Associated Press
The ACC Tournament notebook …
Looking at the statistics, it would appear Boston College star Tyrese Rice dropped off his senior season.
That was actually the plan.
Coach Al Skinners asked the Salisbury native to take on a different role this year, relying more on his teammates and handling less of the scoring.
His points have dipped from 21 a game to 18.2, but the Eagles had a much better season. Boston College (21-10, 9-7 ACC) has likely locked up an NCAA bid ó no matter what happens during the ACC tournament ó after going 14-17 last season, including a dismal 4-12 mark in conference play.
Rice, meanwhile, went from a first-teamer on the All-ACC team as a junior to a second-teamer this season.
“I’ll take wins over accolades any day,” he said. “Coach asked me to take on more responsibility. He wanted me to get everyone involved. Maybe my scoring goes down and my minutes go down, but we’re much better as a team. I was willing to sacrifice that if it makes us a better team.”
Skinner appreciated Rice’s willingness to go along.
“Clearly, he’s sacrificed some individual success,” the coach said. “But for us to be where we needed to be as a team, he needed to make those sacrifices. It raised our level of play and improved us.”
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MCCLINTON’S ANKLE: Miami star Jack McClinton was slowed at the end of the regular season by a sprained left knee, but he’s feeling a lot better heading into the ACC tournament.
McClinton practiced Wednesday at the Georgia Dome with only a thin sleeve covering on his ailing knee.
“It feels a lot better,” he said. “It’s not 100 percent, but it definitely feels a lot better.”
McClinton is the key to Miami’s hopes of making a run in the tournament. He made the All-ACC first team after ranking second in the league in scoring at 21.8 points a game. He also was second in free-throw percentage (.896) and led the conference with 45.3 percent shooting from beyond the 3-point arc.
Still, the knee caused him problems down the stretch.
“Jack’s play has been hampered by that,” coach Frank Haith said. “He didn’t really practice until (Tuesday). He finally went hard.”
Haith is encouraged by the play of Miami’s supporting players. If McClinton is close to full strength for Thursday’s opening-round game against Virginia Tech, the Hurricanes (18-11, 7-9 ACC) could be ready make some noise in the tournament.
If nothing else, McClinton knows the Hurricanes are stuck on that bubble and in desperate need of a win.
“We’ve got to get this one,” he said. “This is a must-win.”
The Hokies will certainly come at McClinton with a wide range of defenses. The 6-foot-1 senior is used to the extra attention.
“I’ve been seeing a lot of different stuff,” he said. “But my teammates have been knocking down shots.”
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EMOTIONAL WILLIAMS: Maryland coach Gary Williams returned to the Georgia Dome for the first time since his team won the national championship in 2002.
It was an emotional experience.
Williams choked up while remembering the Terrapins’ run to their first national title, which included wins over perennial national powers Kansas and Indiana in the final two games.
“Indiana had been there a lot of times. Kansas had been there a lot of times. But Maryland was there for the first time in the championship game,” Williams said, pausing to regain his composure. “Just to walk in here with that chance was so special.”
Williams still keeps up with all the players from that team, and he hopes they can get together in three years.
“All those guys have been successful since then,” the coach said. “I’d like to have a 10-year reunion and see where everyone is in their lives.”
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HEARD IN THE FOOD LINE: After practice, Georgia Tech coach Paul Hewitt popped into the media area to grab a barbecue sandwich before joining his players on the bus.
“They’re going to be mad when they see me with this sandwich,” Hewitt said with a smile.
Then, a motivational tactic popped into his head.
“You know, if we win tomorrow, I’ll bring them all sandwiches,” the coach said.
The last-place Yellow Jackets won only two conference games this season and open the tournament today against No. 17 Clemson.