Tag: ACC Basketball

Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl thinks Duke basketball will ‘dominate’ the ACC

After the Blue Devils knocked off the Auburn Tigers on Wednesday, Bruce Pearl said Duke could enforce its will on the ACC this season.

After their 84-78 victory over the No. 2 Auburn Tigers at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Wednesday night, the Duke Blue Devils quietly have one of the nation’s better resumes to start the 2024-25 men’s basketball season.

Through their first eight games, the Blue Devils have a 6-2 record with a top-five win at home, a quad-one road win over the Arizona Wildcats, and two top-10 losses (by a combined eight points) to the Kansas Jayhawks and Kentucky Wildcats.

There’s a lot of basketball left to play between Thursday and the NCAA Tournament, but a dominant run through the ACC could position Duke for one of the four No. 1 seeds, and Auburn head coach Bruce Pearl thinks the Blue Devils are set up to do just that.

“This could be a dominant team,” Pearl told Field of 68’s Jeff Goodman on a live stream after the game. “I think this team is going to dominate the ACC.”

Goodman’s stream froze before Pearl could elaborate further on his take, but the advanced metrics certainly agree with him.

After the North Carolina Tar Heels lost their third straight game on Wednesday, ESPN’s Basketball Power Index gives the Blue Devils an 88.8% chance to win the conference with a projected win total of 26.1 games. KenPom credits the Blue Devils as the third-best team in the country with a projected conference record of 17-3.

Duke’s road to ACC dominance begins with a Sunday road trip against the Louisville Cardinals.

How to watch UNC-Alabama basketball: Time, TV channel for ACC-SEC Challenge clash

What channel is UNC-Alabama basketball on today? Here’s how to watch, including time, TV schedule, live streaming info and game odds.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are gearing up for another extremely difficult non-conference test, but this time, that test will be inside the Dean Dome.

On Wednesday, Dec. 4, UNC (4-3) will face a National Championship contender in Alabama in a 7:15 p.m. tip-off. The Crimson Tide (6-2) already beat a pair of ranked teams in Illinois and Houston, while North Carolina failed in ranked tests against Kansas and Auburn.

The Tar Heels have a major advantage for Wednesday’s highly-anticipated battle: they’re playing at home. Cue all the jokes about UNC having a “wine and cheese crowd,” but the Dean Dome gets loud, especially with a top-notch opponent like Alabama coming to town.

North Carolina went just 1-2 in the Maui Invitational, an extremely disappointing results considered the high standards it faces this season. A victory on Wednesday night wouldn’t quash doubts about the Tar Heels, but it would go a long way toward solving them.

What UNC has in RJ Davis and Elliot Cadeau, Alabama has in Mark Sears and Grant Nelson.

RJ still leads North Carolina with 18.4 points per game, despite his early-season struggles, while Cadeau’s big leap has him averaging 14.4 points per game and a Tar Heels-best 5.9 assists per game.

Sears (16) and Nelson (13.5) are Alabama’s top two scorers – and they played major roles in March’s Sweet 16 win over UNC.

If you’re heading to Chapel Hill, we’ll see you there. If you can’t make the game, make sure you familiarize yourself with all the necessary broadcasting information.

What channel is UNC vs. Alabama on Wednesday? Time, TV schedule

TV Channel: ESPN

Time: 7:15 p.m. ET

UNC vs. Alabama will broadcast nationally on ESPN in the ACC-SEC Challenge. Jon Sciambi and Jay Williams will call the game from the floor at the Dean E. Smith Center.

Where to watch UNC vs. Alabama

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch UNC vs. Alabama live on ESPN+” link=”https://go.web.plus.espn.com/Vmrv2O”]

UNC vs. Alabama prediction, picks, odds

North Carolina 87, Alabama 82: North Carolina is struggling after a 1-2 showing in the Maui Invitational, but a trip back to Chapel Hill is exactly what the program needs. UNC will be playing in front of a raucous crowd, which works in the team’s advantage. Once the Tar Heels find a rotation that works for them, they’ll be set.

All College Basketball Odds via BetMGM.

