Tag: Duke

Kansas and Duke didn’t wait on the NCAA to make their decisions about the tournament

Decision made.

The sports world’s reaction to the coronavirus pandemic has been fluid and seemingly changing by the minute. What was initially going to go forward as events being held behind closed doors has turned into mass cancellations and postponements.

In college basketball, specifically, the major conferences canceled their tournaments on Thursday, pointing to the likely cancellation of the NCAA tournament.

Well, two of the tournament’s leading contenders weren’t going to wait on the NCAA to make a decision. Kansas and Duke have decided to not participate in the NCAA tournament should it even go forward. In separate statements, Kansas — the unanimous No. 1 team in the country — announced that it would be suspending all athletic-related travel indefinitely.

Duke Athletics also suspended all sports indefinitely.

It’s also important to note that Duke athletic director Kevin White is on the chair of the NCAA Tournament committee — a sign that March Madness’ cancellation is inevitable.

Arizona State — another tournament team — also suspended its athletic activities.

While it’s unclear exactly where the NCAA stands, these schools are acting independently in the absence of the NCAA’s decision. And honestly, it’s difficult to see how the NCAA tournament goes forward without Duke and Kansas.

These schools are taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously. Let’s hope the NCAA follows suit.

Update: Kansas has not ruled out participating in the NCAA tournament despite its statement.

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ACC Issues Statement on Conference Tournament

My professional advice: wash your hands, be smart and don’t panic and you’ll probably be fine.

The 2020 ACC Tournament gets started tonight in Greensboro, North Carolina and despite other athletic associations changing their plans and playing in empty venues or cancelling games altogether, the ACC will stay the course with this week’s tournament.

Mostly, anyway.

Tuesday afternoon the ACC issued the following statement:

“After consultation with local and state health authorities, including the Governor and his medical staff, the Atlantic Coast Conference will hold its men’s basketball tournament as scheduled this week at the Greensboro Coliseum. As was outlined by the Governor during his press conference, high-risk individuals are discouraged from attending mass gatherings. We will continue to take precautionary measures and follow the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In addition, the league and the Greensboro Coliseum are taking additional proactive measures to provide a safe and clean environment for its institutions and fans.
The below proactive and response measures are currently in place:
  • Frequent cleaning and sanitizing of common areas, restrooms, concessions stands, media areas, team areas;
  • Increasing the number of hand-sanitizer stations throughout FanFest and the concourse;
  • Posting and distributing the CDC “Stop the Spread of Germs” information to ensure all fans are aware as they enter and move about the building;
  • Emergency Medical Services will be on scene for any medical concerns that arise.
As an extra precaution, postgame media availability will be altered for this year’s tournament. In an effort to secure the team locker rooms for the players, coaches and essential team personnel, the postgame media access will take place in the Odeon Theatre, with additional player availability in secured areas designated by the league office.”
So pretty much the ACC:

 

Encourages everyone to wash their hands which we’re learning by the day is a very forward thinking concept.

And like pretty much every other sports league they’re keeping the media out of the locker room, something I have trouble understanding becuase if you’re playing in front of thousands, what is it to stand closely to another 20 or so media members?

My professional advice: wash your hands, be smart and don’t panic and you’ll probably be fine.

DISCLAIMER: I am not a medical professional, nor do I play one on TV.

John Mooney Reps Notre Dame on All-ACC First Team

Notre Dame is hoping against hope that it can win the ACC tournament and punch a ticket to the Big Dance.

Notre Dame is hoping against hope that it can win the ACC tournament and punch a ticket to the Big Dance. For the moment, however, it can celebrate the most reliable member of its program.

John Mooney has been named to this year’s All-ACC First Team, joining Bonzie Colson (2015) and Jerian Grant (2017) as the only student-athletes to earn that honor since the Irish joined the conference. He’s also the second Irish player after Pat Connaughton to make an all-conference team in consecutive seasons. Seventeen Notre Dame players have made all-conference between the ACC and Big East.

