Observations from C.Michael during the BC-UVa game:
Hard to get a feel of this game. There was a mass exodus of State fans after the last game (something about having to milk the cows?) and the atmosphere in here is pretty mundane.
This game is like quicksand. Constant flow of people leaving. Â By the final horn, I expect there will be less than 2000 people here. Â I will not be one of them.
This game is unwatchable so I am signing off from the Dome. Â Next on location post will be at the team hotel in the AM.
Previous updates after the jump.
Observations from C.Michael during the 2nd half of MD-NCSU:
To their credit, State seems to have with stood Maryland’s charge. Â Vasquez seems to be taking over, which also means he’s forcing it…
Maryland ups the defensive intensity and State gets better shots. Maryland doesn’t have the athletes to press.
Why do people get excited to be on closed-circuit TV?
There are probably twice as many people here now, as there was this afternoon. It is significantly warmer and the outside shots are falling more consistantly. Â I don’t think that is a coincidence. Red seats are not a good background for picking up a rim.
State is showing why they go to MooU, and not the “Blue U.”
Tom Burleson is all sorts of enormous. Â Lots of ex-players walking around, but I’m having a hard time putting names to faces
Observations from C.Michael during the 1st half of MD-NCSU:
Once again, the higher seeded team comes out flat. Â The hatred of Vasquez is palpable.
A giant tomato just sat down in front of me (a.k.a. a perfetly spherical State fan.)
I think some of the fans behind me just spelled “State” wrong.
It’s Hayes or nothing for Maryland. He and Clinch have been the only ones to find the range today(THF: They must be color blind so the orange seats are not bothering them)
Even the Maryland mascot does the “Vasquez Jersey Pop,” very annoying. Â For anyone who has seen 9 Months, the scene where Hugh Grant and Tom Arnold beat up Barney comes to mind! 
Maryland really turned down the intensity the last ten minutes and played a very soft zone and State could figure it out. They looked as lost as farmboys in Manhattan.
–
The evening session. NC State plays Maryland and allegedly there is bad blood between the point guards over the Greivis Vasquez three at the end of the game in Raleigh. Javi Gonzalez wanted to punch him. If you are able to stay awake for it I am sure BC-UVa will be riveting. Based on what we saw in the GT-Clemson game, it might be.
Comments if you have them. C.Michael will be sending updates from the Georgia Dome.
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great day so far. Clinch was on fire for GT. Crutches got me in the doors before everyone else. Ha. Game has started. Later
Let’s see if Neal can take out wolf like he took out a devil.
wolfpack looking strong early. I hear there are lots of tickets for sale on the streets and some great deals too. (so i have heard)
After being distracted with “work” during the day, I can settle in to flip channels between this and big east tournament for the night.
I work with a few KU fans, surely they are unhappy with today’s proceeding in OK City. Gotta watch out for them baptists from Baylor
Vazquez reminds me of a Venezuelan Ethan Hawke…especially from his role in “Training Day”
On another note. WVU is whalloping Pitt.
OK / Okla State is coming down to the wire as well
Hmmmm we want Okla State to lose right?
Oklahoma to lose is better. still ~ 4 minutes to go
Well, Pitt losing takes some sting out of a UNC loss without Lawson. If they are willing to still give Pitt a #1 seed for losing healthy then they must do the same for UNC for losing sans Lawson.
OK / Ok State all knotted at 66, under 1:30 to play
Thanks THF. Well I have opted for sneaking my radio into school. So I won’t be posting tommorow. If I can get home mid-game on account of sickness, (I might actually get sick from worry. It has happened before.) I will but don’t count on it.
Refs gave the Oklahoma player the travel because he was signaling timeout.
Looks like Pitt has been or will be taken down (in about 36 seconds) by WVU. This bodes well for our seeding.
shot clock chicanery in Ok City now…but Oklahoma appears to have lost by 1 at the buzzer
Down goes Oklahoma! Does goes Pitt!
Heels are locked for a #1 regardless of what happens now.
“And I think to myself…what a wonderful world.”
I’d concur on that assessment. Ricky Pitino and his birds may very well play into a # 1 seeding with these developments
Look Jay Williams is on ESPN. Hey, Jay paid off any AAU coaches lately?
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=ys-agents031109&prov=yhoo&type=lgns
Jay Williams also appears here.
http://www.truthaboutduke.com/news_item.php?article_id=1153
I’m dancing with joy. Oklahoma lost! Yes! A ha ha!