SPREAD: UNC -1.5 (-115); Alabama +1.5 (-105)

MONEYLINE: UNC -140; Alabama +110

O/U TOTAL: 176.5 (UNC -110, Alabama -110)

UNC schedule

Oct. 12: Blue-White Scrimmage (Blue 62, White 53)

Oct. 15: Exhibition @ Memphis (W, 84-76)

Oct. 27: Exhibition vs. Johnson C. Smith (W, 127-63)

Nov. 4: vs. Elon (W, 90-76)

Nov. 8: at Kansas (L, 92-89)

Nov. 15: vs. American University (W, 107-55)

Nov. 22: at Hawai’i (W, 87-69)

Nov. 25: vs. Dayton (W, 92-90, Maui Invitational)

Nov. 26: vs. Auburn (L, 85-72 in Maui)

Nov. 27: vs. Michigan State (L, 94-91 in Maui)

Dec. 4: vs. Alabama

Dec. 7: vs. Georgia Tech

Dec. 14: vs. La Salle

Dec. 17: vs. Florida (Jumpman Invitational)

Dec. 21: vs. UCLA (CBS Sports Classic)

Dec. 29: vs. Campbell

Jan. 1: at Louisville

Jan. 4: at Notre Dame

Jan. 7: vs. SMU

Jan. 11: at NC State

Jan. 15: vs. California

Jan. 18: vs. Stanford

Jan. 21: at Wake Forest

Jan. 25: vs. Boston College

Jan. 28: at Pitt

Feb. 1: at Duke

Feb. 8: vs. Pitt

Feb. 10: at Clemson

Feb. 15: at Syracuse

Feb. 19: vs. NC State

Feb. 22: vs. Virginia

Feb. 24: at Florida State

March 1: vs. Miami (FL)

March 4: at Virginia Tech

March 8: vs. Duke

March 11-15: ACC Tournament (Spectrum Center in Charlotte, NC)

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Revisiting March’s UNC-Alabama Sweet 16 matchup ahead of Wednesday’s ACC-SEC Challenge

Do you remember when UNC and Alabama faced off in March’s Sweet 16 battle?

After nine months of waiting, the North Carolina Tar Heels get their long-awaited crack at revenge against the Alabama Crimson Tide on Wednesday night.

UNC (4-3) and Alabama (6-2) will face off as part of their new, highly-anticipated ACC-SEC Challenge clash. North Carolina spent Thanksgiving Week in Hawaii, where it beat Dayton before losing to Auburn and Michigan State, while the Crimson Tide lost to Oregon in the Players Era Festival title game.

Back in March, way before the UNC-Alabama ACC-SEC Challenge battle was scheduled, both teams faced off in the Sweet 16.

The top-seeded Tar Heels returned to the Big Dance behind an experienced squad, led by ACC Player of the Year RJ Davis and center Armando Bacot, while the Crimson Tide carried a deep, ultra-talented lineup led by Mark Sears and Grant Nelson.

Unfortunately for North Carolina, March’s Sweet 16 matchup ended in a disappointing, 89-87 loss.

UNC showed a troubling trend in that clash that I’ve witnessed several times recently: entering halftime with a lead, then enduring a cold spell that cost it the game. The Tar Heels were up 54-46 against Alabama, just like against Kansas in the 2022 National Title Game, then the Crimson Tide used a 43-33 second half to advance in the Big Dance.

North Carolina struggled to shoot the ball as a team against Alabama in the Sweet 16, making just 30-of-78 shots for a 38.5 percent mark.

RJ Davis struggled in particular, draining just 4-of-20 attempts – and failing to make a 3-pointer for the first time all season. UNC enjoyed an 85-84 lead with a minute left, then Jae’Lyn Withers took an ill-advised 3-point attempt the Crimson Tide rebounded – and scored on 23 seconds later.

If you’re looking at the Sweet 16 battle from an Alabama fan perspective, it was known as the Grant Nelson game. Nelson shot 6-of-9 from the field, including a 2-for-2 mark from downtown, while he made 10-of-13 free throws.

RJ and Withers are back, as is Nelson. Wednesday night in Chapel Hill is about to be a movie.

Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.

 

Notre Dame standout guard Markus Burton leaves game with knee injury

Losing him long-term would be a brutal blow to the Irish.

(This story has been updated to correct a typo.)

Disaster struck for Notre Dame only a few minutes into its Players Era Festival opener against Rutgers in Las Vegas. As standout guard [autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] drove to the basket for a short field goal, he fell down, and Scarlet Knights forward Emmanuel Ogbole landed on his knee.

Burton got up but clearly was in pain and headed for the bench, then to the locker room. When he reemerged, he was out of his uniform and in his sweatsuit with his leg elevated on a chair. It was a clear indication that he would not return to the game.

Burton was last year’s ACC Rookie of the Year and entered this game second in the ACC in scoring with 21.4 points a game. He also leads the Irish in assists (5.2), steals (1.6) and minutes (33.2).

Burton’s absence hurt the Irish’s chances against the Knights, but it could be disastrous for the team if he’s out for an extended period. Hopefully, that’s not the case. Keep reading here for any updates.

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Duke basketball star Cooper Flagg named ACC Rookie of the Week after 26-point game

Duke basketball picked up its second straight ACC Rookie of the Week award on Monday, this time given to superstar forward Cooper Flagg.

Duke basketball picked up a second straight ACC Rookie of the Week nomination when [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] picked up the award on Monday.

Flagg drew some scrutiny after two late turnovers in Tuesday’s loss to the Kentucky Wildcats, but he was the only Blue Devil to make a shot from the floor over the final 10 minutes in the 77-72 defeat. He finished that game with 26 points, his highest total so far this season, and 11 rebounds for his second straight double-double.

While Flagg only tallied eight points during Saturday’s blowout win over Wofford, he also racked up nine rebounds, six assists, three steals, and two blocks against the Terriers.

Through his first four games, Flagg is averaging 16.3 points. 9.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, 2.0 steals, and 1.8 blocks.

[autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag], another member of the vaunted 2024 recruiting class, picked up the award after the first two games of the season. The Wisconsin native, one of four five-star freshmen on the roster, led the Blue Devils in scoring after he put together 22 points in the opener against Maine and 15 points against Army.

Duke basketball freshman Kon Knueppel named ACC Rookie of the Week

Duke basketball freshman Kon Knueppel earned ACC Rookie of the Week honors on Monday after his first two collegiate games.

Duke basketball freshman [autotag]Kon Knueppel[/autotag] didn’t take long to impress the nation, and on Monday, he was declared the ACC Rookie of the Week after his first two collegiate games.

Knueppel led the Blue Devils in scoring against both Maine and Army, dropping 22 points in the opener against the Black Bears before scoring 15 more against the Black Knights. He scored 13 of the team’s first 23 points against Maine, and he’s shooting 50.0% on 3-pointers despite averaging seven attempts.

He also averaged 3.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 1.0 steals.

The Wisconsin native became a fan favorite in the offseason when every single one of his teammates called him the most impressive player from offseason workouts. CBS Sports reporter Jon Rothstein singled him out as a star when he attended a practice, and ESPN draft analyst Jonathan Givony moved him within his top 10 NBA prospects after seeing him play.

If the first two games of the season are any indication, Knueppel and teammate [autotag]Cooper Flagg[/autotag] might be passing this trophy back and forth between them all season. Flagg, the top-ranked player in the Class of 2024, finished the opening week with 15.5 points, 9.0 rebounds. 4.0 assists, 2.5 steals, and 1.5 blocks despite dealing with cramps in the second half of both games.

North Carolina Tar Heels lose to Kansas Jayhawks to drop to 1-1

The North Carolina Tar Heels lost to the Kansas Jayhawks in a wild road game on Friday night, falling to 1-1 on the year.

The North Carolina Tar Heels lost a basketball game on Friday night.

UNC went to Allen Fieldhouse to play the Kansas Jayhawks, the team that started the season atop the USA TODAY Sports Coaches Poll. The Jayhawks, led by Preseason All-American center Harris Dickinson, led by as many as 20 points in the first half before taking a 53-38 advantage to the break, but the Tar Heels dragged themselves in front with a 38-24 stretch across the majority of the second half.

