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Summer Hoops Preview '14: Part IV

jgiglio — Wed, 22 May 2013 09:30:02 -0400

Summer Hoops Preview '14
The Picks
Part I: Duke, UNC, N.C. State
Part II: Wake, BC, FSU, Notre Dame
Part III: Clemson, Maryland, Miami, Pitt

Syracuse

Coach: Jim Boeheim (38th season, 920-313 at Syracuse and overall)

2012-13 record: 30-10 (11-7 Big East, fifth)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 4-1 (beat Montana, Cal, Indiana, Marquette; lost to Michigan)

Projected starting lineup: PG Tyler Ennis, F Michael Gbinije, F C.J. Fair, F Rakeem Christmas, F Jerami Grant

Plus

• Jim Boeheim keeps getting better with age. Few coaches understand how to recruit for their needs better than Boeheim, who has a specific idea of how he wants the game to be played and then he goes out and plugs the corresponding pieces into his 2-3 zone.

In the five seasons since consecutive NIT trips in 2007 and '08, Boeheim has averaged 29.8 wins per season and gone 12-5 in the NCAA tournament, including this year's trip to the Final Four. It's the most successful five-year period of Boeheim's 37-year tenure at his alma mater.

With the return of leading scorer C.J. Fair, a host of forwards built to alter shots in the zone (the Orange ranked fifth in the country in blocked shots last season), and another strong recruiting crop, Boeheim promises not to miss a beat in his first ACC season, despite the loss of talented point guard Michael Carter-Williams to the NBA.

• Georgetown didn't follow Syracuse to the ACC. Boeheim won his share of games against the Hoyas but after two regular-season losses to Georgetown last season — 57-46 at home and 61-39 at Georgetown — it looked like Syracuse had never picked up a basketball.

Georgetown was familiar with Syracuse's zone. Indiana, the fifth-highest scoring team in the country, was not. The Orange made the Hoosiers look foolish in a 61-50 Sweet 16 win in the NCAA tournament last March.

The 12 ACC teams, even Boeheim's good friend Mike Krzyzewski, won't have any level of comfort or familiarity working against Syracuse's zone.

• If you can get season tickets to Syracuse basketball, this would be a good year to invest. The Orange host UNC, Duke, Notre Dame, Indiana and Villanova in the Carrier Dome.

Minus

• While Syracuse is flush with options at forward (Rakeem Christmas, DaJuan Coleman, Jerami Grant, Baye Keita plus freshmen Tyler Roberson, B.J. Johnson and Chinonso Obokoh) the options are more limited at guard.

Tyler Ennis, one of the top point guards in the class, will be asked to replace Carter-Williams. Junior Trevor Cooney, who struggled from the 3-point line last season, freshman Ron Patterson and Duke transfer Michael Gbinije are the choices to play off the ball and next to Fair.

Even if Ennis is a suitable replacement for Carter-Williams, and every indication is he will be, there will still be the matter of who's going to consistently knock down outside shots. Cooney made 26.7 percent of his 3-point attempts last season and we didn't see enough of Gbinije at Duke (5.8 minutes in 19 games) to know if he's capable of filling Brandon Triche's role.

Bottom line

There's a temptation to play the "What if?" game with Syracuse's roster. Carter-Williams and Dion Waiters could both be juniors on this team. Only Roy Williams seems to be able to figure out how to keep elite prospects for three years, though.

Even without Carter-Williams, and with questions on the perimeter, the Orange will continue Boeheim's recent upward trend and contend for the conference title and be the right matchups away from another deep NCAA tournament run.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F C.J. Fair, Sr.	14.5	7.0	0.7
F Rakeem Christmas, Jr.	5.1	4.6	0.2
F DaJuan Coleman, So.	4.8	4.0	0.2
F Jerami Grant, So.	3.9	3.0	0.5
F Baye Keita, Sr.	3.7	3.7	0.2
G Trevor Cooney, Jr.	3.4	0.8	0.6
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Brandon Triche	13.6	3.4	3.6
F James Southerland	13.3	5.2	1.1
PG Michael Carter-Williams (NBA)	11.9	4.9	7.3
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
F Michael Gbinije (Duke), So.	6-7	200	—
PG Tyler Ennis, Fr.	6-2	180	20
F Tyler Roberson, Fr.	6-7	200	31
F B.J. Johnson, Fr.	6-7	170	82
G Ron Patterson, Fr.	6-3	195	NR
F Chinonso Obokoh, Fr.	6-10	220	NR

###

Virginia

Coach: Tony Bennett (fifth season, 76-53 at Virginia, 145-86 overall)

2012-13 record: 23-12 (11-7 ACC, fourth)

Postseason: NIT, 2-1 (beat Norfolk State, St. John's; lost to Iowa)

Projected starting lineup: PG London Perrantes, G Joe Harris, G Justin Anderson, F Akil Mitchell, F Mike Tobey

Plus

• No one in the ACC will have more options than Tony Bennett. All-ACC guard Joe Harris leads four returning starters, and the top six scorers, back from last season's fourth-place ACC finish.

In addition, sophomore guard Malcolm Brogdon, who missed the entire season with a foot injury, returns and South Carolina transfer Anthony Gill, who averaged 7.6 as a freshman, is eligible. Bennett also signed a pair of point guards, London Perrantes and Devon Hall, to replace the loss of senior replace Jontel Evans.

• Harris developed into a frontline ACC scorer last season (16.3 points per game) and both forwards Akil Mitchell (13.1 points, 8.9 rebounds per game) and Darion Atkins, before his injuries, were on track to giving Bennett legitimate inside options and you can add Gill to that list, too.

Bennett's never going to roll the ball out and give his team the green light, but the parts are there this season to be an efficient offensive basketball team, while still being one of the best defensive teams in the country.

Minus

• There's no real in-between with Bennett and his coaching style. You either like it or you don't. The "Pack line" defense does work for Bennett, as it did for his dad. The Cavaliers had no business winning 11 ACC games last season but they did.

But with more options and more talent, Bennett needs to evolve a little with a deep, veteran group. Is he going to loosen up a little on offense? Are there enough minutes to go around? Will he be able to keep everyone happy?

• Injuries kept point guard Jontel Evans from really getting in gear as a senior, he averaged 4.2 points per game. He was tough and strong defender, though. Whoever plays more defense between Perrantes or Hall will probably get the most minutes. Bennett is probably not crazy about turning the offense over to a freshman.

Bottom line

This is Bennett's chance to prove his skeptics wrong. There's talent and toughness in place, the program just needs to do a little more on offense. Maybe the Cavaliers aren't ready for the Final Four, but they are ready for a return to the NCAA tournament and another upper-division finish in the ACC.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Joe Harris, Sr.	16.3	4.0	2.2
F Akil Mitchell, Sr.	13.1	8.9	1.5
G Justin Anderson, So.	7.6	3.3	2.3
F Mike Tobey, So.	6.8	2.9	0.4
F Evan Nolte, So.	5.7	2.4	1.0
F Darion Atkins, Jr.	4.7	3.1	0.3
G Teven Jones, So.	2.9	0.7	1.1
G Taylor Barnette, So.	2.6	0.7	0.7
G Malcolm Brogdon, So.	injured
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
F Paul Jesperson (transfer)	4.7	2.2	0.9
PG Jontel Evans	4.2	2.4	4.8
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
F Anthony Gill (South Carolina), So.	6-8	229	—
PG London Perrantes, Fr.	6-1	155	96
PG Devon Hall, Fr.	6-4	200	NR

Recruiting analysis by Phenom Hoop Report's Rick Lewis:

Perrantes: "He's really crafty with the ball has good basketball IQ. He creates for others and is a strong passer. He has the potential to be really good."

Hall: "He's a big guard and physical but he needs to work on his decision-making."

###

Georgia Tech

Coach: Brian Gregory (third season, 27-33 at GT; 199-127 overall)

2012-13 record: 16-15 (6-12 ACC, ninth)

Postseason: none

Projected starting lineup: G Solomon Poole, G Chris Bolden, G Marcus Georges-Hunt, F Robert Carter Jr., F Daniel Miller

Plus

• Most of the same good qualities from Boston College apply to Georgia Tech. Brian Gregory, in Year 3, is a smart coach, who gets the maximum out of his players. A trio of sophomores (Chris Bolden, Marcus Georges-Hunt, Robert Carter Jr.) also give Gregory a solid foundation to rebuild the program.

• Seniors Daniel Miller and Kam Holsey are serviceable ACC bigs and with a little more polish, Carter will be a pro. That gives the Jackets multiple post options, which is more than most teams in the league can say.

Minus

• While the Jackets are set inside, there are Excursion-sized holes on the perimeter. Bolden showed a solid stroke but he needs to be more consistent, and do more on defense, and he's actually the least of Gregory's worries on the perimeter.

Who's the point guard? Solomon Poole was put in a difficult situation — early enrollment, eligible midway through the season — and never could make an impact. With a full offseason, maybe he can develop into a productive point guard but if we're going on first impressions (1.8 points, 1.0 assists in 21 games), that's going to be a struggle.

Freshman Travis Jorgenson is another option, after Mfon Udofia's exit, but for a team limited on offense, it doesn't help to start the season without a proven quarterback.

• The Jackets need to shoot better — from 3 and the free-throw line. They ranked 246th in 3-point percentage (31.8) and 320th in free-throw percentage (63.5). The lighting at McAmish Pavilion was noticeably darker than any other ACC arena. Maybe they need to increase the power budget? Or just recruit better shooters.

Bottom line

The Jackets went from 4-12 in Gregory's first season to 6-12 last season. The rebuilding project is moving in the right direction, especially with Georges-Hunt and Carter, but there's still not enough there to make a serious push for an upper division finish in the ACC or the NCAA tournament.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Marcus Georges-Hunt, So.	10.8	4.9	1.5
F Robert Carter Jr., So.	9.9	6.7	1.0
F Kam Holsey, Sr.	8.8	4.7	1.0
F Daniel Miller, Sr.	8.4	6.6	2.2
G Chris Bolden, So.	7.3	2.1	1.3
F Jason Morris, Sr.	3.7	2.2	0.6
G Solomon Poole, So.	1.8	0.7	1.0
G Stacey Poole Jr., Jr.	1.5	1.6	0.4
G Corey Heyward, Fr.	injured
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Mifon Udofia	8.3	2.7	2.9
G Brandon Reed (transfer)	5.2	2.6	1.2
F Julian Royal (transfer)	1.7	1.3	0.1
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
PG Travis Jorgenson, Fr.	6-0	170	NR
F Quinton Stephens, Fr.	6-8	190	NR

Recruiting analysis by Phenom Hoop Report's Rick Lewis:

Jorgenson: "He's solid, he'll help out a lot. He's a fundamentally sound point guard who was not highly-recruited but knows how to play the game. He's not as athletic as (Solomon) Poole but he'll be able to run the team."

###

Virginia Tech

Coach: James Johnson (second season, 13-16 at Virginia Tech and overall)

2012-13 record: 13-16 (4-12 ACC, 12th)

Postseason: none

Projected starting lineup: G Donte Clark, G Adam Smith, F Jarell Eddie, F Trevor Thompson, F Cadarian Raines

Plus

• There was no coaching change. James Johnson replaced Seth Greenberg at the end of April and spent the rest of the offseason in catch-up mode (and also saw talented forward Dorian Finney-Smith transfer to Florida).

