1. Run The Floor: Michael Rogner got a chance to check in with Florida State alumnus Luke Loucks, who talked about some potential Seminole breakout guys. Loucks especially complimented the incoming guys, and unsurprisingly, Florida State is bringing in some strong defenders on the perimeter and erasers down low. I’m most interested to see how quickly Leonard Hamilton can work up a team with this much youth after having such an experienced squad last season.
2. Baltimore Sun: Mark Turgeon seems a lot more at ease for his second year in College Park. Some of his relaxation may be because he knows what to expect. It might also be that Terrell Stoglin moved on; as Turgeon cryptically said, “the chemistry right now is great but we haven’t played a game.” Regardless of the origin, Turgeon definitely needs his team to start showing tangible signs of both short-term and long-term commitment.
3. Greater Wilmington Business Journal (via ESPN.com): Roy Williams wants to coach six to 10 more years depending on his health at North Carolina. That’s longer than most probably would’ve guessed, but he’s only 62 so it’s not inconceivable. However, Williams’ success hinges on his recruiting, which takes a lot of time and energy. Unrelatedly, but also from the article, Williams also was very high on local rivals Duke and NC State, saying they would probably be on top of the national polls.
4. Washington Post: Alex Len addressed his two biggest criticisms over the summer by putting on some bulk and learning English. The Ukranian seven-footer will anchor a Maryland frontline that has a ton of potential this season. The Terrapins have a combination of talent, youth and experience that should make for a volatile but entertainting set of big men.
5. Draft Express: Many people know the top players in the ACC, but Draft Express put together scouting reports on the top 25 ACC players. My only major qualm is that Reggie Johnson is so low. Johnson may struggle with weight issues, but he has incredibly soft hands and uses his weight well on offense. He’ll find a spot in the NBA barring a bad physical. The ACC’s undersized combo guards will struggle more.

1. Raleigh News & Observer: Rodney Purvis had to fight for his eligibility. As part of the first graduating class at Upper Room Christian Academy, the NCAA took an extra long look at Purvis’ academic record before clearing him to play in mid-September. Teammate Lorenzo Brown tried to keep Purvis optimistic — throwing a barb at North Carolina while he was at it: “Plus, with the whole UNC thing, if they got off, how could he not [be eligible]?”
2. Charlotte Observer: Speaking of Purvis and the Wolfpack, NC State and Mark Gottfried want to keep their momentum going from the end of last season. With all of the hype surrounding the team, it’s hard to remember that many thought NC State should be left out of the NCAA Tournament thanks to a schedule lacking in quality wins. We know NC State has the talent and experience, but can it make the leap to become a top-10 team?
3. The Seventh Floor: Miami blogger Jerry Steinberg took the time to rank the position players around the conference. His rankings are detailed and interesting, though I like NC State’s front line better than Miami’s (they’re miles better at running the floor and don’t have as many no-shows) and Duke and North Carolina should be ahead of Maryland (Mason Plumlee gets a bad rap, and McAdoo has the chance to be a bona fide star). Still definitely worth a read.
4. RoundballChat.com: Some optimism for the Eagles! That’s right, Scott Shirley thinks Boston College will be one of the top 100 teams in college basketball. This would obviously be a huge improvement over last season, which is to be expected with almost everyone returning. The players to really watch are Patrick Heckmann and Ryan Anderson.
5. Keeping It Heel: Dexter Strickland will be back on the hardwood, which means good things for North Carolina’s defense. What remains to be seen is how much he trusts that rehabilitated knee. Recovering from knee injuries generally takes close to a year with nearly as much time going into getting confidence back as letting it physically heal. This could be tough on Strickland, whose greatest strength lies in his quickness and agility.

