The Number 1 Jinx

January 21, 2009 - Posted By: The Top Fan

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Photo: USPresswire.com

Just two days after being awarded the number 1 ranking in the country, undefeated Wake Forest loses at home to unranked ACC foe Virginia Tech, 78-71. With the loss, all NCAA teams now have at least one loss. The Deacons looked unbeatable Saturday against Clemson, but after losing to VT, they will probably surrender their top-ranked position to current number 2 Duke. And guess who Wake Forest gets at home next Saturday? Yep, Duke. Also, Clemson goes to 0-54 in Chapel Hill, and South Carolina wins a thriller over Florida with a bucket at the buzzer.

UNC 94, Clemson 70

The Tigers' streak of horror continues. Center Trevor Booker was not a factor, guard Terrence Oglesby was off from three-point land, and guard Demontez Stitt was turning it over early and often. The Heels were led by Wayne Ellington and his 25 points. UNC will move back into the top 5 with the win. They are off for a week before facing FSU next Wednesday in Tallahassee.

Clemson now faces last place Georgia Tech on Sunday and will need to start working on their ACC win total. Traditionally, 9-7 in ACC play will get you in the tourney. That means CU will need to go 7-5 in their remaining 12 games. The Tigers must keep their heads up and put these last two games behind them. Yes, they were beaten by 10 points at home to Wake, and by over 20 on the road at UNC, but these are two of the top teams in the nation, and if CU wants to reach the level of those programs, they must keep fighting, win games, make the tourney, and recruit like hell. O.P. still has it going, but the Tigers must stop the bleeding now.

South Carolina 70, Florida 69

Gamecock guard Zam Frederick scored a game-winning lay-up at the buzzer as South Carolina won a game for the ages at the Colonial Center in Columbia. The Gamecocks, under first year Head Coach Darrin Horn, can use this game as a springboard into the rest of the 2009 season. Florida has been one of the nation's top programs over the last ten years, and this win is huge for USC and its fans.

It all unfolded when Florida's Chandler Parsons missed the front end of a potential game-icing 1 and 1 with just under 4 seconds to go. USC's Mike Holmes, who had just missed a game-tying free throw on the court's other end, caught the rebound and hurled the ball to Frederick, who beat the Florida defender and laid the ball in just before the backboard lights lit up for the game winning score. Carolina fans went wild in celebration as their Cocks look to make a run at the NCAA tournament. College sports is all about mind games and momentum, and this is the kind of win that could propel south Carolina to a big first season under Coach Horn.