Only one Tuesday game as Miami visits Georgia Tech. Tech's struggles this year are fairly well known - a new coach, little talent, some mismatched pieces.
Miami is struggling as well, though not nearly as badly. They have the potential to be a really good team, but like a lot of teams with new coaches, it takes some time to get the new stuff down.
Former coach Frank Haith referred to this at Mizzou, saying that "I'm surprised. There is usually an adjustment period. For us to play at the level we have so early is a big surprise."
It's not just him: he never had players he recruited playing nearly as well. You could pretty much count on his Miami teams staying at about an NIT level, and he did have talent from time to time.
Don't be surprised if Jim Larranaga's Miami team makes a late move and possibly a strong run in the tournament, after Reggie Johnson has had a few weeks to get himself in game shape.
We would favor them in Tuesday night's game, although Tech has periodically shown some feistiness. Still, we'll take them by six.
By the way, Jeff Goodman tweeted that Alex Len will play against Duke. You'll recall that he was injured against Temple.
In Chapel Hill, Roy Williams is mulling over what to do without his one perimeter defender now that Dexter Strickland is out.
Who knows? Reggie Bullock could turn out to be a revelation as a defender. Certainly he has talent.
This could change, and rather quickly, but at this point it looks somewhat as if State is coming into the big game against UNC as the mentally tougher team. They could have that edge and still lose, too of course, but when was the last time anyone said that about State against UNC?
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