ACC Roundup - Bummer Of A Friday

There was a lot of potentially bad news in Yahoo’s Friday story about the FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball and a number of prominent names mentioned. In the ACC, some in pretty trivial amounts, we saw Brice Johnson, Tony Bradley, Brendan Haywood, Malcolm Brogdon, Jaron Blossomgame and Wendell Carter (see the main page for more on Carter).

Not trivial: Dennis Smith, who is listed with nearly $43,000 next to his name.

Note too that all of this is uncorroborated. Nothing has been publicly verified yet. Even still, it’s startling.

More startling: former NC State assistant Sean Miller, now at Arizona, was allegedly recorded discussing a $100,000 payment to star big man DeAndre Ayton.

It’s going to be an interesting time in college basketball to say the least. Stay tuned.

Okay, back to Saturday.

Some really good games to look forward to: Louisville visits Cassell to take on the Hokies, BC gets a warm trip to Miami, Georgia Tech heads up to Tiger Town to challenge Clemson, The Irish visit the Deacons and Virginia probably gets a breather at Pitt.

We’re at the point where some of these games really matter and some teams are hitting a level of despair that will push them to either much higher levels or see them fall off the bubble.

Take Louisville.

The Cards have definitely had their moments this season but not so much lately. The Virginia Tech game is huge for them. It’s also big for the Hokies so expect some fireworks here. This could be a very exciting game.

BC still has some hope for a bid but will have to win some more. They’re in the post-season though, whether it’s the NIT or the NCAA. After this trip is Syracuse at home then finishing up at Florida State.

How high can the Eagles soar? At the least Jim Christian’s job should be safe.

Good news for the Tigers: Clemson might get Shelton Mitchell back. He’s been out with a concussion since the Florida State game and the Tigers have lost three straight without him. It’s a major hit. Georgia Tech is playing better and Josh Pastner probably has enjoyed being pushed out of the headlines by other people’s bad news.

Good news for Notre Dame too: Rex Pflueger, who missed the Miami game, should be back for the trip to Winston-Salem and Bonzie Colson is inching closer.

• Notes: Name of former Notre Dame guard Demertrius Jackson surfaces in Yahoo! report
• Notre Dame looks to extend season at Wake Forest
• U.Va. tries to stay sharp at hapless Pitt, while Hokies attempt to lock down Louisville
• Clemson hoping to get starting PG back for Senior Day against Georgia Tech
• Ratcliffe: Cremins impressed with Cavaliers’ success
• Pittsburgh, winless in ACC, next up for No. 1 Virginia
• UVA has stayed healthy during its rise to the top of college basketball
• What you need to know heading into a pivotal UM-Boston College basketball game
• THE BIG PREVIEW: No. 1 Virginia heads to Pitt
• Tony Bradley’s father on Yahoo report: ‘We never took any money’
• Clemson coach, AD release statement on Blossomgame allegations
• Malcolm Brogdon’s family responds to Yahoo Report: ‘I don’t remember having dinner with any agent’
• Former North Carolina center Brendan Haywood remembers making history against Miami
• What coaches really think after top players were linked to college basketball’s scandal