ACC Roundup - Challenge Edition, Day II

This challenge has potential.

The first ACC/SEC Challenged ended in a 7-7 tie. For the ACC, Georgia Tech, Clemson, Syracuse, UNC, Virginia, Wake Forest and Boston College won. For the SEC, it was Kentucky, South Carolina, Pitt, Ole Miss, Arkansas, Georgia and Auburn.

We’d prefer the ACC win 14-0, but for the sake of the event, 7-7 is a good start.

Former Clemson coach Rick Barnes returned to the Dean Dome with Tennessee and said that the first half was the worst first half of any game his Tennessee teams had ever coached. UNC racked up a 61-39 half time lead.

Tennessee made a solid comeback in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to overcome UNC’s big lead.

The Tar Heels now have wins over Arkansas and Tennessee and those are big. A lot of their credibility has been restored.

Former Blue Devil Henry Coleman had 16 points and 14 boards against Virginia including a sensational seven offensive rebounds. But the Aggies hit 17 shots and eight of them were by Coleman. That’s an amazing stat.

Interestingly, Blake Buchanan, who did so well earlier, came off the bench and got just six minutes.

Georgia was down 17 but came back to nip the Seminoles as Justin Hill hit a jumper with just 1.5 left on the clock. That’s a lifetime memory. The loss pushes FSU to 4-2.

We were a little surprised that BC beat Vandy so thoroughly. The Eagles never trailed. Quentin Post had 24 points and seven rebounds. He also shot 4-6 from deep. Claudell Harris had 22 and also shot 4-6 from three point range.

Virginia Tech’s defense, particularly in the post, is emerging as a theme. Johni Broome shot 11-19 for 30 points and he also grabbed 15 rebounds.

Nothing wrong with Auburn’s defense: three starters whiffed from the floor. Incidentally, UNC transfer Tom Nickel started. He was one of the whiffers.

For an intersting bon bon, Louisville, not in the Challenge, beat Bellarmine to move to 4-3, which matches their win total of last year. It ain’t perfect, but it’s an improvement.

• Virginia Tech basketball: Hokies no match for Auburn’s length in ACC/SEC Challenge
• Virginia Tech Falls At Auburn In ACC/SEC Challenge, 74-57
• Virginia takes down No. 14 Aggies in ACC/SEC Challenge, 59-47
• Broome’s double-double leads Auburn past Virginia Tech 74-57 in ACC/SEC Challenge
• No. 17 North Carolina holds off No. 10 Tennessee 100-92 in ACC/SEC Challenge
• No. 17 UNC builds big lead then holds off No. 10 Tennessee 100-92 in ACC/SEC Challenge
• No. 17 UNC builds big lead, holds off No. 10 Tennessee 100-92 in ACC/SEC Challenge
• Against the stiffest of defensive tests, North Carolina shows its full potential
• Florida State men’s basketball took on Georgia in the ACC/SEC Challenge
• FSU Men’s Basketball chokes one away against Georgia in the ACC/SEC Challenge
• No. 12 Kentucky pummels No. 8 Miami in ACC/SEC Challenge
• UVA puts the clamps on No. 14 Texas A&M in convincing ACC/SEC Challenge victory
• Handing out 10 awards from Virginia’s big win over Texas A&M
• Boston College cruises past Vandy in ACC/SEC Challenge
• Poor defense plagues Vanderbilt basketball in loss to Boston College in ACC/SEC Challenge
• Florida basketball crumbles late in SEC/ACC Challenge loss at Wake Forest
• Big Second Half Propels Wake Forest to 82-71 Win in ACC/SEC Challeng