It’s Tourney Time In Tampa, Toddlers

The 2007 ACC Tournament kicks off on Thursday afternoon in Tampa, Fla. Since football is over, “24” sucks, “Lost” is drowning and Britney hasn’t done anything interesting in hours, I figured I’d take a look at the field. Later in the week, I’ll make a few predictions to keep it interesting …

1. UNC
Wow. Lose vs. Duke and you are the fifth seed and have to play four games in four days. Win and you are the regular-season champ and top seed. Will Gerald Henderson’s elbow wake up a team that doesn’t seem to care sometimes? Will Roy Williams settle on a smaller rotation that makes sense? Will the freshmen respond to the tournament setting? How goofy will Tyler Hansbrough look with a mask on? These are a few of the questions surrounding the conference’s most talented, yet enigmatic, team.

2. Virginia
Dave Leitao may deserve Coach of the Year for bringing a team picked to finish eighth in the league to the brink of the regular-season title … but to lose to Wake Forest when you have a chance for the crown? Doesn’t that eliminate you from Coach of the Year consideration right there? Obviously, the Wahoos will go only as far as Sean Singletary and J.R. Reynolds take them, but this is a dangerous team when a third player plays well on any given night. The Cavaliers will hope that opponents are distracted by Jason Cain’s porn ‘stache so they can steal a win or two.

3. Virginia Tech
I’ve never seen Seth Greenberg madder than he was yesterday, and that’s saying something. He looked like someone ate the last knish while he wasn’t looking. Granted, the Hokies got screwed at the end against Clemson with a shot at the championship, but you can’t let yourself get to that position. VT has been playing somewhat over their heads this season, and unless Zabian Dowdell keeps playing lights-out, this could be a candidate for an early exit.

4. Boston College
The classic Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde team, you have to question the Eagles’ mental toughness. Here’s a squad that had two players suspended earlier in the year, managed to stay in the ACC race, then lost four out of five down the stretch. Against the Techs (Virginia and Georgia), BC simply got manhandled and lost their composure. In the pressure cooker that is the ACC Tournament, can they maintain their poise (yes, I’m trying to write this without using the word “thug”) and lean on likely Player of the Year Jared Dudley and whirling dervish Tyrese Rice? Not if they play No. 5 …

5. Maryland
Seven in a row in the ACC? Holy crap. Amazingly, the Terps are still a team that isn’t getting much pub, which is just the way Gary Williams likes it. Above all else, the Terrapins are just so physical and tough. With “General Greivis” Vasquez, D.J. Strawberry and Mike Jones on the perimeter to supplement a rugged frontline, nobody wants to play Maryland right now. What better way for Ebene Ibekwe to celebrate his decade of ACC hoops than with a trip to the finals? Williams is a terrific big-game coach who relishes the challenge of facing the teams that hog the headlines, so this may be another year to fear the turtle.

6. Georgia Tech
Rookie Javaris Crittenton just may be the best point guard in the league right now, and he’s getting plenty of help from bomber Anthony Morrow, versatile Thaddeus Young, and big men Ra’Sean Dickey and Jeremis Smith. If the Jackets have a solid leader, perimeter shooting, “glue” players and bruisers on the interior, what are they missing? Experience. The growing-pains part of their season may be behind them, but the league tourney is a difficult place to put such beliefs to the test. Plus, it has to be hard for Paul Hewitt to coach with that inchworm constantly itching his nose while he’s trying to berate an official.

7. Duke
The Blue Devils' bookstore may be getting a lot of requests for Gerald Henderson jerseys from around the league right now, but his absence for the first game of the ACC Tournament certainly won’t help Duke’s cause. This is still a team without an identity beyond Coach Krazooski’s trademark pressure, denial defense, and even if Greg Paulus has turned into an offensive threat, he hasn’t gotten much help from turnover machine Josh McBob, disappearing man DeMarcus Nelson and Public-Enemy-No. 1-in-waiting Jon Scheyer, who makes a lot of funny faces, but he hasn’t lived up to his reputation as a deadeye shooter just yet. Coach K and the intimidation factor will always give the Devils a legitimate chance, but this is the wrong year to have a weak bench, offensive woes and inexperience.

8. Clemson
The Tigers made a late bid for an NCAA Tournament berth with an impressive win at Virginia Tech, but they will have to win a couple in the league tourney to ensure a spot. Clemson started out 17-0, but then what happened? They remembered that they have to play in the ACC and that they are Clemson. Oliver Purnell has a couple of nice players at his disposal and the Tigers’ press can be stifling against teams with poor backcourts – but there aren’t many of those left in March. The good news is that Clemson can spend the rest of the offseason declining admission to UNC football recruits.

9. Florida State
A promising season derailed down the stretch for Leonard Hamilton, but anytime you have Al Thornton, you have a chance. Fresh off a 45-point outing, Thornton is a darkhorse pick for Player of the Year and an absolute matchup nightmare for just about anybody. He is actually reminding me of Tim Pickett, who was incredible a couple of years ago for the Seminoles and scared the crap out of anybody who had to try to check him. Unfortunately, Thornton is surrounded by underachievers and you can’t win four games in four days without significant help from a couple of inspired teammates. A bad idea would be to have Chuck Amato give the pregame pep talk …

10. NC State
The Pack has made for a good story all season long, knocking off UNC and sweeping Virginia Tech, but the frightening lack of depth has taken its toll every other game. State has enough juice to rise up and play a terrific game, but usually plays leg-weary and unfocused the next time out. That’s a recipe for disaster in the ACC Tournament. If Courtney Fells comes out of witness protection and Brandon Costner learns the art of the pass, NC State could be as dangerous as anyone. Expect a lot of references to the 1997 “Iron Five” that made a dramatic run to the tourney finals, but asking players to play 160 minutes in four days is too much for Sidney Lowe’s crew. But the best-dressed coach in America will certainly still look good if and when the Pack is dismissed.

11. Wake Forest
Skip Prosser has had another difficult year without Chris Paul, though the Deacs rose up and smacked Virginia on Senior Night. When Kyle Visser gets the ball and appears motivated, he’s a force down low, but as when Eric Williams wore the black and gold, those moments are few and far between. Instead, Wake Forest likes to jack it up from the outside and chill out on defense. The 406 Tampa octogenarians who show up for the 9 p.m. game on Thursday will likely get their first and only look Prosser’s legendary bangs.

12. Miami
Frank Haith has a roster littered with streaky shooters, but injuries and a lack of size have hamstrung the Hurricanes this year. Guards Anthony Harris, Dennis Clemente and Jack McClinton can occasionally shoot well enough to keep Miami in games, but sustaining accurate long-range shooting over the course of a tournament is a tough gig – if you’re not named Randolph Childress. As an added kick in the cornflakes, the ‘Canes drew the ACC’s hottest team, Maryland, in the first round. But hey … South Beach is a great place to hang out and watch the rest of the tourney.