The Cavalier daily :: Wednesday, February 7, 1973 :: University of Virginia Library

MONDAY NIGHT'S N.C. State-North Carolina game, won,
73-70, by State, has pretty much ended all doubts as to the
identity of the ACC's regular season champion. With a perfect
7-0 conference mark, the Wolfpack now has a three game lead
over both Carolina and Maryland, their two closest challengers,
and a virtual lock on the title. They will also be prohibitive
favorites to capture the ACC tournament next month. What
makes this seemingly unexciting set of possibilities interesting,
though, is the one-year NCAA probation slapped on both
State and Duke for recruiting violations.

Both the 'Pack and the Devils, then, are ineligible for any
sort of post-season play. This opens up contention for the
coveted NCAA championship tourney bid, then, to not only
Maryland and UNC but also to any of the other conference
teams. Any school lucky enough to win as few as two games in
the ACC tourney can now go on to greater glories in the
Eastern Regionals. A look at the progress and prospects of the
other six conference teams, then, would appear in order.

N.C. STATE (7-0 ACC, 17-0 IN ALL GAMES)– With their
win over UNC and their previous double wins over Maryland
and Virginia State has proven conclusively that they are
eminently capable of handling anyone in the league. Keys to
State's success this year have been a surprisingly deep bench, a
very tight man-to-man defense and the play of sophomores
Monte Towe and David Thompson. Both Towe, a 5-6 guard
who's just an exceptional floor leader, and Thompson a 6-4
jumping-jack who leads the second-ranked Pack in scoring are
contenders along with Virginia guard Barry Parkhill for ACC
player of the Year. Norm Sloan will be the Coach of the Year.
Win or lose in the tournament, State has proven themselves to
be the class of the league. Conceivably both Towe and
Thompson along with State's star junior center, 7-4 Tommy
Burleson, could make the All-Conference team.

NORTH CAROLINA (4-3, 16.4)- It's been a while since a
Dean Smith team was 4-3 in the league and, surprisingly, UNC
has the toughest schedule of any of the contenders down the
stretch. The Tar Heels have been victimized in the close ones
this year, losing to Virginia, Maryland and State in the last
minutes of close ACC games. They're still formidable outfit
boasting great team height, tremendous front-line depth and
All-ACC candidates George Karl at guard and Bobby Jones up
front. It is at the other guard where Darrel Elston, Ray Hite,
Ray Harrison and Brad Hoffman have been tried without
success, that Smith has problems.

Look for Elston to play more the rest of the way and to
play well. However, the Heels' schedule, including home games
with State and Maryland and road contests with Duke and
Virginia, may eventually keep them out of second place.

MARYLAND (4-3, 14-3)- Lefty Driesell's Terps looked like
a good bet for second until Duke shot them down, 85-81, last
weekend. The Terps next ACC game will be at UNC on Feb.
14 and their last will be March 3 at U Hall. Winning these two
games is essential if the Terps wish to finish second.
Inconsistency from a front line of Tom McMillen, Lenny
Elmore and Jim "Bozo" O'Brien has been Lefty's big problem
this year and, to insure Terp success, McMillen will have to
start playing defense, O'Brien will have to put good games
back-to-back occasionally and Elmore will have to return to
his old dominating, intimidating self.

VIRGINIA is 3-4 in the ACC and 9-6 in all games.

DUKE (2-4, 9-9) is in the enviable position of having four
ACC home games left but the fact that these include contests
with State, UNC and Virginia should dim Devil enthusiasm.
After a loss to weak Georgia Tech the Devils, led by guard
Gary Melchionni's 37 points, came back against Maryland with
a strong team effort. Duke, however, lacks too much to
consistently play tough with the big boys. Bucky Waters could
certainly use another guard to go with Melchionni and another
forward to do the rebounding that high-scoring Chris Redding
disdains. He may have found his forward in sophomore Rob
Fleischer but he has no other guards. Look for Duke to finish
fifth and save a spot on the All-ACC second team for
Melchionni.

WAKE FOREST (1-4,9-9)- has made great progress under
Carl Tacy, who inherited nothing of real value from the
departed Jack McCloskey but brought in junior college
transfers in sufficient quantity to field a respectable squad.
Best of the JC's is guard Tony Byers, one of the league's
leading scorers at 22.3 points per game. Byers is a possible
All-ACC pick but it's hard to imagine any of the Wake big men
getting votes. Some are too inexperienced and some are too
ordinary. Tragically, most are both.

CLEMSON (1-4, 8-9)- The Tigers, bless their hearts, have
come up with the worst team in the league again this season.
Tates Locke's boys just don't have the raw talent to compete
on even terms with any of the ACC's upper echelon outside
the very friendly setting of Littlejohn Coliseum. Strange things
happen in that building and it's only for that reason that the
possibility of the Tigers playing some sort of "spoiler" role
can't be overlooked. Look for Locke, a high-strong operator
troubled by stomach ulcers, to be the only coach leaving his
job-at season's end and look for the Tigers at the bottom of
the standings. The season's great salvation for Clemson and
Wake may be that ty have two games remaining with each
other.