Guest BEAVERTAIL Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 The ACC has now won 3 early season tournaments, showing that they are once again a dominant conference. UNC won the Las Vegas invitational, Duke won the Maui, And NC state won the new Old Spice Classic. The ACC is on its way to being the best conference in basketball again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 It's fantastic to see the three teams projected to be in the top of the conference represent the ACC that well in those three tournaments. It could have been four, had Virginia not lost to an undefeated Seton Hall team in the finals of the Philly Classic last night. Great time to be an ACC fan, for sure! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vthokies4life 10 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 VT lost to #23 Butler and a ranked Gonzaga team in the Great Alaska Shootout. It's going to be a loooong year in the ACC for us I'm feeling like. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 There's definitely no shame in losing by 6 to an undefeated, ranked Butler team and a Gonzaga team coming off its first loss. Jeff Allen has made an immediate impact, scoring 21 against Butler. A.D. Vassallo made a good impression with 20 against Gonzaga. Most teams would be 2-2 with that schedule. I do have concerns with how Virginia Tech will end up in the ACC, which looks like it is going to have a strong year. I think Virginia Tech will still finish at or near the bottom of the conference, but with every team in the ACC, Virginia Tech has the talent pick up wins by teams overlooking them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandman 13 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Dominate that!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 Will oblige! North Carolina State has as many: 2 Duke has more: 3 North Carolina has more: 4 The "research triangle" dominates that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hokie07 11 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Will oblige! North Carolina State has as many: 2 Duke has more: 3 North Carolina has more: 4 The "research triangle" dominates that. [/ QUOTE ] I would love to help you out and count all of the NCAA Tournament appearances, Sweet 16's, Elite 8's, and Final Fours too, but I don't have all week! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted November 26, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Dominate that!!!!! [/ QUOTE ] Chomp on this GatorBoy! http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=273270057 Rich nets 20 as Florida State hands Florida first loss GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) -- Florida's young, rebuilt roster was no match for Florida State's athletic, experienced squad. Jason Rich had 20 points and 11 rebounds, Toney Douglas added 10 points and the Seminoles beat the Gators (No. 24 ESPN/USA Today, No. 25 AP) 65-51 on Friday night. "Jason did a nice job stepping up and playing a complete game," FSU coach Leonard Hamilton said. "He played with an energy and kind of led the way for our team, set the tone for the other guys." The Seminoles (5-2) dominated from the opening tip, taking a 25-9 lead and never letting the Gators (5-1) back in the game. The two-time defending national champions had their 15-game winning streak snapped along with their school-record 24-game home winning streak. It was Florida's worst loss since falling 75-60 to Manhattan in the first round of the 2004 NCAA tournament. Florida State had lost two of its last three games, surprisingly falling to Cleveland State and South Florida in the past week. But Hamilton's team hardly looked the same in the O'Connell Center, where FSU won for the first time since 1992. The Seminoles -- with two seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup -- ran the floor better than Florida, contested nearly every shot and showed superior athleticism at both ends. They got Florida center Marreese Speights in foul trouble early, then took advantage of his absence down low. "I thought that really made the difference, him not being able to get in the type of rhythm he would like to," Hamilton said. "He's a handful on the block there and just him getting a couple of fouls early probably made the biggest difference in the game." The 'Noles scored on dunks, layups, putbacks and fast breaks -- basically every way imaginable around the basket. "We got outworked down low," Florida freshman Chandler Parsons said. "Our guards got blown by. It was an all-around bad game for us." Florida's biggest problem was poor shooting. The Gators trailed by as many as 19 in the first half -- it was 29-10 following a 21-2 run -- but they trimmed the lead to 11 several times after the break. Still, they couldn't get any closer, thanks mostly to Florida State's 36 points in the paint and 15 on fast breaks. FSU also finished with a 39-28 rebounding advantage, had six steals and forced 12 turnovers. "There's no question our lack of offense affected our energy on defense and we did not have the maturity or the