Virginia Tech

ACC Basketball Preview: 2009-10

CHN — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:46:54 -0500

With UNC rebuilding and Duke lacking depth, the ACC is more wide-open then its been in quite some time. Adding to the intrigue are top-notch prospects like Derrick Favors, Michael Snaer, and John Henson.

Conference Rank: 3rd

10 year average: 1st

ACC Page

All-ACC Team
Pos.	Player	Team	Yr.

G	Malcolm Delaney	Virginia Tech	Jr
G	Greivis Vasquez	Maryland	Sr
F	Kyle Singler	Duke	Jr
F	Ed Davis	North Carolina	So
F	Trevor Booker	Clemson	Sr
Second Team
G	Jon Scheyer	Duke	Sr
G	Sylven Landesburg	Virginia	So
F	Gani Lawal	Georgia Tech	Jr
F	Al-Farouq Aminu	Wake Forest	So
D	Derrick Favors	Georgia Tech	Fr

Player of the Year - Greivis Vasquez Freshman of the Year - Derrick Favors
CHN Award Winners		Returning Leaders
CHN All-Americans Kyle Singler (2nd team) Ed Davis (3rd) Derrick Favors (3rd) Greivis Vasquez (3rd) Al-Farouq Aminu Trevor Booker Malcolm Delaney Jon Scheyer All-Freshman Team Derrick Favors (1st Team) John Henson Ryan Kelly Mason Plumlee Durand Scott Michael Snaer Dexter Strickland Mfon Udofia		Points: Malcolm Delaney 18.1 Rebounds: Trevor Booker 9.7 Assists: Greivis Vasquez 5.0 Team: North Carolina 89.9

ACC Standings
Nat'l	Team	League	Tourney

4	North Carolina	ACC	1	NCAA
8	Duke	ACC	2	NCAA
20	Maryland	ACC	4	NCAA
22	Clemson	ACC	3	NCAA
26	Georgia Tech	ACC	5	NCAA
44	Wake Forest	ACC	6	NCAA
52	Florida St	ACC	7	NIT
64	Virginia Tech	ACC	8	NIT
70	Miami	ACC	9	NIT
78	Virginia	ACC	10	NIT
93	Boston College	ACC	11	CBI/CIT
119	NC State	ACC	12	CBI/CIT

*Click on links for full Top 144 team preview

Poll: Who Do You Think Will Win the ACC?

Other ACC Content

ACC: Top 25 Players

ACC Fantasy Stats Preview

ACC Media Poll & All-Conference Team

ACC 5-Year Ranking

College Basketball Preview - 348 Team Ranking - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

ACC Basketball: Top 25 Players

Shawn Siegel — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:44:10 -0500

Ranking players is more art then science. How do you compare the potential of freshmen with seniors who have already peaked? How much does physical talent come into play versus intangibles and experience? How big a role do numbers play?

In some situations, the bigger challenge is deciding what position to list a player. College basketball is filled with combo guards, wings who can play from the 2 to 4, centers who are really power forwards, and so on.

All of these questions make lists like this fun and debatable.. if you disagree with CHN's rankings, post what you think below.

ACC

PG
1. Greivis Vasquez - Maryland
2. Malcolm Delaney - Virginia Tech
3. Demontez Stitt - Clemson
4. Derwin Kitchen - FSU
5. Dexter Strickland - UNC

SG
1. Jon Scheyer - Duke
2. Sylven Landesberg - Virginia
3. Iman Shumpert - Georgia Tech
4. Michael Snaer - FSU
5. Reggie Jackson - Boston College

- Considering this is the ACC, the guard class in general is rather uninspiring. Amongst PG's, Kitchen is the potential breakout star. Shumpert can play both guard positions, it will be interesting to see whether he loses shots to the likes of Favors & Lawal.

SF
1. Kyle Singler - Duke
2. John Henson - UNC
3. Rakim Sanders - Boston College
4. Chris Singleton - FSU
5. Marcus Ginyard - UNC

PF
1. Derrick Favors - Georgia Tech
2. Ed Davis - UNC
3. Al-Farouq Aminu - Wake Forest
4. Jeff Allen - Virginia Tech
5. Gani Lawal - Georgia Tech

C
1. Trevor Booker - Clemson
2. Solomon Alabi - FSU
3. Joe Trapani - Boston College
4. Dwayne Collins - Miami
5. Deon Thompson - UNC

- The power forward position is stacked, as solid players like Landon Milbourne (Maryland) and Corey Raji (BC) don't make it. Booker is one of the best senior Draft prospects in the country, while Alabi is one of the top 10 sophomore prospects.

-- SEC Top 25 Players

-- Pac-10 Top 25 Players

-- Big Ten Top 25 Players

-- Big East Top 25 Players

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Alphabetical Ranks/Previews

ACC Basketball: 5-Year Ranking

Shawn Siegel — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:23:02 -0500

ACC 5-YEAR STANDINGS

CHN's annual 5-year ranking answers a simple question is in a simple manner: How do ACC teams stack up over the last five years?

