ACC Wednesday Night Roundup: Duke Proves UNC Is Better

No. 6 DUKE 99, UNC Asheville (Bulldogs, 3,609 students, Asheville, NC) 56 – Duke is not as good as Carolina. Don’t believe us, do the math. UNC 116, UNC Asheville 48 vs. Duke 99, UNC Asheville 56. By our calculations, the Heels are better both offensively (17 points) and defensively (eight points).

Gerald Henderson (the real victim in Coach K’s one-car charging accident, according to many Tar Heel fans) and Kyle Singler both scored 14 points after being benched for the start of the game.  This is the basketball equivalent of Miami, Florida State, or Clemson suspending football players for the all-important early season matchup with Florida International or Georgia State.

Jon “Crazy Face” Scheyer (see above) added 13 points for the Blue Devils (9-1), who juggled the lineup after they were upset 11 days earlier at Michigan. Coach Mike Krzyhklw4ski benched his regular starting lineup in favor of five players who had combined to make one start this season. And just how long do you think those boys played? Short answer: not very long.

Ultimately, it didn't matter who Duke had on the floor against an outmanned UNC Asheville team. The Blue Devils took control with an early 27-8 run and coasted to their 65th consecutive non-conference victory at Cameron.

VIRGINIA 90, Longwood (Lancers, 4,479 students, Farmville, VA) 61 – Sylven Landesberg scored a game-high 20 points to lead Virginia (4-3) in a rout of in-state foe Longwood on Wednesday night.

Antwan Carter scored 13 to lead the Lancers (5-6), and Dana Smith and Ryan Bogan chipped in 11 each.

N.C. STATE 87, East Carolina (Pirates, 25,990 students, Greenville, NC) 76 – Junior Brandon Costner had his best game since the 2007 ACC Tournament finals, leading NC State to victory over East Carolina Wednesday night at the RBC Center and avenging last year's loss to the Pirates down in Greenville.

Costner had 24 points and 17 rebounds in the contest, topping his totals in both categories for any game last season. It was his most points since scoring 28 against North Carolina in Tampa, Fla., two seasons ago and his most rebounds since grabbing a career-high 19 against UNC-Wilmington on Dec. 30, 2006.

The Wolfpack (6-1), playing without injured starter Courtney Fells, took control of the game in the second half by scoring on eight of its first 10 possessions.

Senior Ben McCauley had 20 points for the Pack, while sophomore Tracy Smith added 11. East Carolina (8-2) was led by Raleigh native Brock Young's 25 points.

GEORGIA TECH 84, Georgia State (Panthers, 19,989 students, Atlanta, GA) 64 – Gani Lawal had 23 points and 10 rebounds as Georgia Tech extended its winning streak against Atlanta rival Georgia State to 14 games.

Lewis Clinch, academically ineligible for the first semester, scored 18 in his first game, and Iman Shumpert had 11 assists for the Yellow Jackets (6-2). Brad Sheehan came off the bench to score 16.

Dante Curry had 21 points in his first game to lead Georgia State (3-7). The transfer from South Florida became eligible at the end of the first semester.

(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images, AP Photo/The News & Observer, Ethan Hyman)