mental toughness to battle through a woeful shooting night and have that internal fortitude to find a way to get stops and make the game ugly, a low-scoring game and find a way to at least keep it close," Gators coach Billy Donovan said. Walter Hodge (11 points) and Parsons (10) were the only Florida players in double figures. Florida shot a season-low 39 percent from the field and was 4-of-23 from 3-point range. The Seminoles weren't much better, shooting 47 percent from the floor and finishing 3-of-15 from beyond the arc. But they made up for it by making seven more free throws and getting way more easy baskets. "Some of the stuff that happened for us the first five games was a little bit of fool's gold," Donovan said. "We made some shots and things went well for us offensively. When things go well for you offensively, it's a lot easier to play defense, block out and rebound. "But when it's one of those games where you got to bang and tussle and go back and forth, they've got to understand the grind of the game and be able to do other things to put ourselves in a position to win." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 Florida St. was picked to finish 9th in the ACC this year just ahead of VT, WF, and the U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker 82 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 Are we forgetting the guys in Lexington, KY. I believe they have more wins and a few more national championships than any of the schools on Tobacco Rd. (Also more probations. It is what it is.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Are we forgetting the guys in Lexington, KY. I believe they have more wins and a few more national championships than any of the schools on Tobacco Rd. (Also more probations. It is what it is.) [/ QUOTE ] True, Kentucky has the most wins of any major college basketball program. If we want to go the route of titles, look no further than UCLA, with 11 NCAA titles, with most during that legendary run by Wooden. Almost unfathomable to do today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hacker 82 Report Share Posted November 27, 2007 Consider the fact that the NCAA Tournament back in the day was truly seeded by geography. Four regions, six teams to a region. UCLA had an easier path than the eastern and mid-west schools. Throw in a first round bye, and you have to win two games to get to the final four. The final factor was awesome talent and a great coach. That is how you explain those championships. They may have had an easier road, but they still had to win all those games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vthokies4life 10 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 Duke is up over no. 20 Wisconsin 71-51 with 8 minutes left in the game. Another example of an ACC team playing well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 28, 2007 To add to the ACC/Big 10-11 Walkover updates: Virginia thumps Northwestern, 94-52. The most lopsided victory in the history of the "Challenge". *Yawn*. Another day for ACC Basketball, baby. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vthokies4life 10 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 VT lost to Penn State last night. A lot of freshman mistakes. I'm trying to remember to be patient with this team. They're young. There will be moments of brilliance from these guys, but on the other hand, there will be plenty to be frustrated with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bhs7695 185 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [ QUOTE ] VT lost to Penn State last night. A lot of freshman mistakes. I'm trying to remember to be patient with this team. They're young. There will be moments of brilliance from these guys, but on the other hand, there will be plenty to be frustrated with. [/ QUOTE ] Give it time. When was the last time this many freshmen played this much for a VT basketball team and they were this competitive this early in the year? Greenburg is building and growing his product and he has the best freshman class to ever sign with Tech this year. Hokie died by the three ball last night. They came into the game shooting 43.2% from three. Just an off night. They will get better. Give it time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Give it time. When was the last time this many freshmen played this much for a VT basketball team and they were this competitive this early in the year? [/ QUOTE ] 2003-04 ADV...The Puerto Rican Assassin...he either kills the opponents with a hot hand or VT with a cold hand... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GHS06 10 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 I was impressed with AD going to the bucket last night. Last year, every time he started to dribble, i got scared. But last night he was more effective going to the hoop than shooting from outside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Give it time. When was the last time this many freshmen played this much for a VT basketball team and they were this competitive this early in the year? [/ QUOTE ] 2003-04 ADV...The Puerto Rican Assassin...he either kills the opponents with a hot hand or VT with a cold hand... [/ QUOTE ] And Vassallo flat out assassinates his team 75% of the time. Sure, he can go for 20 against Gonzaga, but the Hokies need that out of him EVERY night to compete in the ACC. Deron Washington can't do all the scoring by himself, especially if Fester doesn't use him in the post as he should be used. I watched the majority of the game. The defense had quite a few holes, leaving Penn State the opportunity to hit several mid-range jumpers and barely-contested threes. Greenberg needs to revamp both his defensive personnel and hit zone: Allen at the 3, Washington at the 4, and Diakite at the 5 would be his best option, in my opinion; I haven't seen this on a constant basis. Likewise, I would throw a few different packages at opposing teams: alternate between a 2-3 and a 1-3-1. Keep teams on their toes, at least until the defense gains confidence. Penn State was 2-14 in the Big Ten last season. That was good enough for LAST in the conference. Since Miami and Wake Forest look slightly better than advertised, Virginia Tech stands a great shot to finish last in the conference. I'm not bashing the Hokies; I certainly how how it feels to follow a young, struggling team. That's just the dead honest truth: looks like a long winter in Blacksburg. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Give it time. When was the last time this many freshmen played this much for a VT basketball team and they were this competitive this early in the year? [/ QUOTE ] 2003-04 ADV...The Puerto Rican Assassin...he either kills the opponents with a hot hand or VT with a cold hand... [/ QUOTE ] And Vassallo flat out assassinates his team 75% of the time. Sure, he can go for 20 against Gonzaga, but the Hokies need that out of him EVERY night to compete in the ACC. Deron Washington can't do it all by himself, especially if Fester doesn't use him in the post as he should be used. Penn State was 2-14 in the Big Ten last season. That was good enough for LAST in the conference. Since Miami and Wake Forest look slightly better than advertised, Virginia Tech stands a great shot to finish last in the conference. I'm not bashing the Hokies; I certainly how how it feels to follow a young, struggling team. That's just the dead honest truth: looks like a long winter in Blacksburg. [/ QUOTE ] VT will go 0-16 in the ACC this season... And personally, I am not a fan of ADV...he's never met a shot he didn't take. His shot selection is poor, he hurries his shots most of the time, he's usually off balance, and very rarely gets squared up to the basket unless he's wide open. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted November 29, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Give it time. When was the last time this many freshmen played this much for a VT basketball team and they were this competitive this early in the year? [/ QUOTE ] 2003-04 ADV...The Puerto Rican Assassin...he either kills the opponents with a hot hand or VT with a cold hand... [/ QUOTE ] And Vassallo flat out assassinates his team 75% of the time. Sure, he can go for 20 against Gonzaga, but the Hokies need that out of him EVERY night to compete in the ACC. Deron Washington can't do it all by himself, especially if Fester doesn't use him in the post as he should be used. Penn State was 2-14 in the Big Ten last season. That was good enough for LAST in the conference. Since Miami and Wake Forest look slightly better than advertised, Virginia Tech stands a great shot to finish last in the conference. I'm not bashing the Hokies; I certainly how how it feels to follow a young, struggling team. That's just the dead honest truth: looks like a long winter in Blacksburg. [/ QUOTE ] VT will go 0-16 in the ACC this season... [/ QUOTE ] Nah, I wouldn't go *quite* that far. It's almost as hard to lose every conference game as it is to go undefeated. Virginia even eeked out a 3-13 conference record during the last season of the Gillen tenure, and I tell you, that was a bad team. Virginia Tech has some winnble games on the schedule, including: Miami (2/9) and Wake Forest (3/4). Vassallo does have firepower; if he and Washington click on a given night, a team could easily fall to the Hokies. It'll just be few and far between. Your description of Vassallo reminds me of a young J.R. Reynolds: he rushed shots, committed turnovers, and was lax on defense. During Reynolds' junior year, he began to take his time, take care of the ball, and had a jump in his step on defense: basically, he matured as a player. It's definitely foreseeable that he could have an improvement this season, and end up as integral a part of the offense as Reynolds was for Virginia last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Schmitt 10 Report Share Posted December 1, 2007 How about those HEELS! Carolina pulled out the win vs. OSU without their floor leader. UNC will be in the final four. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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