Teams get points for league wins, making the postseason (NIT or NCAA) and winning games in the Big Dance. NIT wins are meaningless here, as are non-conference wins. Also, league tournaments wins are not taken into account. (An original trial-scoring system included points for conference tourney wins. But the flukish nature of these tourney's did more harm than hurt: ie, 2008 Georgia, 2006 Syracuse, and 2004 Maryland ended up getting too much credit despite the reality that they were mediocre to sub-par teams.)

100 total points is set up to be the equivalent of batting .300 in baseball.. anything above and beyond is all-world stuff. 50 points is mediocre and you only start to get bad below 40 points.

Pos.	Was	Team	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	Wins	Gms.	Points

1	1	UNC	14	12	11	14	13	64	80	80	Win %
			Champs	NCAA 32	Elite 8	Final 4	Champs			46	Post Pts.
										126

2	2	Duke	11	14	8	13	11	57	80	71	Win %
			Sweet 16	2nd Round	1st Round	2nd Round	Sweet 16			22	Post Pts.
										93

3	3	BC	13	11	10	4	9	47	80	59	Win %
			2nd Round	Sweet 16	2nd Round	X	1st Round			16	Post Pts.
			*Big East							75

4	5	MD	7	8	10	8	7	40	80	50	Win %
			NIT	NIT	2nd Round	NIT	2nd Round			11	Post Pts.
										61

5	7	Wake For.	13	3	5	7	11	39	80	49	Win %
			2nd Round	NIT	X	X	1st Round			7	Post Pts.
										56

6	11	Clemson	5	7	7	10	9	38	80	48	Win %
			NIT	NIT	NIT	1st Round	1st Round			7	Post Pts.
										55

6	8	VA Tech	8	4	10	9	7	38	80	48	Win %
			NIT	X	2nd Round	NIT	NIT			7	Post Pts.
										55

8	10	FSU	4	9	7	7	10	37	80	46	Win %
			X	NIT	NIT	NIT	1st Round			5	Post Pts.
										51

9	6	NC State	7	10	5	4	6	32	80	40	Win %
			Sweet 16	2nd Round	NIT	X	X			11	Post Pts.
										51

10	12	Miami	7	7	4	8	7	33	80	41	Win %
			NIT	NIT	X	2nd Round	NIT			7	Post Pts.
										48

11	9	Virginia	4	7	11	5	4	31	80	39	Win %
			X	NIT	2nd Round	X	X			5	Post Pts.
										44

12	4	GA Tech	8	4	8	7	2	29	80	36	Win %
			2nd Round	X	1st Round	X	X			6	Post Pts.
										42

Was = Last year's rankig

-Ties are broken by favoring conference winning %

ACC Thoughts

- UNC has officially blown past Duke in terms of ACC dominance.

- BC is solidly in 3rd. They're the only other team besides UNC & Duke to have won 9 league games in 3 of the last 4 years.

- Georgia Tech plummets like a stone now that a dismal 2 win season comes onto the books, and their surprising 2004 Finals run comes off.

- Georgia Tech has won the least amount of ACC games over the last 5 years.

- NC State's slow demise continues, and with their 2005 Sweet 16 trip coming off the books this year, they could fall even farther.

Postseason Points

NIT = 1

NCAA 1st Round = 2

NCAA 2nd Round = 4

Sweet = 6

Elite 8 = 8

Final Four = 10

Final = 11

Champs = 12

Other 5-Year Rankings

Thursday/Friday Football Preview

Raphielle Johnson — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 16:21:51 -0400

Both football games on the schedule before Saturday seem to have the following theme: conference title contender taking on an opponent that's disappointed to this point in the season. North Carolina (4-3, 0-3 ACC) has been hurt by injuries on the offensive line and in the backfield, resulting in the ACC's second-worst offense. But can T.J. Yates and company challenge #13 Virginia Tech (5-2, 3-1) in Blacksburg? That's been among the toughest things to do in the recent history of college football with the Hokies being a dominant team at home on Thursday nights (9-2 at home on ESPN Thursday nights).

Both teams will rely on the run and backs Shaun Draughn (North Carolina) and Ryan Williams (Virginia Tech) are two of the conference's better rushers, but the freshman Williams is one of the favorites right now to win the ACC Offensive Player of the Year award. The Tar Heels rank second in the conference in rush defense, allowing just over 102 yards per game on the ground. This will be a good matchup of "strength vs. strength", with players such as DE Robert Quinn, LB Bruce Carter and the rest of that UNC front seven attempting to shut down the ACC's leading rusher.

Ultimately the key in this meeting will be the ability of Yates and his young corps of receivers to make plays through the air. Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster will look to take advantage of a shuffled UNC offensive line, likely throwing everything but the kitchen sink in his blitz packages at the Tar Heels. Look for big games from DE Jason Worilds and LB Cody Grimm, who seems to always be around the football, in a low-scoring Hokie victory.

