As expected, North Carolina's 85-78 loss to Boston College Sunday cost the Tar Heels the top spot in this week's college basketball poll.
Undefeated Pittsburgh (14-0) is the new No. 1 in The AP Top 25 released this afternoon, one of a record nine Big East teams in the Top 25.
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski appears to be committed to keeping sophomore forward Kyle Singler from having to take a lot of punishment in the post this season.
Singler got worn down and became less effective in the late stages of last season because he had to play center. This season, Brian Zoubek is in the starting lineup at center after being limited by injuries in 2007-08.
That allows Singler to play facing the basket on offense and defend away from the low post on defense.
• UNC is not perfect
• Duke can win without the 3-pointer
• N.C. State is getting better
The Tar Heels are still the best team in the ACC and the country, they're just not perfect.
Free throws, of all things, doomed UNC in the ACC opener. That and a very, un-Dean/Roy-like comeback strategy that relied on 3-pointers instead of 2s.
UNC was flinging 3s from 5 minutes in as if the ball was on fire — way too rushed and way too soon in the game.
Staff photo by Chuck Liddy
DURHAM — No matter how the ACC season ends, Duke can make one claim that UNC can't — the Blue Devils won their conference opener.
Duke started ACC play with a 69-44 home win over Virginia Tech on Sunday night, tipping off minutes after Boston College stunned the Tar Heels 85-78 in Chapel Hill.
A vintage Duke defensive effort, holding the Hokies to just 13 points in the second half, and 19 points from Kyle Singler, made sure the Blue Devils didn't follow the Heels into the loss column.
It’s way too early to start going through the 2009 ACC schedule game by game and predicting who might win the league. But here’s an early ranking of the teams in terms of the talent they should have returning in 2009:
Duke starting point guard Nolan Smith will be fine for Duke’s ACC opener Sunday against Virginia Tech in Durham, team spokesman Matt Plizga said Friday.
Smith injured his left knee during Wednesday’s win over Loyola of Maryland and missed the final 28 minutes. He said after the game that his knee was fine, but coach Mike Krzyzewski had been waiting for medical tests to be sure.
A sophomore, Smith ranks fourth on the team in scoring at 10.9 points per game.
Duke overwhelms Loyola of Maryland 92-51.
DURHAM – Nolan Smith was smiling and relaxed in the Duke locker room after injuring his left knee during Wednesday’s 92-51 defeat of Loyola of Maryland at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
Smith, Duke’s starting point guard, said he was merely held out of the last 28 minutes as a precaution. He said doctors told him it was just a bone bruise, and he expects to play in No. 5-ranked Duke’s ACC opener Sunday against Virginia Tech in Durham.
“It’s nothing serious at all,” he said, appearing unconcerned.
