ACC announces scheduling plans
Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced on Friday the future scheduling formats as approved by the ACC’s Faculty Athletic Representatives and Athletics Directors.
The announcement was made following the annual ACC Winter Meetings and will go in effect once Pittsburgh and Syracuse become playing members in the conference.
“We have been engaged in discussions on the various options for integrating Pitt and Syracuse since early fall,” said ACC Commissioner John Swofford. “It’s a tremendous tribute to the leadership at our schools that we will be able to seamlessly add Pitt and Syracuse at the appropriate time when they become full playing members.” Read more
ACC to expand hoops schedule
Atlantic Coast Conference Commissioner John Swofford announced today that beginning in the 2012-13 season the league will play an 18-game conference schedule in men’s and women’s basketball.
“Our member institutions have been talking about this increase for awhile and knowing our league will be expanding to 14 in the future, we’ve decided to move to an 18-game conference schedule next year, regardless of our membership number,” Swofford said. “The additional conference games create a more equitable schedule and we’ve received significant feedback from our fans for more conference games.”
ACC announces kickoff time for Tech-UVa.
The Atlantic Coast Conference announced today the kickoff time for Virginia’s Nov. 26 home football game against Virginia Tech is set for 3:30 p.m.
The network televising the game will be announced Sunday, Nov. 20. The game will be carried by either ABC, ESPN or ESPN2.
Virginia Tech (9-1, 5-1 ACC) is currently ranked #8 in the BCS standings. UVa. (7-3, 4-2 ACC) could still win the ACC Coastal Division title with wins in its final two games – this weekend at Florida State and then next weekend at home against Virginia Tech.
Weekend Watchdog: Hokie high on Thursday night
The Hokies like Thursday night football. ESPN must like the Hokies.
Virginia Tech gets back-to-back dates on Thursday night football, starting this week with a trip to Georgia Tech Thursday at 8 p.m.
The Hokies have a 17-5 record on Thursday nights on ESPN, and have defeated Georgia Tech three times since joining the ACC in 2004. A win Thursday will go a long way to putting the Hokies in the ACC title game in December.
Virginia, fresh off its sixth win of the season, looks to improve its bowl situation when Duke visits Saturday at 3 p.m. on Comcast. The ACC Network offers North Carolina State at Boston College at 12:30 p.m.
Notre Dame brings along the national spotlight to its game with Maryland, at 7:30 p.m. on NBC from FedEx Field.
Florida State meets Miami Saturday at 3:30 p.m. in one of ABC’s afternoon contests. Other games in those slots are Michigan at Illinois (ESPN will air this game in the Fishersville area) and Texas A&M taking on Kansas State. The day starts at noon on ABC with either West Virginia-Connecticut or Oklahoma State battling Texas Tech. In primetime, Oregon faces Stanford.
CBS offers an SEC doubleheader, with Florida facing South Carolina at noon before Auburn goes to Georgia – don’t get stuck in the hedges.
ESPN starts its Saturday at noon with Nebraska at Penn State, and the primetime SEC game matches Alabama and Missisissippi State at 7:45 p.m.
Friday, ESPN2 has South Florida taking on Syracuse at 8 p.m. Saturday, Michigan State travels to Iowa at noon, then Arkansas plays Tennessee at 6 p.m. The night ends with Idaho meeting BYU at 9:15 p.m.
The Big East game of the week matches Louisville and Pittsburgh at noon on MASN. Old Dominion takes on William & Mary at noon on Comcast.
Versus starts the day at noon with Pennsylvania at Harvard, then shows TCU-Boise State at 3:30 p.m. The PAC-12 takes the stage at 10:30 p.m. with Arizona State going to Washington State.
At noon, FX has Texas heading to Missouri for the final time as conference foes. Washington takes on USC at 3:45 p.m.
It’s anchors away as the college basketball season tips off this weekend. Top-ranked North Carolina takes on Michigan State from the deck of the USS Carl Vinson Friday at 7 p.m.
