ACC Notebook
Jim Sumner, ACC Columnist
Like lots of folks, I picked Florida State to finish third in the ACC this season. After all, Florida State returned nine significant contributors from a team that lost in the Sweet Sixteen by a single point.
That didn't look like a very good pick when the Seminoles were going 0-2 against the Ivy League and opening their ACC season with a 79-59 road loss to Clemson.
It looks a lot better after Florida State climbed back into the ACC race with wins over Virginia Tech, North Carolina, Maryland and Duke.
Leonard Hamilton says his team started to grow up after the Clemson debacle.
"I think they figured out they need to show up. That taught us a little bit of a lesson. We were still developing the focus that you've got to have to go on the road and win. We were not in sync, not as focused, not as attentive. Sometimes, when you go through a season, a loss isn't always bad if you can grow and improve."
Florida State is an interesting team. They have two graduate students and four seniors. Mike Krzyzewski calls them "a very old team. They're just older. They're men. They play together."
But Hamilton notes that grad student Luke Loucks is still learning to play point guard, while 26-year-old Air Force veteran Bernard James is still learning the basics. The 6-10 James didn't play high school basketball.
"Our team is growing, improving," Hamilton maintains. "We still have a lot of errors where we can improve. We're an older team but not as experienced as you normally would be under those circumstances. We've been working real hard to learn how to play within ourselves. We're still in transition in a lot of ways. That's why I think this team is kinda growing up on the job."
Saturday's last-second win at Duke certainly solidified that process. Duke led virtually the entire game but never could shake the visitors, who overcame a late 58-50 deficit. "That's when our players showed a lot of character, calmed down, started executing a lot better," Hamilton says. Florida State shot a stunning 66.7 percent from the field during the second half at Duke.
Duke gets another crack at Florida State but in Tallahassee, while North Carolina does not get a home rematch. Florida State has been known to play to the level of competition and sometimes plays better as an underdog than a top dog.
Hamilton acknowledges that his team has to maintain its focus. "We feel like we are capable but we are humble. We've won four ACC games right now and no one has ever gone to the NCAAs having won four ACC games. So, we realize we have a lot of work to do. We're trying to earn a certain level of respect that we lost when we were stumbling around earlier in the season."
Required Reading
Roy Williams discusses the loss of Dexter Strickland.
A veteran writer analyzes Virginia's recent woes.
The lights go out at Death Valley, then Andre Young turns it on.
What I Knew
ACC basketball at its best is about as compelling as sports can get.
Saturday's Florida State-Duke game met that threshold in spades. Two quality teams exchanging and absorbing body blows for 40 minutes in a game decided at the buzzer.
What I Should Have Known
I pretty much wrote off Florida State after their 10-point first half against Princeton and the Clemson game. But Leonard Hamilton and his staff never panicked and pushed all the right buttons. No ACC team is hotter right now.
Stat of the Week
58. And counting. North Carolina State's Scott Wood has now made 58 consecutive foul shots, breaking J.J. Redick's ACC record of 54. Wood is 48-48 this season and is 53-117 on 3-pointers. There might be a better shooter in the ACC this season but I haven't seen him
Sumner's take
Sometimes, it's better to be lucky than good. Being healthy sure helps either way. Two ACC contenders suffered serious injuries last week.
North Carolina lost starting guard Dexter Strickland to an ACL injury early in the second half against Virginia Tech. He's out for the season. Strickland was North Carolina's best perimeter defender and the back-up point guard.
Roy Williams says he's not likely to reconsider the decision to redshirt Leslie McDonald, who is recovering from summer knee surgery. McDonald has been cleared for basketball activity.
Sophomore Reggie Bullock and freshman J.P. Hairston are more small forward than guard but will have to take up the slack. Roy Williams says Bullock "knows more about what's going on than P.J.” and will get dibs on the starting nod.
Who plays point when Kendall Marshall sits? "I may just decide to play 2-3 zone the whole game and put Kendall in the middle and tell him never to foul," Williams joked. At least, I think it was a joke.
Virginia lost center Assane Sene, who suffered a fractured ankle against Georgia Tech. Sene has modest stats but he's an intimidating seven-footer who protects the rim. With the transfer of James Johnson, Virginia is down to star Mike Scott and spare parts inside. Virginia Tech doubled Scott at every opportunity Sunday night and Virginia couldn't make them pay. Scott was held to two second-half points in a 47-45 loss.
And yes, the shot clocks were functioning properly.
Akil Mitchell, a 6-8 sophomore got the start for Virginia but mustered only two points and one rebound. Tony Bennett might have to go all Missouri on us, Scott and four wings. But Bennett says you can't all of a sudden change who you are and right now he's committed to Mitchell.
Sene is out for six weeks, which could bring him back in time for the ACC Tournament.
Duke freshman point guard Quinn Cook was slowed last week by a bruised knee. But Mike Krzyzewski says the injury is not related to Cook's previous knee injury. Cook played only one minute in the loss to Florida State.
Maryland may also have dodged a bullet. Alex Len sprained an ankle in Saturday's loss to Temple. But it appears to be a minor sprain and Len may not miss any games.
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