Miami lost by 28 at home as it came out of its exams break.
Clemson didn’t fare much better, falling by 23 at South Carolina.
That, plus a look at a crammed Saturday, in the ACC night in review.
Miami
Miami’s box score from Friday night, aside from getting to the foul line a bunch, is a blueprint for basketball failure.
The Hurricanes (9-2) did not rebound. They wasted possessions on turnovers and too many outside shots. They got roasted from 3-point range.
Their reward for such a lackluster effort was a 72-44 loss to Eastern Kentucky, an NCAA tournament team a year ago that still has enough veterans (like senior guard Corey Walden and skilled senior forward Eric Stutz) and plenty of coaching chops to make life miserable for opponents. Nonetheless, it isn’t as good as last year, and had dropped four of five coming into Friday.
The Colonels (6-4) played well, but this lopsided a setback is a humiliating result for a Miami bunch that looked vastly better in November than it has the last two weeks.
23
Point victory for South Carolina over Clemson, the Gamecocks’ most lopsided triumph in the annual series since an 81-53 victory on Jan. 2, 1971. That means South Carolina’s 68-45 demolition of the Tigers (6-4) was its largest in the rivalry since the Gamecocks departed the ACC after the 1970-71 season.
Louisville at Western Kentucky (Noon, Fox Sports 1): The Cardinals (9-0) play the first of back-to-back in-state games (granted, the next one is against Kentucky) when they visit the Hilltoppers (5-4).
Syracuse at Villanova (1, Fox): The unbeaten Wildcats (10-0) welcome the Orange (6-3) to the Wells Fargo Center as the longtime Big East rivals meet yet again.
The Citadel at Virginia Tech (1, ESPN3): The Hokies (5-4) begin a two-games-in-three-days sequence as Chuck Driesell’s Bulldogs (4-5) pay a visit to Blacksburg.
North Carolina vs. Ohio State (1, CBS): The Tar Heels (7-3) haven’t enjoyed a smooth trip through nonconference play, but will get a chance to snag a quality victory against the talented Buckeyes (9-1) in Chicago.
Vanderbilt at Georgia Tech (2, ESPN3): Both the Commodores and the Yellow Jackets enter this under-the-radar tussle with 7-2 records.
Florida State vs. South Florida (2): The opening game of the Orange Bowl Classic in Sunrise, Fla., features an in-state showdown of two 5-5 teams.
Oakland at Pittsburgh (4, YES): The Panthers (7-3) entertain the Grizzlies (4-7), who are continuing their annual tradition of taking on a brutally difficult nonconference schedule. Oakland has lost to Michigan State and Arizona this month, and still has visits to Clemson and Maryland before New Year’s.
Wake Forest vs. Florida (4:30, Fox Sports 1): The Orange Bowl Classic doubleheader wraps up as the Demon Deacons (5-5) take on a Florida bunch that’s surprisingly struggled to a 6-4 mark to date.
Notre Dame vs. Purdue (5:15, Big Ten Network): The annual Crossroads Classic in Indianapolis brings a matchup of the Fighting Irish (10-1) and the Boilermakers (8-3), two programs that appear to be revived after enduring tough seasons last year.
N.C. State vs. West Virginia (9:30, ESPN2): Juwan Staten and
the Mountaineers (9-1) meet Mark Gottfried’s Wolfpack (9-2) at Madison Square
Gardenin a game that can bolster either team’s postseason profile.
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