For the 2nd day in a row, NC State head coach Sidney Lowe trotted out the red jacket and upset a higher seed in the ACC tournament. I asked Coach Lowe after the game if the red jacket will make an appearance in the ACC semi-finals. "I'm going to take it to the dry cleaners and hopefully it will get back in time." Make it a rush order.

NC State's not winning because of the red jacket but the man who wears it. At halftime against Virginia, Lowe challenged his team to play harder...mentally harder. He felt like they were allowing the Wahoos to do what they wanted and that had to change. It did in the 2nd when the Pack blistered Virginia with 73% shooting in the final 20 minutes. That was an improvement of 40% from the first half. State also did a better job defending Sean Singletary after the potty break...16 points in the first half, 7 in the second. The magic carpet ride continues for NC State as it posts the 2nd biggest comeback in ACC tournament history. A 14-point halftime deficit turns into an 8-point Wolfpack win and a trip to the ACC semi-finals.

North Carolina reaches the ACC final four winning it's opener against Florida State. The 15-point win was the largest of the tournament but the Heels gave themselves a B on the grade sheet. Tyler Hansbrough was particularly irked with the protective mask he is forced to wear after his nose was broken in the Battle of the Blues. Usually a player can shake off a nagging injury or a poor shooting night but Hansbrough let it be know how distracting the mask is. He says he doesn't like things on his body when he's playing so that's a reason he doesn't get taped before a game. The mask also limits his sight and it is like wearing a blanket over your face, keeping the heat stuck to his skin. Hansbrough said the doctors say he needs to keep hiding his identity for a couple more weeks but he may get so frustrated that the mask may end up a mangled piece of plastic resting in the trash.

I was EXTREMELY  fortunate to have fantastic seats for the UNC and NC State games. I was sitting right behind the Wolfpack and Tar Heel bench. It was interesting to watch the coaches during the game and especially time outs. Roy Williams sits in the middle with Steve Robinson on his left and Joe Holladay on his right. After Coach Williams says his piece the other assistants are given a chance to speak specifics to the players. The Pack's Sidney Lowe is constantly barking plays and instructions to his team. He has an ear piercing whistle that his players are trained to hear. I was impressed by his adjustments during the game on defense and offense. He really works match-ups, which is the NBA in him. By the end of the Friday night's game, Coach Lowe had worked up a players sweat. That red jacket is going to need some extra attention at the cleaners....but do it quickly, State plays tomorrow afternoon at 4pm in the ACC semi-finals.