Monday, November 30, 2009
Hockey / Carolina Hurricanes Carolina can't beat an Ovechkin-less Capitals team, lose Corvo in the process
Posted by Kate Shefte on Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 11:33 PM
RBC CENTER/ RALEIGH—Caniac Nation couldn’t take another five-goal third period meltdown, and thankfully the ‘Canes provided an alternative – they lost this one the old-fashioned way. 39 shots on goal and a very late – like, 14 seconds left in the game late – Matt Cullen comeback bid didn’t pan out and the ‘Canes dropped their fifth in a row.
The entire game was a sideshow to the drama that unfolded in the first period, which saw Alex Ovechkin deliver an illegal blow and injure himself in the process. But while the Capitals recovered from the loss of their unequivocal leader, Carolina couldn’t muster enough to win after losing underrated defenseman Joe Corvo to injury.
***UPDATE: The 'Canes announced this morning that Corvo will miss 8-10 weeks after undergoing surgery. He has been placed on injured reserve.***
Corvo got the scoring started four and a half minutes in on the power play when he scooped up a Tuomo Ruutu rebound and found a way around Jose Theodore.
After that, Carolina players started dropping like flies. Less than a minute after his goal, Corvo sidestepped an innocent looking hit in front of his own bench from Washington’s Karl Alzner. But as Alzner skated away, Corvo clutched the back of his leg as Alzner’s skate cut it. He was helped back to the locker room, almost having to be carried by six Carolina trainers.
Corvo was taken to the hospital immediately to get the cut closed. Hopefully it isn’t too serious – the ‘Canes have had more than enough deep lacerations for one autumn.
Maurice knew just about as much as everyone else after the game, though he said it was a “significant” injury.
“He went to the hospital. He’s stable, he’s fine,” Mo said. “We won’t know the extent of the injury until the doctor looks at it and sees how deep it is and what [the blade] caught.”
N.C. State / Duke / ACC / UNC-Chapel Hill Six Triangle players make first team all-ACC
Posted by Jacob Swiger on Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 11:16 PM
With the ACC regular season wrapped up, the first and second all-ACC teams were announced Monday, including 13 players from the Triangle.
Duke
The Blue Devils' high-octane offense was led by quarterback Thaddeus Lewis, who was voted on the second team. Lewis' primary target, Donovan Varner, made first team and led the league with 5.4 catchers per game.
Kicker Will Snyderwine made the second team as well as linebacker Vincent Rey.
N.C. State
Glaringly absent from the selections is quarterback Russell Wilson, who led the Wolfpack to a dramatic win over UNC Saturday and accounted for 35 touchdowns on the season.
Tight end George Bryan made the first team, and defensive end Willie Young, who recorded eight sacks this season, was on the second team.
North Carolina
Four North Carolina players, the most of any school, earned first-team honors as voted on by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association. Defensive end Robert Quinn, linebacker Quan Sturdivant, cornerback Kendric Burney and safety Deunta Williams were all selected to the first team.
Burney picked off five passes this season and racked up 200 return yards to reach second in interception return yardage in ACC history.
Defensive tackle Marvin Austin, who is considering turning pro after this season, and linebacker Bruce Carter, who told the media he would be returning for his senior season, both made the second defensive team.
UNC's only offensive selection came in kicker Casey Barth, and the Tar Heels' four first-team selections are the most since the 1997 season (six).
For the complete list, visit theACC.com.
NASL / Carolina RailHawks / Soccer Rochester Rhinos jump to NASL; USL-1 shrinks further
Posted by David Fellerath on Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 4:28 PM
The Rochester Rhinos fulfilled recent speculation today, announcing that they would join the nine other ownership groups that are poised to begin play next spring in the North American Soccer League, which now claims 10 teams.
Last week, Carolina RailHawks majority owner Selby Wellman told Triangle Offense that he expected there would be at least 10 teams but refused to confirm speculation about Rochester's status.
Here's a link to the early thoughts of Jeff DiVeronica of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. "Devo" is an excellent, insightful soccer reporter; he's also been consistent in his scorn for the breakaway league.
For those keeping score, the USL First Division is down to four teams, following today's announcement from Rochester and the decision of Cleveland and Charleston to take themselves down to the USL Second Division:
- Portland Timbers (MLS-bound in 2011)
- Puerto Rico Islanders
- Austin Aztex
- FC New York (2010 expansion team)
Press release after the jump.
Basketball / ACC / UNC-Chapel Hill UNC survives home scare versus Nevada
Posted by Rob Harrington on Mon, Nov 30, 2009 at 4:19 PM
CHAPEL HILL/SMITH CENTER — Three days after Thanksgiving, North Carolina nearly laid a turkey. The Tar Heels struggled against Nevada at home on Sunday night, requiring a late run to overtake the Wolf Pack 80-73 and giving Roy Williams his 600th career victory.
The Wolf Pack appeared on the verge of folding early, falling behind by double digits and struggling to get good shots. But Nevada began to hit jumpers — including some heavily contested ones — and actually took a brief lead in the second half.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Basketball / Women's Basketball / ACC / UNC-Chapel Hill UNC withstands a record artillery barrage from Charleston Southerners
Posted by Mike Potter on Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 5:00 PM
SMITH CENTER/CHAPEL HILL UNC is home for a rare early Sunday afternoon game in women's basketball, the 12:30 starting time necessitated by the men's game against Nevada later in the day.
The unbeaten No. 4 Tar Heels' opponent is Charleston Southern, another foe from the Big South Conference that seems to be Coach Sylvia Hatchell's favorite reservoir of non-conference home opponents.
