CHARLOTTE, N.C. — All six teams who played in the first round of the ACC Tournament struggled to make any shots from three. On Day Two, four winning teams were able to make the long-range shots.
There was no overtime needed or extra fireworks during regulation, but four teams advanced to the quarterfinals round to face the top four seeds in the tournament.
Here’s a quick look at how the second day of the ACC Tournament went down.
Game 5: No. 8 Georgia Tech 66, No. 9 Virginia 60
The rubber match that started off the second day of the tournament included five ties and four lead changes, Georgia Tech weathered a second half Virginia push to advance to the quarterfinals.
Isaac McKneely led the Cavaliers with 27 points, going 7-for-11 from long distance. His efforts helped put Virginia within striking distance in the final five minutes, until Duncan Powell and Naithan George pushed the Yellow Jackets over the top.
Baye Ndongo recorded the game’s only double-double, scoring 16 points and 10 rebounds. George was just behind Ndongo, recording nine rebounds while Powell scored a team-high 21 points with three rebounds.
George also had a game-high eight assists in the win.
“Having these guys around me, they make it easy, as well,” George said. “Really just playing the right way is kind of what I emphasized in the playoff.”
The Yellow Jackets finally created enough separation from the Cavaliers with an 8-0 run with seven minutes to play.
Takeaway: Ron Sanchez didn’t get the gig
Just a few hours after the Yellow Jackets booked their ticket to the quarterfinals, UVA Athletics announced that interim head coach Ron Sanchez didn’t earn the full-time head coaching gig.
Sanchez took over the Cavaliers’ program after former head coach Tony Bennett announced his retirement three weeks before the season began. Sanchez is the second head coach to leave Spectrum Center and not retain his job title, after Florida State’s loss to Syracuse ending Leonard Hamilton’s career with the Seminoles.
The Cavaliers’ Director of Athletics, Carla Williams, said in a statement that she’s grateful to Sanchez for taking over the program in the midst of a “critical time for the program,” and that he helped provide an additional level of security after Bennet’s departure.
Sanchez made the argument to become the head coach during his postgame press conference.
“I have enough experience with me,” he said. “Whatever job I get, I take, I’m going to do a good job.”
Game 6: No. 5 North Carolina 76, No. 12 Notre Dame 56
The Jae’Lyn Withers show was on full display.
The Charlotte-native and former Louisville Cardinal scored a game-high 21 points, all by triples. He was 7-for-10 from beyond the arc, setting a program record in the ACC Tournament for most made three-pointers in a single game.
The last time a Tar Heel recorded seven triples was RJ Davis, who did so against Miami last season.
North Carolina’s Withers, Davis and Ven-Allen Lubin scored a combined 51 points and 17 rebounds. Lubin recorded his second double-double of the season, with 17 points and 10 rebounds. Withers was just one rebound away from a double-double, too.
Markus Burton was the only player for Notre Dame to reach double figures, recording 11 points in the season-ending loss. Both of Notre Dame’s games, Burton’s scored half of his points per game average.
“Markus is a great scorer because he can score from all three levels,” Tar Heel head coach Hubert Davis said. “He can get fouled, get to the free-throw line. He can go either direction. But I thought Drake (Powell)’s length bothered him and made him work a little bit harder than usual.”
Takeaway: The Tar Heels can make a statement
North Carolina has hovered around the bubble to make the NCAA Tournament all season long. Since falling to Clemson back in Feb. 10, the Tar Heels have won seven of their last eight games. Their head coach has made the right adjustments, and it’s helped North Carolina put together a late-season resume booster.
But a loss to Wake Forest would ruin that entire push.
North Carolina is still 1-11 in Quad 1 games this season, a record that has severely stumped its at-large chances. A win over the Demon Deacons would significantly help the Tar Heels’ at-large chances. Davis has mixed around North Carolina’s starting lineup to include Withers, Lubin and Drake Powell, allowing the team to shoot more threes. It’s worked.
