Heel of the Week. Isn't that a slap in the face for someone so closely associated with Duke?

Michael Wilbon writes that, even if Maryland played well against Duke, the Terps still lost and now are facing some must-win games.

Wilbon thinks Maryland has to win four of its final six to make the NCAA Tournament. Considering that all but two of those six games are on the road, things don't look good for Gary Williams and the Terps.

I think Maryland can make it to the field of 65 if the Terps win three of the last six.

My reasoning: Five ACC teams will make the tournament. Duke, NC State and, most likely, Boston College are in. I think the other spots go to two of five teams - Miami, UNC, UVa., Florida State or Maryland.

I took a quick look at the schedules of each of those five teams. As long as none of them make it to the ACC Tournament championship game then this is what I think happens.

Miami and FSU probably both end up with 16 wins, but only Miami will be .500 in the ACC. NIT for both.

UVa., while having a wonderful season considering where people thought they would finish, goes 15-12 overall and 8-8 in the conference. NIT for the Cavaliers also.

That leaves North Carolina, which probably goes 19-8, 10-6 and makes the NCAA Tournament, and Maryland.

If the Terps win three of their final six, that's 18-8, 8-8. Perhaps they would need a win in the ACC Tournament, but I don't think the tournament committee only takes four teams from one of the best (and most years the best) conferences in America.

Now I'll await your nasty e-mails telling me why I am wrong. I'll even help you: patrick@accnation.com.

The News and Observer has given its midterm grades for ACC basketball.

I am having trouble arguing with the N&O's first-team All ACC, although I might replace BC's Craig Smith with Al Thornton from Florida State.

The two have pretty similar stats, but two things put Thornton over the top for me.

First, Smith has Jared Dudley to help share the load, while Thornton is pretty much a one-man show (with apologies to Alexander Johnson) for FSU.

And second, Thornton has helped make FSU into a bubble team for the NCAA tournament when the experts all had them finishing near or at the bottom of the ACC this year.

John Feinstein comes to the defense of Maryland's Gary Williams.

(Quick plug - Feinstein will be in the Best Seat in the House on ACC Nation the weekend of Feb. 24.)

As usual, Feinstein makes some very good points, including that fans today are too fickle.

ACC Nation probably should take some blame. All too often we want to talk about which coach is in trouble or on the hotseat. It's a guaranteed way to fuel discussion and fan interest.

That being said, any Maryland fan not happy with what Gary Williams has done - the most wins of any coach at Maryland and a national championship, to name just two of his many accomplishments - will not be happy with any coach.

If you want more discussion of what Williams has meant to Maryland, listen to this weekend's ACC Nation as Jim Johnson (AKA The Courtmaster) takes his place in the Best Seat in the House.

Friend of the Nation Jeff White of the Times Dispatch offers up some news and notes about the Virginia Cavaliers, including an update on some former UVa. players and an injury status of T.J. Banniser.

There's also some baseball news as the Cavs get ready to start their season.

North Carolina has lost. The last unbeaten team in women's college basketball lost last night in overtime to Maryland.

This shouldn't surprise anyone. The top of the ACC - UNC, Duke and Maryland - is as good as, no, make that better than, any conference in America.

ACC Nation has a new show available now. Visit ACC Nation and click on the logo to hear the show or just click the link on the right of this page.

On this week's show we go Around the ACC with UVa. beat writer Jeff White of the Times Dispatch; Luci Chavez, who covers Duke for the News & Observer; Tar Heel Monthly publisher Adam Lucas; Clemson beat writer Patrick Obley of The State; and Gary Hahn, the Voice of the NC State Wolfpack.

Jim Johnson of Courtmaster.net gets comfortable in the Best Seat in the House. As always, we have the Sound and the Fury and we go Inside the Nation to ask why Chris and Patrick couldn't watch Duke-Carolina.

Over the next seven days the Maryland women play at No. 1 North Carolina, at No. 2 Duke and at home against No. 21 Boston College.

Of course, that's just life in the ACC these days for women's basketball teams.

The Augusta Free Press is asking if Duke's J.J. Redick will make it as an NBA player?

Several experts, including Friends of the Nation Dan Bonner and Jim Johnson, weigh in on the discussion.

If you want to see where the ACC Nation comes down on this issue be sure to listen to our show this weekend. It will be available Friday morning. You can visit ACC Nation to find out more.

Gary Williams becomes all-time victory leader among coaches at Maryland with the Terps win over Virginia.

A new poll is up at ACC Nation asking if Williams or the man he passed, Lefty Driesell, is the most important figure in the history of Maryland basketball.

Duke, Carolina football players arrested after weekend fight.

Duke opens big lead then holds off Carolina for 87-83 win in Chapel Hill Tuesday night.

Give the Heels credit for coming back, but why, oh why, did Carolina's Danny Green drive the basketball in the final seconds with his team down three?

Boston College did the same thing against Duke. The ACC Nation's Chris Graham would argue that it was a good move in that instance because the refs should have called a foul on Shelden Williams and given BC a chance to convert a three-point play.

But that's taking a big chance. If a team's down by three with under 10 seconds left they have to take a three-point shot. They have to. Green didn't.

He's a freshman, so maybe that explains it. But players need to be more aware of the situation. Green wasn't and it might have cost Carolina the game.

In an effort to stop a seven-game losing streak, Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt is making major changes to his starting lineup for Thursday's game against Florida State.

The last time the Yellow Jackets lost eight games in a row was in the 1980-81 season. Someone named Dwane Morrison coached the team that season. The reason you don't know Dwane Morrison is because he lost eight-straight games.