Johnson had a chance to recruit and found six freshmen to add to the mix. With no expectations to speak of, Johnson can figure out which new parts work and which ones will be useful to rebuild the program.

• Jarell Eddie and Cadarian Raines were both inconsistent last season but both are serviceable parts. As seniors, it will be incumbent upon both to assume ownership of the program and make the best of what will be a trying season.

• Adam Smith is undersized for a 2-guard (6-1, 170 pounds) but he averaged 13.7 points at UNC-Wilmington as a freshman and after a year in the Hokies' strength program, he'll have a chance to pick up a lot of the shots left by Erick Green and Robert Brown, who transferred. Smith has already shown an ability to score against ACC teams. He had 32 against Wake Forest as a freshman and 23 against Maryland.

Minus

• The roster's thin on talent and experience. Losing Finney-Smith last year and Brown this year, really hurt Johnson's chances at gaining any traction in what was a difficult transition from Greenberg.

• How do replace Green? He led the country in scoring and was often scoring options No. 1 through 4 (Eddie was the only alternative) last season.

• Eddie and Raines both have the potential to be strong ACC players, and both have had their moments, but neither has demonstrated any type of consistencies in their careers thus far (and their both seniors). They must to deliver consistently this season.

Bottom line

I was 100 percent certain Miami's Shane Larkin was the best player in the ACC last season. After I watched Virginia Tech for a 2-minute stretch in the second half of its 80-63 loss to N.C. State in the ACC tournament without Green, my certainty dropped to 60 percent.

Green meant so much to this team, which finished in last place last season but was still competitive with wins over Iowa and Oklahoma State out of the ACC. Johnson gets a better chance to prepare for the season and he will have a chance to develop his younger players.

Think about how much better this lineup (with Brown, Finney-Smith and Louisville forward Montrezl Harrell) could have been (in theory) with Greenberg still the coach. Jim Weaver had his reasons for jettisoning Greenberg but in the process he left Johnson in an untenable situation.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F Jarell Eddie, Sr.	12.3	5.6	1.3
F Cadarian Raines, Sr.	6.6	6.4	0.6
F C.J. Barksdale, Jr.	5.6	4.7	0.6
F Marshall Wood, So.	3.6	3.8	0.5
PG Marquis Rankin, Jr.	3.4	1.0	0.9
F Joey Van Zegeren, So.	3.3	3.1	0.1
G Will Johnston, Jr.	2.0	0.4	0.3
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Erick Green	25.0	4.0	3.8
G Robert Brown (transfer)	8.3	2.4	2.1
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
G Adam Smith (UNCW), So.	6-1	170	—
G Donte Clark, Fr.	6-4	180	NR
F Trevor Thompson, Fr.	6-10	215	NR
G Ben Emelogu, Fr.	6-4	190	NR
F Maurice Kirby, Fr.	6-8	215	NR
G Devin Wilson, Fr.	6-4	175	NR
G Malik Mueller, Fr.	6-3	200	NR

Summer Hoops Preview '14: Part III

jgiglio — Tue, 21 May 2013 08:53:20 -0400

Summer Hoops Preview '14
The Picks: The Picks
Part I: Duke, UNC, N.C. State
Part II: Wake, BC, FSU, Notre Dame
Part IV: Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech

Clemson

Coach: Brad Brownell (fourth season, 51-45 at Clemson; 218-130 overall)

2012-13 record: 13-18 (5-13 ACC, 11th)

Postseason: none

Projected starting lineup: G Jordan Roper, G Rod Hall, F K.J. McDaniels, F Jaron Blossomgame, F Ibrahim Djambo

Plus

• Brad Brownell can really coach. K.J. McDaniels is really athletic.

If I stuck with the adage, "If you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all," this Clemson preview would be limited to those 10 words. Honestly, Brownell will get the maximum effort out of his players, and the Tigers will aggressively defend for 40 minutes. We know this. But the bill for Oliver Purnell running off to a dead-end job at DePaul? That's finally due.

Clemson was the definition of a limited basketball team on offense last season, averaging 61.5 points per game (299th out of 345 teams, their efficiency numbers, 200th, were better). That was with forwards Devin Booker (13.1 ppg) and Milton Jennings (10.2 ppg), both of whom have exhausted their eligibility.

• McDaniels is athletic and perhaps the league's best defender. He could be a household name in the back of Syracuse's 2-3 zone. Plus, his scoring average jumped by seven points, to 10.9, last season. Almost by default, his scoring will have to improve again.

Young guards Jordan Roper and Adonis Filer also showed some grit last season and while no one will confuse point guard Rod Hall for Chris Paul, he's still a serviceable option (and one with 39 career starts).

• The Tigers play six games against FSU, Georgia Tech and Wake Forest and they avoid trips to Virginia (9-0 in the ACC at home) and Duke (also 9-0).

Minus

• Just in case you missed the not-so-subtle subtext of the "Plus" section, Clemson can't score. Brownell's teams are wired to defend, not put up points. When Clemson plays the other "defense first" teams in the ACC — Virginia, Florida State, Georgia Tech and now Pitt — it's not that big of a deal but the Tigers don't have enough gas to keep up with competent scoring teams.

Again, this was a problem last year and the two best halfcourt scorers from last year's team are gone without conspicuous replacements in sight.

• The more things change, the more they stay the same. The ACC schedule-makers found room for a Clemson trip to Chapel Hill.

Bottom line

Order is in the process of being restored at Clemson. The Tigers went to the NCAA tournament four straight times from 2008 to '11. During that span, the football team averaged eight wins per season. In 2012, the Tigers missed the NCAA tournament and the football team won 11 games. I'm fairly certain 95 percent of the fan base prefers it that way.

Either way, the Tigers will scrap, defend and Brownell will squeeze blood from a turnip but there's just not enough skill to amount to much more than a handful of conference wins and a 14th-place finish.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F K.J. McDaniels, Jr.	10.9	5.0	0.8
G Jordan Roper, So.	7.9	1.3	0.9
G Adonis Filer, So.	6.3	2.3	1.5
G Rod Hall, Jr.	5.7	2.5	3.5
G Damarcus Harrison, Jr.	5.2	2.8	1.1
F Josh Smith, So.	1.1	1.2	0.0
F Landry Nnoko, So.	1.0	1.4	0.0
F Jaron Blossomgame, Fr.	injured
G Devin Coleman, So.	injured
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
F Devin Booker	13.1	7.5	0.8
F Milton Jennings	10.2	6.4	1.9
F Bernard Sullivan (transfer)	1.8	1.3	0.1
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
F Ibrahim Djambo, Jr.	6-10	205	—
F Sidy Mohamed Djitte, Fr.	6-10	220	NR
G Austin Ajukwa, Fr.	6-5	175	NR
G Patrick Rooks, Fr.	6-3	175	NR

Recruiting analysis by Phenom Hoop Report's Rick Lewis:

Rooks: "He's a prolific scorer, a shooter who can extend a defense with his range. I nicknamed him the 'Microwave' because he can heat up and hit three or four in shots in the blink of an eye."

Ajukwa: "He's super athletic and can really can get off the floor. He's great in transition but has limited offensive skills, he'll get most of his points on putbacks and hustle plays."

Djitte: "He's a high-motor guy with long arms and he rebounds well. He has to develop a go-to move in the post because he is limited offensively."

###

Maryland

Coach: Mark Turgeon (third season, 42-28 at Maryland; 292-187 overall)

2012-13 record: 25-13 (8-10 ACC, seventh)

Postseason: NIT, 3-1 (beat Niagara, Denver, Alabama; lost to Iowa)

Projected starting lineup: G Seth Allen, G Nick Faust, G Dez Wells, F Evan Smotrycz, F Charles Mitchell

Plus

• Dez Wells didn't follow Alex Len into the NBA draft. It would have been Maryland's luck, post-2004, to lose both Len, who had an unfulfilling sophomore season, and Wells, whose eligibility was an unexpected gift from the NCAA last season.

Wells, a transfer from Xavier, led the Terps with 13.1 points per game and was second on the team with 3.0 assists per game. The 6-5, 215-pound slasher from Raleigh turned in a strong sophomore season for coach Mark Turgeon. He should be even better with a full offseason in the program and some stability to his life.

• Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz should help boost what was a poor 3-point shooting team. Older, stronger versions of point guard Seth Allen and forward Jake Layman should also be an improvement on that front but the key might be working on Nick Faust's shot selection.

• The Terps could use some help at the point and freshman Roddy Peters is a welcomed addition. He won't take all of Allen's minutes but at 6-4 he gives Turgeon some flexibility, especially on defense.

Minus

• Turgeon's best teams at Wichita State and Texas A&M were never offensive juggernauts but there were stretches last season when the Terps were just brutal on offense (the 14-point first half at Miami springs to mind).

The biggest problem was Maryland never could figure out what it was on offense last season. After a 23-point performance in the opener against Kentucky (and at the expense of Nerlens Noel), Len got back to 20 points just once more (vs. UNC in the ACC tournament) and never really was that dominant (averaging 11.9 points and 7.8 rebounds per game).

Wells and Faust should drive the bus this season but it's up to Turgeon to make sure everyone understands their roles.

• Did you know Maryland was leaving the ACC for the Big Ten? No, then take a look at the home schedule (no Duke, no UNC, no N.C. State) and you'll note something is amiss.

Bottom line

Turgeon, a good hire by AD Kevin Anderson after Gary Williams' retirement in 2011, probably should have had last year's team in the NCAA tournament. The Terps were close, even with a dysfunctional situation at point guard and a halfcourt offense only Dick Bennett could love.

The new additions of Smotrycz and Peters should help push them from the NIT into the NCAA tournament. A few more wins away from College Park (7-10 last season in road/neutral games) would certainly help.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Dez Wells, Jr.	13.1	4.9	3.0
G Nick Faust, Jr.	9.4	3.7	2.5
G Seth Allen, So.	7.8	2.2	2.3
F Jake Layman, So.	5.5	3.2	0.9
F Charles Mitchell, So.	5.5	5.4	0.4
F Shaq Cleare, So.	3.7	2.7	0.1
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
F Alex Len (NBA)	11.9	7.8	1.0
G Logan Aronhalt	6.0	1.7	0.4
G Pe'Shon Howard (transfer)	3.3	2.4	3.6
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
F Evan Smotrycz (Michigan), Jr.	6-9	235	—
PG Roddy Peters, Fr.	6-4	180	52
F Damonte Dodd, Fr.	6-9	230	NR

Recruiting analysis by Phenom Hoop Report's Rick Lewis:

Peters: "He's going to be really good. He's a strong physical point guard, maybe just what Maryland needs. He's not a bad shooter but not great. He's strong enough that he can get to the rim."