1. Baltimore Sun: In the wake of the Harrison twins choosing Kentucky over Maryland, Don Markus caught up with Lefty Driesell to talk recruiting. Driesell recounts stealing Tom McMillen from Dean Smith and losing Moses Malone to the ABA because of a promise with God and a million dollars. Here’s to hoping a writer eventually sits down with Driesell and some other prominent former coaches (Jerry Tarkanian anyone?) and takes the time to write a book with all of the recruiting legends.
2. Shelby Star: David Thompson was elected to the first class of the NC State University Sports Hall of Fame. This is a terrific profile of the Wolfpack great, who is on the short list of best college basketball players ever. Local high school coach Larry Sipe said, “The ACC hadn’t seen a player of his caliber before […] I was in grad school at Chapel Hill when he was a freshman at N.C. State. In those days, the freshman games the night before would be a sellout.”
3. Raleigh News & Observer: The newest piece of the puzzle in the North Carolina academic scandal fell last week when Dan Kane and company discovered a course called Naval Weapons Systems, which was comprised by nearly 80% athletes. The class had no quizzes, tests, or major papers. The newspaper discovered the athletic support staff was recommending the course to athletes. It’s certainly not news that universities push student-athletes to take less demanding classes, but it’s interesting that the relative enrollment of athletes spiked the one year the class had the loosest requirements.
4. Florida Times-Union: Florida State owns the title of defending ACC champion for the first time since it joined the conference in 1991. This year the Seminoles shouldn’t surprise anyone. Or, as Michael Snaer said, “They’re going to play us hard because they know we’re going to bring it, the hard-nosed basketball. People will be looking to beat us.” The only question is whether the Seminoles will be able to overcome losing the likes of Deividas Dulkys, Luke Loucks and Bernard James.
5. Charlotte Observer: Tallahassee isn’t the only place where heightened expectations can be found. Duke, North Carolina and NC State have never all been ranked in the top 15 of the AP poll going into the season. This year, the Wolfpack will join their Tobacco Road brethren amongst the best teams in the country for the first time since all three teams went to the Sweet Sixteen in 2005.

Video of the Day: Maryland Trains with Navy Seals

With Midnight Madness looming Friday night and the annual dashing of the ACC’s BCS title hopes in the rearview mirror, it’s time to turn up the ACC basketball coverage to 11 here at the ACC Microsite.

Leonard Hamilton and the Seminoles took home the ACC Championship last season. Can they do it again?
Photo Credit: Ethan Hyman / Raleigh News & Observer

This season the ACC appears to be a microcosm for the country: No one team stands out as a far-and-away favorite, but a long dormant historical power is attracting preseason accolades. That said, five of the 12 schools have a legitimate chance at contending for the regular season title. A parity-filled league should make for a rollercoaster season for fans up and down the east coast. It’s also the final year before newcomers Pittsburgh, Syracuse and (presumably) Notre Dame join the fold.

Joining Kellen Carpenter and me (Matt Patton) this season will be talented writers Ethan Mann and Adam Rowe of Duke Hoop Blog. We’ve also added a twitter account @rtcACC, where you can get to know the writers and find quick takes along with the articles.

1. Raleigh News & Observer: More scandal on Tobacco Road. Amid investigation of an ugly academic scandal in Chapel Hill and the recent potential trouble in Durham, North Carolina’s chief fundraiser resigned for apparently taking personal trips on the Tar Heels’ dime. But the story gets much weirder: another fundraiser implicated is Tyler Hansbrough‘s mother, Tami. Apparently the star’s mother has been earning $95,000 a year as a “major gifts officer” for the past few years, and as such, Hansbrough reportedly used UNC money to fly to see Tyler’s younger brother Ben Hansbrough play at Notre Dame.
2. Bylaw Blog: Speaking of the Duke situation, the NCAA has one big problem in making a case. No one has to talk. Unless the lawsuit goes to court and becomes a matter of public record (and soon), the NCAA will need to convince the NYC jeweler or Lance Thomas to talk about the suspicious $67,000 loan for custom jewelry his senior season. The clock is ticking though, as the NCAA needs to serve Duke its notice of allegations before the four-year statute of limitations runs out. The bad news for the NCAA is that only gives the organization a little over a year to make its case. The worse news is that the jeweler already refused to talk to the NCAA (which would make sense if he specializes in athletic jewelry and hands out impermissible loans).
3. ESPN.com: Dexter Strickland is officially back. The defensive-minded combo guard has officially moved past his torn ACL injury, playing pickup with his teammates last Monday. Strickland still doesn’t sound 100% confident in the knee, which is to be expected, but North Carolina and Marcus Paige will really need his presence in the backcourt next season. And if Strickland can’t trust the knee, it will hurt his defense and transition play (his two biggest strengths by far).
4. CBSSports.com: Touted Xavier transfer Dez Wells is headed to Maryland after he was expelled after a sexual assault allegation in August. Wells should join the Terrapins with Michigan transfer Evan Smotrycz in 2013-14. If Mark Turgeon can pull a coup and steal the Harrison twins from Kentucky, Maryland might be the most talented team in the ACC. Turgeon may be gaining on John Calipari as the highly rated brothers are headed to College Park for Maryland’s midnight madness. Kudos, Coach Turgeon.
5. Orlando Sentinel: Michael Snaer‘s latest comments are firing up his teammates. Florida State is a tough team to judge, as the Seminoles lost six players from last season. However, their most important piece returned and Leonard Hamilton also brought in a very good class. Snaer says the team is much more polished skill-wise than last year’s veteran group.

