ACC Roundup

In ACC Monday night action, FSU beat High Point, 81-64, and Georgia Tech was
ungentlemanly to the Gentlemen from Centenary, winning 92-52. Centenary is
most famous for Robert Parish, of course, and for forfeiting every game in which
he played due to NCAA issues. That and the nickname, of course.
Ra'Sean Dickey reclaimed his starting spot, putting freshman Zach Peacock back
on the bench.

These are fairly typical holiday/exam games, and teams from power conferences
always schedule them to basically work in an extra scrimmage or two (the fodder
gets guaranteed money and exposure in exchange for their whipping.

There's more on the way: On Tuesday, Virginia gets Appalachian State, UNC has
Florida Atlantic in for a ritual dismantling (although KU grad and FAU
coach Rex Walters surely knows Ol' Roy's proclivities, not that it will help
much), and Wake gets Gardner-Webb.

Well, let's back up for a second: Gardner-Webb has shown some stuff
over the last few years, and earlier this season gave Texas Tech a bit of a game
and NC State as well. Could they pull off Wake Forest?
Possibly. Unlikely, but don't be shocked if they do.

Poor N.C. State. Down to six players, and their best player injured,
the Pack has five games between December 20 and January 2, starting with
Alabama, a game presumably scheduled by Herb Sendek, who mostly avoided tough
matchups.

Well guess what: despite everything, Sidney Lowe is proving to be an
excellent coach and is getting his team to play beautifully. We think
they're outmanned, but still have a chance. For our money, no one in the
conference is doing a better job early than Lowe and Clemson's Oliver Purnell.

But after that stretch of games is over, State is going to be tired, and then
they get hit with ACC play: BC, Clemson, Duke, Virginia...the defense is
going to be draining.

In conference news, Maryland's Mike Jones and UNC's Brandan Wright were named
Player
and Rookie of the Week respectively.

And in one other interesting note, some people are blaming
George Karl for the fiasco in New York, arguing that he was trying to avenge
fellow Heel alum Larry Brown, who was fired by the Knicks.

• Tigers get back to business
• Tigers
  get back to business
• U.VA.
  NOTES
• San
  Juan Shootout: Virginia vs. Appalachian State
• Hewitt
  benches Peacock for Dickey
• Williams
  to face one of his favorites
• A
  Mentor's Pride and Joy: Tar Heels' Williams will coach against one of his
  favorite former players tonight
• Changing
  Gears: Deacons trying a slower tempo