###

Miami

Coach: Jim Larranaga (third season, 49-20 at Miami; 519-354 overall)

2012-13 record: 29-7 (15-3 ACC, first)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 2-1 (beat Pacific, Illinois; lost to Marquette)

Projected starting lineup: G Manu LeComte, G Garrius Adams, G Rion Brown, F James Kelly, F Tonye Jekiri

Plus

• Fifth-year senior Garrius Adams missed all of Miami's ACC championship season with a knee injury. He also missed 14 games in 2011-12 with injuries. Canes coach Jim Larranaga is counting on a healthy Adams, an Apex native, to provide leadership and pick up some of the scoring lost from last season's ACC title team.

As a sophomore, Adams averaged 7.3 points, his last full season. The 6-6 wing forward brings ACC experience to a lineup sorely lacking in that department.

• Jim Larranaga can coach. If the George Mason Final Four run didn't convince you in 2006, winning an ACC title with Miami should do the trick. With so many new faces, and so many good players to replace, it's going to take a good coach just to make Miami competitive this season.

Minus

• The Canes lose their top six scorers from last year's Sweet 16 team or 90.2 percent of their offense. Senior shooting guard Rion Brown (6.4 points per game) is the only regular from last season's rotation. Larranaga did milk some minutes at the end of the year for senior forward Erik Swoope and sophomore forward Tonye Jekiri but they're going from spot roles to major minutes.

That's why All-ACC point guard Shane Larkin took one look at his current NBA stock, projected as a first-round pick, and decided it wasn't going to get any better with this group next season.

• If Kansas State transfer Angel Rodriguez (11.5 points per game, 5.2 assists) doesn't get a waiver from the NCAA (and let's be honest here, does anyone see the NCAA doing Miami — which is locked in nasty, public fight with the NCAA over previous transgressions in football and basketball — any favors?), there's going to be a serious drop-off in production at the point.

Larkin averaged 14.5 points and 4.6 assists last season. The options to replace him, as of today, are freshman Manu LeComte, a 5-9 Belgian import, and freshman Corn Elder, who's on football scholarship and won't join the team until after football season.

Bottom line

Props to Miami and Larranaga. The Canes got a once-in-a-generation opportunity last season and made the most of it, winning the regular season and the ACC tournament. After such an exodus, little or nothing is expected of this team and maybe Larranaga can pull a rabbit from a hat, but that's about what it will take to finish even in the middle third of the league.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Rion Brown, Sr.	6.4	2.0	0.8
F Erik Swoope, Sr.	1.6	1.2	0.1
F Tonye Jekiri, So.	1.4	1.6	0.1
F Raphael Akpejiori, Sr.	0.6	1.1	0.1
G Garrius Adams, Sr.	injured
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Shane Larkin (NBA)	14.5	3.8	4.6
G Durand Scott	13.1	4.0	2.6
F Kenny Kadji	12.9	6.8	0.8
G Trey McKinney Jones	9.2	3.4	1.6
F Reggie Johnson	6.7	7.0	0.8
F Julian Gamble	6.5	4.9	0.2
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
PG Angel Rodriguez (Kansas State), Jr.	5-11	180	—
F James Kelly, Jr.	6-8	240	—
G Deandre Burnett, Fr.	6-1	190	NR
F Derrick Griffin, Fr.	6-7	217	NR
G Davon Reed, Fr.	6-5	175	NR
PG Corn Elder, Fr.	5-11	165	NR
PG Manu LeComte, Fr.	5-9	170	NR

Recruiting analysis by Phenom Hoop Report's Rick Lewis:

Burnett: "He could be a sleeper. He's a lights-out shooter. He put up big-time numbers with Frank Mason (who's going to Kansas) at Massanutten. He can really get hot."

Reed: "He'll step in and help out. He's more of an undersized combo forward than scoring guard but he'll have an opportunity to contribute."

###

Pittsburgh

Coach: Jamie Dixon (11th season, 262-86 at Pitt and overall)

2012-13 record: 24-9 (12-6 Big East, fourth)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 0-1 (lost to Wichita State)

Projected starting lineup: PG James Robinson, G DeAndre Kane, F Lamar Patterson, F Mike Young, F Talib Zanna

Plus

• The Panthers are a more talented version of grinding ACC programs at Virginia and Clemson. They're tough, they defend, like Virginia or Clemson, but they're also efficient on offense. Pitt has finished the season ranked in the top 25 in adjusted offense four times in the past five seasons.

Coach Jamie Dixon wins and annually gets the Panthers to the NCAA tournament. He has led Pitt to the NCAA tournament nine times in 10 seasons. He has won the Big East regular-season title twice (2004, 2011) and the Big East tournament once (2008). He has done so without the benefit of much NBA talent (there were three former players in the NBA this season) or a first-round pick (Vonteego Cummings in 1999 was the program's last first-rounder).

To the point, the Panthers have won with toughness, and playing against them on a regular basis will not be a picnic for any ACC team.

• The NCAA's de facto free-agency rule netted the Panthers Marshall graduate DeAndre Kane, a 6-4 shooting guard. Kane filled it up in three seasons at Marshall, averaging 15.6 for his career. He will need to shoot better from 3 (24.8 percent) and the free-throw line (52.1 percent) at Pitt, though.

• The Petersen Events Center, complete with the "Oakland Zoo" student section, was one of the toughest places to play in the Big East. Dixon's home record is 164-23, including 16-3 last season.

Minus

• Just like Notre Dame, Pitt's regular-season success hasn't exactly translated to the postseason. Dixon has led the Panthers to the Sweet 16 three times, and the Final Eight in 2009, but he has also lost in the opening weekend six times.

• Pitt seemed poise to handle the exit of senior playmaker Tray Woodall, who led the team with 11.5 points and 5.1 assists per game, but not the loss of forward Steven Adams (who left for the NBA), and the transfer of reserves J.J. Moore and Trey Zeigler.

Bottom Line

There's still talent in the program, and toughness, and the additions of Kane and freshman forward Mike Young will help but there's still an element of transition for Dixon's program, both from last season to this and from the Big East to the ACC.

The Panthers won't be scared of anyone, and won't lose often at home, and they will be squarely in the NCAA tournament conversation, but they're also not going to challenge Duke, UNC or the other two Big East newcomers for the regular-season title.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F Lamar Patterson, Sr.	10.0	4.3	2.8
F Talib Zanna, Sr.	9.6	6.1	0.6
G James Robinson, So.	6.1	2.1	3.5
G Cameron Wright, Jr.	4.3	1.4	1.0
F Durand Johnson, So.	4.3	1.3	0.5
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Tray Woodall	11.5	2.6	5.1
F J.J. Moore (transfer)	8.0	3.0	0.6
F Steven Adams (NBA)	7.2	6.3	0.6
G Trey Zeigler (transfer)	4.4	2.0	1.2
F Dante Taylor	5.0	3.9	0.5
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
G DeAndre Kane (Marshall), Gr.	6-4	195	—
F Joseph Uchebo, Jr.	6-9	260	—
F Mike Young, Fr.	6-8	245	57
PG Josh Newkirk, Fr.	6-2	175	NR
F Jamel Artis, Fr.	6-7	210	NR

Summer Hoops Preview '14: Part II

jgiglio — Mon, 20 May 2013 08:46:35 -0400

Summer Hoops Preview '14
The Picks: The Picks
Part I: Duke, UNC, N.C. State
Part III: Clemson, Maryland, Miami, Pitt
Part IV: Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech

Wake Forest

Coach: Jeff Bzdelik (fourth season, 34-60 at Wake Forest, 145-165 overall)

2012-13 record: 13-18 (6-12 ACC, ninth)

Postseason: none

Projected starting lineup: G Codi Miller-McIntyre, G Coron Williams, F Travis McKie, F Devin Thomas, F Tyler Cavanaugh

Plus

• Wake did not finish last in the ACC last season. That counts as progress under Jeff Bzdelik, who finished last in 2011 (1-15) and tied for last in 2012 (4-12). Keep in mind, Bzdelik inherited a program that made back-to-back NCAA tournament trips in 2009 and '10 and was ranked No. 1 in the country at one point in Jan. '09, so progress is relative.

• Bzdelik sputtered in his first two seasons, changing over the roster and jettisoning even his own recruits, but he seems set moving forward with sophomore forward Devin Thomas and sophomore guard Codi Miller-McIntyre.

Thomas has All-ACC potential in the post, he averaged 9.1 points and 7.5 rebounds as a freshman, and Miller-McIntyre, while not a true point, is an ACC-level athlete. Wake has been short on such commodities in the turnover from Gaudio to Bzdelik.

In all, four starters and seven of the nine players who got regular minutes return, which is the only consistency the program has had in five years.

Minus

• Guard C.J. Harris averaged 15.4 points per game, and 13.0 in his career, and deserved a better hand than he was dealt. The Deacs will miss his consistency.

• Is Bzdelik the right coach for Wake? There's a vocal portion of the fan base that doesn't think so. Their vote doesn't exactly count in AD Ron Wellman's book, so Bzdelik got another season. These type of pressure-cooker seasons rarely ever work out for the coach on the hot seat, though. And Wellman can pledge his loyalty to Bzdelik to the end of the Earth but everyone has a boss to answer to and Bzdelik's record, 11-39 in the ACC, is simply not good enough for a proud program like Wake Forest's.

Bottom line

Maybe home wins over N.C. State and Miami last season were a sign of more to come this season for the Demon Deacons. Thomas is a gem and Robert Morris transfer Coron Williams will help offset the loss of Harris. But will Bzdelik be able to galvanize this group and turn them into something more than a bottom third ACC unit? There's little on his coaching resume to suggest a dramatic turn around in 2014.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F Travis McKie, Sr.	13.5	7.0	1.2
F Devin Thomas, So.	9.1	7.5	1.3
G Codi Miller-McIntyre, So.	8.1	2.7	2.6
F Arnaud Adala Moto, So.	5.6	3.9	0.1
F Tyler Cavanaugh, So.	5.0	2.5	0.5
PG Madison Jones, So.	3.6	1.1	2.1
F Aaron Rountree III, So.	2.2	1.8	0.6
F Andre Washington, So.	1.0	0.6	0.0
F Daniel Green, So.	injured
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G C.J. Harris	15.4	2.3	1.9
G Chase Fischer (transfer)	4.5	1.1	0.6
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
G Coron Williams (Robert Morris), Gr.	6-2	170	—
F Greg McClinton, Fr.	6-7	185	NR
G Miles Overton, Fr.	6-4	185	NR

Recruiting analysis by ESPN's Dave Telep:

McClinton: "The concern here is where he'll be physically given his winter knee surgery. McClinton is a guy that excels 15 feet and in with a reliable mid-range jump and bounce at the rim."

Overton: "This is one of those perimeter players that Jeff Bzdelik likes to deploy with instructions: shoot the 3 ball."

###

Boston College

Coach: Steve Donahue (fourth season, 46-52 at BC; 192-190 overall)

2012-13 record: 16-17 (7-11 ACC, eighth)

Postseason: none

Projected starting lineup: G Olivier Hanlan, G Joe Rahon, G Patrick Heckmann, F Ryan Anderson, F Eddie Odio

Plus

• There's a danger in extrapolating from one ACC tournament performance, especially by a freshman, to the next season. It took Miami's Durand Scott three years to get back to the form he showed at the 2010 ACC tournament. UNC's Harrison Barnes was never quite the same scoring force during his sophomore season as he was during the 2011 tournament.

