Big Four Continues Domination

Duke won it's 17th ACC basketball tournament championship tying North Carolina who also has 17. North Carolina State who hasn't won the tournament in twenty years has ten championships and Wake Forest has won four. Wake has won more than any other ACC school has outside of North Carolina.

That's 48 of 56 winners have come from the big four.

I thought Florida State would give Duke a run for their money today but Duke had too much coaching.

There is one trend in college basketball in which I do not like which will not change as long as the 3 point line remains. Coming out of time outs the passing the ball around the three point line and taking a three point shot. Maryland shot one yesterday without the ball hitting the floor following a time out.

Today FSU did make three passes out side the 3 point line before they fired up. I could understand it if the time clock was running down but right out of a time out I hope the coaches wanted something besides that or they wasted their time outs.

Carolina gets a #1 seed and will play in Greensboro. They will be joined by Duke and both will play Thursday. Games time will be announced Monday afternoon.

I bet Carolina will play the noon game and Duke the 7.00pm game.

Back in 1988 when the Dean Dome hosted the opening round for the first time I went to that weekend of games in Chapel Hill. It was a Thursday Saturday deal.

I don't remember who all eight teams were but at Thursday There was a 12.00 noon game and then the next game was Syracuse and Rhode Island and the Rhodies upset Derrick Coleman and Syracuse.

Between games we walk over to the baseball stadium where Bobby Richardson and South Carolina were playing the Heels. The game was like in the fourth inning and we stayed until the completion, then went back to the Dean Dome and saw a 7.00pm game and Duke played at 9.30

That Friday morning we went and played golf in Raleigh in the morning and then Friday afternoon went to the Doak to see N C State play Georgia Tech in baseball. I remember there was a play in that game (one of those you see something new every time you go to a game deal)

State had a left handed pitcher and Georgia Tech had a left handed batter The pitcher sails one behind the Georgia Tech batter who ducks. However he left his bat sticking up and the ball hit his bat rolled toward the area where coaches hit grounders to infielders while taking batting practice and spun back and stopped right on the 1st base line, this all the time happening while the batter is getting up off the ground in the batters box.

Saturday we were back to the Dean Dome where Duke won the second game that day on their way to the final four with Danny Ferry.

Tomorrow we will look at the brackets.

Semi Final Saturday

If there was ever any doubt about whether the ACC championship was more important than the NCAA tournament, then Roy Williams gave you the answer today.

Quite frankly Carolina showed me something today that I have not seen from this team this year and if Lawson is able to play starting next week without any noticeable limp then I think Carolina can win the NCAA.

I thought today without Lawson that Florida State would win by near ten. It didn't happen.

Despite losing Carolina had two shots at the buzzer to tie.

Duke will be heading to the ACC tournament final game for the 28th time in the 56 year history of the tournament,

You have got to give coach K credit. He is the best coach in the ACC. Whenever a style of play is not working he is capable of changing to what fits his team. He did that this year when he moved Schyer to point guard.

I thought for a while today that no triangle team would be playing tomorrow but Duke came through.

I don't know how they did it but East Carolina and N C State played baseball games on Saturday. Both won.. Carolina played at Virginia Tech Friday but was washed out Saturday.

State and Carolina both play double headers Sunday since these are conference games.

I don't know why I haven't seen anything on this before now, but I see JJ Arrington has signed with the Denver Broncos. It is a two year deal. He did this last weekend.

Rocky Mount did not. Their game with Riverside was washout and I doubt it will be made up.

Cousin Lauren Doughtie improve 43 spots in the standing Saturday shooting a 70 in the second round of a womens college tournament. After a 76 Friday she jumped to 15th.

If Lauren never hits another shot for the Wolfpack women's golf team she will leave as the best ever to wear the red and white. I hope during the ACC chanmpionships to go walk with her since the championships this year is in Greensboro.

That is in mid April.

Sunday night we will have the brackrets to look at.