ACC Nation hopes history doesn't say the same thing about Paul Hewitt in 25 years.

There are three new polls up at ACC Nation.

Vote on how many ACC teams will make the NCAA tourney, who should be coach of the year and whether or not the ACC made the right decision in suspending the officiating crew.

It's time for Duke-Carolina. Here are some stories to get you ready:

Rivals role reversal, by Luci Chavez (News & Observer)

Heels will rotate on Redick, by Luci Chavez and Robbi Pickeral (News & Observer)

Freshmen to get first taste of Duke-UNC game, by Nolan Hayes (Herald-Sun)

Redick gets last chance at Smith Center, by Bryan Strickland (Herald-Sun)

Notebook: Recruiting battles spice up rivalry, by Nolan Hayes and Bryan Strickland (Herald-Sun)

Duke's defense will test Heels, by Frank Dascenzo (Herald-Sun)

Atypical freshman drives Heels, by Jeff Carlton (News & Record)

Best friends will become rivals next year when one takes his basketball skills to Duke and the other to North Carolina.

My favorite part of the story: the Carolina-bound Wayne Ellington said one of the reasons he chose Chapel Hill was the tradition. He ate dinner at Roy Williams' house then watched highlights of last year's Carolina team with, among others, Marvin Williams.

Ellington said he saw a tear roll down Marvin Williams' face and that made him realize how important the tradition in Chapel Hill is.

My question: If it's that important to Marvin, why did he bolt after one year? I know, money. But if he stayed one more year think how good Carolina would be this year.

I have been saying for months that this UNC team will make it to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. I stand by that. But with Marvin Williams teaming with Tyler Hansbrough in the front court, Carolina would have - laugh if you must - a chance to repeat at national champs.

The ACC admits the officials cheat for Duke!

OK, maybe that's not exactly the case. But the conference is suspending an officiating crew for calling a technical foul called on Florida State's Alexander Johnson with more than 9 minutes left in regulation Saturday.

Johnson had 13 points and 11 rebounds at that point. Florida State lost to Duke by one point in overtime. Um, we're not trying to imply anything, but ...

Is the Cardiac Pack back? Maybe.

As Caulton Tudor points out, the Pack have won three close ones in a row and now hold a 7-2 record in the ACC.

But can this team win a national title like the original Cardiac Pack did in 1983? That's yet to be determined.

But for now I'll stick by my statement that only one ACC team has a shot at winning the national championship, and that team isn't in Raleigh.

Duke and Carolina. Need we say more?

(OK, we probably don't, but we will anyway.)

The two teams hook up Tuesday night in Chapel Hill. If Carolina doesn't correct its bad habit of turning the ball over, the Devils will eat them alive. The Tar Heels have played above what anyone expected this year, but I can't see the Heels even coming close to Duke Tuesday night. That being said, this game always has a surprise, so you never know.

Both teams tuned up with wins Saturday, although Duke's was a bit more difficult than anyone thought it would be.

The stories:
Duke over FSU
Carolina beats Clemson

Maryland women's basketball is a hot item, according to this George Solomon column in the Washington Post.

ACC women's basketball is pretty hot also. (Warning: shameless plug coming) We talked with North Carolina women's coach Sylvia Hatchell on ACC Nation for this weekend's show. She discussed how big the game has become, especially now with Carolina, Duke and Maryland all ranked in the top 10.

And, let's face it, there will be more women's ACC teams than men's teams in the Elite Eight when NCAA tournament time comes. Duke can win a nation title for the men, maybe. None of the other 11 teams have a shot at doing that. Three women's teams can do it this year, and two - Duke and Carolina - have to be among the favorites.

Pete Gillen is working as a college basketball analyst this season. The former Virginia coach may get back into coaching again, according to this story, but he said he had to be the right fit.

Here's exactly what Carolina and Duke fans wanted to read. Could the star freshmen of both teams be one-and-done in college? According to the News and Observer, NBA scouts are very interested in both Tyler Hansbrough and Josh McRoberts.

The news is especially difficult for Carolina fans to think about. After last season four underclassmen, including one freshman, bolt for the pro game.

Tar Heels winning, Deacons losing, Tigers missing and other ACC notes of interest from the News and Observer.

Back pain keeping Miami senior out of action. The story from Friend of the Nation Cammy Clark of the Miami Herald.

TE dreamed of going to Wake Forest and winning a football championship in the ACC. At Wake Forest? This guy must have eaten some bad tacos before going to sleep. Because of his dream, he chose the Deacons over Virginia and Virginia Tech.

There are a few other recruiting stories here also, including one about some Swedish kid who went to Duke. I guess all the American kids have realized going to Duke to play football is a waste of time.

North Carolina wins again on the road. The Heels turned the ball over 24 times - that's 24 times - and still managed to win a game at the Comcast Center. If Roy Williams doesn't get ACC coach of the year - heck, maybe national coach of the year - for what he's done with this very young team then something is really wrong.

Revolving door of coaches continues at Miami. The program still needs to hire three offensive coaches to complete the staff.

For all the Duke fans out there, thought this might be an interesting read. Ali Bales, the shot-blocking machine for the Blue Devils, wrote a short article on her team for the NCAA's blog.

"I was feeling it." Those are the words of Robert Hite, who lit up Wake Forest from three-point land, going 7-of-10 from behind the arc in Miami's win over the Deacons Tuesday night.

Hite finished with 25 points and the Canes are now 5-3 in the conference.