Sophomore Larry Drew was perhaps nervous:  he missed four of six free throws in the final minute but did make his last pair for the four point lead.

Striking:  Jon Henson was promoted as a likely starter during the run-up to the season.  Now?  He’s the fourth big man off the bench.  It’s not a shock that Tyler Zeller is the first guy off the bench, but both David and Travis Wear got more minutes than Henson.  We know he’s physically immature (read: weak), but still.  This guy has real talent.  It’s hard to understand. 

Clemson’s big-name players get most of the attention, but David Potter and Tanner Smith are also playing very well.

With center Assane Sene suspended, Virginia has been running a four-guard offense, but no more:  Tony Bennett adjusted nicely, with Mike Scott, Jerome Meyinsse, and Sylven Landseberg starting up front and Mustapha Farrakhan and Sammy Zeglinski manning the guard spots.

The result?  A solid whipping of Rider, 76-49, as Virginia held their opponents to 33.3% shooting.

Also, Jamil Tucker, who has been on a leave of absence for personal reasons, says he’ll be back with the team after their Cancun trip.

On Friday, half the league is in action. The big game is UNC-Syracuse, but the most interesting game is probably Georgia Tech and George Mason.  If Tech blows that one, too, the Hewitt critics will be back in force.  It’s hard to imagine that he could be under fire this early, but toss two wins in with the awful exhibition performance against Indiana (Pa), and he might be. He’s never struck us as a guy who is at ease with pressure.  Blow this one, and he’ll have some.

State gets Akron, like Dayton, an underrated basketball school.  St. Joe’s is an Eastern power from decades ago but the consolidation of power in bigger schools has relegated them to third-tier status.  Clemson should have no problem with UNCG, and if Maryland should wipe New Hampshire with impunity. 

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John Calipari is not pleased with his team’s defense.  They have three more tune-ups – Rider, Cleveland State and UNC-Asheville -before UNC rolls into town on the 15th. 

By contrast, by the time UNC gets there, for better or worse, they’ll have played a tough Valpo, Ohio State, Syracuse, Nevada, usually tough in their conference, and Michigan State.  Don’t be surprised if Kentucky opts for some sort of funky zone.  They’re athletic enough to cause problems that way and while they don’t need it necessarily, their inexperience and youth may mandate it, and UNC’s outside woes might encourage them. 

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