As for Friday night, USF (5-2, 1-2 Big East) said all the right things in the preseason (as well as September) about being able to avoid the seemingly annual October swoon. But saying that you're going to avoid something and actually doing it aren't always bedfellows, something that became painfully apparent in their 41-14 whipping at the hands of Pittsburgh last weekend. While it may not be fair to say that the Bulls' season is on the line when #20 West Virginia (6-1, 2-0) visits Tampa that kind of statement wouldn't be far off.

QB B.J. Daniels has completed just 47.5% of his passes in losses to Cincinnati and Pitt and if the pass isn't working then it becomes tougher to find lanes in the run game. The Mountaineers may provide that opportunity, as they gave up some big plays in the passing game to Connecticut in their last contest. But they do have a streak of eleven consecutive games with an interception, and that experienced secondary can punish Daniels for any wayward throws. Despite ranking seventh in the conference in pass defense West Virginia is third in pass efficiency defense.

When West Virginia has the football it will be even more important for the Bulls to keep contain. Noel Devine is one of the nation's best running backs, and he accounted for 178 yards and a touchdown in the 28-24 win over Connecticut. But QB Jarrett Brown is also a threat on the ground, especially if defensive ends Jason Pierre-Paul, George Selvie and Craig Marshall get too hellbent on rushing upfield. WR Jock Sanders is also a dangerous option in the passing game and Alric Arnett has been solid as well. It will be interesting to see how safety Nate Allen (12 tackles last week) and the rest of the USF secondary matches up in this area; USF leads the Big East in pass defense.

In regards to who wins this game, all four prior meetings have been decided by no more than eight points with each team winning twice. Is USF of the proper state of mind, or will the Mountaineers add to the misery of losing to all three Big East title contenders in a row? Maybe the Bulls will circle the wagons and come out prepared to play (and win) but the safe pick is West Virginia.

Poll: Who Will Win the ACC?

Shawn Siegel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:59:38 -0400

ACC Preseason Basketball Poll

Press Release — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 11:54:58 -0400

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Everybody knows that coaches and fans can’t agree on anything. When it comes to predicting the order of finish in ACC men’s basketball, the media can’t seem to get on the same page, either.

For the first time in the 41-year history of preseason voting, there is a tie for No. 1. Duke, chosen first on 25 of 48 ballots cast, and North Carolina, recipient of 20 picks for the top spot, each finished with 545 points. Media members attending the ACC’s Operation Basketball on Sunday event cast the ballots.

While the tie is unprecedented, the selection of the Tar Heels and Blue Devils is far from rare. Either UNC (18 times) or Duke (12) had been chosen first in 30 of the previous 40 years of the informal (and non-binding) survey.

A similar oddity occurred in the voting for Player of the Year. Duke’s Kyle Singler, named on 19 ballots, is the predicted winner of the honor even though two other players outpolled him in the All-ACC selection process. Maryland guard Greivis Vasquez was an all-conference choice on 45 of the 48 ballots and Clemson forward Trevor Booker garnered 44 votes. Singler secured 43 votes for All-ACC but won the Player of the Year voting over Vasquez 19-15.

Booker’s Tigers (409 points) are the choice to finish third in the league standings. They edged Georgia Tech (387) and Maryland (378). Wake Forest (315) took sixth by a single point over Florida State and Virginia Tech (273), Boston College (251), Miami (135), Virginia (116) and N.C. State (76) rounded out the totals.

Georgia Tech forward Derrick Favors, considered by some as the top freshman in the nation, was the runaway winner in the Rookie of the Year contest. He earned 40 votes; UNC forward John Henson was named on the other eight ballots.

Voting was conducted by media members attending the league’s Operation Basketball event at the Grandover Resort, a conference, hotel, spa and golf facility located less than two miles from the site of the ACC’s founding in 1953.

Singler, a junior forward Medford, Ore., won the Rookie of the Year award in 2008 and earned second-team all-conference honors last year as the Devils won the ACC Tournament title for the eighth time in the past 11 years and the 17th overall.

Vasquez placed in the ACC’s top seven in five major statistical categories in 2008-09 while joining Singler on the second-team all-conference group.

Booker is the ACC’s top returnee in rebounds and blocked shots and another second-teamer from last year.

Virginia Tech guard Malcolm Delaney, the league’s top returning scorer from last year, also made the All-ACC team in Sunday’s preseason selections. North Carolina forward Ed Davis, who averaged 14 rebounds per 40 minutes played as a rookie, completed the squad.

The Blue Devils won or shared the regular-season title in seven of the 12 previous seasons in which they were predicted to do so. UNC’s success rate is 11-for-18 in that department.

All in all, media representatives have accurately predicted the winner in 20 of the 40 previous years and in five of the past six.

Favors would join a long line of Yellow Jackets to earn the Rookie distinction. Georgia Tech has produced 10 of the award’s first 24 winners.

