Player of the Week
Brice Johnson – North Carolina (F, Sr., 6-9, 228, Orangeburg, SC)
What a week it was for North Carolina senior forward Brice Johnson. The South Carolina native scored 15 points on 6-for-12 shooting, notched 11 rebounds, and blocked two shots in the Tar Heels’ 86-78 victory over Georgia Tech on Jan. 2. He then exploded for 39 points and 23 rebounds, becoming just the second player in North Carolina history to reach (at least) those totals in a game as the Tar Heels defeated Florida State, 106-90, on Jan. 4.
Former Tar Heel, Billy Cunningham, a Naismith Memorial Hall of Famer, had at least 39 points and 23 rebounds twice in 1964 with 40 points and 28 rebounds against Maryland on Jan. 13, and 48 points and 25 rebounds against Tulane on Dec. 10. It was made even more impressive considering that it came on the road. It was the first 20-20 game for a Tar Heel since Tyler Zeller had 20 points and 22 rebounds against Ohio in the 2012 NCAA Tournament.
Johnson’s work on the glass was a major key in North Carolina’s win. He had seven of the Tar Heel’s 18 offensive rebounds as they outscored FSU 50-30 in the paint. After the Seminoles took a 56-55 lead early in the second half, Johnson scored nine consecutive points as part of a 15-6 run by North Carolina. FSU closed the gap to four, 74-70, but the Tar Heels responded with an 11-2 run to put the game out of reach. Johnson shot 14-for-16 from the field and 11-for-16 from the free throw stripe and added three blocks and steals apiece, and one assist. He’s moved into the top 10 for this year’s mock draft.
Who’s Hot?
Duke’s Grayson Allen (G, So., 6-5, 205, Jacksonville, FL) and Luke Kennard (G, Fr., 6-5, 180, Franklin, OH)
Both Allen and Kennard were the two most consistent players in Duke’s wins over Boston College (81-64) and Wake Forest (91-75). The Blue Devils game against the Eagles was the first ACC challenge for both teams. It proved to be a hostile environment for Duke as expected. Allen and Kennard were still able to thrive under the circumstances. Allen scored 17 points on an efficient 5-for-8 shooting and added nine rebounds, five assists and three steals. Kennard chipped in 17 points of his own on 7-for-11 shooting to go along with five rebounds, two assists and one block. Allen’s usual fearlessness and reckless abandon were on display when he intercepted a pass and went in for a dunk so emphatic that the ball, after passing through the net, bounced off his head and wound up a half-dozen rows back in the stands. Against Wake Forest, Kennard recorded 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and one steal in 32 minutes off the bench. Allen had another big game at the Demon Deacons expense posting 24 points, three rebounds, three assists, two steals and one block. The last time the teams played was in the Blue Devils’ home finale last March, and he lit up the Demon Deacons for 27 points – at the time, a career high.
Anthony Gill – Virginia (F, Sr., 6-8, 230, High Point, NC)
Gill has been one of the most reliable bigs in the conference all season. He scored 14 first-half points as Virginia defeated Notre Dame, 77-66 on Jan. 2. He finished with 21 points on 7-for-10 shooting and six rebounds for the Cavaliers. He followed that performance with a 17-point effort on 7-for-9 shooting as the Cavaliers fell to their rivals, Virginia Tech, 70-68 on Jan. 4. He added eight rebounds, three assists and one block.
Demetrius Jackson – Notre Dame (G, Jr., 6-1, 198, Mishawaka, IN)
In the loss against Virginia, Jackson shot 7-for-17 from the field for 18 points to go along with six assists and two steals. The Fighting Irish got back to their winning ways with an 82-54 win over Boston College on Jan. 7. The junior point guard scored eight of his 17 points during a 21-4 key run in the first half that carried Notre Dame for the balance of the game.
Who’s Not?
Trey Lewis – Louisville (G, Sr., 6-2, 190, Garfield Heights, OH)
Lewis was pretty much absent in the past two games for the Cardinals, which happened to be wins anyway. Still, Rick Pitino is expecting more consistent production from the graduate transfer because he generally plays a big role in their success. Lewis scored just nine points on 3-for-7 shooting in Louisville’s 65-57 victory over Wake Forest to open ACC play. He then scored just four points in their 77-72 win against NC State. Lewis shot 0-for-4 from the field and played just 19 minutes due to foul trouble and his inability to get it going offensively.
NC State – Have lost two straight games
After winning six consecutive games, the Wolfpack have endured a 0-2 start against ACC competition. They suffered a disappointing loss to Virginia Tech, 73-68, before losing to Louisville. NC State combined to shoot 34 percent combined in the games. Their best player, Cat Barber, shot 7-for-21 and 7-for-22 in both losses, respectively. With Barber having trouble finding his stroke, his teammates have also struggled with their shooting efficiency, leaving the offense looking bleak during long stretches of a game.
Top Five Rebounders in the ACC
1. Charles Mitchell – 11.3 RPG
2. Devin Thomas – 10.3 RPG
3. Brice Johnson – 10.2 RPG
4. Tonye Jekiri – 9.6 RPG
5. Zach Auguste – 9.5 RPG