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Exams Are Here, So How Is Everyone Doing?

  • Duke. The #1
    team in the
    nation, Duke has
    improved their
    defensive
    consistency and
    overcome some
    offensive
    sputters.
    Chris Carrawell
    has been replaced
    in the
    lineup. The
    one nagging
    concern is depth,
    but if they beat
    people the way
    they beat
    Michigan, depth
    doesn't really
    matter. And they
    are meeting
    expectations,
    which isn't always
    an easy thing to
    do. Grade: A+
  • Wake Forest.
    Considering the
    injuries, which
    earlier looked
    crippling, this is
    so far Dave Odom's
    finest coaching
    job and if he
    keeps it up he'll
    merit coach of the
    year
    consideration.
    Vidauretta has
    been reasonably
    replaced by
    Shoemaker, and
    Murray is coming
    around. Grade: A+
  • Georgia
    Tech: Paul
    Hewitt may be
    building an
    argument for coach
    of the year
    also. With
    wins over UCLA and
    Kentucky, Tech,
    expected to be
    toast all season,
    is building
    confidence and
    character.
    Grade: A+
  • Virginia: Along
    with Wake Forest,
    UVa is ready to
    make a big move.
    They're still
    short, but they're
    quick and
    tough. So
    far, they get a
    solid A.
  • UNC: this is a
    team, as we said
    pre-season, with
    some limitations
    athletically and
    at point
    guard. They
    compensate with
    massive size and
    Joseph
    Forte. Teams
    like Michigan
    State and Kentucky
    handled them
    relatively
    easily. Not
    a good sign.
    Nonetheless,
    Doherty is
    handling the point
    guard situation
    well, pulling back
    on Morrison's
    turnover plagued
    time, giving Boone
    the starting spot
    (since he's been
    there all season
    we'd presume), and
    easing Curry into
    significant
    minutes. UNC
    is in the midst of
    a coaching
    transition and a
    personnel-philosophy
    transition,
    and they seem to
    be holding up well
    under both. Grade
    so far: B+
    Had they held the
    lead against UK it
    would have been
    higher.
  • Clemson: the
    effort against
    Seton Hall alone
    gets them a long
    ways with
    us. They
    have been up and
    down so far, but
    not like last
    season's
    disaster.
    True they aren't
    bowling people
    over, but their
    losses are to
    Seton Hall and
    South Carolina,
    and they won the
    games they should
    be winning. Grade:
    C+
  • Maryland: the
    conference
    underachiever so
    far. The
    Hawaii trip was an
    unmitigated
    disaster, and a
    presumptive Top 5
    team is now
    5-3.
    Illinois was
    understandable
    perhaps, but not
    Dayton and not
    Wisconsin.
    More embarrassing,
    0-6 Pennsylvania
    came back from 22
    down to make it a
    game late.
    Grade: D
  • NCSU: State,
    which
    promised not
    to get an NIT
    watch again this
    year, has put
    themselves
    squarely back in
    the hunt for the
    NIT. Not what Pack
    fans were hoping
    for. Also,
    Damon Thornton's
    poor decision
    making didn't
    help, and Damien
    Wilkins' injury
    was a problem as
    well.
    Nonetheless, they
    have struggled
    where they
    shouldn't
    struggle.
    Grade: D
  • Florida State:
    We're Steve
    Robinson fans, but
    no matter how you
    cut it, 1-7 won't.
    Cut it, that
    is. They
    didn't get crushed
    by Florida or
    DePaul or
    Minnesota, but
    they didn't win,
    either. They get a
    chance to make up
    some ground with
    games coming up
    with Jacksonville,
    Cleveland State,
    Binghamton, and
    Morgan
    State. They
    ought to come out
    of that 5-7 and
    with some
    confidence.
    Duke is next,
    though, and then
    UNC-Asheville.
    From there on it's
    ACC all the way,
    and if they don't
    get it together,
    it's going to be a
    long winter. Grade
    so far: F