ACC Roundup - UNC Hires Darth Vader

Just kidding. Vader was much more likable.

We don’t usually start the Roundup with football, but sometimes circumstances require it. In this case, UNC has pulled off a strange football hire: the Tar Heels will now be coached by Bill Belichick.

It’s a really strange move for several reasons. First, UNC just fired Mack Brown, who is 73. We thought for sure they’d go younger. Well, they did, sort of - Belichick is 72. If he fulfills his contract, he’ll be 77.

Obviously Belichick was a superb NFL coach, but the NFL and college football are not the same. For one, you can’t really fire college players, which Belichick did on occasion with the Patriots.

Secondly, recruiting is a tricky business at best and it’s complicated by the transfer portal. Far younger coaches are retiring in frustration.

Then there’s the strange matter of his girlfriend, who is half a century younger. That may not go over well with a lot of people.

Belichick apparently impressed UNC with a plan to set up the program as a conduit to the NFL and of course he can probably sell that idea. And in fairness, UNC quit worrying about academics years ago. The pretensions are gone and the truth is that UNC doesn’t care about anything other than winning. The Carolina Way was probably always a joke but it’s long dead now.

So we’ll see how he does. He’s a legend, but this is the tail-end of his career. There’s a fair chance that this ends badly.

In Wednesday’s ACC Action, Notre Dame dunked Dartmouth, 77-65, Pitt popped Eastern Kentucky 96-56 and Louisville slipped by UTEP 77-74.

Terrence Edwards helped the ‘Ville knock off the Miners, hitting for 22 points. Reyne Smith hit a pair of free throws with 6.2 left to seal the deal. UTEP did get a shot off before the clock ran out but didn’t hit it. Injuries have really hurt this team and the Cards were on a three-game slide. Nice for them to break out.

Notre Dame has a key injury too as Markus Burton will be out for a while. The Irish are adapting though and did okay against Dartmouth. Nepo baby Braeden Shrewsberry (kidding! He’s earned it) had 22 points. Tae Davis racked up 20 points and 10 rebounds and Matt Alloco nailed down 16 points and five assists.

All those guys will improve while Burton recovers and should be much better when he gets back.

You know what’s nice? When a kid says this about your school: “I always wanted to come to this school and play in this arena.“

Know what’s even nicer?

When a kid like that, in this case Brandon Cummings, explodes for 30.

Cummings shot 6-8 from three point range and hit 10-13 overall. Pitt hit 47.8 percent from behind the line and 61.1 percent overall.

Zack Austin had 18 points and three blocks. Jaland Lowe 12 assists and 11 points. Ishmael Leggett finished with 17.

Somewhat like UNC, nearly all of Pitt’s scoring came from the perimeter: Guillermo Diaz Graham didn’t score at all. Twin brother Jorge had six, Cameron Corhen five and Papa Amadou Kante four.

On Thursday, two games on the slate as Virginia Tech gets NC A&T while Virginia gets Bethune-Cookman. Nothing particularly exciting unless Jaden Schutt or TJ Power gets on a heater.

Thursday’s ACC Action

• NC A&T @ Virginia Tech || 7:00 || ESPN+/ACC Extra
• Bethune-Cookman @ Virginia || 7:00 || ACCN

• Brown: Louisville basketball ID lapse almost cost ‘em vs UTEP. That won’t fly against UK
• Edwards scores 22 as Louisville narrowly beats UTEP at home
• Louisville basketball picked up its sixth win of the season Wednesday night, narrowly beating Utep at home.
• What Pat Kelsey, Chucky Hepburn Said After Louisville MBB’s 77-74 Win vs. UTEP
• Louisville basketball sneaks past UTEP 77-74
• With UK looming, Edwards, Hadley help Cards edge UTEP to end 3-game losing streak
• Braeden Shrewsberry, Tae Davis lead Notre Dame to 77-65 victory against Dartmouth
• Notre Dame 77, Dartmouth 65: The new “big three” handle the Big Green
• Irish Handle Business In 77-65 Win Over Dartmouth
• Instant takeaways: Notre Dame men’s basketball dispatches Dartmouth
• Noie: This is what worked on this night for this Notre Dame men’s basketball team
• Brandin Cummings scores 30 points in Pitt’s 96-56 rout of Eastern Kentucky
• Colonels Take Late First Half Lead Before Pitt Pulls Away In The Second
• Postgame Reaction from Jeff Capel, Pitt Players After EKU Game
• Freshman Brandin Cummings scores 30 off bench to lead Pitt past Eastern Kentucky
• What has Bill Belichick done? A look at the new UNC coach’s career highlights
• Way too early predictions for Bill Belichick’s first season at UNC in 2025
• North Carolina announces 5-year deal with Bill Belichick to take over as coach of the Tar Heels
• Bill Belichick recruits Michael Lombardi to form All-Star management team at UNC
• In bolting to UNC, Bill Belichick rejects NFL before it can reject him – again