So there's a chance sophomore guard Olivier Hanlan's ACC tournament performance — 41 points in a 20-point win over Georgia Tech — was an anomaly. Then again, there's a chance that Hanlan, who averaged 15.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 2.3 assists during his ACC Rookie of the Year campaign, is just starting to tap his potential.

• Not all experience is good experience. For example, Boston College finished the 2011-12 season with 12 losses in 14 games. On paper, the Eagles had four returning starters for 2012-13, and in theory, they were an "experienced" team.

A certain amount of losing builds character but at some point you have to question if having the same players back from a lousy season is a good thing. In this case, BC has five starters back from a team that finished the 2012-13 season with five wins in the last eight regular-season games and then won a game in the ACC tournament and pushed champion Miami in the quarterfinals.

That's good experience and one a coach with Steve Donahue's chops can help turn into something bigger than a participation ribbon from the ACC tournament.

Minus

• The Eagles have a smart coach, a solid foundation and momentum from the end of last season. There's also no way around the fact that the Eagles are still the least athletic team in the conference. Hanlan and forward Eddie Odio are the exceptions on a roster which is more fit for the Ivy League, Donahue's previous coaching stop.

And depth is also a concern. It's not for a lack of effort on Donahue's part, he has given just every player on the roster a look, but there's just not much by way of bench support. Knee and foot Injuries to forward Dennis Clifford have exacerbated the problems in a thin frontcourt.

• As happy as BC is to see more Big East refugees in the ACC, for ticket-selling and geographic reasons, it will have to face both Syracuse and Notre Dame twice this season. The Eagles also travel to the state of North Carolina three times, with only a visit from Duke.

Bottom line

Donahue's fourth season, and making a run at the NCAA tournament, rides on which way Hanlan goes. Donahue, who's one of the most underrated coaches in the country, has built a strong nucleus with Hanlan, sophomore guard Joe Rahon and senior forward Ryan Anderson.

If Notre Dame transfer Alex Dragicevich can add some shooting help and Clifford can get healthy, I think the Eagles have enough to finish eighth in the ACC and, with the right combination of wins, get back to the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Olivier Hanlan, So.	15.4	4.2	2.3
F Ryan Anderson, Jr.	14.9	8.0	1.6
G Joe Rahon, So.	10.1	3.2	3.7
G Lonnie Jackson, Jr.	8.7	2.7	1.9
G Patrick Heckmann, Jr.	8.0	2.5	1.5
F Eddie Odio, Jr.	4.3	3.4	0.5
F Dennis Clifford, Jr.	2.8	3.2	0.5
G Danny Rubin, Sr.	1.0	0.5	0.1
F KC Caudill, Jr.	0.9	0.8	0.2
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
F Andrew Van Nest	3.2	1.8	0.4
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
G Alex Dragicevich (Notre Dame), Jr.	6-7	221	—
G Darryl Hicks, Fr.	6-2	190	NR
F Garland Owens, Fr.	6-5	205	NR

###

Florida State

Coach: Leonard Hamilton (12th season, 219-143 at FSU; 419-353 overall)

2012-13 record: 18-16 (9-9 ACC, sixth)

Postseason: NIT, 0-1 (lost to Louisiana Tech)

Projected starting lineup: G Devon Bookert, G Ian Miller, G Xavier Rathan-Mayes, F Okaro White, F Kiel Turpin

Plus

• The sun still came up on Wednesday. Andrew Wiggins, the No. 1 recruit in the country whose parents both went to FSU, chose Kansas in a stunning development on Tuesday and the sun still came up in Tallahassee.

That's a small victory, given the generational talent of Wiggins and how close Leonard Hamilton was to landing him, but it's where FSU has to start. Guard Xavier Rathan-Mayes, fellow Canadian and Wiggins' AAU teammate, is not a bad consolation prize.

And with forward Okaro White, point guard Devon Bookert and guard Ian Miller in the fold, Hamilton's not starting over from scratch after his four-year NCAA tournament streak was snapped last season.

• Ian Miller is a lot better than he showed last season. Slowed by a foot injury, the senior guard missed chunks of practice time, six games and still only averaged 18 minutes a game (and 5.3 points) last season. If Miller can get to 100 percent (he averaged 10.3 points as a sophomore), he will complement Bookert nicely in the backcourt and give Hamilton a proven perimeter scorer to go with White in the post.

Minus

• FSU lost its identity last season. Hamilton has built a winner on defense and the Noles were No. 1 in Ken Pomeroy's efficiency rankings in 2010 and '11 and in the top 15 in the other two NCAA tournament years. The Noles plummeted to No. 165 last season.

They weren't quite quick enough, or tough enough, to play the aggressive, physical style Hamilton prefers. The bigs in particular were too soft and not up to the previous standards of Solomon Alabi, Chris Singleton or Bernard James. With so many of the same parts back, it's unclear whether this group will make significant improvement on defense, although Hamilton has earned the benefit of the doubt.

• Michael Snaer's senior season, with four more game-winning shots, basically went for naught. His late-game heroics, scoring (he led the team with 14.8 points per game), defense and leadership will all be difficult to replace.

Bottom line

Florida State, coming off its first ACC title, was a big disappointment a year ago. Losing Wiggins was an even bigger disappointment in the offseason. They'll get over Wiggins but the problems on defense need to be corrected, post haste. Unless Hamilton can get more out of an undistinguished array of bigs (7-footers Kiel Turpin, Michael Ojo and Boris Bojanovsky averaged 9.0 points between them in 34 starts), there's no Tums for that agita.

Another scramble for the NIT doesn't diminish what Hamilton has done at FSU but he needs to at least develop more than Bookert this season, so that there's hope for a breakthrough in 2014-15.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F Okaro White, Sr.	12.4	5.9	0.8
G Devon Bookert, So.	6.5	1.8	2.4
G Aaron Thomas, So.	6.0	2.4	1.1
F Kiel Turpin, Sr.	5.4	3.0	0.3
G Ian Miller, Sr.	5.3	1.6	1.9
G Montay Brandon, So.	3.9	1.8	1.4
F Boris Bojanovsky, So.	2.9	1.9	0.3
F Robert Gilchrist, Sr.	1.9	1.2	0.1
F Michael Ojo, So.	0.7	1.0	0.1
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Michael Snaer	14.8	4.5	2.5
F Terrance Shannon (transfer)	7.9	5.6	0.8
G Terry Whisnant (transfer)	5.2	1.0	0.6
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
G Xavier Rathan-Mayes, Fr.	6-3	180	44
F Jarquez Smith, Fr.	6-9	210	NR

Recruiting analysis by Phenom Hoop Report's Rick Lewis:

Rathan-Mayes: "He's highly-rated and got a lot of exposure playing with (Andrew) Wiggins. He can score or play some point but he's mostly a scoring guard."

Smith: "He gets a lot of buzz, but every time I watched him, he didn't do a lot. He's slender but he can shoot the ball from 3. He has a good touch but he floats on the perimeter way too much."

###

Notre Dame

Coach: Mike Brey (14th season, 285-142 at Notre Dame; 384-194 overall)

2012-13 record: 25-10 (11-7 Big East, sixth)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 0-1 (lost to Iowa State)

Projected starting lineup: G Jerian Grant, G Eric Atkins, F Pat Connaughton, F Tom Knight, F Garrick Sherman

Plus

• For all of Notre Dame's problems in the NCAA tournament (two wins in its six appearances since 2007), it was one of the best regular-season teams in the Big East. The Fighting Irish won a total of 38 conference games over the past three seasons, more than all the other Big East teams except Syracuse (and two more than Louisville, which won the national title last year and made the Final Four in 2012).

• Sometimes you can miss obvious storylines in the preseason, and after the season's over you go, "Of course, why didn't we think of that." The value of Miami's collective experience and maturity was completely overlooked before the beginning of last season. Notre Dame's on the "Miami Plan" with two fifth-year seniors in the frontcourt (Michigan State transfer Garrick Shermn and Tom Knight) and a pair of guards (Eric Atkins and Jerian Grant) entering their third seasons together as starters. There's not much that will make this veteran group flinch.

• If college basketball is still about guards, Notre Dame is set and has the best backcourt group in the ACC in Atkins (11.2 points per game, 5.5 assists per game), Grant (13.3 ppg, 5.5 apg), junior Pat Connaughton (team-best 58 3-pointers).

The Irish ranked sixth in the country in assists (16.8 per game) last season and second in assist-to-turnover ratio, so you know they will take care of the ball. Brey will have the luxury of breaking in freshman point guard Demetrius Jackson, a McDonald's All-American, without any pressure on him to produce.

Minus

• As much as Grant and Atkins took ownership of the team last season, All-Big East forward Jack Cooley (13.1 ppg, 10.1 rebounds per game) will be missed in the middle. Brey has done an outstanding job of developing versatile, scoring bigs (see: Luke Harangody, Tim Abromaitis) so there's reason to believe he can do it again.

• Notre Dame has gone 67-6 at the Joyce Center the past four seasons. The road has been less kind, 28-35 away from home over the same span. Like Duke, where Brey was an assistant for eight years, Notre Dame might be too good at home for its own good. Part of Notre Dame's NCAA problem is it can't play any tournament games at home.

Bottom line

With seven of the nine regulars back from last season's 25-win team, plus two top 75 recruits, this has the potential to be Brey's best team in 14 seasons with the Irish. Syracuse and Pitt will get more attention but Notre Dame has talent, experience and depth.

The way the ACC schedule breaks, no trips to Duke or Virginia, Notre Dame is set up to finish second in the conference behind Duke. Breaking through in the NCAA tournament is another set of circumstances but with strong guard play, a spot in the Sweet 16 is within reach.

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Jerian Grant, Sr.	13.3	2.9	5.5
PG Eric Atkins, Sr.	11.2	2.6	5.5
F Pat Connaughton, Jr.	8.9	4.7	2.1
F Garrick Sherman, Sr.	7.0	3.4	0.4
F Cameron Biedscheid, So.	6.2	1.4	1.0
F Tom Knight, Sr.	5.5	3.5	0.8
F Zach Auguste, So.	3.7	1.7	0.2
F Austin Burgett, So.	0.6	0.6	0.1
F Eric Katenda, Fr.	injured
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
F Jack Cooley	13.1	10.1	0.8
G Scott Martin	7.9	5.9	1.3
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
PG Demetrius Jackson, Fr.	6-1	170	24
F V.J. Beachem, Fr.	6-6	180	70
G Steve Vasturia, Fr.	6-4	175	NR
F Austin Torres, Fr.	6-6	200	NR

Recruiting analysis by ESPN's Dave Telep:

Jackson: "He's a natural leader with a competitive streak. He has the speed to create off the bounce and get to the rim. He needs to improve his 3-point shot but his mid-range game is strong."

Summer Hoops Preview '14: Wolfpack hit the reset button

jgiglio — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:58:40 -0400

Coach: Mark Gottfried (third season, 48-24 at N.C. State; 327-178 overall)

2012-13 record: 24-11 (11-7 ACC, fifth)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 0-1 (lost to Temple)

Projected starting lineup: PG Cat Barber, G Desmond Lee, G Ralston Turner, F T.J. Warren, F Kyle Washington

Plus

• A fresh start. Mark Gottfried gets to start over in Year 3 at N.C. State and he does so with two NCAA tournament appearances under his belt and a trip to the Sweet 16.