As usual in these games, the Tar Heels will be heavy favorites.
Forward Laura Broomfield is back in the lineup after a one-game disciplinary suspension, and makes the start. Still on the bench is freshman guard Krista Gross, out for her second game with a broken bone in her hand.
From the beginning of the game, it's obvious Julie Goodenough's Buccaneers have a solid game plan and aren't coming in already admitting defeat. And even though it isn't successful, the 3-point barrage is good enough to keep the game interesting for almost 40 minutes before the Tar Heels finally prevail 76-67.
CSU comes out firing 3-pointers as if close-in shots are illegal. The Bucs lead 9-7 early, and it isn't until the 10:52 mark of the first half that the visitors score on something other than a three-point play.
Basketball / Women's Basketball / ACC / UNC-Chapel Hill Favored Tar Heels look to stay unbeaten against Charleston Southern
Posted by Mike Potter on Sun, Nov 29, 2009 at 12:01 AM
UNC will put its No. 4 ranking and perfect women's basketball record on the line again today at 12:30, when Charleston Southern visits the Smith Center.
It's the first meeting between the Tar Heels and the Buccaneers (3-2) since the 2005-06 season. UNC leads the series 7-0.
Forward Laura Broomfield (pictured) is expected to play for the Tar Heels today following a one-game disciplinary suspension for a violation of team rules.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
N.C. State / ACC Wolfpack makes a long run, but can't quite catch No. 21 Vanderbilt
Posted by Mike Potter on Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 8:46 PM
N.C. State got into a deep hole early and tried to climb out of it the rest of the way, but never got out of it in a 77-71 loss to No. 21 Vanderbilt in the championship game of the Vanderbilt Thanksgiving Tournament.
Tournament MVP Meredith Marsh, who finished with a game-high 21 points, hit three 3-pointers early to help the Commodores (6-0) a 13-0 lead.
Nikitta Gartrell (pictured) scored 15 points for N.C. State (5-2), which had a four-game winning streak snapped. Lucy Ellison - who was named to the all-tourney team - added 14 points and 12 rebounds for her second straight double-double, Bonae Holston 13 points and 12 rebounds and Brittany Strachan 11 points.
Vanderbilt, which got 12 points from Jence Rhoads, hit 28 of 35 free throws.
The Wolfpack's next game is at home on Thursday night against Wisconsin in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge.
Basketball / Duke / ACC Mason Plumlee to return for Duke game Wednesday?
Posted by Grayson Currin on Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 8:21 PM
Forward Mason Plumlee, a speculated pre-season starter for the Duke Blue Devils, could return to the Duke lineup as early as Wednesday, according to a Twitter post by Duke guard Nolan Smith Saturday evening. "My boy, Mason Plumlee may be back, and ready to play by Wednesday!! I cant wait for his debut!" Smith said. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski did not mention a date for Plumlee's return after Duke's 68-57 win in the NIT Tip-Off's championship game versus University of Connecticut. "We're still missing one of our kids. Mason Plumlee who I think will be a big addition to our team," the coach said.
Plumlee, the younger brother of forward and starter Miles Plumlee, broke his wrist in a pre-season practice while attempting to dunk over senior Lance Thomas. Duke plays Wisconsin Wednesday night in Madison as part of the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. the 9:15 p.m. contest will be televised on ESPN.
Basketball / N.C. Central Eagles give homestanding Iowa a good scare before falling by 10 points
Posted by Mike Potter on Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 6:45 PM
LeVelle Moton has sworn he didn't want to be head coach at N.C. Central to collect moral victories, but it would be hard to blame Eagle fans for claiming one today.
The Eagles kept Iowa interested until the last couple of minutes before falling 73-63 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in the teams' first meeting in men's basketball.
Jarryd Cole scored a career-high 24 points and added 10 rebounds for the Hawkeyes (2-4).
Vincent Davis (pictured) had 18 points and Michael Glasker 17 for NCCU (1-6).
Matt Gatens added 16 points and Cully Payne 11 for Iowa, which outrebounded the Eagles 42-21.
The Eagles will go looking for an upset again on Wednesday night at Air Force, before returning home on Dec. 5 against Carver Bible College.
Football / Duke / ACC / N.C. Central Wake Forest wins shootout to dash Duke's hopes for .500 finish
Posted by Mike Potter on Sat, Nov 28, 2009 at 5:30 PM
WALLACE WADE STADIUM/DURHAM Duke hasn't been in this position in quite some time.
If the Blue Devils can beat long-time Big Four rival Wake Forest on a cool, sunny afternoon in the Bull City, they'll be 6-6 and avoid a losing season for the first time since 1994.
But David Cutcliffe's club is going to have to break a jinx to do it, as Duke hasn't beaten the Deacons in the last nine meetings.
Neither team can go to a bowl - Duke because the win over N.C. Central doesn't count for bowl qualification and Wake (4-7) simply because it can't win six games.
The 'what ifs' are obvious, as Duke opened with an eight-point loss to visiting Division I-FCS power Richmond in a game the Blue Devils would just like to have back. The Deacons had TWO overtime losses, on the road at Boston College and Virginia Tech. That's probably why Wake is the favorite in Las Vegas, and the oddsmakers turn out to be right as Wake wins 45-34.
Duke has no trouble scoring on its first possession. It takes just three plays to go 58 yards, with Thaddeus Lewis (pictured) hitting Donovan Varner in stride for a 56-yard touchdown. Will Snyderwine adds the kick at 13:56.
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