New ACC schedules: the highs and Lowe

Intrigue builds, and N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe gets his itinerary, as the league releases its 2006-07 men's basketball schedules

An intriguing ACC basketball season beckons, with Sidney Lowe returning to N.C. State, Tyler Hansbrough back at North Carolina and 12 teams set for a season-long struggle that will lead, for the first time, to Florida. On Thursday, the ACC released its men's basketball schedules for the 2006-07 season. And in a twist that underscores the quirkiness of scheduling 12 teams, Duke and Wake Forest will play only once. That hasn't happened since 1921.

Duke will play North Carolina twice, of course. UNC, with sophomore center Hansbrough and a bevy of talented freshmen, could make a run at an ACC title, perhaps another NCAA title. Duke hopes to do the same.

In Raleigh, Lowe, a hero with the Pack's 1983 NCAA champs, has come back, promising a return to past glory. State opens with Wofford on Nov. 10 in the RBC Center and has an unusual schedule that includes consecutive games against East Carolina, UNC-Wilmington and UNC-Greensboro in addition to non-conference games with Alabama and Cincinnati.

The ACC season ends with a sharp reminder of the league's new dimensions. In March, the ACC Tournament will be at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., the first time the tournament has been held south of Atlanta.

WILL HE PLAY?

Former high school phenom Greg Oden is expected be at the Smith Center with Ohio State for the ACC-Big Ten Challenge on Nov. 29. Question is: Will he play? The 7-foot center had surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist on June 16 and may not be in uniform until the start of the Big Ten season.

RED ALERT

Indiana at Duke, Nov. 28

Not to jinx Kelvin Sampson, but the first-year Indiana coach better shine up his suit of armor. After getting tagged for NCAA violations after leaving Oklahoma to coach the Hoosiers, you can bet the Cameron Crazies will have planned a little something to get under his skin.

TALK ABOUT YOUR TRAFFIC JAMS

Consider the following tight turnarounds for three basketball-hockey double bills at Raleigh's RBC Center.

Jan. 6: Boston College at N.C. State, 2 p.m.; N.Y. Islanders at Carolina Hurricanes, 7 p.m.

Jan. 20: Duke at NCSU, in a nationally televised game, 3:30 p.m.; Tampa Bay Lightning at Hurricanes, 8:30 p.m.

And Feb. 3, the real killer: North Carolina at NCSU, another nationally televised game, at 3:30 p.m. Then, at 8:30, the Boston Bruins visit the Canes.

They say it can be done. Stay tuned.

UNC AT DUKE, FEB. 7; DUKE AT UNC, MARCH 4

No word yet on whether ESPN will up the ante and devote 12 channels of round-the-clock coverage to broadcast the cleaning crews' efforts to get Cameron Indoor Stadium and the Smith Center ready for these two Games of the Century of the Week.

NEW ACC TRADITION: PASS THE SUNSCREEN

ACC Tournament fans will have to travel farther south than usual to watch the crowning of the league champion. Tampa, Fla.'s St. Pete Times Forum will host this season's four-day tournament, starting March 8.

With hopes of keeping their tournament stays from being brief, Wake Forest and Florida State worked in sneak-preview trips to the arena before conference play heats up. The Demon Deacons will play South Florida and the Seminoles will face Providence in a St. Pete Times Forum doubleheader Dec. 29.

MATT DOHERTY MEMORIAL GAME?

Think North Carolina would have invited Florida Atlantic to play at the Smith Center on Dec. 19 if Matt Doherty were still the coach at FAU? We don't, either. Rex Walters, who played for UNC coach Roy WIlliams at Kansas, is the Florida Atlantic coach now.

SURF'S UP

Georgia Tech will make its first trip to the Maui Invitational over the Thanksgiving weekend, earning coach Paul Hewitt the opportunity to wear a Hawaiian shirt on national television.