There has been some talk in this forum about the ACC Home court advantage. Here's an article from today's news and observer.
Home court is crucial
N.C. State, helped by the passion of Josh Powell (33), has not lost a conference game at home.
Staff Photo by Scott Sharpe
The senior leadership of Clifford Crawford, right, gave N.C. State an advantage at home against Nick Horvath and Duke.
Staff Photo by Chuck Liddy
Georgia Tech's B.J. Elder (1) and Chris Bosh feel the effects of the Cameron Crazies on Saturday in a loss to Duke.
AP Photo by Grant Halverson
HARD ROAD IN THE ACC
ACC teams are doing worse away from home than five other major conferences.
Conference Road Winning record* percentage
Pac-10 13-23 .361
Big East 12-24 .333
SEC 10-23 .323
Big 12 8-20 .285
Big Ten 8-22 .267
ACC 5-19 .208
*CONFERENCE GAMES THROUGH MONDAY
SOURCE: N&O RESEARCH
By BARRY SVRLUGA, Staff Writer
Georgia Tech freshman Chris Bosh stood in the hallway outside the locker room Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium, a 91-71 loss to Duke just behind him. There was frustration in his voice.
"That's OK," he said. "Everybody who beat us on the road is going to have to come back to our house. In the ACC, so far, that's been a big advantage."
It's a bigger advantage than in any of the other five biggest college basketball conferences. Through Monday, ACC teams had won just five conference games on the road.
Bosh and the Yellow Jackets, who will face North Carolina tonight at home, exemplify what's going on in the ACC. They have won both of their league games so far at cozy Alexander Memorial Coliseum in Atlanta and lost all three they have played elsewhere.
But the Jackets aren't alone. Seven teams are a combined 2-17 in league games. Not coincidentally, the other two -- Maryland (2-1) and N.C. State (1-1) will play for first place Thursday night.
The reasons for the struggles are fairly simple, coaches and players say.
"The ACC has the best home-court venues in any league," said UNC coach Matt Doherty, who was an assistant coach in the Big 12 and a head coach in the Big East. "Pretty much everybody plays in an on-campus facility," he added, noting that N.C. State and Florida State are the only exceptions.
"But N.C. State had 19,000 [fans for Sunday's game against UNC]. The students were there and the whole deal. That makes it tough. That energizes the home team, and it's a distraction for the road team. It affects the outcome of the game."
It may affect more outcomes than ever this year. The ACC is also the youngest league in the country, with a higher percentage of freshmen than any of the other power conferences.
"These kids don't have the experience to handle a tight, end-of-the-game situation in a difficult environment," Tech coach Paul Hewitt said.
The home team has yet to lose at Maryland's Comcast Center, State's RBC Center, Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, Virginia's University Hall or Wake Forest's Joel Coliseum.
Bosh said his first game at Cameron felt weird, "like watching TV." He wasn't the first freshman to go into another ACC arena and tremble a bit.
"I was nervous," said UNC guard Jackie Manuel, a sophomore who is making his second trip through the league now. "It was a new experience for me, and I was just so amazed with the fans and going into the different buildings that it was hard to stay focused."
Of the five ACC road wins, Maryland has two -- an 81-66 victory over the Tar Heels last week in Chapel Hill and an ugly affair Saturday at Clemson.
Other coaches say it's no coincidence that the Terrapins have recently started five seniors, four of whom played significant roles in winning the 2002 national championship.
"Maybe our seniors make a difference on the road," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "They've been through a lot of tough environments on the road. We're just thankful we won those two games, because there's no guarantee there will be any more."
The flip side, of course, is that, because it's so much harder to win on the road, there's more pressure to win at home.
"There's not much margin for error," said Virginia coach Pete Gillen, whose team is 0-3 in ACC road games. "There's more pressure playing at home. Those are games you have to win. You have to defend your home court."
If Tech defends its home court tonight -- the Jackets are 8-0 overall at the Thriller Dome -- Carolina's losing streak will reach three games.
"I think there's times when you have to tell the guys to relax, calm down, be patient," Manuel said.
In the ACC, it's going to take patience to win any road game.
