Sorry for the lateness. Had some problems logging on. That never happens, does it? Computers are always a joy to work with. Can you sense my sarcasm?

Anyway, on to the ACC tournament.

North Carolina is expected to be without point guard Ty Lawson for the second straight day, but it proved yesterday that it could win without the ACC’s player of the year.

It couldn’t have beaten Florida State, its opponent in today’s first ACC tournament semifinal at the Georgia Dome, earlier this season without Lawson, though. He knocked down a running 3-pointer as time expired to sink the Seminoles 80-77 in Tallahassee on Jan. 28.

I expect FSU to give North Carolina all it can handle, especially inside. The Seminoles have a beefy frontcourt and a point guard, Toney Douglas, that many people feel got jobbed in the ACC player of the year voting.

I too think Douglas was probably most deserving of player of the year honors. He was the best defensive player in the league and he averaged more points (20.9) and rebounds (4.0) than Lawson (15.9, 2.8).

Don’t get me wrong. Lawson is a great player. He averaged 6.5 assists and only 1.9 turnovers a game and ran the Tar Heels offense to near perfection.

As for the second game, it seems to me that Maryland is playing pretty inspired basketball right now. It’s funny how all those Terps haters out there were ready to cut coach Gary Williams loose earlier in the season. Last night after Maryland’s win over Wake Forest, they were chanting his name.

The Georgia Dome is where Williams and Maryland won the national championship back in 2002. Wouldn’t be a great story if the Terps made an improbable run to the ACC championship this year? I think so.

I’ll go out on a limb and say that at least one of the Tobacco Road schools will end up in the championship game. Either Duke or Carolina has participated in each of the last 12 ACC title games and both have squared off against each other 10 times.

I think it would be great to see Duke-Carolina III on Sunday.