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Top Seeds Take the Court Today

Mar 14, 2008

Charlotte, N.C. — The No. 1 team in the country and top seed in the ACC Tournament will provide afternoon entertainment for basketball fans at Charlotte Bobcats Arena Friday. North Carolina meets a Florida State team with nothing to lose beginning at noon.

The Tar Heels (29-2) won both of the teams' regular-season meetings, but in both games the Seminoles (19-13) were able to limit easy buckets for Tyler Hansbrough.

Florida State coach Leonard Hamilton wishes limiting Hansbrough's touches was the sole focus of FSU's defense. He's just as worried about shooters Danny Green and Wayne Ellington, not to mention Ty Lawson, who is expected to make his first start since severely spraining his ankle early in the first meeting between the teams.

Ultimately, the Seminoles will need a great afternoon to upset the Heels. They need to do what they did Thursday afternoon against Wake Forest — beat a team for the first time in three tries.

WRAL will have complete coverage throughout the day, beginning with a live blog during the UNC game.

Second-seeded Duke and Georgia Tech lead off the evening session with a 7 p.m. tip.

The Yellow Jackets (15-16) believe they can upset the second-seeded Blue Devils (26-4). The team played as one Thursday night during their 94-76 pasting of Virginia in the first round of the ACC Tournament.

That performance stood in contrast to their last meeting with the Blue Devils. Two weeks ago at Cameron Indoor, the Yellow Jackets set season lows for point and assists in a 71-58 loss.

Since then, Georgia Tech is four for five and confidence is growing.

"I think we can go four (wins) straight and go back to Atlanta. I definitely believe that," forward Jeremis Smith said after Thursday's victory. "Starting with tomorrow, though."

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The other games on the second-round slate are Virgina Tech vs. Miami at 2 p.m. and Clemson vs. Boston College in the nightcap at 9 p.m.