Gottfried said after the NCAA tournament loss to Temple he could never get all the players to buy in last season. With a new season, new roster, he gets to push the reset button and try again with a group of players he recruited.

• Sophomore forward T.J. Warren averaged 12.1 points in a supporting role as a freshman. He has the ability, and offensive efficiency, to parlay his bigger role this season into an ACC scoring title. He will need to consistently rebound better, and shoot better from the free-throw line (54.2 percent), but the opportunity is there for Warren to put together an All-ACC season.

• N.C. State will miss both forwards C.J. Leslie, the team's leading scorer the past two seasons, and Richard Howell, who led the ACC in rebounding, but both were undersized for their positions.

In freshman bigs Kyle Washington (6-9, 215 pounds) and BeeJay Anya (6-9, 275), Gottfried is getting bigger, taller bodies to play the interior. Senior 7-footer Jordan Vandenberg also fits the criteria and figures to get more minutes (5.4) than he did last season.

Minus

• There are two point guards on the roster, in sophomore Tyler Lewis and freshman Cat Barber, but neither is as talented as Lorenzo Brown, who left for the NBA after his junior season. Brown led the ACC with 7.2 assists and averaged 12.4 points per game, his production will be difficult to consistently match. Not to mention, neither Lewis nor Barber will have as many proven scoring options to feed as Brown did.

• Warren started 14 games last season, Lewis started two and Vandenberg started one. That's all the Wolfpack has back from last season's roster, which lost two productive seniors in Howell and shooting guard Scott Wood, two talented juniors in Leslie and Brown, and guard Rodney Purvis decided to transfer to Connecticut.

That doesn't leave a lot of experience or scoring (78.9 percent of it needs to be replaced) from a team that won 24 games and made the NCAA tournament.

Plus, while Washington and Anya are bigger than either Leslie or Howell, they don't have any college experience. Gottfried brought in junior college guard Desmond Lee to offset the loss of Purvis, and Lee's maturity will help, but Gottfried couldn't find a veteran big man to plug into the rotation.

Bottom Line

N.C. State missed an opportunity last season. There are only so many seasons when you're going to be on equal footing with Duke and UNC and the Wolfpack had one of those chances last season and couldn't turn it into anything more than a fifth-place ACC finish.

There were internal issues with the team last season, ones Gottfried tried to but couldn't fix. With basically a whole new roster, he has a chance this season to start over. State will be looking up at UNC and Duke in the process, but there are also no expectations to handle.

The conference schedule, with trips to Duke, UNC, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pitt, will keep the Wolfpack in the middle third of the conference, and probably outside of the NCAA conversation, but there's also a welcomed chance for the Pack to exceed expectations.

###

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
F T.J. Warren, So.	12.1	4.2	0.8
PG Tyler Lewis, So.	3.5	1.1	1.4
F Jordan Vandenberg, Sr.	0.7	0.7	0.0
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
F C.J. Leslie (NBA)	15.1	7.4	1.5
F Richard Howell	12.7	10.9	1.7
G Scott Wood	12.6	2.9	1.1
PG Lorenzo Brown (NBA)	12.4	4.3	7.2
G Rodney Purvis (transfer)	8.3	2.4	1.3
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
G Ralston Turner (LSU), Jr.	6-5	209	—
G Desmond Lee, Jr.	6-3	185	—
PG Cat Barber, Fr.	6-2	165	26
F BeeJay Anya, Fr.	6-9	275	67
F Kyle Washington, Fr.	6-9	215	97
F Lennard Freeman, Fr.	6-8	215	NR

###

Recruiting analysis by ESPN's Dave Telep:

Barber: "He's a speed merchant. His first instinct is to step on the gas and get to the rim and he's willing to take people with him. He has to work on his shot but he can spread it around and he's exceptionally fast. He's going to be difficult to guard.
"It will be an interesting dynamic with him and Tyler Lewis because they can both play at the same time."

Washington: "He has the best chance of being of power forward. I've liked him best when he can shoot a 15-foot jump shot. He has really undervalued length and he can extend at the rim. The biggest thing for Kyle is replicating the effort every single time. "

Anya: "He's very close to being where he needs to be physically and if you took at all the measurables, he's in the top 1 or 2 in the entire class in reach and wingspan. He can play through the rim and be a fantastic back-to-the-basket play. His effort and results have been sporadic. At his highest point, during his junior year, he was a dominant post player. He will benefit from a defined role."

Freeman: "Lennard adds depth in front court. He's not going to be ready to play major minutes as a freshman. He's almost a member of the class of 2014 in that way. He's young and will be in more of an apprentice role as a freshman."

Summer Hoops Preview '14: Hairston, Heels primed for success

jgiglio — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:42:21 -0400

Coach: Roy Williams (11th season, 282-79 at UNC; 700-180 overall)

2012-13 record: 25-11 (12-6 ACC, third)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 1-1 (beat Villanova, lost to Kansas)

Projected starting lineup: PG Marcus Paige, G P.J. Hairston, G Leslie McDonald, F James Michael McAdoo, F Isaiah Hicks

Plus

• P.J. Hairston and James Michael McAdoo both decided to return for the 2013-14 season. By the end of the 2012-13 season, Hairston developed into the best player on the team, averaging 18.2 points over the final 13 games.

To give you an idea of the strides Hairston, a scoring guard, made from his freshman to sophomore seasons, he made 13 3-pointers (in 27 attempts) in three ACC tournament games in 2013. As a freshman, Hairston made eight 3-pointers during the *entire* conference season.

Hairston's 3-point numbers went from 27.3 percent (38 of 139) in 2012 to 39.6 percent (89 of 225) in 2013. He also contributed 4.3 rebounds and 43 steals as a sophomore.

McAdoo, while not the dominant force he was expected to be as a sophomore, still led the team with 7.3 rebounds, 54 steals and averaged 14.4 points per game (second to Hairston's 14.6 season average). McAdoo either hates money or really loves UNC, because he has turned down the NBA — and a spot in the first 20 picks of the draft — twice to play for the Tar Heels instead.

• Marcus Paige developed at the point as the season progressed. Roy Williams showed a lot of faith in the undersized point guard, who should be stronger and more confident as a sophomore. There were games, up through January, where Paige was getting turned inside out on the defensive end but Williams stuck with him and that decision will yield more dividends this season.

• The addition of forwards Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks, both McDonald's All-Americans from the state, provides reinforcements inside. Williams went to a smaller lineup, with Hairston starting over the final 13 games, because he couldn't get enough consistent production from the group of bigs (Desmond Hubert, Joel James and Brice Johnson). All three will be back, and Johnson has the biggest upside, and will get significant help from Hicks and Meeks.

Minus

• Judging by their own impossible standards, this UNC group is still not on the level of Williams' previously ultra-talented teams. Hairston and McAdoo are pros, to be sure, and there's a total of five McDonald's All-Americans on the roster, but as whole, the roster is still a notch below Williams' best teams.

• The Tar Heels went 3-9 against teams in the NCAA tournament last season, including the 1-1 record in the tournament. They improved as the season progressed but only to the point where it could beat the teams they were supposed to beat.

The six straight wins after Hairston was put in the starting the lineup came against Virginia (NIT), Georgia Tech, N.C. State (lost in the round of 64), Clemson, FSU (NIT) and Maryland (NIT).

They'll have to get better this season, carrying over the momentum from the finish, without the services of Reggie Bullock. Unlike McAdoo and Hairston, Bullock jumped to the NBA. His versatility, defense and rebounding really made the four-guard lineup work last season will be tougher to replace (and probably by a combination of Leslie McDonald and J.P Tokoto) in a tougher ACC race.

Bottom line

Most UNC fans panicked last year after lopsided losses to Indiana and Texas. Williams did some of his best coaching work in not only in winning 12 ACC games but in also keeping the team from splitting apart, like it did in 2011. Williams never seems to get enough credit from his own fan base for the work he does.

Williams will get 13 or 14 ACC wins out of this team and the Tar Heels will have a shot at another Final Four run but that will require a leap from both McAdoo and Paige (like the one Hairston made last year).

In the ACC, there's not much difference between UNC, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Virginia. The Heels will face the Irish twice but only see the Orange on the road and have to play Duke twice, which leaves them at a disadvantage to Notre Dame.

###

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G P.J. Hairston, Jr.	14.6	4.3	1.4
F James Michael McAdoo, Jr.	14.4	7.3	1.1
PG Marcus Paige, So.	8.2	2.7	4.6
G Leslie McDonald, Sr.	7.2	2.1	1.2
F Brice Johnson, So.	5.4	3.2	0.3
G J.P. Tokoto, So.	2.6	1.7	0.7
F Joel James, So.	2.3	2.4	0.2
F Jackson Simmons, Jr.	1.8	1.7	0.3
F Desmond Hubert, Jr.	1.1	1.7	0.1
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Reggie Bullock (NBA)	13.9	6.5	2.9
G Dexter Strickland	7.8	2.4	4.2
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
F Isaiah Hicks, Fr.	6-8	210	18
F Kennedy Meeks, Fr.	6-9	275	59
PG Nate Britt, Fr.	6-1	165	NR

###

Recruiting analysis by ESPN's Dave Telep:

Hicks: "He needs a summer in the weight room and ideally he will blossom as a sophomore because physically he has work to do. He has an excellent perimeter touch and he changes ends very well and he's a factor as a shot blocker. In Carolina's style, he's an ideal fit at the '4' because of the way he can move and run the floor very well."

Meeks: "He will reinvent himself at Carolina. He's in need of a major conditioning program. Once he gets his body in shape, he has good footwork and excellent hands. He could be a weapon rebounding the ball and starting the fast break with his outlet passes.
"He lost his identity last year. He was out of shape and didn't have a particularly strong year. It's really simple for Kennedy, he will help UNC when he gets into better shape and can be a defensive rebounder and trigger the break."

Britt: "Nate rode the prospect roller coaster the last few years. He needs to get his confidence back. He'll be a backup point guard at UNC, but he's very capable of out-playing his reputation. When he stays within himself and he's a passer and leader on the floor, that's when he's at his best. This is a low pressure and positive situation for him to get better."

Summer Hoops Preview '14: Vintage Duke the team to beat

jgiglio — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:23:08 -0400

Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (34th season, 884-238 at Duke; 957-297 overall)

2012-13 record: 30-6 (14-4 ACC, second)

Postseason: NCAA tournament, 3-1 (beat Albany, Creighton, Michigan State; lost to Louisville)

Projected starting lineup: G Quinn Cook, G Rasheed Sulaimon, F Jabari Parker, F Rodney Hood, F Amile Jefferson

Plus

• Remember when Duke lost to Lehigh in the NCAA tournament in 2012 and Lehigh, from the Patriot League, had arguably a more athletic lineup than Duke, an ACC program with its choice of McDonald's All-Americans?

