Even when you prefer a darker shade of Blue, it shouldn’t prevent you from cheering on the Lady Tar Heels when given an opportunity to do so.
The last time I watched a game inside of Carmichael Arena a skinny kid from Wilmington, North Carolina was playing in his freshman Blue – White game. That means I’m pretty old and today I feel even older than old.
Columbia University and West Virginia University played the opener and the Ivy League Lions played the second half at 32-30. Two guards for WVU combined for over 50 points in leading the Mountaineers to victory.
8:00 away from Oregon State at North Carolina in the #14 vs #3 contest.
Game 1 of 2 heartbreak as the Home team wins in a walk-offGame 2 not going our wayTough Day
There’s finally NCAA Tournament joy for the folks in Williamsburg ! Our long time friend, Bill “Pappy ” Meade is a proud graduate 🎓 of W & M and we are Happy for Pappy as the school 🏫 waited over 75 years to earn a bid to either the Men’s or Women’s Basketball 🏀 tournament.
Not only did they finally earn a Bid, they won the #16 play in game, their fifth straight victory !
Shortly after 5pm today, Duke released the injury report that everyone was expecting. Both Maliq Brown and Cooper Flagg will not be playing tonight against UNC.
What does this mean for Clemson, Louisville and Carolina ? Clemson and Louisville both have a legitimate opportunity to bring home 🏡 the ACC Men’s Basketball 🏀 trophy 🏆for the first time in School history. The Tar Heels have a shot at the much needed Quad 1 victory that will take them to the Big Dance 💃.
1 vs 5 & 2 vs 3 are set to get underway at the Spectrum Center in just over 60 minutes.
Duke wins the next four minutes 10-4, leads 27-17 @ 7:10 (1)
Under 4:00 TO – Duke 32-24 with free throws coming for Foster. 3:56 left in 1st half….
Halftime score – Duke 45, Tar Heels 24 as Blue Devils close out the Half 13-0. Proctor with a great look at a 3-pointer at the horn but it bounced off.
Now – 7:59 pm
Under 16:00 media TO, Duke 52-30 at 15:42. Duke wins 7-6 in first slot.
Under 12:00 – (11:35), Heels making a run, now 56-43. 13-4 run 🏃♂️ for UNC. 8:38pm
Under 8:00 – (7:41)… Duke 65, Tar Heels 51. Duke takes it 9-8. Free Throw coming for UNC
At 6:12, Heels finally cut ✂️ it to 10 at 66-56, Duke TO…
Under 4:00 – (3:41), Duke 70, UNC 64. 8-4 spurt cuts ✂️ it to six points.
Duke TO at 0:50.8, up 3 with the ball. What a funish…
Carolina calls 📞 a TO at 0:32.0, Duke Ball up 72-71. UNC 12-2 run 🏃♂️
Proctor misses front of 1+1, Carolina ball with 0:17.6
In a play that will be talked about as the Lane Violation Game, Duke holds on 74-71….WHAT A GAME….
Game #2 of 2 in 25 minutesOpening TapGame 2 of 2 included another crazy comeback that fell just short…JMU player making it happen at Louisville. Edwards was the Sun Belt Player of the Year last season.
Nobody that is truly a fan of the Atlantic Coast Conference wants to see the league get held to just 3 out if 18 when it comes to getting invites to the Big Dance 💃 on selection Sunday.
But that is a very REAL possibility now as we head into quarterfinal Thursday. Start by eliminating the 10 teams who have played their last game, reducing the list to 8.
Georgia Tech and Stanford would have to win three straight to earn the automatic bid and we know that Duke, Louisville and Clemson are just playing for seeding purposes.
That leaves North Carolina, Southern Methodist and Wake Forest as the three teams with an outside shot of having their name called out Sunday.
Each of the trio MUST win today to keep the flame 🔥 flickering. The opening two days have further proven that the bottom of the league has struggled this year. Virginia, Miami, Florida State and North Carolina State will start out next season with new Coaches and for the ACC Men’s Basketball to still claim to be a premier league in the new landscape we need at least a fourth or fifth team to reach the post season Promise Land.
Even if SMU would get by Clemson today, I would believe that they would have to get by Louisville as well to warrant real discussion. While I think that is possible, I don’t see it as probable so that leaves us the winner of UNC and Wake as our one more last chance to match the number of coaching changes with the number of bids.
The ACC was never the top of the food chart in regards to College Football but it was in College Basketball. The Women’s game is still holding its own because less $$$ is needed to maintain success. It’s needed, just not to the same degree and thats why you will hear six to eight names called on that side on Sunday.
North Carolina is needed, now more than ever. The league needs the Tar Heels and Duke University needs them as well. The reality is that the best thing that could happen over the next 72 hours in the Queen City is for UNC to run the table, cut down the nets and receive the automatic bid.
The ACC is on life support and the SEC is the Doctor and the Big 10 is the nurse. Both leagues are going to flirt with reaching double figures in bids this year and thanks to Chris Graham, we are all aware that the rich are getting richer from Television 📺 rights.
Doomsday is being predicted for the league as the football powers have been looking for an escape hatch and in a very public manor. We had a night session last night where none of the four teams playing were located within 750 miles of the Spectrum Center.
We are taking on water 💧and I will happily go down with the Ship 🚢 as I grew up with the league and proudly support it. But know that our best shot and keeping afloat is for Hubert Davis to coach up his team and run the top 3 out of the Gymnasium. We need the Heels 👠, more than ever !
First things first, we need them to get past Wake Forest…
Enjoy the Day in Charlotte !
Down 26-12 and forced to play without Maliq Brown (shoulder) and Cooper Flagg (ankle), Duke holds off a determined Georgia Tech team 78-70… The Blue Devils will now await the winner 🏆 of Wake and UNC…
Rough close out for Wake Forest as they fall 68-59. Give part of the credit to the Tar Heels but the Deacons looked confused down the stretch.
Wake will head towards a third straight N.I.T and Carolina marches on towards a third game with Duke tomorrow night.
Night 🌙 session opens with Cardinals versus Cardinal. Stanford is showing no signs of Jet Lag, leading 33-30 at the break.
We finally have an ending that was fitting for the ACC Tournament ! Cards over Cardinals, 75-73 !!!
___________________________
Good News, Bad News in the night cap, its another offensive struggle but at least its close..
Clemson trying to pull away…
Tigers 🐅 57, Mustangs 54 (Final) just before Midnight…
A.S.P.N on The Hill 