Singler would be the 12th Blue Devil to win Player of the Year. The previous 11 have combined for 13 citations. Both totals are tops in the league.

2009-10 ACC Preseason Poll:
1. Duke, 545 (25)
1. North Carolina 545 (20)
3. Clemson, 409
4. Georgia Tech, 387 (2)
5. Maryland, 378
6. Wake Forest, 315 (1)
7. Florida State, 314
8. Virginia Tech, 273
9. Boston College, 251
10. Miami, 135
11. Virginia, 116
12. NC State, 76

ACC Basketball: Fantasy Preview

Shawn Siegel — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 13:22:57 -0400

This is the first of six fantasy stats projections of BCS conference starters. One of my favorite series of the year, and a helpful guide when drafting for fantasy college basketball leagues. For an idea of whether I know what I'm talking about, check out last year's ACC Stats Projection. As always, some teams were nailed better then others.. Clemson was particularly solid, Virginia was a bit off.

Keep in mind stats are highly dependent on minutes, and freshmen are obviously the hardest to predict. I try to note places below where other starters not listed may emerge. Stats are listed by ppg, rpg, and then apg.

ACC

Boston College

G Biko Paris - 7, 2, 4
G Reggie Jackson - 11, 6, 3
F Rakim Sanders - 16, 6, 2
F Corey Raji - 12, 7, 2
6 Joe Trapani - 13, 8, 2

Notes: The departure of Tyrese Rice should open up more scoring opportunities for the likes of Jackson & Sanders. Trapani shouldn't see much of a boost from last year however.

Clemson

G Demontez Stitt - 12, 3, 5
G Tanner Smith - 9, 3, 2
F David Potter - 9, 5, 2
F MIlton Jennings - 10, 5, 1
C Trevor Booker - 15, 11, 2

Notes: The freshman Jennings could be hit or miss. Andre Young and Jeria Grant should also see substantial time and could find themselves in the starting lineup depending on how things go.

Duke

G Nolan Smith - 11, 4, 3
G Jon Scheyer - 16, 4, 4
F Lance Thomas - 8, 5, 1
F Kyle Singler - 19, 9, 3
C Brian Zoubek - 7, 5, 1

Notes: Outside of Singler, minutes in the froncourt are up in the air as newcomers Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly should see substantial time and either could win a starting spot. I'm

Florida State
G Michael Snaer - 11, 4, 2
G Derwin Kitchen - 14, 5, 4
F Chris Singleton - 13, 6, 2
F Ryan Reid - 8, 6, 1
F Solomon Alabi - 10, 7, 1

Notes: Without Toney Douglas, Derwin Kitchen should become a much more dangerous offensive weapon. The freshman Snaer is a solid talent but FSU doesn't have the best track-record developing big-time freshmen.

Georgia Tech

G Maurice Miller - 8, 3, 5
G Iman Shumpert - 13, 5, 5
F Gani Lawal - 15, 10, 2

F Derrick Favors - 17, 8, 2
C Zack Peacock - 10, 6, 1

Notes: Favors is a monster talent, but Georgia Tech has other weapons and doesn't necessarily need to force him shots. Don't expect Lawal's numbers to jump very much now that Favors is around.

Maryland

G Greivis Vasquez - 19, 6, 6

G Adrian Bowie - 12, 4, 3

G Sean Mosley - 8, 5, 2
F Landon Milbourne - 11, 6, 1
F James Padgett - 8, 5, 1

Notes: Maryland has some options in its starting 5. Jordan Williams could usurp fellow freshman Padgett from the post. Eric Hayes and Cliff Tucker will also push for minutes, and Mosley may very well be the 6th man.

Miami

G Malcolm Grant - 10, 3, 4
G Durand Scott - 9, 3, 2
F James Dews - 11, 3, 2
F Dwayne Collins - 14, 8, 1
F Cyrus McGowan - 8, 6, 1

Notes: Collins has the potential to put up 15 & 10 if he sees 30+ mpg. The transfer Grant will start at the 1, although the 2 spot is not guaranteed to go to Scott.

NC State

G Javier Gonzalez - 10, 3, 3
G Julius Mays - 8, 3, 3

G CJ Williams - 10, 2, 2
F Tracy Smith - 15, 8, 2
F Dennis Horner - 11, 4, 2

Notes: Smith is the only player to get excited about in terms of fantasy. It's conceivable he even exceeds these projections. The only other guard to see major minutes will be Farnold Degand.

North Carolina

G Larry Drew - 7, 2, 3
G Marcus Ginyard - 9, 5, 2
F John Henson - 14, 6, 2
F Deon Thompson - 13, 7, 1
F Ed Davis - 15, 10, 1

Notes: Dexter Strickland will also see major minutes at guard and could approach double-digit scoring as well so long as he gets 20+ mpg. You also have the talented Tyler Zeller at forward, who would score 12+ ppg on most teams easy.