Wow, what a day so far! I got a blister on my remote finger from switching back and forth between MD. game and Pitt game, and trying to keep up with OK. game. Two #1′s go down plus Kansas. You gotta love it! No wonder the top seeds are ambivalent about conference tournament play.
Maryland/State: Best game of ACCT so far. Vasquez had a very nice game and Maryland was in the “zone”. (That was for you Rath) Also a good night for State freshman Julius Mays ( Were you watching LD?)
So did Pitt. I just hope we aren’t next.
I don’t know how the rest of you feel, but I like Jimmy Dykes. He’s fun, a pretty good X and O analyst, and brings some nice little details into the game. He also had some nice things to say about the ACC this year so he can’t be too bad.
LarryS — This guy Vasquez is a menace. I’m just glad we’re not the only team he’s menacing. But he had plenty of help from Hayes.
Yes, so far things are working out well. The Pitt loss was the clinher for us, I think. But a little noticed fact is that Dook is slipping, albeit quietly. The worst team in the ACC beat a team that beat Dook by 27 points. I suspect Dook is headed for a No. 3 seed, although they can help themselves back to a No. 2 by winning the ACC title. Steps should be taken to prevent such an unfortunate occurrence. (Ty Lawson, call your (doctor’s) office).
uncgirl — The difference is that Pitt had no excuse; they weren’t missing a player of Lawson’s calibre.
By the way, as I was scanning your latest post, my computer signaled a STOMACH BUG ALERT. I’m so sorry the bug has hit you at such an inopportune moment, just as you were about to ace your pre-calc test, but sometimes that’s how these things go. I just hope you’ll be able to survive your day in bed tomorrow. Bobbykins and Tyler will be thinking of you as they lead us to victory.
Vasquez had incredible help from Hayes (5/6) and Neal (2/2) from 3 pt. range. Actually the part for you was my pun about them being in the “zone”, but then it seems they were both literally and figuratively. I thought they might eventually come out of that defense but, by my calculations, they were in it for around 30 minutes. It seemed to do the trick.
Maybe someday we will get in the “zone”. Wait, we only lost 3 games this year, guess that qualifies for being in the “zone”. But seriously, I think we can play zone effectively.
LarryS — You have a subtler mind than I. You wouldn’t happen to be a biophysicist like C.Michael, would you?
What’s your prediction for our game vs. the Hokies? You can have one prediction assuming Lawson plays, and one assuming he doesn’t.
Bad news. My dad is “borrowing” my car tommorow. He’s doing everything possible so that I have to stay in school. This is AWFUL.
Things could not be better for us right now. I mean, a healthy Lawson yes, but to have an unhealthy Lawson, everything else is working for us. Love seeing Kansas and Kentucky go down. How close are we now to Kentucky, how distant is Kansas from us now?
Here’s a glance at where this season started; to date, UNC made up perhaps 6-7 games on Kentucky in 2008-2009 ?
1 Kentucky 1966 621 .760
2 North Carolina 1950 699 .736
3 Kansas 1943 785 .712
4 Duke 1846 808 .696
5 Syracuse 1725 796 .684
uncgirl — But you’ll never get to school. That stomach bug is incredibly debilitating.
JBowling — I also see that Syracuse is giving UConn everything it can handle. The only team that could be feeling better about today than we are is Louisville.
speaking of Orangemen, down by 2 in early 2nd half vs Uconn
Im all seriousness, my stomach is starting to actually, truly hurt. Its either the power of suggestion or I really am sick.
uncgirl — The stomach bug hurts like the dickens. You’re now in Lawson’s position: If you’re physically debilitated, you have to sit out regardless of anything else.
Here’s hoping it’s just the power of suggestion.
All-time wins, updated for current season totals:
UK, after the win today, stands 20-12 on the season.
1,986 all-time wins
UNC, stands 27-3 on the season.
1,977 all-time wins
I’m gonna root for keeping BCG in Lexington…
CUSE leading by 3 over Uconn, 6:30 left to go
Let’s go Syracuse! Did I say that? Nine games behind Kentucky, yeah!!
Kansas is only down 7 from us? Wow! Duke, not so much. Y’all got a long way to go over there in Durham.
“Kansas is only down 7 from us?”
Yeah, Roy did good work out there during the Gut-Doh years.
wow. it’s either OT or Syracuse hit a miracle shot, which looks doubtful
leave that b**ch on the board! tie goes to the runner here!
