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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	Yr.	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: 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 commiserate 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.

UNC QB Marquise Williams back in school

Andrew_Carter — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:19:51 -0400

North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams is back in school -- but can he reclaim his job as backup to Bryn Renner? ROBERT WILLETT

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina quarterback Marquise Williams is back in school after not being enrolled during the spring semester, team spokesman Kevin Best said on Friday.

Due to academic reasons Williams, who served as a backup quarterback to Bryn Renner last season, wasn’t allowed to enroll in classes during the spring semester. But he is enrolled in UNC’s first summer school session, which began earlier this week.

Williams, whom Rivals.com ranked as one of the top dual-threat quarterback prospects in the nation in 2011, redshirted the 2011 season and played in nine games last season. He completed 10 of his 17 passes for 127 yards, and gained 186 yards on 29 carries.

After missing spring practice, Williams will face some competition to earn back his position as the backup to Renner. The Tar Heels’ coaching staff during the spring lauded the play of Mitch Trubisky, a freshman quarterback who enrolled early. Trubisky ended the spring as the team’s No. 2 quarterback.

Andrew Wiggins chooses Kansas over UNC, others

Andrew_Carter — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:01:13 -0400

Andrew Wiggins, regarded as the top college basketball prospect in years, announced today that he will play next season at Kansas. Wiggins’ other three finalists were North Carolina, Florida State and Kentucky.

Wiggins, the 6-foot-7 forward from Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, provided no indication of which school he was favoring, and so his signing with Kansas was met with surprise. Florida State, which is where his parents met and where his father played basketball, had been considered the favorite.

Wiggins made public his decision during a small, private ceremony at his school. The announcement was not televised because of Wiggins’ desire to avoid the spotlight.

His decision to attend Kansas means that UNC will avoid facing Wiggins next season. The Tar Heels will play against his other two finalists – at home against Kentucky in December, and at Florida State.

Mitchell Wiggins, father of Andrew, once dreamed of playing for Dean Smith

Andrew_Carter — Mon, 13 May 2013 13:25:43 -0400

CHAPEL HILL — Who knows what kind of effect, if any, it has had on his son’s recruitment. But Mitchell Wiggins, the father of Andrew Wiggins, grew up outside of Kinston dreaming of playing for Dean Smith. Apparently, though, Smith didn’t show the elder Wiggins much interest.

North Carolina is certainly interested in Andrew Wiggins, who will announce his college decision on Tuesday. About 30 years ago, Wiggins’ father would have loved to be in the position his son is now – with a chance to play for the Tar Heels.

According to this story by a wire service, published on Jan. 16, 1984 (and discussed earlier today here by Bret Strelow of the Fayetteville Observer), Wiggins during his junior season at North Lenoir High played well in front of Smith. But Smith left without speaking with Wiggins.

Said Wiggins, in the story:

“Dean Smith came and saw me play and I think I had 38 points that night. He never came down and saw me after the game. Later on I found out he didn’t think I was good enough to play for him. I knew then that I couldn’t have somebody who didn’t know about the ambitions I had dictate my life to me. I knew I had some talent.”

After a spending a season at Truett-McConnell junior college to raise his grades, Mitchell Wiggins wound up at Clemson. He was the team’s sixth man for a time but then, not long before the start of Wiggins’ junior season, coach Bill Foster kicked him off the team.

According to the story:

“A week and a half before his junior season was to begin, Foster called Wiggins into his office and told him he had discovered Wiggins was smoking marijuana in his room … ‘I was totally shocked,’ Wiggins said. ‘I’m the type of guy if I have a couple of beers, that would put me out. I was like a momma’s boy. Here I’d been busting my fanny every day in practice and this happens. I asked him what he was talking about and he (Foster) told me a lady had told him all about me smoking. I always thought a coach was supposed to stick by his players, but he didn’t. He told me I was off the team. I asked him if I could come back the next morning and talk to him. I wanted a second chance. Well, when I came back the next day I was still kicked off the team. I respect Foster for doing what he thought was right, but the fact that he didn’t even check out any of it was ridiculous. When I walked out ofo his office a couple of his assistant coaches were laughing about it. They told me I’d never play in the NBA and I’d never even find another college to go to.’”

That was incorrect, of course. Wiggins eventually found his way to Florida State, then a member of the Metro Conference. He was runner-up for conference player of the year honors before the Chicago Bulls engineered a draft day trade for him (involving Sidney Lowe) in the 1983 draft.