Virginia

G Calvin Baker - 8, 2, 4

G Sammy Zeglinski - 9, 3, 4
G Sylven Landesberg - 17, 8, 4
F Mike Scott - 10, 8, 1
F Jamil Tucker - 11, 6, 1

Notes: As good as Landesberg is, his stats might not improve from last year because Virginia is expected to play at a slower pace. Assane Sene is an improving option at center, and will haul in boards and block shots if given minutes.

Virginia Tech

G Malcolm Delaney - 18, 5, 6
G Dorenzo Hudson - 8, 3, 1
F JT Thompson - 10, 5, 1
F Jeff Allen - 16, 10, 1
F Victor Davila - 9, 5, 1

Notes: Delaney averaged 5 ppg more than I predicted last year, and could conceivably approach 20 ppg this season. I overestimated Davila last year, and perhaps am doing the same again.

Wake Forest

G Ishmael Smith - 9, 3, 5
G LD Williams - 10, 4, 1
F Al-Farouq Aminu - 16, 9, 2
F Ari Stewart - 10, 4, 2
C Chas McFarland - 10, 7, 1

Notes: Smith hasn't come close to matching his freshman year assist totals, but he could bounce back in that category this year. The freshman Stewart is the big wild card here, as his minutes could be lost to the likes of Tony Woods or Ty Walker.

Projected ACC Leaders

Top PPG
1) Kyle Singler (19)
2) Greivis Vasquez (19)
3) Malcolm Delaney (18)

Top RPG
1) Trevor Booker (11)
2) Ed Davis (10)

3) Jeff Allen (10)

Top APG
1) Greivis Vasquez (6)
2) Malcolm Delaney (6)

3) Maurice Miller/Iman Shumpert/Ishmael Smith/Demontez Stitt (5))

Fantasy Stats Preview Archive

ACC Basketball: High-Low Preview

Shawn Siegel — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:23:26 -0400

Everybody loves a prediction. People that claim to hate sports predictions are just jealous that no one cares what they have to say or that their predictions are never right. But sometimes when making predictions, certain teams or groups of teams are truly to close to call. On CHN or in preview mags, we do our best to slot teams into specific spots, but sometimes you just want to say honestly, teams A, B, and C are virtually the same and luck will determine how they finish. You can't say that in a Top 144 ranking, but I'm saying it here in a series of High-Low predictions. Instead of plugging teams into specific spots, I'll give a range for each team's finish and a few reasons why.

(How about the high production values with that picture?..)

ACC HIGH-LOW

* my projected finish in yellow

BOSTON COLLEGE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
BC is tailor-made for this type of article. A team with a legit shot at making the Big Dance, but also one that could slip deep into the ACC race if Biko Paris fails or one of Sanders & Trapani gets injured.

CLEMSON
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Opinion is mixed about Clemson depending on who you ask, but expect the Tigers to be a tournament team that either goes home early or wins no more then a game.

DUKE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
With Singler (due for a monster season) & Scheyer back, Duke will still be right there in the ACC race. 2nd seems like the likely finish.

FLORIDA STATE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Despite losing Toney Douglas, it's not all doom and gloom for FSU. Michael Snaer joins a roster full of young and talented players. Whether this talent meshes or not will determine which side of the Tourney bubble they fall.

GEORGIA TECH
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Overrated by many in my opinion, but still extremely dangerous, Tech can push UNC & Duke for the title, but also find themselves on the Bubble if the young talent doesn't mesh into a cohesive whole.

MARYLAND
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
If Vasquez plays at his best every time out, it's not crazy to think Maryland could push for 2nd in the league. 3rd-5th is more likely however, with the Terps making the tournament for the 2nd season in a row.

MIAMI
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Miami loses McClinton and 2 other key contributors and could certainly end up in a battle with State for the ACC cellar. But the cupboard isn't bare, and Frank Haith welcomes one of the U's best ever classes. How it all adds up, I'm not sure.

NORTH CAROLINA
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
We could talk all day about the players leaving the program, but with NBA prospects like Davis & Zeller returning along with a monster recruiting class, it's hard to fathom a finish below 3rd in the conference.

NORTH CAROLINA STATE
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
It's hard to imagine NC State finishing higher then 11th.. the talent just isn't there to justify a higher prediction.

VIRGINIA
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
With the likes of Landesberg and Scott, UVA has some quality emerging talent. The real key though is how well the team takes to Tony Bennett's system and whether it can stand up to a full ACC schedule.

VIRGINIA TECH
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Most consider VT a bubble or NIT team, but with Malcolm Delaney and an improving Jeff Allen, the Hokies have enough talent to win games in a league that is perhaps as wide-open as ever. VT could be a major surprise..

WAKE FOREST
1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
You can't lose the likes of Jeff Teague and James Johnson and not regress somewhat, but Wake's 09-10 demise is being overdone by some. .

