ACC Roundup

We love the ACC: almost everything we thought would happen Saturday was wrong
- and it's mostly a thrill anyway.

As Olympic Fan sagely pointed out on the boards, the home team has won every
game so far this season, and Saturday fit the pattern, as UNC, Virginia, Miami,
and FSU all won.

UNC was in a tight game with N.C. State until the last minutes of the game,
when they took over, winning 82-69. The score is deceptive to an extent,
as it was very tight until quite late. But make no mistake: UNC took the
opportunity State passed up.

And gosh darnit, what do you know - look at the standings, and who is on top?
Again? Duke and UNC.

Yes, it's early. But a lot of people are hating that already. Certainly
people in Raleigh and Blacksburg are, as Virginia Tech's missed opportunity at
Duke has them in the basement, behind their hated rival Virginia, something no
one thought would happen this year.

UNC shot - as a team - 92.9% from the line. And this is just sick - Tyler
Hansbrough got - according to ESPN - 13 offensive boards. That's Moses
Malone country, and may be the finest rebounding performance by a first-year ACC
player in, well, in several years. Buck Williams probably did something
like that, but not many ever do it. Kudos to the rookie.

Well, looks like ESPN screwed that stat up, so never mind. But the guy
did go 14-14 from the line, which is also very impressive.

After the Maryland loss at Miami, Gary Williams kept the lockeroom door
closed for almost a half-hour, challenging his team. Against Miami, almost
the worst shooting team in the ACC (they're 11th), they gave up 12 three
pointers, and had 20 turnovers. One of the things we respect about
Maryland is their defensive intensity, which was apparently AWOL.

Keep in mind that Anthony Harris missed much of the early season with a foot
injury and Guillermo Diaz has struggled with knee pain since last season. Very
impressive. The 'Canes also dominated Maryland on the boards, 34-26.

Not to take anything away from Miami, but we're guessing that Maryland was
mentally at the beach. They won't suck this bad in Cameron.

Think Clemson misses James Mays? The Cavs outrebounded the Tigers 33-20
and pulled away down the stretch with free throws to win 64-58.
Cool, check this - ESPN's box score says the rebounding was 33-20, but their
summary says 39-21. Nice! The Times-Dispatch goes with 39-21 so that's
probably right. Rebounding stats, clearly, are not ESPN's forte right now.

Florida State controlled most of the game against Virginia Tech, although
Tech again rallied at the end - like they did against ODU - but came up
short, 74-68.

Virginia Tech faces a brutal stretch - UNC at home, at Maryland, Duke at
home, at Wake, Georgia Tech at home, and then B.C. at home. It's early,
but the hinge of their season is upon them.

• Terps
  Fall in Miami
• Say
  what you want, but State is still State
• Tigers Fall at
  Virginia
• Tigers
  fall to UVA
• Rebounding
  the killer for Clemson
• Droschak:
  Tar Heels Fight Through It
• TIM
  PEELER: Wolfpack Suffers First ACC Loss at UNC
• Fear
  The Turtle?
• Frasor
  picks it up to lead UNC to win
• Final
  minutes leave Pack stunned
• Dascenzo:
  Hansbrough a young star for the Heels
• Perfection:
  Practice pays off for Hansbrough
• Say what you
  want, but State is still State
• Carolina pulls
  away
• Virginia
  does its homework