1. ESPN: Michael Snaer has major swagger. He’s coming off his best year yet and spent the summer dominating Lebron James’ and Kevin Durant’s respective camps. Here is a sampling of quotes that should make you not count Florida State out when predicting the ACC standings this year:
   • “If I’m not the best, I’m one of the best. I can’t be guarded.”
   • “I just straight destroyed people.”
   • “Anybody wants to prove me otherwise, come get it. […] That’s how I feel.”

   Those quotes may show something negative, but they sound a lot like a promise that another ultra-competitive combo-guard brought to fruition a few years ago.

2. Raleigh News & Observer: Rodney Purvis still isn’t cleared to play, despite the NCAA last week approving him to take classes. Because of one of the NCAA’s many odd rules, Purvis wasn’t eligible to start classes at NC State the week prior because of an unrelated eligibility question. Purvis’ high school, the Upper Room Christian Academy, is being checked out. Purvis was part of the school’s first graduating class, which prompted the NCAA to vet his academics a little more closely. Purvis didn’t travel with the Wolfpack to Spain earlier this summer, though his eligibility should be decided in time for the regular season.
3. Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Great news out of Atlanta, as Bobby Cremins is back at Georgia Tech after retiring from College of Charleston for health reasons at the end of last season. The longtime Yellow Jackets’ coach (and floor namesake) will be working with Brian Gregory and the athletic department to bring back as many of his former players as he can find for the season opener on November 9. So far the committee has contacted over 200 players and hopes to get in touch with nearly 500. It’s good to see Cremins back in the fold at Georgia Tech with his jokes and contagious grin.
4. USA Today: Mark Turgeon is hoping to replace Terrell Stoglin “by committee” this year, and he’ll have to. The mercurial Maryland guard made up almost all of the Terrapins’ offense last season, and there’s no one on this year’s team with that sort of playmaking ability. Turgeon pointed out last year injuries made it where Stoglin had to do everything.
5. Keeping It Heel: Reggie Bullock has been putting in work this summer and brought home the North Carolina ProAm MVP and Championship for his effort. Bullock’s summer play concluded with a 31-point game in the finals to seal his accolades. Bullock’s performance makes it seem like he’ll be relied on a lot by Roy Williams to replace much of the offense that left Chapel Hill for the NBA.

Over the last few weeks, we took a brief look at every team in the conference, focusing on four topics. Where do they stand now: do they have momentum, motivation or a lot of work left to do? Who’s leaving? Who’s returning? And who will be joining the team in the fall?

