#2 Duke vs #10 Virginia Tech, 7:00 PM

#3 Florida St vs #6 Miami, 9:00 PM(probably closer to 9:30 PM)

I know, I know. Duke ends up playing a lower seed than they should but in all honesty, Virginia Tech is likely to give the Blue Devils a tough game. Duke is also playing without Ryan Kelly which may matter at certain points. In the late game, Miami is playing for its NCAA hopes and FSU would like another shot at Duke providing the Blue Devils win. The question for FSU is offensive consistency which is not a hallmark.

#4 Virginia vs #5 NC State, 2:30 PM

NC State needs this win to stay in the NCAA Tournament discussion. Virginia should be fine for the Big Dance but a loss here could affect their seeding. The winner gets a date with UNC on Saturday at 1 PM.

#7 Clemson versus #10 Virginia Tech, 7:00 PM

#6 Miami versus #11 Georgia Tech, 9:00 PM

Two more games that don’t offer a whole lot of hope for anything exciting.  Miami, like NCSU this afternoon, must take care of business today so as to have a shot at getting a resume building win against FSU tomorrow.  As for the first game, watch, after years of having to watch Seth Greenberg sweat it out on the bubble, this will be the year the Virginia Tech goes out and wins the ACCT.

As with the afternoon session, I will be Liveblogging on the other side of the break.

19:18 - Energy here is kind lacking. I’d say 60% capacity, but even those who are here seem disengaged.

19:22 - VPI players are getting off the floor so much quicker/higher than are the Clemson players.

19:32 - Baciu is so much bigger in person than he looks on TV. He’s pushing Tech players around like they are Weebles.

19:42 - Last media TO in the first half and the game is still competitive. Nice change.

19:49 - Clemson’s Coleman has been quite impressive tonight. And unrelated, the number of players who have missed chippies today because they avoided contact instead of going straight up is far too large.

20:19 - VaTech’s offense has gone completely stagnant. No one is even looking at the lane.

20:26 - Devon Coleman and Tanner Smith have been surprisingly good for Clemson. If they could get Jennings to play to his potential they’d be a tough out.

20:36 - Milton Jennings has his hands on his hips at every chance. Completely gassed.

20:49 - Clemson must be confused by the Carolina blue shirts in the crowd; playing like they are in Chapel Hill.

21:06 - The Hokies and Tigers are putting on a clinic on how NOT to win a game.

21:20 - Despite the end of game shenanigans, VaTech played pretty well. Would not be at all surprised if they give Duke a real test tomorrow.

21:41 - Reggie Johnson doesn’t set a screen, he sets a stone wall.

22:03 - Can we give Miami back to the Big East and GTech to whoever will take them?

22:13 - The chances the I stay at this game beyond half-time are slim.  Very slim.

Afternoon match-ups:

#8 Maryland versus #9 Wake Forest, Noon

#5 N.C. State versus #12 Boston College, 2:00 PM

The first two, of four games today featuring a team with a 4-12 conference record.  Not likely that we will see a lot of scintillating basketball today, but there have been some odd scores throughout the conference schedule, so you never know.  From an NCAAT point-of-view, the only thing of importance is that NCSU absolutely cannot lay an egg against BC if they want to have any hope of grabbing an at-large bid.

I will be Liveblogging from Phillips Arena during the course of today’s games, which can be found on the other other side of the break.

11:00 – Not basketball related, but if you are ever in Atlanta make sure to hit up Radial Cafe.  The food/service is  top-notch and the owner Frank is an alum of UNC.

11:05 - Master of the Obvious Statement: Phillips >>> Georgia Dome.

11:50 - The Wake Forest band is legit.

12:05 - NBA-style light show for player intros. Fancy.

12:15 - Maryland offense is stagnant in the half court. So easy to defend.

12:23 - Maryland and Wake are not good teams, but the pace of this game has been great.

12:40 - Maryland just has no court spacing. The zone is killing them.

12:51 - 1st-half thoughts: Stoglin has never met a shot he didn’t love. C.J. Harris can ball. Nick Faust and Alex Len are going to be a load the next couple years.

13:04 - Refs wearing “KH” on theor shoes in support of Karl Hess is, in a word, absurd.

13:17 - Stoglin may be the Terps leading scorer, but I think Faust is their best player.

13:28 - Maryland is basically doing anything they want.

13:59 - Mark Turghard paced hard to the end; Jeff Bdzelik checked out a long time ago. Spent the last 4 minutes just sitting on the bench.

14:10 - Oh, yay… I’m sitting next to the Wolfpack Band. *rolls eyes*

14:34 - The only thing colder than the shooting to start the NCSU/BC game is the actual temperature inside Phillips.

14:39 - Somewhere Billy Packer just reflexively said, “It’s over,” and he’s not sure why…

14:55 - State is up big because BC is terrible. Really not playing well, save for one short stretch where Wood hit a couple of threes.

15:15 - Against the top-4 in the ACC, NCSU is trailing by 10. Against BC, they are up 13…

15:41 - If we were across the street in the Georgia Dome, there still would not be enough room for the NCSU Band Director’s ego.

16:12 - When CJ Leslie actually plays, he is really good.  Stands around doing nothing far too much.

16:18 - Lots of people wearing Carolina blue heading for the exits. Think that’s my cue. I’ll catch you all at 7.