MASN begins its college basketball coverage Friday with a Big East doubleheader – Tennessee-Martin against Louisville at 7 p.m. followed by Mt. St. Mary’s at Marquette. There’s two more games Saturday – Syracuse taking on Fordham at 4 p.m. then St. Francis plays Seton Hall at 7 p.m. – and Sunday Alabama State meets Cincinnati at 7 p.m.
It’s the first week of games on NFL network, with the Chargers hosting Oakland Thursday at 8:15 p.m. Division matchup continue in primetime, with the Patriots facing the Jets Sunday on NBC and Minnesota at Green Bay Monday on ESPN.
Sunday afternoon, the Redskins travel to Miami at 1 p.m. on FOX before the Giants take on San Francisco. CBS in Washington follows the Ravens west for their game with Seattle at 4 p.m.
Tony Stewart keeps winning, and Carl Edwards keeps holding onto the points lead. This week, Phoenix hosts the NASCAR racers Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN. The Nationwide racers go Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Capitals visit New Jersey Friday at 7 p.m. on Comcast, and the teams meet again in Washington Saturday.
The Big East crowns its men’s soccer champion Sunday at noon on MASN. The United States plays France in an International Friendly Friday at 2:55 p.m. on ESPN2.
Comcast has ACC volleyball between Georgia Tech and N.C. State Sunday at 1 p.m.
Weekend Watchdog: SEC Playoff, Game One
Who’s going to the national championship in January? After Saturday, we’ll probably know who has the inside track from the SEC – and who will be left to go somewhere else.
CBS has coverage of top-ranked LSU taking on No. 2 Alabama Saturday at 8 p.m.
Both teams have won national championships in the past four years. LSU has some big wins away from home – over Oregon at Dallas and at West Virginia – that should help as the Bayou Tigers head to Alabama.
The winner should claim the SEC West, and a matchup against South Carolina may loom before the national championship game in New Orleans.
ESPN begins the college football weekend in the ACC, with Florida State heading to Boston College Thursday at 8 p.m. Friday, Southern Cal visits new conference rival Colorado at 9 p.m. on ESPN, while ESPN2 shows Central Michigan at Kent State.
Virginia tries to get its sixth win against Maryland Saturday at 12:30 p.m. on the ACC network.
ABC’s prime time contests match Notre Dame and Wake Forest, while others will see No. 3 Oklahoma State face Kansas State (ESPN2 shows the alternate game). In the afternoon, ABC offers No. 4 Stanford at Oregon State, Texas A&M against Oklahoma and Purdue-Wisconsin. ESPN2 carries one of the games not on the air in your area.
It’s not quite Army-Navy, but CBS shows Army vs. Air Force at 3:30 p.m.
ESPN opens the day at noon with Michigan’s trip to Iowa. In primetime, South Carolina battles Arkansas at 7:15 p.m.
Comcast offers Duke taking on Miami at 3 p.m., then Oregon plays Washington at 10:30 p.m.
MASN has the Big East battle between teams wanting to join the Big 12 – Louisville at West Virginia at noon – followed by Liberty-VMI.
FX goes with Texas Tech at Texas at noon. Versus features Arizona State against UCLA at 7:30 p.m.
AFC North rival Baltimore and Pittsburgh take their grudge match to NBC Sunday night. ESPN has the Bears taking on Philadelphia Monday night.
The Redskins host San Francisco Sunday at 1 p.m., followed by the Giants at New England. CBS in Washington goes with Tim Tebow leading Denver to Oakland.
It’s down to the final three races in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, this week in Texas. The NASCAR drivers hit the track Sunday at 3 p.m. on ESPN, while the Nationwide racers go Saturday at 12:55 p.m. on ESPN2.
The Capitals have road games Friday at Carolina on Comcast and Saturday at the Islanders. Comcast shows the Devils’ visit to Philadelphia Thursday at 7 p.m.