Though Andrew Wiggins has offered few clues – no clues, really – about his recruitment and which school he might be favoring, Florida State appears to have emerged as the favorite. Who knows how things might be different today, though, had Smith have shown some interest all those years ago in Wiggins’ father.

Andrew Wiggins recruitment: A q-and-a with Dave Telep

Andrew_Carter — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:59:22 -0400

CHAPEL HILL — Andrew Wiggins will announce his college choice on Tuesday. Few people might be happier about it than Dave Telep, the ESPN.com national college basketball recruiting analyst. Telep has covered Wiggins’ recruitment from start to finish but even he admitted on Monday that he has no idea where Wiggins will go.

Wiggins, the 6-foot-7 forward from Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, has been down to his final four schools for a while now: Florida State, Kansas, Kentucky and North Carolina. He hasn’t offered any indication about which of those four schools he’s favoring.

There has been plenty of speculation. Wiggins’ parents met at Florida State, where his dad, Mitchell, played basketball. At Kentucky, Wiggins would join a recruiting class that’s already being described as perhaps the best ever. At North Carolina and Kansas, he’d immediately elevate those teams to national title contenders.

According to Wiggins’ high school coach, Rob Fulford, the drama will end on Tuesday at around 12:15. That’s when Wiggins will sign with a school. There won’t be a press conference or cameras. Just a ceremony with friends and teammates. It’s not a surprise Wiggins would do things that way, Telep said.

Telep stayed up late on Sunday night trying to handicap where Wiggins might wind up. He gives Florida State a 35 percent chance, Kansas a 25 percent chance and UNC and Kentucky and 20 percent chance. But really, he said with a laugh, he doesn’t know. Here are his thoughts on a variety of topics related to Wiggins’ recruitment:

Andrew Carter: So Andrew Wiggins will make his choice tomorrow – what has been your reaction to all the speculation out there that has this school leading for him, or that school?
Dave Telep: I’ve gotten a real kick out of listening to people talk with authority on this subject, because over the course of the last few months I’ve just kind of sat back and watched and was able to find out who’s full of it and who’s not. Because anybody who spoke on this with authority really had no idea what they were talking about.

AC: How rare is it for a guy like this to keep things so close to the vest for so long?
DT: I think this whole thing is a microcosm of a few things. I’m not convinced everybody on his family is on the same page. I’m very convinced that he has a hard time saying no, and (is) appreciative of the relationships that have been built. And he’s a people pleaser, and I don’t think he wants to – I just don’t think he wanted to ever have to make these calls. And I think those few things have really driven why it’s taken so long.

AC: The fact that he’s making this announcement without any kind of fan fare, without cameras and a lot of media – what does that say about Wiggins?
DT: It’s totally consistent with who he’s been. You know, we had him on (ESPN) a couple of times – he was never that excited to do it. The most time I’ve had with him is when we set up in advance a 20-minute interview in Charlotte, and it was really enjoyable. We had a great time talking about things, and I felt like I really got to know him. And he loosened up and he opened up and we could talk about a lot of different things. But right after that was over, he just kind of went back to being Andrew and was all quiet again.

I really respect how he’s handled this. I think people look at this and the people who don’t know will say this is a kid that’s dragging out the process. This is just a kid who has had difficulty making a decision, for whatever reason. He really has never sought (attention). Andrew Wiggins could pick up the phone right now, and say I want to decide on ESPN, and we’d rearrange our schedule to get it done. That phone is not ringing, and nobody’s sitting by the phone waiting for it. I thought all along that he’d pick up the phone one day, call and commit and throw it out on Twitter and he’d be done with it. The way he’s doing it is totally how I would have expected him to.

AC: Do you think it will leak out tonight or tomorrow morning before the announcement?
DT: Well, I don’t think he cares. At that point, I don’t think he would care. It certainly could leak out. But there’s a zero percent chance I would ever write anything until hearing the words from either Andrew or somebody sitting right next to him at that point. Somebody’s going to jump the gun and get this thing wrong, you mark my words.

AC: We’ve heard lots of comparisons about Wiggins, from people saying he’s the best prospect since this guy or that guy. LeBron James' name has come up. What’s your reaction?
DT: Those words – the best prospect since LeBron, it’s not even a fair tag and I don’t think it’s accurate. People forget about a guy named Greg Oden, because his NBA career hasn’t worked out. And they are totally dismissing what Dwight Howard was as a high school player. I think so many people are living in the moment.

