In Thursday night ACC action, everyone won except for Miami,
as the 'Canes lost to Florida. Georgia Tech beat Jacksonville 92-67, FSU
beat Campbell 108-73, B.C.
crushed Harvard 89-55, Wake won ugly over
Richmond, 47-40, and N.C. State
nipped 'Bama 68-64. Here's an oddity: when was the last time you could
remember a team not going to the line until 24 seconds left in the game?
State was up one when Engin Atsur hit two free throws. Ilian Evtimov hit
one of two to clinch.
The most significant thing about B.C.'s victory was the return
of Sean Williams. He had no particular impact on the game, but he changes
B.C.'s team considerably. Williams says he has been working out with John
Lucas back in Houston and credits him for being back in school.
Paul Hewitt coached against former assistant Cliff Warren, in
his first season at Jacksonville. Next up for the Jackets is a tough game
at Air Force, riding high at 9-1, and advertising the game as the biggest home
game ever at the Academy.
Here's a story about Wake
recruit Ishmael Smith and how he ended up picking the Deacs.
There are a lot of ways to make up ground when you're building
a program. For Dave Leitao, one way to do it is to
hire a great strength coach, and to get him to help build defense and
rebounding.
Maybe that'll help next year, but this season, Virginia has a significant challenge now just getting enough bodies on the
court: Donte
Minter has left the team, which puts UVa down to eight scholarship players,
with one injured. Doug Doughty says it was not unexpected.
Dave Leitao says he's not stupid enough to run off players when he barely has
any to start with. Virginia has lost three so far: Gary Forbes to
academics, Sam Warren for whatever his reasons were, and now Minter.
It's looking like a long season in Hooville.
Maryland has four easy games coming up and a
last chance to tune up for ACC matches.