Conf Season in Full Swing

NC State 87 - Georgia Tech 78
Game Recap
My Thoughts....
-NC State has 4 guys who can light it up from the outside (Atsur, Bethel, Evtimov, Bennerman). If these guys get a good look, it is almost like a free throw for them.

-Looked like it would be a blowout early, but Georgia Tech turned up the defensive intensity and tied the game by the halfway point in the first half.

-Despite shooting 15/18 in the first 13 minutes, the Yellow Jackets could only stay even with the long range shooting of NC State.

-GT's Zam Frederick is improving on his PG skills each game. But he took 13 shots, second most on the team. He still has a ways to go, but has made strides (only 2 turnovers).

-NC State struggled to get back on defense. This is why they lost to a fast UNC team a week ago. With 2 minutes left, only up by 7, and with a 50% FT shooter (Simmons) at the line they decided to send everyone back to protect against a fast break.

-Georgia Tech struggled getting off of screens defensively. This created 27 three point pportunities for State, which they hit 13.

-Both teams played pretty well offensively (only 20 turnovers total), NC State just out shot Georgia Tech (54 % vs 52 %).

-NC State looks like the second best team in the conference right now and the only one able to challenge Duke for the title.

Alabama 68 Kentucky 64
Game Recap
-Down the stretch Kentucky's offensive woes were painfully evident. Rondo was unware of the shot clock winding down and was forced to take a fall away three-this was after a timeout too.

-Every shot the Wildcats took down the stretch (last 2 min) was a three pointer outside of a tipback attempt. Why do you put the game on three pointers when you are shooting about 20% for the season?

-The loser of the game was going to have an uphill climb at the NCAA Tournament. The winner of this challenge is Kentucky.

-So why is Kentucky struggling so much? Check back in a couple of days for a capsule of what has gone wrong.

Miami 81 UNC 70
Game Recap
-Miami matched UNC and then some in the athleticism department.

-I thought the intentional foul (bogus IMO) on the layup attempt by Hansbourgh with about 5 minutes to go and the game tied was going to be a turning point. Hit the two free throws, but then turned it over. Miami really dominated from this point on.
-The turnover bug contintued to kill UNC (16 today)

-Hansborough did have 25 points and continues to play very strong in the paint.