It’s not fair – Andrew is not LeBron James. I don’t think he’s ever going to be a LeBron James impact guy like that. He’s the most talented prospect in the class this year, and that’s certainly noteworthy. He has a significant upside … but I think the enthusiasm has to be tempered, in terms of who he is in terms of his impact over the last decade. He’s a really good player. He’s the best prospect in this class. He’s not LeBron James. And no one that I’ve seen since doing this since 1997 has been in that same tier as LeBron James.

AC: His arrival would mean different things for different teams but in a general sense what will his decision mean to the school he selects?
DT: Everybody has different uses for this guy next year. At North Carolina, Kansas and Florida State, he kind of becomes their instant face of the program, for lack of a better term. At Kentucky, he becomes part of the most heavily-covered soap opera in maybe college basketball history next year. Everybody has different uses and different impacts. The bottom line is guys like Andrew Wiggins don’t walk onto your campus every year. And the amount of media attention and on-the-court attention he’s going to receive is going to be, for whatever program he picks, very uncommon to deal with.

Thanks to Telep for his time. And now, the wait continues for one final day …

Andrew Wiggins to announce college decision on Tuesday

Andrew_Carter — Mon, 13 May 2013 11:06:39 -0400

Andrew Wiggins, the top-rated prospect in the class of 2013, will announce on Tuesday where he will play in college next season. Wiggins, a 6-foot-7 forward at Huntington (W.Va.) Prep, will decide among North Carolina, Florida State, Kansas and Kentucky.

Wiggins’ coach at Huntington Prep, Rob Fulford, announced on Twitter that Wiggins would sign with a school “at around 12:15 on Tuesday.”

“He will not hold a press conference type ceremony,” Fulford wrote. “Just classmates, family and friends.”

Wiggins and those close to him have offered little insight about what school he might be favoring. His parents both went to Florida State, where his father, Mitchell Wiggins, played basketball. The elder Wiggins grew up outside of Kinston.

Dave Telep, the ESPN.com national college basketball recruiting analyst, said on Monday that it has been difficult to predict Wiggins’ destination. Telep characterized Florida State as the narrow leader to land Wiggins.

Stay tuned for more ...

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.

UNC welcomes ACC Coastal Division championship rings

Andrew_Carter — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 11:39:21 -0400

A side view of North Carolina's Coastal Division championship rings, which were distributed to the team on Monday. Photo via Twitter (@uncfootball).

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina finished last season in a three-way tie for first in the ACC Coastal Division, and had the Tar Heels been eligible to play in the postseason they would have won tiebreakers against Miami and Georgia Tech and represented the Coastal in the ACC championship game against Florida State.

UNC wasn’t eligible, though, because of NCAA sanctions resulting from the academic fraud and impermissible benefits scandal that rocked the football program in 2010. Even so, UNC is calling itself Coastal Division champions. There is signage inside the football offices to that effect and, now, there are championship rings, too.

The rings arrived on Monday, football team spokesman Kevin Best said, and some UNC football staff members have posted ring pictures on Twitter. Those pictures ignited some criticism, mostly from fans of rival schools. After all, UNC was ineligible to be recognized by the ACC as Coastal Division champs.

Still, the ACC didn’t rule that UNC couldn’t recognize itself as divisional champions. And Tar Heels coach Larry Fedora said repeatedly last season that if the Heels finished first in the division, he would consider his team to be Coastal Division champs.

A while back, UNC put up a billboard outside of Charlotte referring to itself as division champions. There is signage in the UNC football offices that reference the division championship. And now there are the rings.

When UNC put up that billboard outside of Charlotte a while back, I called the ACC and asked if the league had a problem with UNC calling itself Coastal Division champions. An ACC spokesperson said then that it’d be inappropriate for any team other than Georgia Tech – which represented the Coastal Division in the league championship game against Florida State – to refer to itself as the divisional champion.

Still, there was no communication between the league office and UNC about the billboard, and no directive to take it down. Based on that, it’d be fair to say that the league office didn’t have much of a stance on UNC calling itself division champs.

A look back at how UNC fared in the NFL draft

Andrew_Carter — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 17:08:50 -0400

North Carolina's Giovani Bernard was the first running back selected in the NFL draft

CHAPEL HILL — For the third time in the past five years, at least five North Carolina players were selected in the NFL draft, which began last Thursday and ended on Saturday. It was another productive draft for the Tar Heels, who have produced four first-round picks during the past three drafts.

