ACC Roundup

Here's one of the bigger mysteries of college basketball lately: what happened to UNC having guys who could shoot?

Think about it because it's a long tradition: Charles Scott, Walter Davis, Phil Ford, Tommy LaGarde, Al Wood, Matt Doherty, Buzz Peterson, Michael Jordan, Donald Williams, Jerry Stackhouse, Joe Forte, Danny Green, Bobby Frasor, Wayne Ellington, Harrison Barnes - what happened?

That doesn't even count guys who lived around the basket - Mitch Kupchak, Antwan Jamison, Brad Doherty, Tyler Hansbrough and on and on.

Against Notre Dame, not really one of the teams people think of when great defenses are discussed, UNC shot 36.9% from the floor and just 25% from behind the line.

On the bright side, UNC just pounded Notre Dame on the boards, grabbing 43 over all to 26 for the Irish and 21 offensive to Notre Dame's paltry six.

Even though UNC got second shots on about half their shots that just means they had a lot of misses (41).

And get this - the Tar Heels missed 13 of their final 14 and had just one shot in the last 4:47, that a three pointer by Marcus Paige.

To those of us who grew up seeing UNC as a major powerhouse, it's just amazing to see the Tar Heels come to the end of a game and be unable to hit a shot - any shot - and lose by one point, at home no less, 71-70.

Two major injury updates, one for Syracuse and one for BC: DaJuan Coleman will miss this year too as he continues to attempt to come back from a serious knee injury. Jim Boeheim wasn't counting on him this year so no big loss, but the guy came out of high school as a major recruit. His health has really limited his growth.

As for the Eagles, Lonnie Jackson, who could have been useful, is gone for the year with a leg injury.

Two games for Tuesday as Virginia Tech follows up its near miss against Syracuse with a trip to Florida State.

And in a vastly more interesting game Pitt, a squad that's underachieved to date, travels to Beantown (okay, Chestnut Hill) where Jim Christian is doing a really, really good job with his team. If Boston College can run and get to the basket the way they did in Durham, Pitt's in for a long night. That program has come a long way in a big hurry.

The new poll came out Monday and the ACC continued to do well. Duke is #2 and Virginia #3, both still undefeated, if barely in Virginia's case.

Louisville is the league's third team in the Top Five. Notre Dame is #12 and UNC #17 although that won't be the case next week after losing to Notre Dame.

Note: we go by the coach's poll on the theory that they know more about the game.

On a sad note, we were very sorry to hear that Mitch and Claire Kupchak have to deal with the agony of losing a child: their teenaged daughter, Alina Claire Kupchak. That sort of pain is indescribable and our hearts go out to them.