Weird hoops weekend in the Triangle
Jan 12, 2009
Tags: ACC
The ACC might not be following the script that everyone thought was going to happen. The mighty North Carolina Tar Heels are dead last in ACC play after a 92-89 defeat at Wake Forest.
It’s not time to hit the panic button Tar Heel fans, but this team is not playing for the best regular season record in the ACC or cutting down the nets in Atlanta at the ACC Tournament, either. This team has one singular mission, win the National Championship. Anything less than that will be deemed a failure.
That, in my mind, is absolutely ridiculous considering what it takes and the gauntlet that has to be run to win the title is one of the toughest in sports. The Heels have had had two bad shooting nights; instead of worrying about Carolina, the rest of the country might start paying attention to how good the Deacons are.
Around the ACC this weekend…
N.C. State might have been the ugliest first half of basketball in school history. The Wolfpack had three points with less than 10 minutes to play in the first half. The fact that the Pack actually tied this game in the second half at 31 is astounding, but it also shows this team needs to get mentally tougher. There is an adage that teams know how to win close games, teams also know how to lose them. State is in the latter category at the moment, but games against Florida State and Georgia Tech this week the pack can put themselves in good position heading into February.
Duke and Florida State did their best to set basketball back in the first half this weekend combining for 31 points and a Duke 17-14 lead. What Duke fans should take out of this game for the future: Gerald Henderson’s career-high 25 points and his athletic ability. If Henderson plays that way the rest of the season, there should be no concern about Duke being for real. Henderson is the missing ingredient every night that can allow the Blue Devils to be special.
ACC football notes:
The East-West Shrine game features eight ACC players, including Duke’s All-American linebacker Michael Tauiliili. Tauiliili led Duke in tackles (140), interceptions (4), pass breakups (5), quarterback pressures (5) and caused fumbles (3). His 140 stops led the ACC and matched the eighth-highest single-season total in school history. He added 13.0 tackles for loss and one fumble recovery.—Thanks to our good friend Art Chase at Duke for giving me all the stats.
The other ACC members playing joining Tauiliili are linebacker Robert Francois of Boston College, kicker Graham Gano of Florida State, wide receiver Aaron Kelly of Clemson, defensive lineman Orion Martin of Virginia Tech, defensive lineman Darryl Richard of Georgia Tech, offensive lineman Jaimie Thomas of Maryland and offensive lineman Edwin Williams of Maryland.
The Shrine Game, which will be played at the University of Houston's Robertson Stadium, will kick off at 2 p.m. and be televised live on ESPN2.
