month. Florida State: The Seminoles were completely flat after a one-week layoff, never leading in their loss at. N.C. S
HOOPS INSIDER
INSIDE ONE OF COLLEGE BASKETBALL’S PREMIER CONFERENCES | COMPILED BY PATRICK STEVENS, SPECIAL TO GATEHOUSE MEDIA STORY OF THE WEEK
RANKING THE LEAGUE *
Bonzie Colson’s back? When Bonzie Colson went down with a broken foot early in conference play, coach Mike Brey’s hope was the Fighting Irish could slog along well enough to get to 9-9 by the end of the regular season. That was roughly Colson’s estimated return time, and sure enough he has returned to practice for the Fighting Irish. Notre Dame is 7-9 in the league, faced Pittsburgh in the middle of the week and then visit league leader Virginia to close the regular season. Notre Dame is vastly more dangerous with Colson, and could be a fascinating variable at the conference tournament next week.
STOCK RISING
STOCK FALLING
N.C. State: The Wolfpack won their fourth in a row on Sunday, shredding Florida State 92-72. That inches N.C. State ever closer to securing a place in the NCAA Tournament under first-year coach Kevin Keatts. Baylor grad transfer Allerik Freeman has emerged as the centerpiece of the surprising N.C. State offense, while sophomore center Omer Yurtseven has also settled in as a major weapon. Barring a collapse, it appears the Wolfpack’s two-year NCAA drought is likely to come to an end later this month.
Florida State: The Seminoles were completely flat after a one-week layoff, never leading in their loss at N.C. State. It wasn’t so much that they shot 0 of 15 from 3-point range, but rather how ineffective they were at the defensive end. This isn’t a startling development for a team that’s lived off its defensive reputation more than production at that end of the floor for the last couple years, but it is a reminder Florida State has issues as the postseason approaches. The Seminoles are good bet to make the NCAA Tournament barring a freefall to close the regular season, but an extended NCAA stay seems unlikely.
1. Virginia (26-2): The only suspense left for the Cavaliers is figuring out whether someone (Kyle Guy? Devon Hall? Isaiah Wilkins?) gets a first team all-ACC nod. (Last week: 1) 2. North Carolina (22-7): Considering the Tar Heels lost so much from their national title team, a sweep of Duke would be especially sweet this season. (LW: 2) 3. Duke (24-6): Marvin Bagley’s back, but it didn’t prevent the Blue Devils from letting one get away at Virginia Tech on Monday. (LW: 3) 4. N.C. State (20-9): Virginia’s Tony Bennett probably should be the ACC coach of the year, but Kevin Keatts’ work with the Wolfpack should be acknowledged as well. (LW: 9) 5. Clemson (21-7): So should Brad Brownell’s with the Tigers. (LW: 5)
6. Miami (20-8): Last week’s defeats of Notre Dame and Boston College stabilized the Hurricanes. Still, another win to ensure a place in the field of 68 wouldn’t hurt. (LW: 7)
WEEKEND SPOTLIGHT
7. Virginia Tech (21-9): It’s getting harder and harder to ignore the Hokies, who are closing in on back-to-back NCAA Tournament bids. (LW: 8) 8. Florida State (19-9): Probably was a little too bullish on the Seminoles, who were a mess in their loss to N.C. State on Sunday. (LW: 4) 9. Louisville (19-10): The Cardinals’ victory at Virginia Tech could wind up going a long way to help Quentin Snider and Co. make the NCAA Tournament. (LW: 10) 10. Notre Dame (17-12): If the Fighting Irish has a healthy Bonzie Colson back in the fold, they will be one of the most intriguing teams in the country over the final two weeks of the regular season. (LW: 11) 11. Syracuse (18-11): The schedule didn’t do the Orange any favors, but they didn’t gain any traction in losses to North Carolina and Duke in the season’s penultimate week. (LW: 6) 12. Boston College (16-13): One of the league’s great what-ifs — how would the Eagles have done in conference play with a healthy Deontae Hawkins? (LW: 12) 13. Wake Forest (11-18): Won at Pittsburgh last week, just like 10 other teams have done this season. (LW: 13)
Duke forward Marvin Bagley III goes up for a dunk against Virginia Tech forward Chris Clarke during the first half Monday in Blacksburg, Va. [DON PETERSEN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS]
North Carolina at Duke Saturday, 8:15 p.m. EST, Cameron Indoor Stadium, Durham, N.C., ESPN
Weekend slate All times Eastern Time Game TV SATURDAY Noon Virginia Tech at Miami ESPN2 Noon Wake Forest at Georgia Tech RSN 2 p.m. Clemson at Syracuse ACC Network 2 p.m. Boston College at Florida State RSN 4 p.m. Notre Dame at Virginia ACC Network 6 p.m. Louisville at N.C. State ESPN
It’s the traditional regular-season finale on Tobacco Road, as the visiting Tar Heels make the brief trek up Route 15-501 to try to collect a season sweep of their series with the Blue Devils. North Carolina entered the week on a six-game winning streak to climb from .500 in the conference to contention for the No. 2 seed in the ACC tournament. Guard Joel Berry II and the Tar Heels took the first meeting, an 82-78 triumph on Feb. 8. The Blue Devils are coming off a loss at Virginia Tech on Monday, though they did just get freshman forward Marvin Bagley III back from injury over the weekend. Duke can clinch the No. 2 seed in next week’s ACC tournament in Brooklyn with a victory.
• G Allerik Freeman, N.C. State: Posted 22.5 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 2.0 steals per game in defeats of Boston College and Florida State.
15. Pittsburgh (8-22): Made one field goal in the first half of Saturday’s loss at Virginia and trailed 30-7 at the break. Fortunately, the Panthers’ rough season is almost complete. (LW: 15) *Through Feb. 26
NUMBERS OF NOTE
11 Coaches in ACC history to post a winning record in league play in his first season at a school. N.C. State’s Kevin Keatts clinched a winning record in conference play when the Wolfpack beat Florida State on Sunday.
3
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK • F Wendell Carter, Jr., Duke: Collected 17.5 points, 9.5 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 2.5 blocks a contest as the Blue Devils defeated Louisville and Syracuse.
14. Georgia Tech (11-18): Saturday’s date with Wake Forest will likely determine the Nos. 13 and 14 seeds in the ACC tournament. (LW: 14)
• G/F Theo Pinson, North Carolina: Had 23 points, six rebounds, seven assists and three steals in the Tar Heels’ 78-74 triumph at Syracuse.
• G Quentin Snider, Louisville: Scored 22 points and made seven 3-pointers in a vital victory at Virginia Tech on Saturday.
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Current Virginia Tech players who have scored 1,000 or more career points. Both Ahmed Hill (Saturday against Louisville) and Justin Robinson (Monday against Duke) scaled that plateau in the last week, joining Justin Bibbs in the 1,000-point club.