College Basketball Preview - 144 Teams in 144 Days - Preview Interviews

Virginia Tech Basketball Preview: #64

Joel Welser — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 09:07:56 -0400

Overall Rank: #64

Conference Rank: #8 Atlantic Coast Conference

2008-09: 19-15, 7-9

2008-09 postseason: NIT

Coach: Seth Greenberg (107-85 at Virginia Tech, 320-255 overall)

Virginia Tech has been agonizingly close to the NCAA Tournament the last two seasons. It seems like every game they lose is either really close or a key player was missing due to an injury or a suspension. Coach Seth Greenberg deserves a lot of credit for holding his team together over the last two seasons, but with the loss of A.D. Vassallo, Cheick Diakite and Hank Thorns, it might be another disappointing NIT season for the Hokies.

Key Losses: C Cheick Diakite, G Hank Thorns, G A.D. Vassallo

Key Newcomers:

With the unexpected departure of Thorns, the newcomers will have to play a bigger role than once thought. Most of those minutes should be picked up by guards Erick Green and Ben Boggs. Green is the better ball handler of the two, but Boggs has the potential to provide a spark off the bench with his outside shooting ability. Wing Manny Atkins is also a likely candidate for playing time. Power forward Cadarian Raines, who eventually is expected to be the best player in this class, and redshirt freshman Gene Swindle will provide the Hokies with some much needed depth in the paint.

Backcourt:

It will not just be the newcomers who have to help replace Vassallo’s 19.1 points per game. Dorenzo Hudson only averaged 4.6 points per game, but he is a capable outside shooter who will get a lot more opportunities to show his stuff this year. The 6-5 junior can play on either wing spot, although he is not a great rebounder so the team will be better off in most situations if he can play at the shooting guard position. But in order to play there, Hudson has to become a more assertive player and not only hit the long ball, but get to the basket as well. Terrell Bell, a 6-6 wing, is not much of a shooter, but he could emerge as a quality small forward now that he is an upperclassman. His 2.3 point and 2.7 rebound average of a year ago was a little disappointing, but Bell still has a ton of potential.

Frontcourt:

The frontcourt is full of potential too. Jeff Allen had a superb sophomore season averaging 13.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks. The 6-7 forward is not just a back to the basket player and his ability to hit the mid-range jumper can stretch out the opposing defense. Allen will be a major contributor, but Hokie fans are not exactly sure what they are getting out of J.T. Thompson. The 6-6 junior missed part of last season and has yet to reach his full potential. He should be in line for a starting spot and the Hokies will need him to stay on the floor and play much more consistently now that he is an upperclassman. Victor Davila started ten games last year, but only tallied 3.1 points and 2.0 rebounds per contest. If he can improve between his freshman and sophomore campaigns, Davila should be a major contributor.

Who to Watch:

The frontcourt may have the most potential, but nobody is going to score more than Malcolm Delaney. Last season the 6-3 Baltimore, Maryland native averaged 18.1 points, 4.5 assists and 4.0 rebounds. That is not bad at all for a sophomore who had to share the backcourt with Vassallo. Now almost all of the scoring on the perimeter will fall on Delaney’s shoulders and he has the skills to average 20 points per game and still dish out five assists.

Final Projection:

Delaney’s outside shooting ability will keep the opposing defense honest. Besides him, a bulk of the scoring will come from Allen and Thompson in the paint. Virginia Tech is going to need to find a few more consistent scoring options, preferably on the perimeter. That is going to put a lot of pressure on Hudson to emerge as a quality shooter or the Hokies will once again find themselves on the wrong side of the bubble.

Projected Post-season Tournament: NIT

Projected Starting Five:

Malcolm Delaney, Junior, Guard, 18.1 points per game

Dorenzo Hudson, Junior, Guard, 4.6 points per game

J.T. Thompson, Junior, Forward, 6.5 points per game

Jeff Allen, Junior, Forward, 13.7 points per game

Victor Davila, Sophomore, Forward, 3.1 points per game

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ACC Coastal Ultimate Schedule

Raphielle Johnson — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 02:21:15 -0400

There are many articles out there on the best games this season, on a national level as well as by conference. But how would each conference’s (or in some cases division) schedule look if you had to follow the actual rules when doing so? This is just one person’s opinion, so feel free to add your input/suggestions. Next: the ACC Coastal, a division that boasts the preseason favorite to win the ACC in Virginia Tech.

ACC Schedule “Rules”:

- Four Non-conference games

- Eight conference games (five within the division and three against Atlantic Division opponents)

- ACC Championship Game

Week 1: Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (in Atlanta) (September 5^th)

Arguably the best game of the opening weekend, the Hokies head to the Georgia Dome with high hopes. Is Frank Beamer’s team good enough to compete for a national title? We’ll have a more definitive answer to that question following this one, a game in which some may expect another Crimson Tide blowout. Alabama embarrassed Clemson a year ago in the Chick-Fil-A Season Kickoff, but the Hokies are a much tougher (both physically and mentally) team than those Tigers.