Despite leading by three points with 3:52 left to play, however, UNC only scored three points the rest of the way to lose 92-89. The Tar Heels were held completely scoreless for the final two minutes.

RJ Davis, a First Team All-American last year and the Preseason ACC Player of the Year, made three of his 15 attempts from the floor and went 1/7 from 3-point range to end up with 16 points.

The Tar Heels turned the ball over 11 times as a team, giving up 16 points on the ensuing possessions, and they were outscored 50-32 in the paint.

UNC now sits 1-1 for the season, and the Blue Devils get their own battle with the Jayhawks on November 26.

Notre Dame guard Markus Burton makes ESPN preseason top 100

The Irish have a nice player.

[autotag]Markus Burton[/autotag] had quite a freshman season for Notre Dame a season ago. He was the straw that stirred a young Irish team, leading everybody in scoring, assists and steals. For his efforts, he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year and Third Team All-ACC.

Burton’s opening act for the Irish has meant greater expectations for him as a sophomore, and those haven’t gone unnoticed. He’s been named to the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which is given to the best male point guard in the country. That alone would make anyone notice.

Now, ESPN has decided he’s worthy of being called one of the best players in college basketball this season. Jeff Borzello and Myron Medcalf have assembled their list of the top 100 players in the sport entering this season. Not only has Burton cracked the list, but he’s all the way up at No. 40.

Here’s their entry for Burton:

“Burton gave ND fans a reason to smile in a 13-20 season – [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag]’s first year in South Bend. The 5-foot-11 guard, averaged 17.5 points a game as a freshman, finishing with 20 points or more in 11 games. If he can become a consistent threat from the 3-point line (30%), the all-ACC third team pick could mature into one of the expanded conference’s best players.”

We soon will see how accurate these predictions are.

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Notre Dame men’s basketball to wear green jerseys for four home games

Dress appropriately for these games.

A big deal always is made whenever the Notre Dame football team wears green jerseys. Typically, it’s reserved for a special occasion once a year. But the men’s basketball team has decided one game of green jerseys isn’t enough.

In a video released Monday, the Irish announced that they will wear green jerseys four times at Purcell Pavilion during the 2024-25 season. The video showcases [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] being asked which one of the four games his team should sport the jerseys in.

After a moment, Shrewsberry decides that Syracuse, North Carolina, Virginia Tech and Pittsburgh all need to see the jerseys when they visit South Bend.

The Irish wore green jerseys once last season, and that was a 73-61 loss to Miami. This year, they’ll stick with them of sporting them against ACC competition.

Also of note is that all of the games will be broadcast on network TV. Three of them will be on The CW, and CBS has the game against the Tar Heels. Clearly, the Irish want to look their best while playing for national audiences.

We’ll find out soon enough whether the green jerseys are lucky for the Irish.

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Three Notre Dame basketball players make point guard award watch lists

Who would you most trust to run your offense?

Even as basketball moves more and more towards a positionless game, offenses still rely heavily on their point guards. Notre Dame is blessed to have a lot of talent up top for both the men’s and women’s teams. People nationwide are starting to take notice, too.

For the past two years, one of [autotag]Olivia Miles[/autotag] or [autotag]Hannah Hidalgo[/autotag] has been running the Irish’s offense and done very well at it. Now, they finally will join forces for the first time this season, and there might not be a backcourt in women’s basketball that can compete with it.

So it should come as no surprise that both Miles and Hidalgo have been named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List. If either of them wins this award, which is given to the top female point guard in the country, they would be the second player in Irish history to win this award after [autotag]Skylar Diggins[/autotag] in 2012 and 2013:

On the men’s side, Markus Burton is trying to build up a campaign in which he was named the ACC Rookie of the Year. The Mishawaka native is off to a good start by being named to the watch list for the Bob Cousy Award, which is awarded to the best male point guard in the country. He would be the first Irish player to win it:

Point guards are not in short supply at Notre Dame. We can say at least that much when it comes to basketball.

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