During the regular season, Mooney averaged 16.5 points and a conference-high 12.8 rebounds a game while achieving a record 16 double-doubles in 20 ACC games. He received 351 votes for the all-conference team, the third-highest total for anyone. He also finished third in voting for ACC Player of the Year. That honor went to fellow all-conference first-team member Tre Jones of Duke.

ACC Tournament: Betting Odds

The most interesting bet on the board to me is Louisville at +340.

Tuesday night kicks off the 2020 ACC Tournament from Greensboro, North Carolina.  The four top seeds; Florida State, Virginia, Louisville and Duke all get a bye into the quarterfinals that begin Thursday but odds are out for all 14 ACC schools.

Per BetMGM, top-seeded Florida State enters the tournament as a +200 betting favorite.  For the inexperienced gamblers, that simply means for every dollar you risk betting Florida State to win it all, you’ll be rewarded with two dollars in winnings.  For instance – a ten dollar bet on Florida State would pay $30 ($20 in winnings and your $10 bet back).  Keep that in mind for the rest of the odds.

Duke may enter the tournament with the fourth seed but has the second best odds of winning at +240.  No. 3 Louisville (+340) and No.4 Virginia (+700) round out the teams with byes through the first and second rounds.

From there odds drop significantly as you’ll find No. 5 North Carolina State at +2500 while No. 6 Syracuse and No. 8 Clemson both pay +3300 odds.  After that is finally where you’ll find No. 7 Notre Dame at +4000 or 40-1 odds.

No. 14 North Carolina checks in at +5500 before No. 9 Miami and No. 13 Wake Forest at +10000.  No. 11 Virginia Tech has the second longest odds at +15000 while Notre Dame’s first round opponent, No. 10 Boston College has the longest odds on the board at +20000.

Odds via BetMGM. Access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated 2/8 at 8:30 p.m. ET.

The most interesting bet on the board to me is Louisville at +340.  They dropped two of their final three regular season contests and three of their final six but find themselves with plenty of talent and on the other side of the bracket than both Florida State and Duke, instead having a very-beatable despite good Virginia team on their side.

Want to get in on the action? Place your bet now at BetMGM.” 

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

ACC Tournament Bracket Set

The ACC regular season has come to a close and the transition to college basketball’s postseason now begins. Find out who and when your squad is playing here!

The ACC regular season has come to a close and the transition to college basketball’s postseason now begins. For Notre Dame that means the ACC Tournament which gets started in Greensboro, North Carolina on Tuesday.

In beating Virginia Tech on Saturday, Notre Dame locked up a 10-10 ACC record and seventh place conference finish. They get a first round bye as a result and will play No. 10 Boston College on Wednesday night as tip-off is set for 7 p.m. ET.

If Notre Dame wins that they will play No. 2 Virginia on Thursday night at 7 p.m. and the winner of that contest will play the winner of the No. 2 Louisville, No. 6 Syracuse, No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 14 North Carolina pod.

No. 1 Florida State and No. 4 Duke sit on the other side of the bracket.

Early impressions from me are that this is as good of a draw as Notre Dame could hope for. A Boston College team they should beat, a seconded-seeded Virginia squad they should have beat on the road earlier this season and then a potential semi-final draw that wouldn’t be against the only team to really run them out of the gym in an ACC contest this year.

March Madness is upon us. Here’s to hoping for a nice run into maybe Friday night for Mike Brey and the Fighting Irish.

Who has the most NCAA women’s golf team championships?

The following list gives a picture of the top women’s golf teams in terms of NCAA Women’s Championship titles won.

There are very few “dynasties” in women’s college golf. When it comes to national championships, however, one thing is certain: The addition of match play at the NCAA Women’s Championship in 2015 brings more teams into the mix.

The following list gives a picture of the top teams’ postseason prowess. Arizona State and Duke, with eight and seven national titles, respectively, top the list.

