Video: Coach K, Seth Curry discuss Duke win over Albany

Seth Curry scored 26 points and Mason Plumlee added 23 to help Duke get by Albany 73-61. Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski and Seth Curry discussed the win over the Great Danes in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

Video: Andrew Carter analyzes UNC loss in ACC title game

North Carolina lost to Miami for the third time this season, falling 87-77 in the ACC Championship on Sunday in Greensboro. The News and Observer's Andrew Carter reports.

UNC coach Roy Williams disappointed in NCAA tournament selection committee

North Carolina coach Roy Williams voiced his displeasure earlier Sunday with the NCAA tournament selection committee, which awarded three ACC teams with at-large bids for the NCAA tournament.

Miami, which defeated North Carolina 87-77 in the ACC tournament championship game on Sunday, earned the ACC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. The Hurricanes became the first team in history not to receive a No. 1 seed after winning both the ACC regular season outright and winning the conference tournament.

Duke, which finished second to Miami in the regular season, received a No. 2 seed in the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels and N.C. State are both No. 8 seeds.

"I am somewhat surprised and disappointed that only four ACC teams are in the field and that the league only received two No. 2 and two No. 8 seeds," Williams said in a statement UNC released on Sunday night. "I think the ACC deserved better than that."

While Williams expressed frustration that only four ACC teams made the field, he kept private his thoughts about a potential matchup against Kansas in the round of 32. If UNC, seeded eighth in the South Region, beats Villanova on Friday, the Tar Heels would likely advance to play against Williams' old team.

The possibility of that is likely to come up a time or two this week.

- Andrew Carter

UNC gets No. 8 seed in NCAA tournament

North Carolina coach Roy Williams could coach against his old team in the third round of the NCAA tournament. First, though, the Tar Heels will need to beat Villanova.

UNC is a No. 8 seed in the South Region of tournament, and will play on Friday in Kansas City against eighth-seeded Villanova. The winner would likely advance to play against Kansas, which is the top seed in the region.

Williams spent 15 seasons as Kansas' head coach.

The Tar Heels on Sunday suffered an 87-77 defeat against Miami in the ACC tournament championship game. Stay tuned for much more analysis and thoughts about UNC's tournament draw ...

- Andrew Carter

N.C. State on NCAA bubble alert after ACC loss

Durand Scott scored 32 points to help lift Miami over N.C. State in Saturday's ACC tournament semifinals. The Charlotte Observer's Joe Giglio breaks down the Wolfpack's loss and their shot at an NCAA tournament bid.

Instant analyses: N.C. State finding skills, chemistry in ACC tournament

It’s all falling into place now for N.C. State. C.J. Leslie is replicating his postseason form of a year ago. Lorenzo Brown is rounding into health. Scott Wood is making shots. Richard Howell is Richard Howell.

Virginia posed little opposition Friday N.C. State took control early as Leslie scored eight of N.C. State’s first 17 points, then pulled away when Wood hit 3-pointers on back-to-back-to-back possessions early in the second half for a 75-56 win.

Just as he was in Atlanta last year, Leslie was dominant. He took the ball to the rim. He made (most of) his free throws. He rebounded. He blocked shots. He even hit a few jump shots. He displayed the full array of his game, as he has at times this season, but without consistency.

After scoring 15 points and pulling down seven rebounds in Thursday’s win over Virginia Tech and 17 points with 11 rebounds on Friday, Leslie has 84 points in his past five ACC tournament games, going back to last season.

Wood, meanwhile, went 7-for-12 from 3-point range -- his most 3-pointers since the Florida State game his freshman year, when he went 7-for-11 -- and finished with 23 points.

Not that there weren’t some of the same warning signs for State -- Howell left the game for a little while with a thigh injury and T.J. Warren picked up a second-half technical foul that gave Virginia some life at a time when the Cavaliers were otherwise finished.

