Jan
04
2020
CHAPEL HILL – Winning college athletic programs are often taken for granted. One assumption not to make, though, is that’s an easy transition for an assistant coach to pick up where his mentor left off. Sometimes there are hiccups before a blue blood re-establishes itself. At North Carolina, Roy Williams has made it look easier …
Jan
01
2020
DURHAM – Duke looked impressive winning two games without Tre Jones and Jordan Goldwire starting in his place, but, wow, did the Blue Devils show talent, balance and depth with Jones returning to the lineup and Goldwire back to coming off the bench. The No. 2-ranked Blue Devils (12-1, 2-0 ACC) scored 45 first-half points …
Dec
20
2019
DURHAM – Imagine Duke basketball this year without point guard Tre Jones. Well, the No. 4-ranked Blue Devils faced finding out the hard way when Duke announced prior to its home game against Wofford that Jones would sit out with a “minor injury.” Nevertheless, the Blue Devils (10-1) routed Wofford (7-5) with an 86-57 victory …
Dec
05
2019
A short post for tonight, but one that may concern many ACC fanbases. It’s early, but the ACC is not looking good when it comes to number of bids for the NCAA Tournament. These projections were made before the completion of the ACC/Big 10 challenge which the ACC lost 8 – 6. https://www.ncaa.com/news/basketball-men/article/2019-12-03/2020-ncaa-mens-basketball-bracket-projected-about-100-days has just …
Nov
26
2019
Monday night saw two ACC coaches (Virginia Tech’s Mike Young and Georgia Tech’s Josh Pastner) traveling in opposite directions. They started the season in somewhat similar fashion – looking for early season credibility. One has found it, while the other floundered. Let’s start with Virginia Tech’s Mike Young… Young was a 17 year head coach …
Nov
24
2019
By TOM SHANAHAN LAHAINA, Hawaii – As the eight coaches participating in the Maui Jim Maui Invitational took their seats upon an outdoor dais with a Pacific Ocean backdrop at the Hyatt Regency Maui Resort and Spa, tournament director Dave Odom asked them to don their Jim Maui sunglasses. You’ve got to have a little …
Nov
23
2019
I think most us already had Scott Satterfield as the clear front-runner for the ACC COY. Wake Forest Dave Clawson was right there through the first half of the season, but has lost ground in the 2nd of the season and lost the head to head game with Satterfield and Louisville. Dabo Swinney is doing …
Nov
20
2019
Tom Izzo’s 25th season as Michigan State’s basketball coach clearly places him in rarified air. Among one-school identity coaches winning an NCAA title, Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim is the only other club member at 44 and counting. Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski is in his 40th Blue Devils season with five NCAA titles, but he spent five at …
Nov
18
2019
As you read this, Dave Odom is enjoying his annual Maui two-week working-vacation. The extended stay comes with the job as tournament director of the Maui Jim Maui Invitational next week that includes No. 3-ranked Michigan State. “Nice work if you can get it,” as the George Gershwin song goes. Odom, best known for his …
Nov
14
2019
DURHAM – Get ready for revolving door of college basketball teams occupying the No. 1 chair in national rankings. Unless, that is, Duke’s pressure defense has something to say about the upcoming weeks. The No. 2-ranked Blue Devils are poised to become the third No. 1 team in three weeks of voting in next week’s …
Nov
04
2019
DURHAM – Duke basketball again confronts teams with a formidable trio, although it’s not comprised of one-and-done NBA draft picks like a year ago. This trio doesn’t require a hot shooting hand or drives to the basket to have a big night. Its defensive hands create a road block to the basket. The Blue Devils …
Oct
20
2019
CHARLOTTE – Virginia, always on the lookout for the “hidden gems” coach Tony Bennett seeks to develop as a means to challenge the 5- and 4-star Duke and North Carolina recruits, has a possible Twin Tower pairing from North Carolina high schools. Jay Huff is a 7-foot-1, 243-pound redshirt junior from Durham’s Voyager Academy. Huff …
Oct
14
2019
CHARLOTTE – As North Carolina took its turn on stage at the ACC basketball media day, the dominant subject was the Tar Heels blending their new roster. They have an influx of newcomers following the loss of four starters and six players in all. Roy Williams, with seniors Garrison Brooks and Brandon Robinson accompanying him, …
Oct
08
2019
CHARLOTTE — What a difference a year makes in college basketball and there is no better example these days than Virginia coach Tony Bennett and his team. The Cavaliers showed up for this year’s ACC Operation Basketball media day on Tuesday in Charlotte as NCAA defending champions. If anyone forgot, the ACC office was proud …
Aug
10
2019
Times don’t always change for the better. Fifty-three years ago, when Jim Crow still plagued the old South, the city of Fayetteville, N.C., demonstrated it was ahead of the times down the slow, painful march to the new South. The segregated city gave a parade and key to the city to Jimmy Raye, an African-American. …
Jul
30
2019
Syracuse quarterback Tommy DeVito has a lot of people talking in the college football world this offseason, some even going as far as naming him a Heisman Trophy dark horse candidate. DeVito has a tough act to follow with the departure of Eric Dungey, but he appears to be up to the task and has …