	Boston College is still rebuilding. It’s a young team that needs more talent, especially further down the roster, but Steve Donahue is getting some solid pieces in place. Rebuilding a team from scratch takes time, so expectations should be low this year but this program appears to be moving in the right direction.
	Significant roster turnover and a shift in rotation minutes seldom foretells radical improvements in college hoops. Clemson lost a big chunk of its offense and is going to have to rely heavily on sophomores and freshmen next season. Barring a flush of incoming talent, this is usually a recipe for a step backward.
	Duke has a lot of questions after a disappointing finish last year. But the Blue Devils also have a lot of talent — especially on the offensive end — coming back. If Duke improves its perimeter defense, the Devils will be primed to make a lot of noise nationally.
	The stacked team that produced the best basketball season in Florida State’s ACC history is gone. However, with Snaer leading the team and Leonard Hamilton calling the shots, next season’s title defense is sure to be spirited if not ultimately successful.
	Georgia Tech had a rough past season, but given the circumstances, that was pretty much to be expected. Next season, however, the Yellow Jackets are prepared to make folks forget about the recent past. A new home, a settled-in coach and a serious influx of new talent to complement a veteran core means that the program has done everything it can to make things better.  Georgia Tech may not be poised to contend for the conference title immediately, but it seems seriously unlikely they will have the worst record in the conference either.
	It was a tumultuous offseason for Maryland, but the Terrapins have a solid young core to build around going forward.
	Miami should be the dark horse to win the ACC. They have talent, experience and coaching. Now it’s time to finally put everything together.
	NC State finished strong, but can they ride the momentum to their first conference regular season title since 1989? Consistency, staying out of foul trouble and the freshmen are three things to watch.
	North Carolina has a year of rebuilding ahead. The last time UNC faced trying to replace this much production was during the disastrous 2009-10 season  that ended in the NIT. While it seems unlikely that the Tar Heels will fall that far next season, it’s clear that it will take time before this team is ready to compete on the level of last year’s team.
	After losing the core of players who led Virginia to a great season (albeit a crummy postseason), Virginia is going to be in the process of rebuilding next year. However, bringing in a strong recruiting class to bolster a talented group of returning players means that the Cavaliers will be a real factor in the league next year, if not a clear title contender.
	The Hokies will struggle with depth in 2012-13, but don’t overlook some of the talent at new coach James Johnson’s disposal. Senior Erick Green should be preseason first team All-ACC and Cadarian Raines looks poised for a breakout season for Virginia Tech.
	It’s true that Wake Forest lost a lot of its rotation. It’s also true that it might not matter. Despite the loss of so many players, WFU held on tightly to its two stars while bringing in what appears to be a talented supporting cast to back them up. The upcoming season might be one of setback or progress, but it doesn’t ultimately matter. Wake Forest is rebuilding and appears to be headed in the right direction (that is, until all these recruits also transfer away or get suspended).

1. Raleigh News & Observer: NC State finished up its preseason trip to Spain with a 15-point win over CB Gran Canaria. The win means the Wolfpack head home undefeated. While Rodney Purvis couldn’t play as the NCAA reviews his eligibility, Lorenzo Brown was back from knee surgery sooner than expected and in time for all four games. CJ Leslie led all scorers with 19 in the final game and incoming freshman point guard Tyler Lewis finished with 14 points and eight assists. Probably more in response to the high expectations for this team, Mark Gottfried noted: “There were positive things even though we know we have a long way to go.”
2. VirginiaSports.com: Speaking of preseason trips to Europe, Tony Bennett‘s squad is getting a head start too. The Cavaliers lost a heartbreaker with controversy to boot. Apparently, the scorekeeper gave AMW Team France an extra basket in the middle of a run that would eventually tie the game. To put things politely, Bennett wasn’t amused by the gaffe:
   

   “I understand when you come here, you’re going to get some questionable officiating — I can handle that — but what I don’t appreciate is when they take two points away from us. Two points in a game like that, that changes the whole game, and that’s frustrating, because we were there for the win, and that’s just not the way you do it. I don’t care if you’re international or in the States, you gotta keep the right score. But it’s a mistake, it was done, and I just want our guys to understand what the blueprint is for us to play competitive basketball.”

   Virginia went on to lose by four after a late run by AMW Team France.

3. Associated Press: Important news out of Clemson this week. Tigers athletic director Terry Don Phillips announced he plans to retire next summer to enjoy more time with his wife. Phillips played an integral role in upgrading Clemson’s facilities and spearheaded the hiring of Brad Brownell (along with football coach Dabo Swinney). Keep an eye on names that pop up during the search process, as athletic directors are more important than most give them credit for — especially when it comes to rebuilding (or building in this case) programs like Brownell is trying to do.
4. CBSSports.com: CBS Sports drew some heat (along with plenty of page views) for its recent series “Critical Coaches” where they polled nearly 100 coaches on topics  like “Who is the most overrated coach in the country?” The answer? Roy Williams. Yep, the guy with two national titles in the last decade, to go with more conference championships than you can count with two hands between his time at Kansas and North Carolina. Jim Young of ACC Sports Journal has a thoughtful interpretation of the argument.
5. ESPN.com: Surprising no one, Coach K added another gold medal to his resume as Team USA took down Spain and the Gasol brothers in the Olympics last week. Krzyzewski announced this would be his final Olympics, leaving his Team USA record an astounding 62-1. Unfortunately his dry humor didn’t translate as well to the international game as his coaching abilities, as a media member apparently thought Krzyzewski was serious when he stays out till 6 AM, “drunk as a skunk” because Team USA doesn’t really need much coaching.