It was in his hands…this one is going to OT.
dayum! I wanted to see another Calhoun meltdown.
How do you choose who you’d rather see lose between UConn and Syracuse? Sheesh. Refs made the right call, though.
UConn…the more chaos among the potential #1 seeds the more it helps UNC if they lose without Lawson.
either way you’re gonna be happy with the outcome…in most circumstances
OT bodes ill for Syracuse, me thinks
exactly THF!
marching on to another OT session
Did you see Jim Calhoun come out and yell at Thabeet when the OT ended? I think he was pissed Thabeet did not do more to stop the dunk on the other end.
in the old days (2006), rolling over with the ball like Thabeet did, was a travel.
I love Jay Bilas…I could listen to him all day as an analyst.
in the old days they used to call what most folks call “palming”…today just a high dribble anymore
I can forget, at times, that a Duke alum is calling games. He is good
That Devendorf kid is stressing me out and I am not even a Syracuse fan.
Syracuse is gassed something awful, but what a drive by that Flynn kid. A couple of questionable calls against Syracuse in 2OT.
Anyone want to play triple OT?
not a good shot at the end for syracuse.
Wow. Going to a third OT. Whoever wins is going to get run tomorrow.
i don’t understand that shot selection, they did similar at end of OT1. someone’s gonna run out of gas or players or both
just lucky I’m on Central time
Flynn got intimidated by Thabeet at the FT line, he should have come off the screen hard to the hoop and either kicked or try to draw the foul.
he’s got 4 fouls. go at him.
Syracuse is toast.
was that video 1981 or 1891? nice quality.
would’ve been 1891 if it were a peach basket
I’m done after this OT…and i dont care none if the game still going
i HATE when a guy misses a FT so bad, that position means nothing.
FOUR!
Are. You. Kidding me?
Four OTs… unbelievable.
WOW!!! 4 OT’s!!! Rautins has some range…
I can’t believe Devendorf hasn’t given this thing away yet…guess he’ll get another chance in OT #4.
ridiculous. with 8-10 seconds left i’d drive it to the basket. This game is “epic” but the quality is really suffering
which makes it a 3-half game.
how it took this long for Thabeet to foul out is a mystery to me.
Thabeet and Devendorf have a combined basketball IQ of about 30.
See ya later Thabeet!
Agree Tx… The 4 OTs makes it compelling but it’s not like this is good basketball. Really stupid foul by Thabeet and he’s gone.
Boeheim is gonna have a heart attack…
How many open layups can you miss???
I think that graphic about 5 OT’s was definitely an omen…
FIVE!!
I have never seen anything like this.
I think Harris was fouled.
wow–a clear foul from behind on the UConn guy, no?
ya think? being run through might be considered advantage level contact.
might.
Isn’t it time for some graphic about the longest game ever? What is the longest game ever?
Just checked wikianswer: Cincinnati 75, Bradley 73 in SEVEN OTs in 1981
Yeah, that definitely looked like a foul from behind…
1981 7 OT’s Cincinnati 75 Bradley 73
49 layups missed in the last 9 minutes.
if we ever got in a 5OT game, i’d put our walk-ons up against any in america.
Syracuse just put their version of J.B. Tanner in the game.
At least the walk-on is fresh…
Sorry Matt, didn’t see you had the answer on the longest game already…
we’ve come this far, lets go one more.
all we need is a miss, and in this game, thats not unlikely.
Anyone want to lay odds on 6OT?
Don’t know if I can handle another one.
I’d say odds are pretty good in favor of #6.
It’s almost comical…
Holy crap…this is un-freaking-believable.
Good grief. And to think that in five OTs Syracuse has NOT LED ONCE!
you’d THINK syracuse is looking good now. the lane is wide wide open.
Now let’s see if UConn can come back.
I think the dam has finally broke here. UConn has nothing left on the interior.
this would be 3 of the Top 6 teams losing today. it’d be impossible not to be a #1 now, am i right?
I think Harris actually making 2 layups in this OT pretty much seals the deal.
Off topic, but I just saw a blog on charlotte.com that says Lawson has qualified to have his jersey in the rafters now that he’s been named second team All American by Sporting News.
If Carolina is #1 now and you’ve got Oklahoma, Pitt, and UConn going down, I’d say it’s impossible now for the Heels to not be a 1 seed.
This game has also been great because the broadcast team is really good. If I had to listen to Lavin, Musberger, or Patrick I would have probably gone to bed.