the deep Seminoles out, as Florida learned the hard way on Monday. Florida State won't leave the state again until ACC p
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 * 1. Duke (10-0): The Blue Devils are going to have a lot of practice time in the near future; after Saturday’s game at Boston College, they’ll play just twice in a 27-day span. (Last week: 1)
ACC swamps Big Ten in Challenge: The made-for-TV ACC/Big Ten Challenge (or, alternately, the Big Ten/ACC Challenge) was over almost before it began this year. The ACC picked off a pair of Monday games, then took four of five Tuesday contests en route to an 11-3 bludgeoning in the series. The Big Ten’s best teams (Michigan State and Purdue) won games, but the final result was a direct reflection of the strength of the ACC’s midpack and the flux much of the Big Ten is facing at this point. In the end, the tally really doesn’t matter that much, though Miami will surely be thankful to snag an impressive victory at Minnesota.
STOCK RISING
STOCK FALLING
Florida State: The Seminoles improved to 7-0 on Monday with an 83-66 thrashing of Florida in Gainesville. Florida State led by double figures for the last 13 ½ minutes and guard Terance Mann turned in a stellar performance as Leonard Hamilton’s deep team created problems for the Gators all night. Yes, Florida State lost some superb players off last year’s team, notably Dwayne Bacon and Jonathan Isaac. While its best player this season isn’t as good as either of those two, the Seminoles’ strength lies in their many options. They’ll be a pain to deal with throughout this season.
Louisville: The Cardinals received a pair of big tests last week, first traveling to Purdue and then playing host to Seton Hall. They came away with nothing to show for the two games against near-certain NCAA tournament teams, dropping a rock fight to the Boilermakers before getting one-upped by Desi Rodriguez and the Pirates. At 4-2 entering the week, there’s still a lot for Louisville to prove under interim coach David Padgett, though it had to be welcome to see struggling guard Quentin Snider play well against Seton Hall. The great mystery: Would the Cardinals be sputtering if Rick Pitino wasn’t fired in disgrace just before practice started?
2. Miami (7-0): The Hurricanes head into their exams break, and they’d better enjoy spending time in Coral Gables. Their next six games, starting with a Dec. 16 trip to George Washington, are road or neutral contests. (LW: 6) 3. Virginia (8-0): Add another certainty to life ... death, taxes and Virginia playing exceptional defense. Tony Bennett’s Cavs continue to stifle offenses. (LW: 3) 4. North Carolina (8-1): The Tar Heels got back on track with three victories in the seven days after their loss to Michigan State. Luke Maye looks like the real deal and an answer to their problems in the paint. (LW: 4) 5. Florida State (7-0): It’s best not to count the deep Seminoles out, as Florida learned the hard way on Monday. Florida State won’t leave the state again until ACC play begins Dec. 30 at Duke. (LW: 7)
WEEKEND SPOTLIGHT
6. Notre Dame (7-1): The Irish had no answers for Michigan State, but that’s hardly the worst blemish to have at this stage of the season. Martinas Geben’s double-double on Sunday against St. Francis Brooklyn was a good sign. (LW: 2) 7. Virginia Tech (7-1): Speaking of welcome developments, Chris Clarke had his best game of the season as the Hokies outlasted Mississippi on the road in overtime. Virginia Tech’s offense remains an efficient machine. (LW: 9) 8. Syracuse (6-1): Reality arrived for the Orange with it loss to Kansas. Losing graduate transfer Gene Thorpe a day earlier is damaging to Syracuse’s backcourt depth. (LW: 8) 9. Louisville (4-2): After missing out on chances for name-brand victories against Purdue and Seton Hall, the Cardinals get their next high-profile opportunity Saturday against a spunky Indiana team. (LW: 5) 10. Clemson (7-1): The Tigers have avoided silly missteps in the early going, and a core group of Marquise Reed, Donte Grantham, Gabe DeVoe, Shelton Mitchell and Elijah Thomas shows some promise. (LW: 10) 11. N.C. State (7-2): The Wolfpack hosts an annual treat on Saturday — a game at venerable Reynolds Coliseum. Missouri-Kansas City will make the trip in as N.C. State looks to win its third in a row. (LW: 11)
Duke’s Marvin Bagley III (right) drives to the basket against Saint Francis (Pa.)’s Deivydas Kuzavas during the first half Tuesday in Durham, N.C. [Gerry Broome/the associated press]
Duke at Boston College
Weekend slate All times EST Saturday, Noon EST, Conte Forum, Time Game TV Chestnut Hill, Mass., ESPN SATURDAY Not much of the ACC’s league schedule got 2 p.m. Missouri-Kansas City at N.C. State ACCE shoved into December, but this is the first of 2 p.m. Colgate at Syracuse RSN those games. By this point, undefeated Duke 2 p.m. Indiana at Louisville ESPN is already a known quantity. Guard Grayson 3 p.m. Samford at Clemson ACCE Allen’s wrist is doing better, which means 7 p.m. Notre Dame at Delaware CBSSN he’s doing better. Forward Marvin Bagley III 8 p.m. West Virginia at Pittsburgh ESPN2 is making a push for national player of the Sunday year. The rest of the Blue Devils’ freshmen Noon Florida State vs. Tulane ESPNU are acclimating, even if Duke hasn’t domi3 p.m. Maryland-ES at Virginia Tech ACCE nated everyone it’s encountered. Boston College is a tricky foe to start league play, if only because of its exceptional backcourt. Both junior Jerome Robinson and sophomore Ky Bowman are all-ACC candidates, and the two North Carolina natives combined for 40 points at Duke last season. They’ll test a Blue Devil defense that has been anything but special to this point.
• G Bruce Brown, Miami: Posted averages of 16.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in victories over Minnesota and Princeton.
13. Wake Forest (4-4): The Demon Deacons have won three in a row while scoring at least 80 points in all three, though it did show improved defense in victories over Illinois and Richmond last week. (LW: 14) 14. Georgia Tech (4-3): The Yellow Jackets’ stunning loss to Grambling was their first loss to a SWAC school since falling to Southern in the 1993 NCAA tournament and just their second ever. (LW: 13) 15. Pittsburgh (4-4): The Panthers beat Duquesne in the annual City Game, which means there’s at least one thing this Pitt team accomplished that its immediate predecessor could not. (LW: 15) * Records through Dec. 4
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK • F Marvin Bagley III, Duke: Averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds to help the Blue Devils turn back Indiana and South Dakota.
12. Boston College (6-3): Snagged a road split against Nebraska and Hartford as G Jerome Robinson went over 1,000 points for his career. The Eagles get top-ranked Duke coming to town to open league play Saturday. (LW: 12)
• F Luke Maye, North Carolina: Averaged 24.3 points, 11.0 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks as the Tar Heels beat Michigan, Davidson and Tulane.
• F Ryan Luther, Pittsburgh: Helped the Panthers to victories over High Point and Duquesne by averaging 15.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 4.5 assists.
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NUMBER OF NOTE
6-5 Record for ACC teams against ranked nonconference opponents through Monday’s games, including five victories against top-10 opponents.