Before some thoughts on UNC’s draft class, a recap of when and where the Tar Heels went:

--Jonathan Cooper, OG: 1st round, seventh pick, Arizona Cardinals
--Sylvester Williams, DT: 1st round, 28th pick, Denver Broncos
--Giovani Bernard, RB: 2nd round, 37th pick, Cincinnati Bengals
--Brennan Williams, OT: 3rd round, 89th pick, Houston Texans
--Travis Bond, OG: 7th round, 214th pick, Minnesota Vikings

UNDRAFTED FREE AGENTS
--Casey Barth, K, Atlanta Falcons
--Erik Highsmith, WR, Minnesota Vikings
--Kevin Reddick, LB, New Orleans Saints

Overall impressions:
When healthy, UNC had one of the best offensive lines in the nation a season ago. So it’s not surprising to see the Tar Heels’ offensive line well-represented in the draft. UNC hadn’t had two offensive linemen taken in the draft since 1985. The last time three members of the Tar Heels’ offensive line were picked in the same draft? 1949. So a draft class like this, featuring three members of the same offensive line, doesn’t come around that often. What struck me most about this draft for UNC is that its two highest picks – Jonathan Cooper and Sylvester Williams – both took highly unlikely roads to the NFL. I wrote about both players in recent stories. Here’s the one about Cooper. And the one about Williams.

Best fit:
Cooper going to the Arizona Cardinals is a win-win for both player and team. The Cardinals’ offensive line was terrible a season ago, and allowed the most sacks in the NFL. On top of that, Arizona also ran for the fewest yards in the league. The team not long ago acquired veteran quarterback Carson Palmer, and improving his protection was an obvious priority for the Cardinals. Cooper will come in, start immediately and have a chance to establish himself as one of the best young interior lineman in the game.

Most to prove:
After his pro day at UNC, Giovani Bernard dismissed the question of whether he could be an every down back in the NFL. To him, there is no question. Bernard said he didn’t want to come off the field in the NFL, and it’ll be interesting to see if the Bengals utilize him as a punt returner, and how much they utilize him in the passing game. Bernard during his college days proved himself in both areas. Still, he’ll have plenty of competition. BenJarvus Green-Ellis is the incumbent back in Cincinnati, and he’s coming off a 1,000-yard season. It’s likely Bernard starts off in a situational role, which might not remain all that situational for long if he proves himself.

Biggest surprise:
I was shocked that Kevin Reddick wasn’t drafted. Reddick, who was UNC’s best linebacker a season ago, ran just a 4.72 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL Combine, and his height (6-foot-1) was never going to impress scouts and front-office types. But Reddick’s strength was never going to be measured in inches, or by a stopwatch. He finished each of the past three seasons with more than 70 tackles, and his 18.5 tackles for loss led UNC a season ago. Reddick was projected as a mid-round pick but instead signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.

Final thoughts:
Another good NFL draft for the Tar Heels, and you can be sure that coach Larry Fedora and his staff will be remind recruits that UNC has had its share of success in recent seasons of putting players into the NFL. Of course, that begs the question: Have the Tar Heels underachieved with all this NFL talent? I’d argue no, at least not last season. UNC’s strength was on offense – and particularly up front and in the backfield. So it’s fitting that three linemen and running back Giovani Bernard were selected. Defense was UNC’s weakness, and the draft reflects that.

UNC linemen Jonathan Cooper, Sylvester Williams selected in first round of NFL draft

Andrew_Carter — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 00:03:49 -0400

Sylvester Williams (above) and Jonathan Cooper (not pictured) became the latest North Carolina players to be selected in the first round of the NFL draft. ROBERT WILLETT

CHAPEL HILL — Jonathan Cooper went early. Sylvester Williams had to wait a bit. Both players, though, realized lifelong dreams on Thursday night by becoming first-round selections in the NFL draft.

The Arizona Cardinals picked Cooper, the All-American offensive guard, with the seventh pick. The Denver Broncos chose Williams, the defensive tackle, with the 28th pick.

Here's the story, with some reaction, about both players.

Cooper and Williams became the 23rd and 24th UNC players to be selected in the first round. Six Tar Heels have been picked in the first round since 2008: Kentwan Balmer (2008), Hakeem Nicks (2009), Robert Quinn (2011), Quinton Coples (2012) and now Cooper and Williams.

