Top Storylines for the Sweet 16: ACC Edition
By Adam McGill
The ACC has always been the powerhouse conference in the tourney each year, but this season it looks completely different. Normally it is Duke and North Carolina who are making the most noise, but this year it has been North Carolina State who has received the most press. With the Sweet 16 starting this week, here are some the top storylines from the ACC Conference:
1. Is North Carolina State for real?
After upsetting San Diego State 79-65, the Wolfpack relied on their momentum to carry them past the Georgetown Hoyas 66-63 in yet another shocking upset. N. C. State is playing like the UConn team that got hot towards the end of the year and ended up winning the 2011 National Championships. The team relies heavily on their strength down low with forwards Richard Howell and C. J. Leslie, but point guard Lorenzo Brown was huge down the stretch, after hitting big shot after big shot for the Wolfpack. This team has potential to go far this year and another huge upset would not be too shocking at this point.
2. Is UNC STILL a lock for the 2012 National Champion?
The Tar Heels now have to move on without their best place-setter, as their chances for a national championship took a huge hit. Star point guard, Kendall Marshall, will be out for an undisclosed period of time following fractured scaphoid bone in his right wrist. North Carolina could eventually get him back towards to later rounds of the tournament, but that would be the best case scenario. The team is still very strong in the front-court now; with Harrison Barnes, John Henson, and Tyler Zeller all finally healthy. North Carolina is still one of the top teams in the tournament, but if they want to continue rolling, then they will need their point guard back before the final four.
3. Can North Carolina forward John Henson hold up down the stretch?
Henson returned to play in the team’s third round 87–73 win over Creighton. He ended up having 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks in only 28 minutes, quickly picked up where he left off. Henson is one of the more underrated big men in the nation and is certainly much more athletic then center Tyler Zeller. Henson is already back to 100% healthy, so UNC fans should expect any lingering effects from his wrist injury. Henson will be back in the middle of the Tar Heels lineup, and combined with Zeller, will be the most dangerous tag-team in the nation.
4. Who will win the rebounding battle between North Carolina State and Kansas?
Both teams’ strong suit is their rebounding. North Carolina State has a plethora of different players who are great under the boards; Lorenzo Brown, Richard Howell, C. J. Leslie, and DeShawn Painter. While Kansas is lead by the immensely talented forward, Thomas Robinson. “T-Bone” is averaging close to 18 points and 12 rebounds per game and is easily the most dangerous person on the entire KU lineup. Robinson will be impossible to guard one-on-one, so he will likely be double-teamed in the low-post all game. The Glass Game will likely be won or lost on the glass, so this is certainly something to watch throughout the game.
5. How will UNC handle the Kendall Marshall injury?
It is unfortunate that after a 87-73 win over Creighton that the North Carolina Tar Heels had to spend countless hours in the medical room. Star point guard, Kendall Marshall, broke his none-shooting wrist in the closing minutes of the crushing win and their star sophomore just went under the knife to have it surgically repaired earlier Monday morning. The Tar Heels now have a much more difficult test in front of them, as they will have to either start freshman Stilman White or veteran Justin Watts. White averaged 20.5 points and 3 assists last year at high school in the Wilmington, NC area and he is a very smooth shooter. While Watts is very experienced in Roy Williams offensive scheme, having played in it since 2009, but still has only registered a handful of minutes at the point guard position. This could possibly cost the team their title run in 2012, but then again what a story it would make if UNC could keep winning.
FEATURED PARTNERS
- Raven Symone Addresses Rumors About Her Sexual Orientation, "ANTM" Girlfriend
- They Can't Spell, But They Tweet
- What's The Oldest Photo Of You On Facebook?
- MMA fighter King Mo -- Petitions Hulk Hogan for Wrestling Advice
- Tim Tebow -- Allegedly Asks for Twitter Photo to be Taken Down
- UFC Champ Jon 'Bones' Jones -- Arrested for DUI
- Mick Jagger, ‘Lazy Sunday 2,’ Kristen Wiig Sendoff and Other Highlights of the SNL Season Finale
- Mark Zuckerberg Gets Hitched
- Calvin Johnson Can Hit Home Runs Too