The NCAA only documents national champions since the 1982 season. Beginning in 1971, the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women governed women’s college athletics and administered the national championship. The AIAW, as it was known, discontinued sponsorship of national championships after the 1981-82 academic year and was later dissolved. Before the AIAW’s formation, the Division for Girls’ and Women’s Sports organized women’s intercollegiate championships.

The following list mentions AIAW titles, when they are notable, but only NCAA titles make up each school’s official championship count for the purposes of this list.

Arizona State

Number of titles: Eight

Years won: 2017, 2009, 1998, 1997, 1995, 1994, 1993, 1990 (plus the 1975 AIAW)

Notable past players: Joanne Carner, Heather Farr, Danielle Ammaccapane, Pearl Sinn, Amy Fruhwirth, Brandie Burton, Emilee Klein, Grace Park, Anna Nordqvist, Azahara Munoz

There’s no doubt that a perfect golf formula is at work at Arizona State, from great courses to phenomenal weather to alumni support that’s both deep and visible. A strong Sun Devil history dates all the way to the 1950s when JoAnne (Gunderson) Carner became the first American woman to earn a college golf scholarship and was the first Sun Devil national champ in 1960 (though that pre-dates the NCAA). An enormous amount of credit, however, goes to Linda Vollstedt, a brilliant coach who transformed the program in the 1980s and ’90s.

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Duke at Virginia college basketball odds, picks and best bets

Analyzing Saturday’s Duke at Virginia matchup, with college basketball odds, picks and best bets

The Duke Blue Devils (23-5, 13-4 ACC) run with the Virginia Cavaliers (20-7, 12-5 ACC) at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville at 6 p.m. ET Saturday. We analyze the Duke-Virginia odds and betting lines, while providing college basketball betting tips and advice on this matchup.

The Blue Devils are the No. 7 team in the recently released USA TODAY Sports men’s basketball coaches poll.

Duke at Virginia: Three things you need to know

1. The Blue Devils are coming off a 113-101 double-overtime loss at Wake Forest last time out, and they’re just 2-5 ATS across the past seven games overall with the Over hitting in four straight.

2. Duke ranks second in the nation with 83.3 points per game (PPG), while Virginia is No. 1 in the country with just 52.7 PPG allowed and No. 2 in the nation in field-goal percentage allowed (37.2%).

3. Virginia enters play 3-0-1 ATS across the past four outings, and the Hoos are 8-1 SU over the previous nine.

Get some action on this game or others by placing a bet at BetMGM!

Duke at Virginia: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated at 6:20 a.m. ET.

Prediction

Duke 66, Virginia 59

Moneyline (ML)

DUKE (-167) heads into this one looking to bounce back after a tough loss at Wake Forest. They’ve had several days to rest after being on the short end of a double-overtime thriller. Virginia (+135) has struggled against the top-flight teams. While they’ve pieced together a nice win streak lately, the Blue Devils are the better bet to bounce back.

New to sports betting? A $10 wager on the Blue Devils returns a $6 profit. A wager of $10 on the Cavaliers returns a profit of $13.50.

Against the Spread (ATS)

DUKE (-3.5, -106) is in good shape for this one if you go by the series trends. The road team is an impressive 21-5-1 ATS across the past 27 meetings in this series. Virginia (+3.5, -115) has that grinding style and suffocating defense, but if the Blue Devils start to run wild, it’s doubtful the Cavs have enough to hang with them. UVA will need to dictate the style early to have a chance.

Over/Under (O/U)

AVOID. Duke is a good Over bet usually, and Virginia has been a consistent Under bet all season. This one is likely to be right on the number, even if UVA gives up a little more than they usually do. The total 124.5 is just too risky for this game.

Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Drew Lock gets advice from Peyton Manning about offseason workouts with WRs

Broncos quarterback Drew Lock spoke with Peyton Manning about organizing offseason workouts with his wide receivers.

