Colleges

HookShotz

Around the ACC Tournament.

By JOE SMITH
Published March 12, 2007

Sophomore Snorer Award

When North Carolina sophomore Mike Copeland completed a nifty shoulder-shimmy dance as he stepped up to cut the net Sunday, it was symbolic of his loud personality. Apparently, Copeland creates a ruckus even when he sleeps. "He's the best roommate to have - until he goes to bed," senior Dewey Burke said. "He snores louder than anyone in the world. If you don't fall asleep before him, you're out of luck."

Craving the Castle

N.C. State freshman forward Brandon Costner often takes his love of White Castle burgers to the extreme. Dismayed there's no WC in NC, the 6-foot-8, 230-pounder from West Orange, N.J., asks his mother, Stacy, to bring him a sack of sliders when she flies in to see him.

From Manager to Da Man

N.C. State senior forward Bryan Nieman took the long road to Tobacco Road. The Raleigh, N.C., native was cut from his junior high team and during his freshman year at Wake Forest-Rolesville. Nieman stuck with it, serving as team manager until midseason, when he was activated after a teammate quit. Nieman then walked on at Winthrop and N.C. State (with a stop at Gulf Coast CC in between) before earning a scholarship this season.

Semi-Celebrities

Three Tampa eighth-graders put in overtime this weekend. Daly Fenlon, Hunter Clonts and Bryan Goldman, students at Corpus Christi Catholic, served as "ball kids." The shaggy-haired kids were run ragged, rebounding and wiping sweat spots for about 14 hours on Thursday (the night of the Wake Forest-Georgia Tech double-overtime thriller). "They had the time of their lives," Fenlon's father, Greg, said. "They'd come home and stay up until 3 a.m. watching themselves on TIVo; like minicelebrities." Only Fenlon is not so mini. The 14-year-old is already pushing 6 feet. Make that the "Big Ball Kid."

Spoiled Lunch

The FanFest was fun, but one reporter lost his appetite after walking by the "Spammobile," a large trolley car offering free tastes of Spam. Their Web site says they're, "Making the world a better place one bit of Spam at a time." Needless to say, there wasn't a huge line.

A Real Celebrity Sighting

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist, who played football at Wake Forest before transferring to Florida State, took in the action.

By the Numbers

752 Media credentials issued for the ACC tournament

4 Lower seeds that won on the tournament's first day, an ACC record

100 North Carolina sophomore Tyler Hansbrough's free-throw percentage Sunday (11-for-11)

16 ACC tournament titles for North Carolina, tying Duke

151 Minutes played by N.C. State forward Brandon Costner, third most by a player in an ACC tournament

4 Consecutive days N.C. State coach Sidney Lowe wore his bright red sports coat, which is much overdue for a dry cleaning

[Last modified March 12, 2007, 00:54:16]