UNC ACC games set for 2013-14

Andrew_Carter — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 15:48:24 -0400

North Carolina coach Roy Williams and the Tar Heels will play ACC road games next season in South Bend, Ind., Tallahassee, Fla., and Syracuse, N.Y., among other places. ROBERT WILLETT

CHAPEL HILL — The locations and home-and-home opponents for North Carolina’s 2013-14 ACC schedule has been set. In addition to playing permanent partners Duke and N.C. State home and away, the Tar Heels next season will also play Wake Forest and Notre Dame at home and on the road.

In addition to those four home games, UNC will host Boston College, Clemson, Maryland, Miami and Pittsburgh. The Tar Heels will go on the road to play Florida State, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Virginia and Virginia Tech.

Each of the 15 ACC schools will play four opponents twice and 10 opponents once.

A couple quick scheduling notes, courtesy UNC:

--The Tar Heels and Wake Forest will play a home-and-home for the second time in seven seasons.

--UNC’s game at Notre Dame will be the Heels’ first in South Bend, Ind., since Feb. 23. 1994.

--This will be the second time that UNC will have played at Syracuse.

--Pittsburgh will be playing in Chapel Hill for the fourth time, and for the first time since 1996.

Dates and times for these games will be released in the summer.

UNC chancellor Holden Thorp: Athletic administrators – and not presidents – should run athletics

Andrew_Carter — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 20:20:41 -0400

North Carolina chancellor Holden Thorp believes college athletics should be left to athletic departments. N&O FILE

CHAPEL HILL — Holden Thorp won’t be the chancellor at North Carolina for long. He’s leaving on June 30 to become the provost at Washington University in St. Louis. Thorp’s imminent departure is one of the reasons why he has become outspoken against the idea – a flawed idea, according to him – that university presidents and chancellors should be responsible for running college athletics.

That’s not to say that Thorp wants to absolve chancellors and presidents from the responsibilities related to athletics. But he believes athletic department matters are best left to the athletic department, and he’d like to chancellors and presidents to have a much less visible role when it comes to leading athletics and the myriad issues that surround them at places like UNC and other universities with high-profile athletic programs.

Thorp said some of this during an interview with News & Observer’s Jane Stancill, who wrote a story today that touched on Thorp’s reluctance to play a large role in leading athletics. And Thorp was even more outspoken earlier today during a panel discussion that UNC hosted about the role of athletics in college life. Given all the problems in recent years at UNC related to athletics and academics, Thorp convened a five-person panel to explore some of this.

Hunter Rawlings, the president of the Association of American Universities, is the chairman of the panel. It also includes Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany and Amy Perko, the executive director of the Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics.

Here’s Thorp, in his own words, about his experience working with athletics at the major-college level, and what role university chancellors and presidents should have in athletic leadership …

“Most of us were working in the lab or library, teaching, publishing, until we moved into administrative jobs where we did things like ran tenure, start new degree programs and work on accreditation. … And then one day I woke up and Roy Williams, Anson Dorrance, Sylvia Hatchell, Mike Fox and so many other great coaches were all working for me.”

“And after five years and all that I’ve been through, I know enough to run college sports now. But I think we can all agree that it wasn’t exactly a smooth road to enlightenment. And I certainly didn’t know enough to run college sports five years ago. The search committee asked me one question about it.”

“(Chancellors and presidents) don’t have time to do what is asked of us by this presidential control idea … We go to conference or NCAA meetings to discuss new rules and when we get home, our ADs tell us we were crazy to agree to these changes. And they’re usually right.”

“The presidential retreat that Mark Emmert had was a good idea, but it has a lousy record in terms of coming up with ideas that were ultimately approved by the membership. This is because presidents are fighting political battles, fundraising, dealing with the hospital and trying to help the governing boards understand the inner-workings of higher education.”

“People ask me all the time why I didn’t let the AD do more of the public relations during the problems that we have had at North Carolina. This is what most good public relations consultants will tell you to do. And the answer is that the governing boards and this concept of presidential control didn’t give me much of a choice. Every time I appeared to discuss athletics at a board meeting, which in North Carolina is always with the media there, was at the request of the board had specifically wanted me to come talk to them. That’s not their fault. This presidential control idea has created the impression that the president or chancellor should be the one to speak to the governing boards about athletics.”

“The third problem is that making the president or chancellor the only academic administrator accountable for athletics allows the rest administration to check out. Oh, that’s the chancellor’s problem.”

