It's Wednesday and it's still hasn't stopped snowing in sunny Northeast Ohio. But it's not exactly warm anywhere else. The ACC continued their woeful track record in bowl games, but it is time to turn the page and focus on ACC play. And what better way than with some links!
ACC picture coming into focus - CharlotteObserver.com
"We're all trying to position ourselves for the tournament," Wake coach Dino Gaudio said. "All we can do is win as many games as we can."
No Freebies: Missed free throws have turned into an expensive problem for Smith, Deacons
"I'm not worried about them, and I know for me to become one of the best point guards in the country, I've got to knock those down," Smith said. "I think God has blessed me with some talent, but to become upper echelon where I want to be, I've got to knock those down. "It's no pressure. I'm just really going up there to knock them down, and I think there's going to be a snowball effect."
From Old Virginia: abbreviated ACC preview, part 2
Wake Forest Where they were picked: 5th We play them: Twice How they've done: So remember when I said it wasn't actually that funny that Maryland lost to W&M? This is why. W&M's pretty good. Them and Purdue (also really good) are the spots on Wake's record. Gonzaga is the skin on the wall - not bad. Wake is going to have to work at it to get an NCAA bid, but if they get there, it shouldn't surprise. Fortunately for us, three-point shooting isn't in Wake's arsenal, either. Unfortunately, Al-Farouq Aminu is. Wake is a big, tall team, they shoot for high percentages, and their bigness causes opposing teams to miss a lot of shots. We, on the other hand, have to use Jerome Meyinsse as a center. This is not a team we want to play twice.
"Too Early" All-ACC Team " Big Duke Balls
F – Al-Farouq Aminu (Wake Forest) If the player of the year isn’t Scheyer, then it’s Aminu. He has stepped beautifully into the lead role for Wake. He is fifth in scoring and first in rebounds, averaging a double-double (17.4/11.5). Against Xavier, he played 41 minutes and dominated with 26 points and 18 boards. If I had to nitpick, he’s turning the ball over way too much for a non-guard (3.2 per game) and he needs to get his shooting percentage above 50%. Currently he’s hovering around 47%, but that has a lot to do with the amount of three’s he’s shooting. He’s 9-28 from three. Last year he took only 39 all season long.Take away those threes and he’s hitting a respectable 53% from two.
The Hawks need a wall puncher. - Peachtree Hoops
If Jeff Teague cannot crack four minutes in a blowout where Bibby starts the game in foul trouble, two things are clear 1. Jeff is out of the rotation and 2. the Woody haters again have the unknown as ammunition against the coach.
Would Skip Prosser have wanted Wake Forest to play Xavier? - The Dagger - NCAAB Blog - Yahoo! Sports
Gaudio recognizes Wake Forest owes Xavier a game in Cincinnati next year. But his idea is, starting in the 2010-11 season, to make the event a doubleheader in which the Deacons play a team from Xavier's home area such as Cincinnati or Ohio State and the Musketeers play a team from this neck of the woods, maybe somebody like North Carolina, N.C. State or Duke. It's a great idea. Most importantly, "it's what the redhead would have wanted," Gaudio said.
Al-Farouq Aminu Named to Wooden Award Midseason List - WAKE FOREST OFFICIAL ATHLETIC SITE
Wake Forest sophomore forward Al-Farouq Aminu has been named one of 30 midseason candidates for the 2009-10 John R. Wooden Award, which goes annually to college basketball's top player.
Homecoming: Chris Paul - At The Hive
Earlier tonight, ESPN aired an episode of "Homecoming with Rick Reilly" featuring Chris Paul. The segment was filmed in Wait Chapel on Wake Forest's campus... and it was obviously filmed before mid-November, because Byron Scott was in the audience and actually called upon to answer a few questions.
Panthers sign 4 - CharlotteObserver.com
The Panthers signed four players for next season, including former Appalachian State receiver Dexter Jackson and former Wake Forest center Steve Justice.
As Chippewas prep for Troy, coaching search goes on - The Morning Sun Sports
Of the outside candidates, the search has come down to a final four in Steed Lobotzke (Wake Forest offensive coordinator), Curt Mallory (Illinois defensive backs coach), Dan Enos (Michigan State running backs coach), and Scot Loeffler (Florida quarterbacks coach). Lobotzke has coached the last nine years with the Demon Deacons, working as offensive coordinator since 2003. Lobotzke has also been an assistant coach at Ohio University, and a graduate assistant at Air Force. He earned two letters as a football player at Air Force.
Vance's Rankin works through pain - CharlotteObserver.com
"I think my guys are quick," Jolly said, shaking his head after his team stopped Vance 72-68 on the road Tuesday, "but you get them out there with him and he's got that extra burst that makes him the caliber of player that he is.
Xcellent 25 Boys Basketball Rankings: Paterson Catholic jumps to No. 7 - MaxPreps News
18. (NR) Neumann-Goretti (Philadelphia, Pa.), 5-1 Behind the play of Division I-bound guards Tony Chennault (Wake Forest) and Tyreek Duran (LaSalle), the Saints beat Kaimuki (Honolulu, Hawaii), Kinston (N.C.) and Montrose Christian (Rockville, Md.) to reach the finals of the Iolani Classic. Neumann-Goretti took unbeaten Yates to the wire before losing 97-96. Chennault and Duran combined for 48 points in the championship game.
Baker's Garcia signs, heads to Wake Forest - NBC-2.com WBBH News for Fort Myers, Cape Coral & Naples, Florida
Garcia won't be around for National signing day February 3rd, so his school gave him a ceremonial send-off today. He went straight from the assembly to the highway, headed off to begin college. "I'm gonna go up today and get set, hang out with my family a couple days. I move into my dorm on Friday and then, Monday, I start college," Garcia said.
Basketball Prospectus | Articles | Around the Rim: Top 25
20.Wake Forest Record:11-2 Season-opening ranking:NR Wins:Oral Roberts, East Carolina, High Point, Winston-Salem State, Gonzaga, Elon, North Carolina Wilmington, North Carolina State, North Carolina Greensboro, Richmond, Xavier. Losses:William & Mary, Purdue. This week:at Miami (Fla.) on Saturday.