This Duke group promises to be Mike Krzyzewski's most athletic since the 2001 NCAA title team. Sophomore guard Rasheed Sulaimon, freshman forward Jabari Parker and sophomore forward Rodney Hood give the Blue Devils a dynamic, athletic element.

Throw in more physically mature versions of Amile Jefferson, Quinn Cook or possibly Memphis transfer Tarik Black, and Duke will be able to apply the type of defensive pressure that marked the majority of Krzyzewski's 957 wins.

• Some people believe in the existence of a Sports Illustrated cover jinx. You would have to think Jabari Parker is one of those people. Since SI put Parker on its cover in May 2012, and billed him as "the best high school basketball player since LeBron James," the 6-8 wing forward has dealt with a foot injury, weight and conditioning issues and, in the court of public opinion anyway, has been surpassed by Andrew Wiggins as the best prep player in the country.

It doesn't matter if Parker is better than Wiggins, what matters is if he's healthy and in shape. Duke is getting an exceptional talent in Parker, who by all reports, is healthy. Parker has the skill set to handle the ball and set up others or create his own shot. He's also big enough to defend the post and effectively rebound.

In terms of Duke players, he's in the line of Grant Hill or Luol Deng and he possess the type of rare talent, like Kyrie Irving, to take over games as a freshman.

Minus

• Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly and Seth Curry scored a lot of points and won a lot of games. There's an even-money chance Duke will be a better defensive team without them but there's no denying their ability to put the ball in the basket will be missed.

Duke's 3-point shooting (the Devils were sixth in the country with a 39.9 percentage) will have to rely on Cook, Sulaimon and to a lesser extent Andre Dawkins and Matt Jones, to replace Curry and Kelly's volume.

Plumlee's exit, in particular, will create a void in the post, one that Duke will have to fill with a transfer or by a committee of Josh Hairston, Jefferson and Marshall Plumlee. Going back to the Duke '99 comparison, the major difference is the absence of an established post. The college game has changed, and there aren't many Elton Brands out there, but Parker or Hood aren't built to bang with the physical frontcourts of Syracuse, Pitt or Maryland.

Bottom line

Krzyzewski coaxed 27 ACC wins out of his previous two teams (with nary a deserved ACC coach of the year award to show for it), neither had the talent or athletic ability of this group. If Duke can stay healthy, and the NCAA actually seeds the top teams properly this time, there's no reason the Blue Devils can't reach the Final Four for the 12th time under Krzyzewski. If Parker, Hood, Cook and Sulaimon all reach their potential, there's no reason Krzyzewski can't bring home his fifth national title.

###

Returning	PPG	RPG	APG
G Quinn Cook, Jr.	11.7	3.8	5.3
G Rasheed Sulaimon, So.	11.6	3.4	1.9
F Amile Jefferson, So.	4.0	2.9	0.2
G Tyler Thornton, Sr.	3.6	2.3	2.2
F Josh Hairston, Sr.	2.6	2.1	0.2
F Alex Murphy, So.	2.1	1.0	0.0
F Marshall Plumlee, So.	0.1	0.6	0.1
G Andre Dawkins, Sr.	redshirt
Gone	PPG	RPG	APG
G Seth Curry	17.5	2.5	1.5
F Mason Plumlee	17.1	10.0	1.9
F Ryan Kelly	12.9	5.3	1.7
New	Ht.	Wt.	Rank
F Rodney Hood (Mississippi State), So.	6-8	210	—
F Jabari Parker, Fr.	6-8	220	2
G Matt Jones, Fr.	6-4	180	36
F Semi Ojeleye, Fr.	6-6	220	40

###

Recruiting analysis by ESPN's Dave Telep

Parker: "He's actually the best basketball player, from a IQ standpoint and execution and his resume, of anyone in the country in the class. You're getting a guy that's used to winning — four straight state championships in Illinois, they'll build statues of you at the state tournament for doing that — and he's an exceptional fit for Duke.
"He's a star with star power, who can easily assimilate in a team setting. We've seen guys come into the Triangle and clash with upperclassmen, because they thought they were bigger than the program, but that won't be a problem with Parker."

Jones: "He's an accurate 3-point shooter and he has been coached well in high school, so his learning curve is going to be less steep. He's used to being pushed.
"Both Jones and Ojeleye are going to compete against each other for a set number of minutes as freshman. They're different in size but their skill sets are similar."

Ojeleye: "Semi is a little more of a scorer than Matt and he's a small forward, despite the size of his frame. He's still more comfortable behind the line than going to the rim off the dribble."

Summer Hoops Preview '14: History points to Duke in new ACC

jgiglio — Sat, 18 May 2013 09:06:19 -0400

Summer Hoops Preview '14
Today: The Picks; Duke, UNC, N.C. State
Monday: Wake Forest, Notre Dame, Boston College, Florida State
Tuesday: Clemson, Maryland, Miami, Pittsburgh
Wednesday: Syracuse, Virginia, Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech

If Duke's history is the precedent, the rest of the newly expanded ACC is in trouble.

The Blue Devils have a chance to be historically good in 2013-14. Mike Krzyzewski has taken Duke to the NCAA tournament 29 times in his 33 seasons. He has lost in the round of eight only twice: last season to Louisville (the eventual champion) and in 1998 to Kentucky (the eventual champion).

The season following their only other Final Eight loss, the Blue Devils rolled through the ACC to the tune of 19-0, including the conference tournament.

With the addition of Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh — three former Big East teams who made the NCAA tournament last season — the ACC will be considerably tougher than it was 15 years ago, especially with both North Carolina and Virginia with strong teams for next season.

Perfection, while unlikely for this Duke group, is not out of the question. With the return of five regular contributors and the addition of freshman Jabari Parker and Mississippi State transfer Rodney Hood, Duke is poised to make kindling of the 15-team ACC in 2014.

Guards Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon will have to elevate their games another step from last season's growth and Parker and Hood will have to be as good as advertised but there's no doubt the Blue Devils, (14-4 in the ACC last season) are the team to beat in the conference.

UNC, led by P.J. Hairston, and Virginia, which could go 11-deep, will be the best of the returning ACC schools. The Big East combination of Syracuse, a Final Four team in '13, and Notre Dame will be Duke's main competition for the regular-season title.

Maryland, in its 61st and final ACC season, has the potential to return to the NCAA tournament, after a three-year hiatus. Jamie Dixon has led Pittsburgh to the NCAA tournament nine times in 10 seasons. Despite some personnel turnover, the Panthers should give the ACC seven entrants in the 68-team field.

Miami, which won both the regular season and tournament titles in '13, and N.C. State are in rebuilding mode as both Jim Larranaga and Mark Gottfried enter their third seasons in the league.

The hopes for Florida State's season turned when super recruit Andrew Wiggins chose Kansas over the Seminoles. Wake Forest, Boston College and Georgia Tech are hoping recent rebuilding efforts pay off.

And then there's Virginia Tech and Clemson, who are both in for very long seasons. About the only good news for either the Hokies or Tigers is neither has to play Duke, UNC, Syracuse or Notre Dame twice in their 18-game schedules.

Staying out of Duke's way will be a key for the rest of the ACC. Going back to '99, Duke lost a first-team All-ACC player (Roshown McLeod) and 37 percent of its offense from '98, a team that went 15-1 in the ACC.

The Blue Devils got exponentially better in '99 with the health of forward Elton Brand and the emergence of Shane Battier and Corey Maggette, two athletic forwards who excelled on the perimeter.

This Duke group loses a first-team All-ACC player (Mason Plumlee) and 62 percent of its offense. There's no commensurate post component on this team like Brand but with the addition of Parker and Hood the Blue Devils will be more dynamic and athletic, especially on defense.

Before Duke's 85-63 loss to Louisville in the NCAA tournament, Krzyzewski talked about the potential of the new ACC with its new configuration.

"I want ACC basketball to be the best," Krzyzewski said then. "And we have a chance to do that again."

Krzyzewski's team has the same opportunity to be the best this season.

###

Predicted order of finish:

1. Duke (30-6, 14-4 ACC in 2012-13): Jabari Parker, Rodney Hood, Quinn Cook and Rasheed Sulaimon give the Blue Devils the best, most athletic lineup in the league.

2. Notre Dame (25-10, 11-7 Big East): The Fighting Irish return four starters from a 25-win team and add two strong recruits.

3. UNC (25-11, 12-6): A full season with junior guard P.J. Hairston in the lineup will make the Tar Heels national contenders.

4. Syracuse (30-10, 11-7 Big East): The Orange, a Final Four team a year ago, need to improve on offense but they'll continue to win with their defense.

5. Virginia (23-12, 11-7): All-ACC guard Joe Harris is one of six regulars back from a 23-win team, which should be Tony Bennett's best in Charlottesville.

6. Maryland (25-13, 8-10): The Terrapins' last hurrah in the ACC promises to be entertaining and behind junior Dez Wells, should include a return to the NCAA tournament.

7. Pittsburgh (24-9, 12-6 Big East): The Panthers had some personnel turnover (two transfers and forward Steven Adams left early for the NBA) but Jamie Dixon's program exudes toughness.

8. Boston College (16-17, 7-11): Fourth-year coach Steve Donahue has hitched his wagon to sophomore guard Olivier Hanlan, who has the program on the cusp of a breakthrough.

9. N.C. State (24-11, 11-7): The Wolfpack starts over, without five of its top six scorers from last reason, but a chance to reset is not necessarily a bad thing.

10. Georgia Tech (16-15, 6-12): Brian Gregory's rebuilding project won't take off until a few more guards are added to the Robert Carter Jr./Marcus Georges-Hunt foundation.

11. Wake Forest (13-18, 6-12): Jeff Bzdelik unearthed a keeper in sophomore forward Devin Thomas. Will he be around long enough to develop him after a 11-39 three-year ACC record?

12. Florida State (18-16, 9-9): Disappointing NIT season followed by the disappointing recruiting loss of Andrew Wiggins and do-everything Michael Snaer needs to be replaced.

13. Miami (29-7, 15-3): The Canes will always have 2013, and the ACC title to prove it, but they are in a complete rebuilding mode after losing 90.2 percent of their offense.

14. Clemson (13-18, 5-13): There's more talent leaving the program than coming in, that's a problem for Brad Brownell's fourth season.

15. Virginia Tech (13-19, 4-14): Picture last year's last-place team without Erick Green, the nation's leading scorer. It's that grim.

Holt, Burleson headline Pack hall-of-fame class

jgiglio — Mon, 13 May 2013 15:16:01 -0400

Torry Holt and Tommy Burleson headline the second class of the N.C. State Athletic Hall of Fame, which was announced on Monday.

Holt, one of the best football players in ACC history, and Burleson, who helped the Wolfpack win the 1974 national title in basketball, are two of the 10 new members of the hall, which was created by the school last year.

Ronnie Shavlik (basketball), Andrea Stinson (women's basketball), Mike Caldwell (baseball), Betty Springs Geiger (distance runner), Steve Gregg (swimming) and Sylvester Terkay (wrestling) were also elected in the class.

A pair of coaches, Norm Sloan (basketball) and Earle Edwards (football) round out the group, which will be honored in an induction ceremony on Nov. 22 at Reynolds Coliseum.

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers was also selected in the class but deferred his induction until he's able to attend the ceremony.