“Many of the governing boards include at least some, but by no means all, people who sought the appointment precisely so that they could get close to athletics. So we have a bunch of college professors working for boards that have a lot of sports fans. And we wonder why it isn’t working.

“The upshot of it is that college presidents are capable of doing really smart things. And usually get most crises handled well. But a sports crisis reduces really smart people into people who appear inept and sound incapable. The reason is that there’s no place to hide.”

“You have the sports fans going crazy if they don’t get their players in the game, and media and much of the faculty expecting, because of this presidential control idea, that the president or chancellor can wave a wand and somehow make it all go away.”

“A very smart sports person told me that the best you can hope for is a tie. So that’s what people play for. This concept of playing for a tie is a very good way of understanding why our controversy at North Carolina went on for such a long time.”

“I’m saying a lot more today than I would say if I wasn’t going to Division III to be a provost. My successor will be here soon. But hopefully, my saying these things will make it easier for her.”

“You hear all the time that the presidents of the universities have the power to fix this. I don’t agree. We can’t fix the NCAA or the conferences, because we have to get a huge number of our colleagues to agree with us at the same time. And we can’t fix our own situations because the alumni and the governing boards want their victories, and they want the agony of disagreement over college athletics to end as soon as possible. So to me that leaves us with two choices. Either we put the ADs back in charge, and hold them accountable when things don’t work … Or, let’s be honest, and tell everyone when we select them to run institutions that have big-time sports that athletics is the most important part of the job.”

“I’m not saying (my office) isn’t where the buck should stop. I’m saying we have taken on this aura that says that presidential control is this magical thing that pervades college sports. And we need to be more realistic about what powers we do and don’t have. And part of that is our own fault, because we insist on governing conferences and governing the NCAA – and it’s just not as simple as that.”

“I’m not talking about changing the reporting structure. I’m just saying that we need to develop this thing that says if something goes wrong in athletics, it’s an athletics problem – just the same way we would about other things that go wrong in the university, or go right.”

“Ideally it’d be like all the other functions. You’d have the people reporting to you, telling you what’s going on and you’d make the decisions you’d need to make and it would become a function of the university just like the hospital and the endowment and the academic parts – student affairs and all those things. It wouldn’t create this giant pressure every time you had to do something.”

“And of course there were lots of things that I could have done differently that would have made it a little better. But in terms of whether I really had the power to fix all the things that people thought I could, I decided I really didn’t have that.”

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

UNC a No. 3 seed in very early bracketology

Andrew_Carter — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:38:36 -0400

Might Joel James and the Tar Heels be flexing their muscle as a high seed in Raleigh in the 2014 NCAA tournament? ROBERT WILLETT

CHAPEL HILL — Rosters in college basketball are (mostly) set for next season. So what better a time than now for Joe Lunardi, ESPN’s resident NCAA tournament projectionist, to release his first field of 68 for the 2013-14 season?

Lunardi did just that on Wednesday. And he has North Carolina as a No. 3 seed in the South Region, playing in Raleigh against 14th-seeded Iona. The PNC Center in Raleigh is one of eight sites that will host second- and third-round tournament games next season. If the Tar Heels play well, they should be there.

A No. 3 seed sounds about right for UNC. Of course, it is mid-April – so who can be sure?

Kentucky, Michigan State, Arizona and Duke (also in Raleigh) are Lunardi’s No. 1 seeds. The “old” ACC has just three teams in his field, but incoming members Syracuse and Pittsburgh are in there, as well.

See you in Raleigh in mid-March.

Reggie Bullock leaving UNC: What it means for the Tar Heels

Andrew_Carter — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 15:22:33 -0400

Without Reggie Bullock, James Michael McAdoo would take on a greater role for North Carolina -- if, that is, McAdoo returns to school. ROBERT WILLETT

CHAPEL HILL — So Reggie Bullock is leaving North Carolina one season early to follow his dream of playing in the NBA. This isn’t a surprising a decision. It’s probably the right decision, right now, for Bullock.

No, we don’t know how it will turn out. We don’t know where Bullock will be drafted in June, or what might have happened to his draft prospects had he decided to return for his senior season. But we do know this: Bullock comes from a meager financial background. The chance to make money now has to be appealing. And after three years, who knows how much more he could have improved in college.

So here we are. Bullock is moving on. And so, too, is UNC after losing its best overall player from a season ago.

