Sunday's ACC Championship game was one of the best I've seen, and I have seen a few. I can't say enough about Boston College. This is a team that could go to the Final Four. The Eagles have great personnel inside and plenty of people who can deliver the ball in scoring position. In these days of early defections to the NBA, you rarely see teams with this much size and experience.
Craig Smith should get All-America consideration. Boston College did not panic when it fell ten points behind against Duke. During the tournament I counted nine different players who made key contributions. If BC has a weakness it is perimeter defense. Against JJ Redick, that proved lethal. Redick made 7 of 11 three point shots against the Eagles, including what I consider the two biggest shots of his career. One shot (from 25 feet) tied the game with less than two minutes to go. The other shot (also from 25 feet) put Duke ahead. This puts the exclamation point on Redick's standing as the ACC's greatest shooter. Shelden Williams played his usual game for Duke-hitting key shots and defending BC's talented interior players as well as anyone.
But what really stands out for the Blue Devils is the play of their two freshmen. Duke does not win Sunday without Greg Paulus and Josh McRoberts.
Paulus' hustle produced at least four changes of possession and a couple of Duke baskets that were critical to the game. McRoberts showed his versatility-scoring, rebounding, passing, and defending. McRoberts rebonded one of his own missed free throws and dunked it. That, and Paulus' steal early in the second half, were memorable plays that helped Duke have a chance to win. In short, the emergence of the freshmen has given the Blue Devils a more balanced team. And a better chance of getting to Indianapolis.
-- Bob Holliday