Holt rewrote the Wolfpack and ACC receiving records in his four-year career from 1995 to '98. He was the '98 ACC player of the year and his 1,604 receiving yards from that season stands as the ACC single-season record. He's third in the ACC in career yards (3,379) and first in school history in career catches (191) and touchdown catches (31).

Holt, who's from Gibsonville, went on to a prolific, 11-year NFL career, which included seven trips to the Pro Bowl and a Super Bowl title with the St. Louis Rams.

Burleson and Sloan are the third members from the '74 title team to make the hall of fame, joining David Thompson from the inaugural class.

Burleson, a 7-2 center, is second in school history in career rebounds (to Shavlik), and twice was the MVP of the ACC tournament, in '73 and '74. He scored 38 points in the Wolfpack's 103-100 win over Maryland in '74 ACC title game.

Sloan won the NCAA title and three ACC titles in 14 seasons at his alma mater. His 266 wins trails only Everett Case, his former coach, in school history.

Stinson is the second women's basketball player to join the hall. Her career scoring average, 22.7 from 1989 to '91, is tops in school history and she was the ACC player of the year in 1990.

Edwards is the first football coach to be honored. He led N.C. State to five ACC titles in 17 seasons, including three straight from 1963 to '65, and the highest ranking in school history (No. 2 in 1967).

Duke trio among ACC alumni invited to NBA Combine

laura_keeley — Fri, 10 May 2013 13:45:17 -0400

Mason Plumlee is one of several local players who will participate in the NBA Combine. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

All three Duke players eligible for this year's draft—seniors Mason Plumlee , Seth Curry and Ryan Kelly —have received invitations to the NBA Combine, the league announced Thursday night. Curry and Kelly, both recovering from offseason surgeries, will not participate in workouts.

Here is a list of all the ACC alumni headed to the May 15-19 workout in Chicago:

Shane Larkin, 5-11, 186, PG, Miami, So.
*Alex Len, 7-1, 240, C, Maryland, So.
Lorenzo Brown 6-4, 190, PG, N.C. State, Jr.
Reggie Bullock 6-7, 19,0 SG, North Carolina, Jr.
CJ Leslie, 6-8, 200, SF/PF, N.C. State, Jr.
*Seth Curry, 6-2, 180, PG/SG, Duke, Sr.
Erick Green, 6-3, 190, PG/SG, Virginia Tech, Sr.
Richard Howell, 6-8, 257, PF, N.C. State, Sr.
Kenny Kadji, 6-10, 240, PF, Miami, Sr.
*Ryan Kelly, 6-10, 220, PF, Duke, Sr.
Mason Plumlee, 6-1,1 240, PF/C, Duke, Sr.

*Will not participate due to injury

And here are a few ACC notables that were not invited:

C Reggie Johnson, Miami, Sr.
SG Durand Scott, Miami, Sr.
SG Michael Snaer, Florida State, Sr.
SG Dexter Strickland, North Carolina, Sr.
SG Scott Wood, N.C. State, Sr.

For all the latest Duke news, like Duke NOW on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

ACC-Big 10 Challenge games set

laura_keeley — Wed, 08 May 2013 14:13:29 -0400

ESPN announced the match-ups for the 15th annual ACC-Big 10 challenge. They are as follows:

Tuesday, December 3rd
Florida State at Minnesota
Illinois at Georgia Tech
Indiana at Syracuse
Michigan at Duke
Notre Dame at Iowa
Penn State at Pittsburgh

Wednesday, December 4th
Boston College at Purdue
Maryland at Ohio State
Miami, FL at Nebraska
North Carolina at Michigan State
Northwestern at North Carolina State
Wisconsin at Virginia

Virginia Tech, Clemson and Wake Forest will not be participating.

Midnight Madness moves to September

laura_keeley — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:59:05 -0400

Midnight Madness will come two weeks earlier this year.

The NCAA announced Friday that teams now have 42 days (six weeks) to hold their 30 preseason practices, starting this fall. Previously, teams only had four weeks to schedule in those 30 practices. The college basketball season begins Nov. 8, so practices can start on Sept. 27.

The NCAA also decided at the Division I Board of Directors meeting Thursday to eliminate the requirement that practices must start after 5 p.m. on the first day, paving the way for Midnight Madness to return to its namesake and have practices actually start at midnight.

Previously, the NCAA had considered giving teams 40 days to fit in their 30 preseason practices, but by changing the maximum to 42 days, Midnight Madness events can be held on Friday instead of Sunday.

The 2013-14 season, with its mix of proven returning talent nationwide and influx of highly touted newcomers, was already drawing hype. Now, we will be able to see the actual product sooner.

NCAA finds no wrongdoing in Lance Thomas jewelry case

laura_keeley — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 14:53:00 -0400

The NCAA found no wrongdoing in the Lance Thomas jewelry case. Credit: CHUCK LIDDY

The NCAA has finished its inquiry into a 2009 jewelry purchase totaling nearly $100,000 by former Duke basketball player Lance Thomas and found no wrongdoing. There will be no disciplinary action against the school.

“The NCAA has found no evidence of a rules violation in this situation based on the information available, and both the NCAA and Duke consider the matter closed,” said a university statement released by associate athletic director Jon Jackson.

A lawsuit made public in September brought attention to Thomas’s Dec. 21, 2009 purchase of $97,800 worth of custom jewelry from Manhattan-based Rafaello and Co. Thomas, home on winter break midway through his senior year at Duke, made a $30,000 down payment and signed a purchase agreement to pay the remaining balance within 15 days. He defaulted on the payment, and the jeweler filed a lawsuit in January 2012 for the outstanding balance. Thomas and Rafaello and Co. settled the lawsuit on Sept. 18. Terms were confidential.

Duke reported the lawsuit to the NCAA when it came to light in case there was a rules violation. Athletes are in violation of NCAA bylaw 16.01.3 if they receive extra benefits – such as loans based on future earnings potential – based on their athletic status. Any such benefit would be considered an “extra benefit” and put Thomas’ eligibility in jeopardy.

Duke went on to win the program’s fourth national championship at the end of the 2009-10 season.

Both the jeweler and Thomas refused to speak with the NCAA, making a potential investigation difficult. The NCAA does not have subpoena power and cannot force former student-athletes or third parties to talk. Thomas, now with the New Orleans Pelicans, did not return a call for comment.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski only publicly spoke once about the case, in October when Duke officially began practice. He said the school intended to cooperate fully with the NCAA’s process.

“Before anything was made public, they started working together to go through a process of seeing what happened,” Krzyzewski said of Duke and the NCAA then. “I have complete trust and confidence in all the parties involved and am very proud of our compliance record over the 33 years that we’ve been here.”

For all the latest Duke news, like Duke NOW on Facebook and follow me on Twitter.

Pack adds Oak Hill forward to hoops class

jgiglio — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 20:51:11 -0400

N.C. State basketball coach Mark Gottfried said he wanted more options in the frontcourt next season. The Wolfpack added another big man to its recruiting class on Monday with the commitment of forward Lennard Freeman.

Freeman, a 6-8, 215 pound power forward from Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, joins fellow forwards BeeJay Anya and Kyle Washington in the 2013 class and will be the fifth newcomer for Gottfried's third team. Freeman confirmed the decision on his Twitter account on Monday.

N.C. State has to replace its top two forwards from last season's NCAA tournament team. C.J. Leslie, the team's leading scorer, and Richard Howell, the ACC's leading rebounder, both averaged more than 31 minutes per game. Gottfried used T.J. Warren as the third forward but Warren spent the majority of the time on the perimeter.

The addition of Freeman, rated a three-star recruit by ESPN, gives Gottfried more options in what will be a young rotation, save for senior 7-footer Jordan Vandenberg. Gottfried said earlier this month he would prefer to use at least three bigs, like he did during the 2011-12 season with Leslie, Howell and DeShawn Painter.

"We rotated those three guys around, hopefully we'll find ourselves back in that situation," Gottfried said. "We feel more comfortable that way than we did this year."

Freeman, who's originally from Washington, chose N.C. State over Pittsburgh, Villanova and Rutgers. He made a name for himself at Oak Hill with his work ethic and rebounding.

Guards Anthony Barber and Desmond Lee, a junior college transfer, join the three forwards in the class. With five of the top six scorers from last year's team exiting the program, N.C. State still has four available scholarships.

Pack hoops will visit all three ACC newcomers in '14

jgiglio — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 17:24:29 -0400

N.C. State will visit all three ACC newcomers next basketball season. The Wolfpack will have to travel to Pittsburgh, Syracuse and Notre Dame, according to the schedule information released by the ACC on Tuesday.

The league announced the conference opponents for the 2013-14 basketball season, but not the dates or the order of the games, and the Wolfpack will face North Carolina, Wake Forest, Miami and Pitt twice.

Mark Gottfried's third team will get Boston College, Florida State, Georgia Tech, Maryland and Virginia at PNC Arena, where it went 16-1 last season. The Wolfpack will have to travel to Clemson, Duke, Notre Dame, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

The absence of a trip to Maryland, which is leaving for the Big Ten in the summer of 2014, means N.C. State has made its last trip to College Park for either football or basketball.

N.C. State went 11-7 in the ACC last season, the first under the 18-game format. UNC and Wake are the Pack's regular home-and-home partners. The other two slots, occupied by Miami and Pitt next season, will be rotated on an annual basis.

Red tops White in Wolfpack's spring game

jgiglio — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 17:09:08 -0400

RALEIGH — There was more thinking than doing on Saturday and more mistakes than big plays, but after his first Kay Yow spring game, new N.C. State coach Dave Doeren kept his wits about him.

"Well, we won," Doeren said on the field in his post-game interview.

Officially, the Red beat the White, 20-10 in a game played at Carter-Finley Stadium before a crowd of 27,500.

The sun shone and the cause was worthy, more than $20,000 was raised for the Kay Yow cancer fund, but the game was like watching someone learn how to ride a bike.

The offense wasn't quite sharp enough to pick up Doeren's new tempo and schemes, not with so many new parts and the natural learning curve that comes with any coaching transition.

The Wolfpack offense did play faster, and rarely huddled, but the defense was also clearly a mile or two in front of them.

"We are ahead defensively and that's not a bad thing," Doeren said. "I would rather be ahead on the defensive side than the offense. I think we'll catch up."

Pete Thomas, who started for the Red, which was comprised of the first-teamers on both sides of the ball, finished 15 of 26 for 168 yards. He didn't throw a touchdown pass or an interception.

Manny Stocker ran the second-team offense and completed 11 of 20 passes for 96 yards, with 36 coming on a fourth-quarter touchdown to freshman receiver Bra'Lon Cherry.

Senior receiver Rashard Smith led the Red offense with eight catches for 84 yards. Running back Tony Creecy added 75 rushing yards, on 20 carries. Bryan Underwood caught a 39-yard touchdown for the Red, thrown by Florida transfer Jacoby Brissett, who has to sit out next season under NCAA rules.

Three Points: A spring game primer

jgiglio — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 10:43:14 -0400

Three points to watch in today's Kay Yow Spring Game, the first under coach Dave Doeren:

1) Tempo and variety

N.C. State will move faster between plays and huddle less. The actual plays will also develop more quickly, to get the ball out of quarterback's hands and give the offensive line a break.