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Home court is crucial
N.C. State, helped by the passion of Josh Powell (33), has not lost a conference game at home.
Staff Photo by Scott Sharpe
The senior leadership of Clifford Crawford, right, gave N.C. State an advantage at home against Nick Horvath and Duke.
Staff Photo by Chuck Liddy
Georgia Tech's B.J. Elder (1) and Chris Bosh feel the effects of the Cameron Crazies on Saturday in a loss to Duke.
AP Photo by Grant Halverson
HARD ROAD IN THE ACC
ACC teams are doing worse away from home than five other major conferences.
Conference Road Winning record* percentage
Pac-10 13-23 .361
Big East 12-24 .333
SEC 10-23 .323
Big 12 8-20 .285
Big Ten 8-22 .267
ACC 5-19 .208
*CONFERENCE GAMES THROUGH MONDAY
SOURCE: N&O RESEARCH
By BARRY SVRLUGA, Staff Writer
Georgia Tech freshman Chris Bosh stood in the hallway outside the locker room Saturday at Cameron Indoor Stadium, a 91-71 loss to Duke just behind him. There was frustration in his voice.
"That's OK," he said. "Everybody who beat us on the road is going to have to come back to our house. In the ACC, so far, that's been a big advantage."
It's a bigger advantage than in any of the other five biggest college basketball conferences. Through Monday, ACC teams had won just five conference games on the road.
Bosh and the Yellow Jackets, who will face North Carolina tonight at home, exemplify what's going on in the ACC. They have won both of their league games so far at cozy Alexander Memorial Coliseum in Atlanta and lost all three they have played elsewhere.
But the Jackets aren't alone. Seven teams are a combined 2-17 in league games. Not coincidentally, the other two -- Maryland (2-1) and N.C. State (1-1) will play for first place Thursday night.
The reasons for the struggles are fairly simple, coaches and players say.
"The ACC has the best home-court venues in any league," said UNC coach Matt Doherty, who was an assistant coach in the Big 12 and a head coach in the Big East. "Pretty much everybody plays in an on-campus facility," he added, noting that N.C. State and Florida State are the only exceptions.
"But N.C. State had 19,000 [fans for Sunday's game against UNC]. The students were there and the whole deal. That makes it tough. That energizes the home team, and it's a distraction for the road team. It affects the outcome of the game."
It may affect more outcomes than ever this year. The ACC is also the youngest league in the country, with a higher percentage of freshmen than any of the other power conferences.
"These kids don't have the experience to handle a tight, end-of-the-game situation in a difficult environment," Tech coach Paul Hewitt said.
The home team has yet to lose at Maryland's Comcast Center, State's RBC Center, Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium, Virginia's University Hall or Wake Forest's Joel Coliseum.
Bosh said his first game at Cameron felt weird, "like watching TV." He wasn't the first freshman to go into another ACC arena and tremble a bit.
"I was nervous," said UNC guard Jackie Manuel, a sophomore who is making his second trip through the league now. "It was a new experience for me, and I was just so amazed with the fans and going into the different buildings that it was hard to stay focused."
Of the five ACC road wins, Maryland has two -- an 81-66 victory over the Tar Heels last week in Chapel Hill and an ugly affair Saturday at Clemson.
Other coaches say it's no coincidence that the Terrapins have recently started five seniors, four of whom played significant roles in winning the 2002 national championship.
"Maybe our seniors make a difference on the road," Maryland coach Gary Williams said. "They've been through a lot of tough environments on the road. We're just thankful we won those two games, because there's no guarantee there will be any more."
The flip side, of course, is that, because it's so much harder to win on the road, there's more pressure to win at home.
"There's not much margin for error," said Virginia coach Pete Gillen, whose team is 0-3 in ACC road games. "There's more pressure playing at home. Those are games you have to win. You have to defend your home court."
If Tech defends its home court tonight -- the Jackets are 8-0 overall at the Thriller Dome -- Carolina's losing streak will reach three games.
"I think there's times when you have to tell the guys to relax, calm down, be patient," Manuel said.
In the ACC, it's going to take patience to win any road game.
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