THE ATLANTIC COAST CONFERENCE THREAD

No.14 UNC escapes scare from Davidson in overtime

North Carolina endured an emotionally volatile week packed with a big win, a frustrating loss as well as the mixed outcome to the program's long wait to learn the status of two players ensnared by NCAA troubles.

The No. 14 Tar Heels capped it all with a tough win, from surviving a potential winning 3-pointer from a shooter having a career day to reversing their season-long struggles at the foul line in overtime.

Marcus Paige scored 11 of his 17 points in the extra period to help North Carolina beat Davidson 97-85 on Saturday in the team's final game before the Christmas holiday.

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Florida State hands UMass 1st loss after controversial call

Confronted with twin-tower defenders, Massachusetts needed to shoot well from the perimeter Saturday, and couldn't do it.

The 22nd-ranked Minutemen went 1 for 15 from 3-point range and were beaten for the first time this season when Florida State scored the game's final six points to win 60-55 in the Orange Bowl Classic.

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Joel James to miss 2 weeks

North Carolina starting center Joel James is expected to miss about two weeks with a right knee injury.

James was hurt on the first play of Wednesday's loss to Texas. He went down in a crowd while going for a rebound and left the game.

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Notre Dame loses leading scorer

Notre Dame will be without leading scorer Jerian Grant for the rest of the season because of an "academic matter," the guard wrote in a note Sunday night on the team's website.

In a 400-plus-word letter, Grant, who averages 19 points per game for the 8-4 Fighting Irish, said that he is no longer enrolled in school "due to an academic manner that [he] did not handle properly" and that, as a result, he is no longer a member of the basketball program.

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey said Grant's loss might be the biggest he's faced in his 14 seasons as the Irish head into ACC play for the first time.

Read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...-irish-leading-scorer-jerian-grant-leave-team

 

James Michael McAdoo, No. 19 UNC cruise by Northern Kentucky

Roy Williams wanted to make his players run sprints at halftime. The North Carolina coach settled for switching some of them to start the second half.

James Michael McAdoo scored 12 of his 14 points after halftime to help No. 19 North Carolina beat Northern Kentucky 75-60 in a lackluster effort Friday night.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400499121

 

Clemson's Devin Coleman to transfer

Clemson reserve guard Devin Coleman is leaving the basketball team and will transfer.

Coach Brad Brownell announced the decision Saturday. Coleman is the third of five players of Brownell's first true recruiting class to leave since signing before the 2011-12 season.

read more http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...9/clemson-tigers-guard-devin-coleman-transfer

 

No. 2 Syracuse beats No. 8 Villanova in battle of unbeaten teams

-- Jim Boeheim stared up in frustration at the Carrier Dome scoreboard, his No. 2 Orange in big trouble against eighth-ranked Villanova.

The Wildcats had started Saturday's game by hitting four straight 3-pointers -- three swishes by James Bell and another by Darrun Hilliard -- and led 25-7 midway through the first half after a dunk by Josh Hart.

Syracuse struggled to create open looks and went nearly 4 minutes without a basket as the Wildcats looked exactly like the team that had already beaten two ranked teams.

"There was no indication we were going to get going," Boeheim said.

If the Orange were frazzled by their largest deficit of the season, it never showed. They responded with a 20-0 run over the next 5 minutes to take their first lead and never trailed again, winning 78-62 in a game between two of nine unbeaten teams left in Division I.

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Jabari Parker scores 23 points as Duke rolls Eastern Michigan

Andre Dawkins stepped right in for Rodney Hood -- first in the Duke starting lineup, then in the box score.

Dawkins had season highs of 20 points and six 3-pointers in the ninth-ranked Blue Devils' 82-59 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday.

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Jerami Grant lifts No. 2 Syracuse to win in first start of season

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim said he was worried about facing a team coached by one of his former assistants and that employs his signature zone defense. Jerami Grant helped ease those nerves in a hurry.

Making his first start of the season and 10th of his career, the sophomore forward scored 11 points in the first 7 minutes as the No. 2 Orange built an early 20-point lead and beat Eastern Michigan 70-48 on Tuesday in the final nonconference game for both teams.

