ACC Roundup - NC State’s Epic Stink Bomb Will Smell For Decades To Come

Let’s start with the weirdness and go from there: what the hell, NC State? How does a competent ACC team manage just 24 points?

We know Virginia likes to do this to people but that’s Virginia. This was against Virginia Tech, the other guys.

You know, the fast ones.

Well, usually.

Virginia Tech managed just 47 points and hit just 16-45 for 35.6%.

As coach Buzz Williams gleefully pointed out though, that was “beautiful” because it was about twice what NC State shot.

Actually somewhat better than that - State hit a pathetic 9-54 for 16.7%. It’s not much to brag about but the Hokies only had six scholarship players available, (Justin Robinson sat out with a foot injury)so maybe it was beautiful.

Kevin Keatts was mystified, calling the numbers “mind-boggling.” It reminded people of NC State’s long-ago 12-10 ACC Tournament win over Duke in 1968 but there was no shot clock then and State was playing deliberate stall ball.

It’ll take forever to live this one down.

To rub it in a bit, Williams explicitly mocked Keatts by saying the team might stop on the way home for ice cream, a trademark for Keatts after road wins.

In Louisville, UNC got its revenge for the Cardinals earlier win in Chapel Hill, winning 79-69. It wasn’t that close.

UNC was up 19 in the first half and Louisville was never really in the game.

The Tar Heels killed Louisville on the boards, winning 49-32 and basically dunked Louisville.

Worse, the university and city decided to honor hometown great Muhammad Ali this game and then hardly played like champions.

After the game, Chris Mack said that “We didn’t come out with much fire. It was a great environment, and to essentially end the half with no offensive rebounds, let Carolina dismantle us on the glass, I can’t tell you how disappointed I am in that effort alone.”

Translation from coach speak: you guys are going to hate practice for awhile.

Like State-Virginia Tech, neither team shot well but Cards and Hokies get to make it up soon: the rivals play on Monday in Blacksburg.

Virginia played Miami without Ky Jerome but still won by 10. However, the Cavaliers were less than precise for the second game in a row. It was another bad shooting day by an ACC team with UVA managing just 42.3%. Miami hit just 34% - but as Buzz Williams pointed out that was twice what NC State shot. Chris Lykes is back to consistent again, hitting 16 points.

Jeff Capel reinvented PItt’s culture in record time but winning in the ACC has proven harder. Pitt started off 8-3 this season but after Syracuse the Panthers fell to 12-10 overall and 2-7 in the ACC.

As is their habit, Syracuse zoned Pitt and held the Panthers to - here we go again - 31.6% - still nearly double what State managed against Virginia Tech.

Syracuse shot an underwhelming 41.5%.

Trey McGowens, who has gone off a few times this year, managed just three points, all from the line.

What’s this? Hold the phone! Notre Dame actually cleared 50% from the floor against BC.

Four Notre Dame starters finished in double figures and the Irish also hit 50% from deep.

Good thing because it was only a six-point win.

Ky Bowman had 25 points and 10 boards. Jordan Chatman added 14 and improving big man Nik Popovic had 16 points and six rebounds.

Mike Brey started Nikola Djogo, who erupted for 21.

Wynston Tabbs is out for BC with a knee injury. BC goes to Duke and Syracuse next so things don’t get any easier.

It was a tough day for Georgia Tech’s Jose Alvarado. He’s a smart, tough kid and will be a four-year starter at Tech but Saturday wasn’t his day as he shot 0-10, got hit with a technical and fouled out in 24 minutes.

Tech still lost by just 10 points. And look - Tech shot 28.3% and Florida State 34.8%. Tech didn’t double NC State’s percentage but still managed a respectable point total.

Terance Mann and Mfiondu Kabengele had 12 each to pace FSU. Kabengele is still coming off the bench which is amazing considering how good he is.

Only one game on Sunday as Weak Forest braves Littlejohn and the Clemson Tigers.

• Virginia Tech holds N.C. State to 24 points
• Virginia freshman Kihei Clark overcomes early struggles in first ACC start
• Playing without the injured Ty Jerome, No. 3 Virginia holds off Miami for 20th win
• Virginia Tech holds N.C. State to record-low 24 points
• ESPN’s College GameDay coming to Charlottesville for Virginia-Duke basketball game
• Hokies hold N.C. State to 24 points in top 25 matchup
• 5 takeaways from Georgia Tech’s loss to No. 25 Florida State
• Oshae Brissett shifts focus, takes advantage of ‘mismatch’ against Pitt
• Syracuse’s Frank Howard bounces back after getting benched
• Photos: Syracuse basketball at Pittsburgh (2019)
• ACC basketball: NC State held to 24 points in loss
• Watch Jim Boeheim’s news conference after Syracuse’s win
• Djogo’s 21 points lead Notre Dame past BC
• UNC’s struggles a thing of the past
• NC State scores record low in loss to Virginia Tech
• How UNC was able to get revenge on Louisville
• Seminoles Survive Georgia Tech’s ‘Muck,’ Emerge With 59-49 Win
• NC State and Virginia Tech set basketball back decades on Saturday
• Virginia basketball beats Miami without Ty Jerome, but ‘his absence certainly showed”
• Miami basketball falls late in loss at number three Virginia
• FSU Basketball: Quick takeaways from win over Georgia Tech