“I think our rebounding numbers have grown a lot over the last month, month and a half,” Davis said on how the lineup changes have impacted the Tar Heels. “We’re driving, and I think you saw in this game we’re not settling for the good shot. We’re making the extra pass to the great shot.”
Game 7: No. 7 Stanford 78, No. 15 California 73
Bringing the West Coast to the East Coast, Stanford and California provided a glimpse the first true glimpse at what a postseason rivalry game looks like in the ACC.
Andrej Stojakovic scored a game-high 37 points, with teammate DJ Campbell recording a double-double (19 points and 10 rebounds). Mady Sissoko was the other Golden Bear to record double digits, picking up 11 points.
But it was Stanford star forward Maxime Raynaud that sealed the Cardinals win over the Golden Bears. Recording 23 points and eight rebounds, Raynaud exploited California’s inability to guard the three-point line throughout the second half.
Stanford’s game-changing run to end the first half allowed the Cardinals to grab momentum before the break. California wasn’t relinquishing the lead that easily, leading to 14 lead changes throughout the game.
Finally, Stanford put together a 7-2 run in the final seconds to secure a season sweep over California and secure a spot in the quarterfinals round.
Takeaway: Watch out for the Golden Bears next season
Although California didn’t stay in Charlotte as long as it would have liked, the Golden Bears made an instant impact on their future in the ACC.
They became the second-ever team to play two games as the No. 15 seed, they played six overtimes between the regular season finale and the tournament opener, and took their in-state rival to the wire on the second day. Stojakovic scored a combined 66 points in his two tournament games.
California forward Rytis Petraitis said he didn’t believe the Golden Bears should’ve been the 15 seed. Their record placed them there, but Petraitis’ squad provided ample evidence for his case.
“The spirit of fight is something that we’ve never lacked in this locker room,” California head coach Mark Madsen said. “It’s a reflection of our leadership, of the players. Mady Sissoko, Jovan Blacksher, Christian Tucker, and it’s a reflection of every player we have in the program. That is going to be a mainstay and a pillar and a core value going forward at Cal.”
Game 8: No. 6 SMU 73, No. 14 Syracuse 53
The Orange started off with a plethora of momentum, taking an early two possession lead over SMU. But a strong performance by Chuck Harris and Matt Cross, both of whom scored 12 points, quickly dismantled Syracuse’s game plan.
Syracuse wound up in foul trouble early, with three starters picking up two fouls well before the end of the firs half. The Orange’s energy dissipated shortly after, leaving SMU with the ability to cruise to a quarterfinals win.
SMU’s defense held Syracuse well below 40% from the floor and allowed just six triples from the Orange. Meanwhile, the Mustangs shot 53% from the floor and made half their triples. And even though he didn’t score as much, Samet Yigitoglu’s frame prevented Syracuse from scoring in the paint consistently.
Eddie Lampkin Jr., Syracuse’s leading forward, was held to just five points and 10 rebounds. SMU’s defense double-teamed Lampkin throughout the game, limiting the transfer center to just two shot attempts.
Takeaway: Yigitolglu’s status
SMU’s defensive effort in the second half displayed how the Mustangs want to slow down a fast-paced offense.
However, Yigitolglu left the game for a few minutes during the second half. His ability to frustrate Syracuse’s offense was an important factor in the Mustang’s win, but he was grabbing his left shoulder walking off the court.
Yigitolglu went back in in the final minutes of regulation, and SMU head coach Andy Enfield said he anticipates his center will be able to play against Clemson in the quarterfinals.
Next for No. 8 Georgia Tech: No. 1 Duke at Noon
Next for No. 5 UNC: No. 4 Wake Forest at 2:30 p.m.
Next for No. 7 Stanford: No. 2 Louisville at 7 p.m.
Next for No. 6 SMU: No. 3 Clemson at 9:30 p.m.
[…] coach Tony Bennett suddenly retired in October. The Cavaliers went 15-17 (8-12 ACC) this year and lost in the second round of the ACC Tournament to Georgia […]