Nick Saban will be unveiling a new quarterback in place of the graduated John Parker Wilson, most likely junior Greg McElroy. How much pressure Jason Worilds and company put on him while slowing down the Alabama rushing attack will determine the winner. The game within the game: special teams. The Hokies are renowned for their play in that area, consistently beating opponents in their game of “Beamer Ball”, but Alabama is no slouch in that department either. The Crimson Tide return one of the nation’s best returners in Javier Arenas and they can make plays in all facets of special teams.

Other Game Considered: Miami @ Florida State (9/7)

Week 2: Clemson @ Georgia Tech (September 10^th)

Paul Johnson’s spread option attack took the ACC by storm last year, leading the conference in rushing and notching nine wins in his first season at Georgia Tech. This game matches up a Yellow Jacket offense that returns the majority of its key contributors with a defense some think could be the ACC’s best. Georgia Tech returns nine starters on offense while Clemson’s new defensive coordinator Kevin Steele will have eight returning starters of his own. Overall, these are two of the more experienced teams in the ACC, with the major question being who will start at quarterback for the Tigers. A win for either team gets them on the right track towards a possible ACC Championship Game berth, with both teams having the opportunity to get to Tampa the first Saturday in December.

Other Games Considered: North Carolina @ Connecticut (9/12), TCI @ Virginia (9/12)

Week 3: East Carolina @ North Carolina (September 19^th)

This is a very good weekend of games in the Coastal Division, but the pick here is the Pirates invading Chapel Hill because of what the Pirates were able to do last season. Skip Holtz’s team beat both Virginia Tech and West Virginia in September, finishing the season with the Conference USA title. In North Carolina ECU takes on a team some think could be ready to take the next step in the ACC, as the youngsters who were highly-touted recruits a couple of years ago emerge as team leaders.

The Heels return nine starters on defense, but the question is how they make up for the departure of receivers Hakeem Nicks, Brooks Foster and Brandon Tate. T.J. Yates is back under center for Carolina, which finished seventh in the ACC in total offense and 92^nd nationally a season ago. The defense wasn’t much better (11^th in the ACC in total defense), and what makes improvement that much more difficult is the graduation of All-ACC honorees Trimane Goddard (first team) and Mark Paschal (second team). They won games thanks in large part to their big play ability and the return game. ECU is sound defensively, so expect points to be at a premium in this one.

Other Games Considered: Nebraska @ Virginia Tech (9/19), Virginia @ Southern Miss (9/19)

Week 4: Miami @ Virginia Tech (September 26^th)

The “Baby Canes” are a year older, but are they ready to throw their hat into the ring in regards to an ACC title? Jacory Harris is the guy at quarterback with Robert Marve transferring to Purdue, and the Hurricanes have some playmakers on both sides of the ball. Running backs Graig Cooper and Javarris James will need to be at their best in Blacksburg, as an ineffective run game would allow Virginia Tech defensive coordinator Bud Foster to ratchet up the blitzes. Miami won last season’s meeting 16-14, holding the Hokies to just seventy-seven yards rushing and 2-for-11 on third downs. Another defensive performance like that would have Miami in the game at the end; can Harris can company make enough plays offensively to win in Blacksburg?

Other Game Considered: North Carolina @ Georgia Tech (9/26)

Week 5: Oklahoma @ Miami (October 3^rd)

Two of the signature programs of the 80s, the Hurricanes and Sooners will get together in South Florida for the first time since the 1988 FedEx Orange Bowl. Of course, the Sooners blew out Miami in Norman a couple seasons ago, but the Miami program may be on better footing this time around. The tough part for Miami, other than facing a team that should be in the national title hunt again this season, is the fact that they’ll be coming off of a tough game at Virginia Tech.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford is back, and the Sooners also boast one of the best front sevens in college football. The national media will likely use this game as a measuring stick in regards to just how far Randy Shannon’s program has progressed, but the team has to be careful not to let the result linger for too long (win or loss).

Other Games Considered: Virginia @ North Carolina (10/3), Georgia Tech @ Mississippi State (10/3)

Week 6: Georgia Tech @ Florida State (October 10^th)

Georgia Tech won last season’s meeting in Atlanta by three (31-28) despite passing for just fifty-five yards and racking up fourteen first downs. So how’d the Yellow Jackets win? They rushed for 288 yards and Marcus Sims fumbled the ball into the end zone late in the fourth quarter, giving Tech their first win over the Seminoles in thirteen meetings. FSU was down 31-20 with six minutes remaining but was able to get in position to win, something that will nag at them in the days prior to the rematch. How well the Seminoles make up for the loss of six defensive starters will determine whether or not they can keep the Georgia Tech rushing attack in check.