It was a far cry from Saturday, when Syracuse trailed then-No. 8 Villanova 25-7 before rallying for a 78-62 victory.

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Dawkins leads No. 7 Duke past Elon, 86-48

No. 7 Duke proved it's anything but a one-man show. These Blue Devils showed they also can win rather easily when they spread the scoring around.

Duke routed Elon 86-48 on Tuesday despite not producing a 20-point scorer for the first time this season.

Read moe http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400502762

 

No. 19 Tar Heels beat Seahawks 84-51

North Carolina has beaten three highly ranked teams, lost to three unranked ones and played through uncertainty about the status of two players during an eventful non-conference schedule.

Now the 19th-ranked Tar Heels can focus on the start of Atlantic Coast Conference play.

James Michael McAdoo had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help North Carolina beat UNC Wilmington 84-51 on Tuesday night to become the third program to reach 2,100 victories.

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No. 2 Syracuse uses late rally to beat Miami in ACC opener

Jim Boeheim won his first game in the Atlantic Coast Conference. He likely won't rest easy any time soon, though.

C.J. Fair scored 15 points, including the go-ahead basket with 4:16 to go, and No. 2 Syracuse rallied late to beat Miami 49-44 on Saturday in the Orange's ACC debut.

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Notre Dame upends No. 7 Duke in ACC debut to regain swagger

Notre Dame sent quite the message in its Atlantic Coast Conference debut.

Eric Atkins scored 19 points, Pat Connaughton had 16 and the Fighting Irish upset No. 7 Duke 79-77 on Saturday.

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No. 12 Florida rallies, escapes for win over Richmond

Michael Frazier II got Florida going with a few 3-pointers.

His senior teammates took it from there, rallying the 12th-ranked Gators to a 67-58 victory over Richmond on Saturday.

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Wake Forest surprises No. 19 UNC in first ACC game

Jeff Bzdelik has spent the past three-plus seasons doing a slow-but-steady building job at Wake Forest. His Demon Deacons look like they're growing up a bit with another win against a ranked opponent -- not to mention Bzdelik's first against Roy Williams and North Carolina.

Travis McKie scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half to help the Demon Deacons beat the 19th-ranked Tar Heels 73-67 on Sunday in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener for both teams.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400502774

 

Orange pull away from Va. Tech in 2nd half

Tyler Ennis was standing at the top of the key when he suddenly found himself wide open, and as the small but suddenly energized crowd at Cassell Coliseum looked on, he swished a 3-pointer, one of his three in the game.

Ennis' shot set off of a 16-0 run that silenced the crowd and helped No. 2 Syracuse to a 72-52 victory over Virginia Tech on Tuesday night.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400502778

 

Rodney Hood scores 27 as No. 16 Duke bounces back

Hood scored 15 of his 27 points in the second half of Duke's 79-57 victory over Georgia Tech on Tuesday night.

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No. 2 Syracuse cruises past floundering UNC

- When James Michael McAdoo gave North Carolina an early boost against No. 2 Syracuse, the Tar Heels seemed ready to escape from their recent funk. The Orange defense had other ideas.

Deflecting passes and diving for loose balls all over the court, Syracuse beat North Carolina 57-45 on Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference marquee matchup as forwards C.J. Fair and Jerami Grant combined for 32 points and 20 rebounds.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400502782

 

K.J. McDaniels, Clemson upset No. 16 Duke

Jaron Blossomgame feels he's finally ready to make an impact for Clemson. Beating No. 16 Duke was a great way to start.

Blossomgame had career highs of 14 points and 14 rebounds, plus hit two critical 3-pointers to move the Tigers in front for a 72-59 win Saturday, sending the Blue Devils to their first 1-2 Atlantic Coast Conference start in seven years.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400502786

 

No. 2 Syracuse pulls away from pesky Boston College

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim has seen this from his team already this season, so it didn't come as a surprise. The second-ranked Orange followed some lackluster play with a dominating stretch.

Trevor Cooney scored 21 points, Jerami Grant added 16 and unbeaten Syracuse fought off pesky Boston College for a 69-59 victory Monday night.

Read more http://scores.espn.go.com/ncb/recap?gameId=400502790