It’s almost college basketball season and MASN has the preseason matchup between Louisville and Bellarmine Thursday at 7 p.m.
It’s time for the Breeders Cup, from Churchill Downs this year. ESPN2 begins the races Friday at 4 p.m., then ABC has coverage Saturday at 2 p.m. ESPN carries the rest of the slate starting at 3:30 p.m.
The MLS playoffs continue with a doubleheader Thursday on ESPN2. Houston hosts Philadelphia at 8:30 p.m., then New York heads to Los Angeles at 11 p.m. ESPN will have a conference final matchup Sunday at 9 p.m.
The Big East women’s soccer championship will be on MASN Sunday at noon.
The ACC field hockey tournament semifinals are on Comcast Friday at 1 and 3 p.m. The championship will be Sunday at 1 p.m.
Weekend Watchdog column by Mike Judge
ACC-Big 10 Challenge matchups announced
The 13th annual Big Ten/ACC Challenge Presented by DICK’S Sporting Goods on Nov. 29-30 will be highlighted by Duke at Ohio State and Wisconsin at North Carolina – four traditional power programs expected to be highly ranked entering the 2011-12 season – and an expanded format with new Big Ten member Nebraska.
ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ESPN3.com will combine to broadcast all 12 games of the two-day event, one more than in the previous 12 Challenges. Read more
Medical waiver granted: Scott gets fifth season
The Atlantic Coast Conference has approved the medical hardship waiver request for Virginia men’s basketball player Mike Scott, providing Scott another year of eligibility in 2011-12.
Scott, a 6-8 forward from Chesapeake, Va., underwent two operations on his left ankle during his fourth season with the Cavaliers in 2010-11 and missed 21 games. He played in 10 games, starting nine, and averaged 15.9 points and 10.2 rebounds a game. Read more
Sweet 16: Richmond 2, Big East 2
You read that right. Our state’s capital city has all of two NCAA teams, both of which made the NCAA Tournament field of 68, and both of which fought their way into the Sweet 16 with a combined record of 5-0.
Meanwhile, the entirety of the Big East, a 16-team superconference stretching from the Northeast practically into the Southern Hemisphere, which had a record 11 teams make the tourney field, will have, like the City of Richmond, two teams still alive in the Sweet 16 later this week.
(And those came from second-round matchups featuring a pair of Big East teams of which the winner had to be from the Big East. Otherwise …)
That it’s not out of the realm of the average basketball fan’s imagination that neither of the teams from Richmond – the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth – could have even been in the NCAAs to begin with is what makes March Madness so interesting.
UR, I thought, was a lock with its 24-win regular season in the respected Atlantic 10, but even after winning the A-10 conference tournament the Spiders earned just a #12 seed, an indication that the poo-bahs had Richmond pegged for another postseason destination without the automatic bid.
VCU, meanwhile, was not even part of the conversation heading into Selection Sunday. After limping down the stretch of the 2010-2011 season to a fourth-place finish in the CAA, the Rams seemed destined for the NIT before hearing their names called for the inaugural First Four, a set of play-in games featuring the final four at-large teams to get berths into the NCAA field.
VCU dominated Southern Cal from the Pac 10 in the first round, then beat Georgetown from the Big East on Friday night to earn a matchup with the Southwest Region’s third seed, Purdue of the Big 10. The Rams, the #11 seed, played like they were the big boys in a convincing 94-76 win that lands them in San Antonio for a 9:55 p.m. Friday tipoff.
Playing the game before them: Richmond, which upset fifth-seeded Vanderbilt on Thursday and then decimated Morehead State on Saturday.
VCU gets another Cinderella in its Sweet 16 matchup in the form of #10 seed Florida State of the ACC, which was slighted on Selection Sunday with just four bids, but has a tournament-high three teams left in the field after the first weekend.