Other Game Considered: Boston College @ Virginia Tech (10/10)

Week 7: Virginia Tech @ Georgia Tech (October 17^th)

A game with definite ACC title implications takes place in Atlanta. Virginia Tech will look to improve its offensive output, accounting for just 247 yards of offense in last year’s 20-17 victory. Running the football worked for both teams in the last meeting, with the Yellow Jackets rushing for 287 yards and the Hokies accounting for 199. The difference: three Georgia Tech turnovers, including a pair of key drive-killing fumbles. That’s a risk involved in running the option; you can be more prone to putting the ball on the ground, you just have to hope the turnovers don’t kill you in the end. This is one game where turnovers will play a large role in which team leaves in the driver’s seat for the ACC Coastal crown.

Other Games Considered: Virginia @ Maryland (10/17), Miami @ UCF (10/17)

Week 8: Bye Week

The best matchups on this weekend are interdivisional battles, and with NC State taking on Virginia Tech in November this seems like a good time to take a week off.

Games Considered: Florida State @ North Carolina (10/22), Clemson @ Miami (10/24), and Georgia Tech @ Virginia (10/24)

Week 9: North Carolina @ Virginia Tech (October 29^th)

The Thursday night before Halloween could be a wild one in Blacksburg, with the visiting Tar Heels likely looking to make a statement in the ACC race. Carolina had one of its best defensive performances of the season in the 20-17 defeat last season, but that was nullified by the offense turning the ball over four times. If that happens again, North Carolina will be blown out. But if T.J. Yates and company can take care of the football and make a couple of big plays they’ll have a shot. The Hokies will be coming off of a bye week while UNC will have hosted Florida State the previous week.

Other Games Considered: Duke @ Virginia (10/31), Georgia Tech @ Vanderbilt (10/31), Miami @ Wake Forest (10/31)

Week 10: Duke @ North Carolina (November 7^th)

This is where my self-imposed rules on the schedule cause some trouble (more on that later). Instead of what should be a frenzied environment in Greenville on Thursday night (Virginia Tech visits East Carolina), it’s off to Kenan Stadium for the latest installment in the Duke/Carolina football rivalry. Last year’s game was a solid 28-20 victory for North Carolina, but they allowed the Blue Devils nearly 400 yards of offense. Quarterback Thaddeus Lewis is back at the controls for Duke, which could mean even more offensive success for Duke. This could be an “upset alert” game for the Tar Heels, who by this point may be looking to stay in the Coastal Division race.

Other Games Considered: Virginia Tech @ East Carolina (11/5), Wake Forest @ Georgia Tech (11/7)

Week 11: Miami @ North Carolina (November 14th)

One of the ACC’s wildest games a season ago, the Heels won at Miami thanks to a clutch (at least in the 4^th quarter) relief effort from Cameron Sexton and two late interceptions by Trimane Goddard. Goddard’s two picks, one leading to the game-winning drive and the second coming in the end zone to save the game, were the only two turnovers. Miami quarterback Jacory Harris will get a full-time shot at Carolina, something that didn’t happen last season due to the presence of Marve. Expect another evenly-played game, with the Hurricanes hoping to end their two-game losing streak to the Tar Heels.

Other Game Considered: Virginia Tech @ Maryland (11/14)

Week 12: NC State @ Virginia Tech (November 21^st)

In each of the last two seasons the Hokies lost in the regular season to the team they would play in the ACC Championship Game (Boston College). And both times they were able to avenge those losses and snag a berth to the FedEx Orange Bowl. Could that be the case here? The Wolfpack are one of the favorites to win the Atlantic Division, and sophomore quarterback Russell Wilson is a dual-threat player that can give opponents fits. These two schools haven’t played since the 2005 season, but thanks to the presence of State head coach Tom O’Brien (formerly the head coach at Boston College) there is some familiarity in regards to the scheme. It will be interesting to see how the Hokies attack Wilson, a player they have yet to play against…and whether or not any of those lessons learned could be used on December 5^th.

Other Games Considered: North Carolina @ Boston College (11/21), Virginia @ Clemson (11/21)

Week 13: Georgia @ Georgia Tech (November 28^th)

The reason for not picking Virginia Tech/ECU for Week 10 is the battle for supremacy in the Peach State, with the Yellow Jackets owning bragging rights thanks to their win in Athens last year. Paul Johnson’s team ran roughshod over the Bulldogs in that meeting, accounting for 409 yards rushing in the 45-42 win. However, they can’t give up 488 yards of offense like they did in that game and expect to be just as fortunate this time around. There are a variety of scenarios that could come into play, from both moving onto their respective conference title games the following week to simply playing for bowl positioning. But with all that said, there’s nothing better than being able to let the other fan base know that you rule the state for the next year.

Other Games Considered: Miami @ USF (11/28), North Carolina @ NC State (11/28), and Virginia Tech @ Virginia (11/28)

Week 14: ACC Championship Game (December 5^th)

As stated in the ACC Atlantic Ultimate Schedule, look for Virginia Tech to win their third consecutive ACC crown with a win over Florida State.