What a great day for the First Round of the ACC Tournament.  Oh wait I forgot to plug the now sponsor New York Life as they are the first ever sponsor of “The Granddaddy of them all”. It will take some getting used to having a sponsor just as much as having the Finals on a Saturday night. I know it was that way all the way till 1981, but I was born in 1983 and I’ve always dealt with a Friday-Sunday format with Thursday being added when FSU joined, and Wednesday after Miami, and Va Tech joined in 2005. Now on to the slate of games…

 vs. 

In the first game #12 seed Boston College (13-18) (4-14 ACC) took on #13 seed Georgia Tech (12-19) (3-15).  Normally in a game like this both teams are just playing out the string after being beaten up during the regular season. Not so in this one as BC was riding a 3 game winning streak, and playing their best ball at the best possible time (in March). Georgia Tech has lost a ton of close ball games over the season, and really only being blown out in four games (Duke, UVA, and UNC twice). So that should set up a better than average game right?

Oh it was a nip and tuck affair the entire day. With under 2 minutes to go it looked like Georgia Tech was finally going to close out a game they couldn’t seem to do, numerous times throughout the conference season. They were up by six (after a Robert Sampson three pointer that made the score 63-57) and BC was caught having to look to outside shooting to bring them back in the game.  Patrick Heckman was fouled on a three point attempt by Josh Heath of Georgia Tech, and BC cut the lead to 3.  After Georgia Tech missed a layup, and turned the ball over Oliver Hanlan made a drive to the lane and gave BC the lead 64-63.  Tadric Jackson came back with what seemed like the dagger to give the Ramblin Wreck a 65-64 lead with 28 seconds to go. After a Georgia Tech timeout, BC gave the ball to their first team All-ACC player (and leading scorer in the conference) Oliver Hanlan.  He went to work and scored a short jumper with 12 seconds left to give BC the lead they wouldn’t give up and BC advanced to play #5 seed North Carolina tomorrow at 3:30 pm est.  Hanlan finished with 25 points on 8-19 from the field (8-8 from the line) (1-5 from 3).

Oliver Hanlan for BC skying for a jumper over Demarco Cox of Georgia Tech

(Photo by Sara D. Davis,theACC.com)

After taking a deep breath, bathroom break, and grabbed some grub the next matchup of the day was on tap.

 vs. 

That game featured #11 seed Wake Forest (13-19) (5-13 ACC) and #14 seed Virginia Tech (11-21) (2-16 ACC).  Wake has looked listless the past few weeks after getting ravaged in Winston-Salem by Virginia, and this past Wednesday in Cameron Indoor against Duke.  While Virginia Tech seemed to be playing better as the young players started buying into first year coach Buzz Williams‘ style of play.

Buzz Williams shouts encourgement to his young Hokies squad in his first ACC Tournament game

(Photo by Liz Condo, theACC.com)

At the start of the game it looked like Wake might run away with the game and give first year head coach Danny Manning a memorable homecoming (Danny played at nearby Paige High School in Greensboro).

Danny Manning of Wake Forest

(Rick Sarlant http://guardianlv.com/)

They started the game off on a 8-2 run.  The Hokies eventually shook the cobwebs off and climbed back into the game to get to a 10-6 deficit at the first media timeout.  Coming out of that time out they went on a 35-21 run to lead 41-31 at halftime.  After halftime if your last name was Hudson then you were on fire from the field.  Both Jalen Hudson and Cornelius Hudson of Virginia Tech and Wake respectively started lighting up up.  Jalen finished with a game high 32 points on 10-18 from the floor (2-3 from 3), and Cornelius 14 points on 5-9 from the field and (4-8 from 3).

The biggest lead either team had in the second half was 11 which Virginia Tech had early, but Wake quickly got back into the game.  The last five minutes the lead changes hands four times and had one tie.  The game came down to Jalen Hudson draining a jumper to give Virginia Tech the lead at 81-80 with thirteen seconds left, and they needed to survive not one but two close range shots by Wake to hold on for a 81-80 upset victory.  Virginia Tech’s reward…..#6 seed Miami tomorrow night, and sending Wake to being full time students again as their season ends on a sour note.

Jalen Hudson celebrates as Virginia Tech upsets Wake Forest

(Photo by Liz Condo,theACC.com)

If that is what the rest of the 2015 New York Life ACC Tournament has for us, then buckle up and enjoy the ride….well that is if your team isn’t in the middle of a down to the wire game.  If they are you have my permission to bite those nails to the quick.