Richmond’s test will be the toughest of the two teams from the capital city to date – top-seed Kansas.
Here’s to our Cinderellas not realizing it’s close to midnight a little while longer, and having the champion of the Southwest also be the city champs of Richmond for 2010-2011.
‘Hoos pull upset of Tech in ACC opener
A desperation Dorenzo Hudson three-pointer fell short, leaving a second-half comeback attempt by Virginia Tech short as Virginia knocked off its in-state rival 57-54 Sunday night.
Virginia (5-3, 1-0 ACC) jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and led the Hokies by as many as 14 in the first half. Tech (4-4, 0-1 ACC) closed to within two points on two occasions in the final two minutes, but Mike Scott hit a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left following a breakaway on which Hokie forward Jeff Allen was called for an intentional foul, and Mustapha Farrakhan followed with another pair to make it 57-51 UVa. with 16.8 seconds to go.
Malcolm Delaney, who led all scorers with 26 points following his dismal 2-for-18 shooting night against Purdue in the ACC-Big 10 Challenge, hit a three from NBA range to close the Hokies to within 57-54. Joe Harris and Scott both missed the front ends of one-and-ones to give Hudson a shot at sending the game into overtime, but Virginia rebounded the airball and ran out the clock.
Scott led Virginia with 21 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the field and a game-high 14 rebounds. Delaney hit on 10 of his 15 field-goal attempts for Virginia Tech, which held Virginia to 21 second-half points.
Only two other players were in double figures – Tech’s Allen with 12 points and UVa.’s Harris with 10.
Story by Chris Graham. Chris can be reached at freepress2@ntelos.net.
'Hoos pull upset of Tech in ACC opener
Cavs lead throughout, hold off Tech rally
A desperation Dorenzo Hudson three-pointer fell short, leaving a second-half comeback attempt by Virginia Tech short as Virginia knocked off its in-state rival 57-54 Sunday night.
Virginia (5-3, 1-0 ACC) jumped out to an early 10-2 lead and led the Hokies by as many as 14 in the first half. Tech (4-4, 0-1 ACC) closed to within two points on two occasions in the final two minutes, but Mike Scott hit a pair of free throws with 18 seconds left following a breakaway on which Hokie forward Jeff Allen was called for an intentional foul, and Mustapha Farrakhan followed with another pair to make it 57-51 UVa. with 16.8 seconds to go. Read more
Ticket giveaway encourages UVa. fan support
Virginia head men’s basketball coach Tony Bennett announced this week an essay contest to award 50 2010-11 season tickets in section 108 at John Paul Jones Arena. Coach Bennett will give away these season tickets for free to 25 fans. The winners will be a part of Tony Bennett’s Fanatic Cavalier Club.
“I thought the essay contest and fanatic fan club Mike London created leading up to football season was a great idea,” Bennett said. “Our fans really made a difference in some of our home wins last season with their vocal support. I want to help create the best home-court advantage for our team.”
To enter the contest fans must submit an essay that answers these questions: Why are you crazy about Virginia basketball, and how do you show your Cavalier spirit?
Link to the rest of the story on VaSportsOnline.com.
Bennett: Still 'a ways to go'
Posted by afp on December 6, 2010 · Leave a Comment
Three wins in their next four, including back-to-back Ws on the road at then-#13 Minnesota and Sunday night at in-state ACC rival Virginia Tech, have some in ‘Hoo Nation thinking that rebuilding might be the wrong term.
“We’re trying to get good people and good players in this program and then become as good as we can. We have a ways to go, I’m real on that,” UVa. coach Tony Bennett said Sunday night after the 57-54 Virginia win in Blacksburg over a team that had been picked in the preseason to finish as high as second in the 12-team ACC. Read more
Filed under Blogs · Tagged with acc, joe harris, mike scott, mustapha farrakhan, tony bennett, university of virginia, uva. basketball, virginia basketball, virginia tech