Anytime that someone in the Loop, which I am not, posts something on Facebook its draws 100+ new readers over to our site. It’s always appreciated and getting to share that day with the Harris family 👪 was a blessing 🙏
Greetings from the Opening Day of the 2022-2023 Women’s ACC Basketball 🏀 Tournament! In just a few minutes the Cavaliers of Virginia will face off with Wake Forrest. 1pm Tip for Game 1 of 14 over the next five days.
#12 – Wake Forrest vs #13 UVA
Kudos to the folks in charge 👏 for creating a solid atmosphere here in the building. The upper deck has the dark curtains covering the empty seats. This does two things, in that it makes the building look smaller plus it creates a crisper sound because the material holds in the sound as well.
A pre-game Moment of Silence was held to Honor Mr. Terry Holland of Cavaliers and Davidson fame.
The upper areas of the lower level have been covered as well to present a bright look to what would have been open seating.
Virginia scored the games first four points but Wake answered with 10 straight and we are in a UVA TO at 6:01 (10-4)
Tickets 🎟 were being sold in Books for $99.00 (14 games) or individually per session with prices for Day 1 being $10.00 for the two game afternnon session and $10.00 for the one evening contest. Prices increase as the week moves on with $25.00 getting you into the Saturday semifinals.
Parking at the Coliseum is $7.00 per or $35 gets you a pass for the week.
UVA stops the run at 16-0 with a basket but trail 19-6 nearing the end of the first quarter.
Wake 19-8 after 1st.
The emcee is full of energy and the DJ is playing music 🎶 that is energetic without being overbearing. A number of people will be paying a little more attention to the atmosphere this week with Ally having its name on the event for the first time and while its only the first half of the first game I would say things are off to a great start.
The Fan Fest portion of the week gets underway tomorrow afternoon. Virginia has closed the gap to just 19-12.
Cavaliers continue to claw back into the contest, now trailing just 28-23 in the closing minute of the first half.
Wake by 3 at the break after a strong UVA closeout of the quarter.
The 3rd quarter belonged to the Deacs and now the lead sits at 56-41. The Cavaliers once again tried to close the gap but this time Wake pushed the lead out to 15.
My history with this event goes back to the days when the City of Greensboro would bus 🚌 the Elementary students in on opening day to create noise for the contests. Now this game was Wake Forrest and UVA, two schools close enough for their fans to enjoy the action. Game 2 will be Clemson and Pitt so that will be a solid test as to whether the atmosphere will hold up.
Once again the Cavs have cut the lead down to single digits at 61-62 with 5:21 remaining. Enough time for the Hoos to make another run ? I believe so!
TO Wake (4:32) – Hoos only down six, 61-55
Camyrn Taylor has 19 for UVA to lead the way.
Down five at 62-57 the Cavaliers had four good looks at making it a one possession game but came up empty.
Wake Forrest holds on for the 68-57 victory in the first of 14 games. Both teams now sit at 15-15 on the season.
##10 Clemson vs #15 Pitt tip at 3:30pm
Third quarter just too much to overcome.
Pitt 16, Clemson 14 After 1st
Clemson up 33-20 after taking the 2nd quarter by a dominant score of 19-4. The #10 team is having its way with the #15 seed.
The Man with the microphone 🎤 entertaining the crowd is absolutely Top Shelf, full of energy !!
3rd quarter is in the books 📚!
CLEMSON 50, PITT 36
Clemson’s Bigs are Big and Pitt can’t slow them down.
520pm – Clemson closes out Pitt !
Time to empty out the building and get ready for Session #2 which will have the final game of Opening Day….. Boston College vs Georgia Tech
Boston College is looking to make it a clean sweep for the favorite teams on the day. BC 27 -18 at the end of the first half.
Boston College 16, Georgia Tech 12 in the 3rd
Now with 10:00 left, its BC 43-30
GT making a late run 🏃♂️, lead down to six.
#10, #11 & #12 All take care of Business so we are still chalk after Day 1….
I hope that the set of stories from this morning will be found enjoyable and they were all done early because today is a work day. If you can call watching Women’s College Basketball 🏀 work.
To learn more about the Hoos & Hokies please check out this article from our friends at the Augsta Free Press
For the third straight season Mark Motley and Chris Dodson will face off with their season resting in the balance. Now of course neither Legendary Coach is going to take a shot or set a screen in the game on Friday night but their presence will be felt across the Pulaski County Gymnasium when the Cavaliers and Trailblazers tee it up.
This will be the third straight season that one Coach will end the post season run for the other. Back in 2021 Spotswood captured the Win and then CCHS returned the favor one year later, setting up the Trilogy.
This one has a similar feel to it as the Super Bowl 🏈 did a few years back when it was Patrick Mahomes versus Tom Brady. Not trying to age either one of the two Coaches but the game was about 1 ring 💍 versus a fistful of rings. This match up over the past three seasons has been good for the advancement of Girls High School basketball 🏀 and it would be more fun if it was the Semi-final versus the Quarterfinals but if you find yourself in the Gym on Friday night 🌙 allow yourself a moment to appreciate the programs these two men have created and then focus on the efforts from their current squads. Both have been at this for 20+ years and it has a coaching feel of Pat Summit vs Geno Auriemma but I will let the two of them decide which one is UConn and which one is Tennessee ?
Thanks to both of them for what they do !
A.S.P.N on The Hill 