The injury didn’t seem to slow Howell, even if he was grabbing at his right leg while trotting down the court, but it’ll be interesting to see how it responds overnight before facing Miami on Saturday.

With the surging Wolfpack facing the top-seeded Hurricanes in the first semifinal and the potential for a third Duke-Carolina meeting, Saturday is shaping up awfully well. So, at the moment, is the Wolfpack.

-- Luke DeCock

Wolfpack rise to the challenge

N.C. State players wore red long-sleeved T-shirts inscribed with white letters: "Rise to the occasion."

The Wolfpack rose. They allowed Virginia to linger in the first half at Greensboro Coliseum Friday. The Cavaliers could have competed if they had hit some easy and open shots. But they didn’t. The longer the game wore on, the more difficult Virginia’s shots became.

N.C. State looked like the team many of us anticipated before the season began. The Wolfpack imposed their talent on a lesser Virginia team. The Cavaliers had nobody who could match up with C.J. Leslie, and Leslie knew it.

When Virginia adjusted inside, Scott Wood hammered the Cavaliers outside.

Wood took 12 shots from the field, all 3-pointers, and hit seven for a game-high 23 points. Leslie added 17 points and a game-high 11 rebounds.

N.C. State won easily, beating the Cavaliers 75-56.

The Wolfpack was unselfish and entertaining and really good.

If they can sustain it there’s nobody in the conference, or in the country, with which they can’t compete.

-- Tom Sorensen

Ex-Tar Heel Kenny Smith remembers UNC's NCAA tournament runs

Turner Sports' Kenny Smith, a two-time NBA champ and UNC All-American, joins CineSport's Noah Coslov to discuss how he preps for a game as a commentator & his memories of playing in the tourney.

Duke leads UNC 42-24 at halftime

CHAPEL HILL -- North Carolina has been on a upward trajectory since the middle of February, when it began using a four-guard starting lineup. The Tar Heels entered their game against Duke here on Saturday night on a six-game winning streak, their longest of the season.

UNC, though, is struggling like it did months ago. And the Blue Devils are in the midst of one of their best games.

Duke scored the first 14 points of game and leads UNC 42-24 at halftime here at the Smith Center. After the Blue Devils' initial surge, the Heels never cut Duke's lead into single digits. The Devils made 13 of their first 16 shots from the field, while UNC made just four of its first 16.

Seth Curry, Duke's senior guard, did the most damage. He made his first eight shots of the game - including one while he was falling backwards. Overall, he made eight of his 10 attempts from the field and finished the half with 18 points.

Quinn Cook and Mason Plumlee added eight apiece for the Blue Devils, who shot 69.2 percent from the field. Duke also made five of its nine 3-point attempts.

The Tar Heels defended the perimeter well when these teams played last month in Durham. But that has been an issue for UNC tonight. Both Cook and Curry made two 3s for Duke. UNC, meanwhile, missed all eight of its 3-point attempts during the first half.

The Tar Heels made just nine of their 33 shots from the field (27.3 percent). UNC forced eight turnovers and has nine offensive rebounds, but due its poor shooting it hasn't capitalized on those opportunities.

Duke senior forward Ryan Kelly, who sat out the first game between these teams while he recovered from a broken foot, picked up his third foul just before halftime and hasn't been much of a factor. He played 11 minutes and finished the half with two points.

James Michael McAdoo led UNC with nine points in the first half. None of his teammates scored more than five points.

- Andrew Carter

Duke's Mike Krzyzewski speaks on Virginia fans' storming the court

Following the Duke Blue Devils' 73-68 loss to Virginia on Thursday, Blue Devils coach Mike Krzyzewski expressed concern for his players' safety after the Virginia students rushed the court at Charlottesville, Va.

Video: Catholic 7 to expand, keep 'Big East' name

The seven Catholic schools departing the Big East will begin play next season, instead of 2014. The league will reportedly add Xavier and Butler with Creighton also a candidate to join.