Doeren and coordinator Matt Canada have been clear that they won't always go fast, but they want the ability to push tempo and take advantage of a tired defense (and limit personnel substitutions.)

There will be multiple formations and looks, not just one set offense. Doeren and Canada are not married to one form of the spread. There will be traditional two-back sets and they'll use two tight ends, like you would see in a pro-style set.

2) More running

N.C. State actually ran more plays (1,040) than Doeren's Northern Illinois team (1,023) did last season, according to cfbstats.com.

So the Wolfpack wasn't moving in slow motion last season but those numbers are not necessarily reflective of tempo.

N.C. State attempted 471 running plays, compared to 613 for NIU. Conversely, State had 569 passing plays, to 410 for the Huskies.

Obviously, running plays take up more clock time and there's more time for passing plays, especially when you factor incompletions.

There's also the matter that N.C. State trailed in the second half in seven regular-season games last season, compared to four for NIU.

To put those numbers more succinctly.

"We're going to run the ball downhill," Canada said. "We're going to find ways to run it and be a physical team."

Of course, Canada spent last season at Wisconsin, which ran the ball 635 times, compared to only 291 passes. N.C. State's not going to turn into Wisconsin, nor are the coaches going to attempt to do that, but there will definitely be more action for both running backs Shadrach Thornton and Tony Creecy.

3) Subtle changes on defense

The schematic differences on defense will be more difficult to discern. If you recognize gap assignments and zone responsibilities, you're in luck. (And huzzah for you).

Coordinator Dave Huxtable will use a 4-3 alignment, same as the previous regime, and there will be many familiar faces, especially on the defensive line. Tackles Thomas Teal, T.Y. McGill and A.J. Ferguson return in the middle, with ends Darryl Cato-Bishop, Art Norman and Forrest West.

No one blitzes as much as former coach Jon Tenuta, so there will be a difference there. The linebackers and secondary will have the most personnel turnover.

Huxtable has to replace two linebackers, two safeties and one cornerback from last year's defense. Given some of the Wolfpack's problems against the pass (83rd in the NCAA), that's not necessarily a bad thing.

The defense will greatly benefit from the return of linebacker D.J. Green. Green missed the 2012 season with an NCAA suspension for testing positive for a banned nutritional supplement.

Corners Dontae Johnson and Juston Burris will also be a strength for the defense.

Notre Dame's ACC football schedule set

jgiglio — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 16:32:00 -0400

Notre Dame's unique partnership with the ACC won't bring the Fighting Irish's football team to the state of North Carolina until 2016.

North Carolina and Wake Forest will both go to South Bend, Ind., in 2014, the first year of Notre Dame's abbreviated ACC schedule.

The Fighting Irish will be in the ACC in all sports, except football, starting this fall. The traditional national power will remain independent in football but will play five ACC teams each year.

The Irish, which finished 12-1 in 2012 and lost to Alabama in the BCS title game, will host UNC, Wake and ACC newcomer Louisville and go to Florida State and Syracuse in 2014.

The Irish will not play an in-state teams in 2015, but will play at Clemson, and will host Duke in 2016 and make its first trip to N.C. State's Carter-Finley Stadium that season.

UNC and Notre Dame split a home-and-home series in 2006 and '08, with each team winning at home.

The Irish swept a home-and-home with the Demon Deacons in 2011 and '12 and won its last meeting with Duke, 28-7, in 2007.

N.C. State and Notre Dame have only met once, a 28-6 Wolfpack win in the 2003 Gator Bowl.

Notre Dame plays every team in the ACC once in the three-year cycle. Syracuse, which previously scheduled games when it was in the Big East, is the only ACC team the Irish will play twice.

Notre Dame's ACC opponents:

2014: Home: Louisville, UNC, Wake; Road: FSU, Syracuse

2015: Home: BC, Georgia Tech; Road: Clemson, Pitt, Virginia

2016: Home: Duke, Miami, Virginia Tech; Road: N.C. State, Syracuse

New names populate Wolfpack depth chart

jgiglio — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:39:37 -0400

There are wholesale changes on the first depth chart of the spring released by new coach Dave Doeren. In all, the Wolfpack needs to replace seven regular starters on both offense and defense.

With a new coaching staff, and new players coming in the fall, the depth chart promises to be fluid after Saturday's Kay Yow Spring Game and up to the Aug. 31 opener against Louisiana Tech.

There are few surprises, most notably at linebacker. Sophomore M.J. Salahuddin, who played on special teams last season, is listed as the starter in the middle with senior D.J. Green on the strongside and junior Brandon Pittman on the weakside. Junior Rodman Noel, who started five games last season, is listed as Green's backup at the "Sam."

Green missed the entire 2012 season due to an NCAA suspension for testing positive for a banned nutritional supplement and Pittman started two games last season.

Inexperience and pass coverage were issues at linebacker last season, Green, a starter in 2011, should help on both fronts and Salahuddin has impressed Doeren in the spring with his ability to tackle.

As for the rest of the depth chart, as expected there is no decision at quarterback. Pete Thomas and Manny Stocker are both listed as the starter, although Doeren has said during the spring that Thomas, because of his experience at Colorado State, is ahead of Stocker, who played sparingly as a true freshman last season behind Mike Glennon.

Junior Tony Creecy is listed as the starter at tailback, ahead of sophomore Shadrach Thornton, but both are expected to be integral cogs in the offense next season. Thornton led the team with 694 rushing yards despite not taking a snap in the first three games of the season. Creecy added 476 yards and missed two games with injuries.

There are two new starters at safety, with sophomore Hakim Jones stepping in at strong safety for Earl Wolff and senior Jarvis Byrd replacing Brandan Bishop at free safety. Wolff and Bishop started together the past three seasons. Byrd started three games as a freshman in 2009 at corner but was moved to safety this spring.

Receiver Bra'Lon Cherry and left guard Cole Blankenship are a pair of true freshmen who cracked the two-deep. Both Cherry and Blankenship enrolled in the spring.

The spring depth chart, updated Wednesday:

OFFENSE
WR 88 Quintin Payton (Sr.)
84 Charlie Hegedus (So.)

WR 2 Rashard Smith (Sr.)
13 Bra'Lon Cherry (Fr.)

WR 80 Bryan Underwood (Jr.)
19 Maurice Morgan (So.)

LT 78 Rob Crisp (Sr.)
67 Quincy McKinney (So.)

LG 62 Duran Christophe (Sr.)
52 Cole Blankenship (Fr.)

C 54 Joe Thuney (So.)
59 John Tu'uta (r-Fr.)

RG 71 Alex Barr (So.)
50 Cam Fordham (Jr.)

RT 74 Tyson Chandler (Jr.)
73 Andy Jomantas (Jr.)

TE 82 Asa Watson (Sr.)
83 Anthony Talbert (Sr.)

QB 4 Pete Thomas (Jr.)
OR 15 Manny Stocker (So.)

RB 26 Tony Creecy (Jr.)
10 Shadrach Thornton (So.)

DEFENSE
DE 95 Art Norman (Jr.)
OR 97 Forrest West (Sr.)

DT 69 Thomas Teal (Jr.)
98 A.J. Ferguson (Sr.)

DT 75 T.Y. McGill (Jr.)
91 K'Hadree Hooker (r-Fr.)

DE 90 Mike Rose (So.)
OR 92 Darryl Cato-Bishop (Sr.)

LB 31 D.J. Green (Sr.)
5 Rodman Noel (Jr.)

LB 42 M.J. Salahuddin (So.)
49 Zach Gentry (Sr.)

LB 39 Brandon Pittman (Jr.)
46 Drew Davis (Fr.)

CB 11 Juston Burris (So.)
3 Marchez Coates (r-Fr.)

CB 25 Dontae Johnson (Sr.)
21 Niles Clark (r-Fr.)

SS 20 Hakim Jones (So.)
6 Tim Buckley (So.)

FS 14 Jarvis Byrd (Sr.)
24 Josh Stanley (So.)

K 32 Niklas Sade (Jr.)
P 36 Wil Baumann (Jr.)
KR/PR 2 Rashard Smith (Sr.)

DeCock: Bullock makes the right decision

ldecock — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:11:32 -0400

It makes perfect sense for Reggie Bullock to enter the NBA draft, as he and North Carolina confirmed Tuesday he will do. It’s a weak draft year for small forwards, Bullock aptly demonstrated his ability to play the position this season, and with family to support in Kinston, it’s as good a time as any for Bullock to cash in on his talent. If he lands in the right spot, he’ll do well.

For the Tar Heels, Bullock’s departure isn’t the worst news, not after P.J. Hairston decided to return. As much as Bullock will be missed, for his experience, rebounding and defense as much as his shooting, losing both would have dealt a prospectively fatal blow to North Carolina’s perimeter scoring ability. With Hairston back, along with Leslie McDonald and J.P. Tokoto, there are enough pieces in place.

Bullock isn’t a lock for the first round, but he’ll have a shot if he does well in workouts. And even if he slips to the second round, he can look to Danny Green, who has found a home in San Antonio’s starting lineup the past two seasons.

“He’s got the skills to translate to a complimentary guy in the NBA,” said draft analyst Joe Kotoch of probasketballdraft.com. “Coming out this year or next year shouldn’t make too big of a difference for him. If anything, coming out this year gives him a stronger chance of sliding into the first round.”

Bullock’s departure does place higher stakes on the impending decision by consensus No. 1 recruit Andrew Wiggins, the one-and-done Canadian small forward who is considering North Carolina, Kentucky and Florida State and has drawn comparisons to LeBron James.

ESPN recruiting analyst Dave Telep said Wiggins is so talented that it won’t matter to his decision calculus whether Bullock is there or not -- “If this kid’s worrying about anyone ahead of him, he’s not the kid we think he is,” Telep said -- but it certainly matters to the Tar Heels.

Jon Scheyer to join Duke coaching staff

laura_keeley — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 12:09:38 -0400

Duke is bringing Jon Scheyer back to Durham as a special assistant. CREDIT: CHUCK LIDDY

Jon Scheyer is coming back to Duke.

A source close to the program said Monday confirmed that Scheyer will be a special assistant next season. Scheyer is currently playing professionally in Spain and did not respond to a request for comment.

As a member of the Duke squad from 2006-2010, Scheyer ranks 10th in school history with 2,077 career points. Scheyer also ranks fourth in the Duke record books with 297 3-pointers and third in career free throws (608) and free throw percentage (.861). Scheyer was a senior captain and starting point guard on the 2010 national championship team.

Since graduating from Duke, Scheyer has played in the NBA development league, as a reserve for Maccabi Tel Aviv in Israel, and is currently a reserve for CB Gran Canaria this season. His best chance at the NBA was derailed in 2010 by a freak eye injury in an NBA summer league game. Scheyer was out seven months after surgery to repair a partly torn optic nerve.

CBS Sports' Jeff Goodman first reported the possibility of Scheyer returning to Duke this weekend. He will fill the position vacated by Nate James, who was promoted to assistant coach when Chris Collins left for Northwestern. The Blue Devils were expected to hire a former player.

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