EXTRA: In weirder news, North Carolina forgot to scrub former two-sport star Julius Peppers’ transcript and made it visible to the public. Needless to say NC State fans on PackPride.com found the transcript and went to work researching to confirm it was a real transcript. It’s hard to tell exactly what the repercussions of this will be, but suffice to say North Carolina’s academic issues may go back much further than previously thought.

Over the next four weeks we’ll be taking a step back and looking at each team in the ACC to assess where each program — and the conference as a whole — stands before we totally turn our attention to the 2013-14 season later this fall. Today’s target: Duke.

Where They Stand Now

Duke fans are still reeling from an embarrassing upset bid from CJ McCollum and the Mountain Hawks of Lehigh, but the sour ending to the team’s season overshadowed a very strong year. The Blue Devils showcased the most flaws  it has had since the 2006-07 Duke team that went 22-11, but they managed to keep winning games. They beat a loaded North Carolina team on the road; they finished second in the conference; and, they won a loaded Maui Invitational. Ryan Kelly‘s late season injury stagnated one of the country’s best offenses, leaving Duke with a decent offense and mediocre defense for its last three games. Long story short, the Blue Devils managed to overachieve and disappoint last season.

Mason Plumlee is the Anchor to Duke’s Young, Potentially Great Front Line.

Who’s Leaving

Austin Rivers went to the NBA, Miles Plumlee graduated, Michael Gbinije transferred to Syracuse, and Andre Dawkins will redshirt. Despite frequent deserved criticism during his playing career, the eldest Plumlee’s strength and athleticism in workouts earned him a guaranteed contract with the Pacers. Gbinije saw very little playing time his freshman season, and with the additions of Rasheed Sulaimon and redshirt freshman Alex Murphy, he may not have seen much more next year. Gbinije’s lack of playing time puzzled many Duke fans because his length and athleticism were exactly what Duke’s perimeter defense needed. Fans concerns are probably overreactions: Mike Krzyzewski doesn’t have a history of sticking with experienced guys over more talented freshmen.

Rivers’ departure is harder to evaluate. On paper, it’s terrible. Rivers was the only playmaker on last year’s team. Without consistent play at point guard, Coach K relied on the freshman to create his own shot a lot of the time. However, Rivers’ season had its detractors. While the heat he took for being selfish was over the top, comments Seth Curry made earlier this summer to Shawn Krest certainly point to a lack of chemistry on last year’s team.

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Over the next four weeks we’ll be taking a step back and looking at each team in the ACC to assess where each program — and the conference as a whole — stands before we totally turn our attention to the 2013-14 season later this fall. Today’s target: NC State.

Where They Stand Now

Mark Gottfried and Lorenzo Brown Have Big Expectations (AP Photo/E. Hyman)

The Wolfpack are still riding a wave of momentum from a Sweet Sixteen performance in Mark Gottfried‘s inaugural year. After perennially underperforming with alumnus Sidney Lowe at the helm and hearing the media blast the school for running off Herb Sendek, NC State’s administration made the switch to the former Alabama coach who matched Sendek’s best postseason performance in his first season on the job. Gottfried added structure, and his talented roster improved throughout the year showing flashes of true greatness thanks in large part to the maturation of CJ Leslie and Lorenzo Brown. But 2012’s postseason success makes the bar much higher in Raleigh — Jay Bilas even put the Wolfpack on top of his preseason ACC power rankings. The questions now are: How will the new pieces fit with the current roster, and can Brown and Leslie make the leap to consistently dominant players?

Who’s Leaving

Guards Alex Johnson and CJ Williams both graduated. Johnson played the role of sparkplug: He was good for at least one heat check three and a lot of hustle. He also appeared to be a vocal leader on the team, both from the court and the bench. Williams was a more significant offensive contributor, averaging 10.6 points per game on 50 percent shooting. His versatility on the wing will definitely be missed on the defensive end of the floor.

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