3. Duke [22-5] vs. 11. Virginia [14-14]
Regular Season Meeting: (at) Duke 80, Virginia 66, Jan. 16.
Leading Scorer: J.J. Redick, Duke, 28 points.
| | _____ ACC Tournament _____
• An NCAA tournament berth looks unlikely for the Terps after yet another loss to Clemson.
• Michael Wilbon: Maryland has to be one of the biggest disappointments in college basketball this season.
• On Basketball: Clemson's Oliver Purnell has his Tigers by the tail.
• Virginia holds off Miami, 66-65, and advances to the quarterfinals.
• J.R. Reynolds scores a career-high 32 points to keep the Cavs alive.
• N.C. State tops Florida St., 70-54, to set up a rematch with Wake.
• Virginia Tech's Coleman Collins has come back strong from surgery.
• Full-Court Press: News and notes
_____ Friday's Schedule _____
• North Carolina vs. Clemson, Noon
• Va. Tech vs. Ga. Tech, 2:30 p.m.
• Wake Forest vs. N.C. State, 7 p.m.
• Duke vs. Virginia, 9:30 p.m.
_____ Thursday's Results _____
• Clemson 84, Maryland 72
• N.C. State 70, Florida State 54
• Virginia 66, Miami 65
_____ On Our Site _____
• Images from Maryland's loss to Clemson, a defeat that likely keeps the Terps out of the NCAAs for the first time since '93.
• More ACC photos
• Talk about Maryland's loss.
• ACC in D.C.: Dan Steinberg reports from the ACC tournament.
• Where to go: Check out the best places to watch all the action.
• An interactive guide to the hot spots around the MCI Center.
__ Tournament Preview Section __
• The MCI Center plays host to the ACC tournament, considered by some to be the biggest event in college basketball.
• John Feinstein: The tradition of the ACC tournament is what makes it so special.
• Bracket and schedule
• Although he is one of the ACC's best players, Tar Heels freshman Marvin Williams remains humble.
• News Graphic: Freshman who might play big roles this week.
• The improved play of center Eric Williams gives the Demon Deacons a potent inside-outside game.
• Lee Melchionni has taken advantage of increased playing time and given Duke a major boost.
• News Graphic: Tournament information, map and records.
_____ Team Capsules _____
• Clemson
• Duke
• Florida State
• Georgia Tech
• Maryland
• Miami
• North Carolina
• North Carolina State
• Virginia
• Virginia Tech
• Wake Forest
| | |
|
Leading Rebounder: Shelden Williams, Duke, 11.
Records in ACC tournament: Duke, 72-37; Virginia, 29-50.
Vs. each other in ACC tournament: Duke leads, 13-3.
Back courts: Duke has an excellent back court, led by J.J. Redick and Daniel Ewing. The problem is the Blue Devils lack depth, especially with Sean Dockery out because of an injury. Dockery's absence places more of a burden on Ewing to handle the ball. Ewing and Redick rarely play less than 35 minutes per game. In Duke's 80-66 win against Virginia on Jan. 16, Redick and Ewing sat a combined three minutes. Virginia point guard Sean Singletary has been one of the conference's best freshman this season. In that game, Singletary made 8 of 13 shots en route to scoring a team-high 21 points. Duke leads the ACC in three-point percentage defense, and the Blue Devils have made more three-point baskets than any ACC team. Duke's big-game experience in the back court gives the Blue Devils a significant advantage.
Front courts: Virginia does not have any player who can contend with Duke's Shelden Williams, who leads the ACC with 16 double-doubles. The junior notched one of his double-doubles in the Jan. 16 game, when he scored 16 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in 39 minutes. Virginia center Elton Brown had 11 double-doubles during the regular season. But the senior has drawn some criticism largely because of his erratic free throw shooting. He made only 3 of 13 free throws in the late-season double-overtime loss to Maryland. Brown's scoring also dropped toward the end of the regular season. He did not score in double figures his last three games of the regular season. Duke's forwards, Lee Melchionni and Shavlik Randolph, are dangerous at times. Melchionni has demonstrated he can make big shots; he scored 15 points in Sunday's two-point loss at North Carolina.
Coaching/intangibles: This is Duke's time of year. The Blue Devils have won five of the past six ACC tournament titles, losing only last season in overtime in the final against Maryland. Coach Mike Krzyzewski has plenty at stake this week because Duke still has a chance to earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament.
-- Eric Prisbell