Peyton Manning is continuing to help groom Drew Lock.

The Broncos’ second-year quarterback recently had a 90-minute phone conversation with Manning about topics including what film to watch in the offseason, “when to start throwing [and] when to try and get the receivers together,” according to 104.3 The Fan’s Brandon Stokley.

Stokley is a former NFL wide receiver who played with Manning from 2003-2006 (with the Colts) and again in 2012 (with the Broncos). Stokley is one of Manning’s good friends so he’s a reliable source when it comes to something like this.

During his playing days, Manning would take his wide receivers (and some tight ends and running backs) to Duke for offseason workouts. It sounds like Lock plans to follow in Manning’s footsteps and organize some workouts with his teammates this offseason.

Manning has demonstrated a willingness to help Lock any way he can.

“[I] try to be there as a resource,” Manning told Stokley during an interview in January. “If I can help him, I’m certainly happy to try.”

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USA TODAY’s Latest Bracketology Not Giving Up on Notre Dame Yet

One outlet that hasn’t given up on Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament chances quite yet is the USA TODAY.

After the then No. 7 Duke Blue Devils dismantled Notre Dame on Saturday afternoon I think most Fighting Irish fans who hadn’t already, began coming to grips that this team is probably headed to the NIT.

Considering the injuries, departures and lack of a bench that’s not a terrible accomplishment.  Obviously the goals are stated higher than that but all things considered this has been an impressive team in terms of what they’ve accomplished despite often being over-matched in talent.

One outlet that hasn’t given up on Notre Dame’s NCAA Tournament chances quite yet is the USA TODAY.

The outlet released their latest “Bracketology” on Monday and Notre Dame isn’t even listed on “life support” for their chances yet.  They’re still listed in the category “Others considered for at-large bid”.

I’m a little surprised but there is still a lot ahead for Notre Dame.  Most importantly that begins in a couple of hours when a poor North Carolina teams comes to town in an absolute must-win for the Fighting Irish.

Following the Tar Heels tonight are dates with Miami, Boston College and Wake Forest which are all very winnable before a tough one on March 4 when Florida State visits South Bend.  The regular season concludes March 7 then as the Irish host Virginia Tech.

IF – and I can’t state that enough – IF — Notre Dame has a strong showing of at least 4-2 and more likely 5-1 in these next six, they’ll perhaps finish above .500 in conference play and approach the 20 win mark if not surpass it with an alright showing in the ACC Tournament.

This isn’t a team that’s by any means built to go on a deep tournament run and heck, it’s going to still take a lot of work to get there, but sign me up for even still being seen as having a chance at this point because I didn’t think there was a snowball’s chance in hell of that a few short weeks ago.

Now go beat Carolina.

Notre Dame Basketball: Playing Crummy Carolina

After getting blown out at No. 7 Duke on Saturday, Notre Dame will return home for Presidents’ Day and battle the other blue-colored school from the Old North State: North Carolina. The Irish (15-10, 6-8) already battled the Tar Heels (10-15, 3-11) …

After getting blown out at No. 7 Duke on Saturday, Notre Dame will return home for Presidents’ Day and battle the other blue-colored school from the Old North State: North Carolina. The Irish (15-10, 6-8) already battled the Tar Heels (10-15, 3-11) during the season opener and lost, 76-65. Since then, the normally formidable Carolina program has struggled even more than the Irish, so this could be a much-needed reprieve.

Notre Dame has not defeated North Carolina since 2016. To break the skid, it will have to do so on one day of rest and at the end of a challenging stretch. It not only included the landslide loss to the Blue Devils, but also a close overtime defeat to Virginia that was preceded by a win over Clemson.

Juwan Durham will be the player to watch after scoring a career-high 21 points over Duke. It was the first time he has reached the 20-point mark during his career. He is averaging 11.5 points over his past four games while shooting 74 percent from the field.