For more on what this means for the Tar Heels, here are some questions … and their answers:

Q. How big of a loss is this for the Tar Heels?
A. Losing Bullock is a big blow, no question. Outside of perimeter shooting, Bullock might not have been great in any one area. But he was a good to very good player in just about every aspect of the game – rebounding, defense, passing. Bullock accounted for 17.6 percent of UNC’s points, 32.3 percent of its made 3-point attempts, 16.3 percent of its rebounds, 16.3 percent of its assists and 14.5 percent of its steals. There’s a reason why Roy Williams described Bullock as UNC’s most consistent player last season.

Q. Where will Bullock’s absence be most noticeable?
A. The answer is obvious enough on offense: The Tar Heels won't be as strong on the perimeter without Bullock. But don’t forget about Bullock’s rebounding and defense. He was the Heels’ best rebounder after they began using a four-guard starting lineup in mid-February. Defensively, Bullock was underrated. He often guarded the opposing team’s best wing player. Outside of a disappointing showing against Duke and Seth Curry on UNC’s senior day, Bullock more often than not delivered strong defensive performances. Bullock did a lot of things very well. But he didn't do any one thing so well -- like Kendall Marshall's ability to pass, for instance -- that he's impossible to replace.

Q. Does Bullock’s departure mean UNC has a better chance of landing prized recruit Andrew Wiggins?
A. Maybe. But I don’t really think so. Regardless of where Wiggins goes, he’s going to play an important role. He’s not going to fight for significant playing time. Are there more minutes to go around at UNC without Bullock? Sure. But it doesn’t seem like Wiggins really cares about such things. If he did, he likely would have stopped considering Kentucky long ago, sometime after the Wildcats received their fourth or fifth commitment from a top-ranked prospect.

Q. Without Bullock and Dexter Strickland, who starts the first game for UNC in November?
A. Well that depends on whether James Michael McAdoo, the sophomore forward, decides to come back. It seems likely that McAdoo will return. We could know for sure as soon as later today. If McAdoo returns, here’s my best guess as to what UNC’s starting lineup will look like at the start of the season:

PG: Marcus Paige
SG: Leslie McDonald
SF: P.J. Hairston
PF: James Michael McAdoo
C: Brice Johnson

But we shall see. There’s lot of questions to be answered between now and then.

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.

UNC forward Reggie Bullock announces he will enter NBA draft

Andrew_Carter — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:59:29 -0400

North Carolina junior forward Reggie Bullock is entering the NBA draft. ROBERT WILLETT

CHAPEL HILL — Reggie Bullock made it official on Tuesday: He will forgo his senior season at North Carolina to enter the NBA draft.

Bullock announced his decision in a statement that UNC released at noon on Tuesday.

“It's been a great experience at Carolina and after talking to my family, the coaches and my inner circle of friends, I am ready to take the next step in my career,” Bullock said in that statement. “I want to play at the next level and will put my name in the NBA Draft this year.”

Bullock averaged 13.9 points and 6.5 rebounds per game for the Tar Heels during the 2012-13 season. He also made a career-high 43.6 percent of his 3-point attempts.

He was named to the All-ACC second team by both media members covering the league, and by coaches.

Tar Heels coach Roy Williams in a statement described Bullock as UNC’s “most consistent” player last season. In addition to his perimeter shooting, Bullock was known for his defense and rebounding. He was the Tar Heels’ best rebounder after they began using a four-guard starting lineup in mid-February.

“Our hope is that his decision will work out in a very positive manner for Reggie,” Williams said. “He has big dreams and we will help him and support him in his efforts to reach those dreams. I'll always enjoy reflecting on Reggie's three seasons as a big part of our program.”

Bullock’s announcement comes four days after P.J. Hairston, the sophomore guard, announced that he would return to UNC. Hairston made nearly 40 percent of his 3-point attempts, and he averaged 18.2 points per game after entering the starting lineup in mid-February.

UNCis still awaiting final word from James Michael McAdoo, the sophomore forward, about his intentions. Bullock, Hairston and McAdoo all averaged around 14 points per game. An announcement about McAdoo’s future could come as early as today, according to a UNC basketball team spokesman.

Bullock, meanwhile, is projected by DraftExpress.com as a late first-round selection in the NBA draft.

“I want to thank all of my coaches, teammates and the Carolina fans for their support these past three years,” he said. “We did some great things that have prepared me to play in the NBA. I know the Tar Heels will have a great year next season.”