Favors putting up all-tournament numbers

By Carroll Rogers

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Georgia Tech freshman Derrick Favors has picked a good time to get hot, playing his best basketball late this season. The ACC tournament continued the theme.

The recently named ACC rookie of the year was one rebound from double-doubles in each of Tech's first two ACC tournament games, with 18 points, nine rebounds and five blocks against North Carolina and 11 points and 11 rebounds against Maryland.

He was three rebounds shy of a double-double against N.C. State in the semifinal by halftime, with 10 points and seven rebounds.

After the North Carolina game, Favors had explained: "I just took it upon myself not to let the team lose. I felt the opportunity to score, and I took it. Whatever they gave me, I took."

Entering Saturday's game, Favors had averaged 15.9 points in his past seven games.

Tech coach Paul Hewitt thinks time in the weight room has helped Favors' strength and helped him stay out of foul trouble lately.

Favors' minutes reflect that. Favors had played 30 or more minutes in five of Tech's past six games before Saturday. This was after he had played 30 minutes only four times in his first 12 ACC games.

He has shown scouts from 28 of 30 NBA teams represented at the Greensboro Coliseum a deeper range on his jumper and better touch from the free-throw line. He also has made a strong case for ACC All-tournament team.

Climbing RPI

Two wins in the first two games in the ACC tournament have helped boost Georgia Tech's RPI ranking from 43rd to 35th, which was the fourth-best RPI among ACC schools behind Duke (2), Maryland (22) and Clemson (34). Tech's strength of schedule had improved from 20th to 16th heading into Saturday's game against N.C. State, which trailed only Duke (10) in the ACC.

RPI and strength of schedule are both key measures used by the NCAA tournament selection committee to determine bids and seeding.

ACC legends

Former Tech guard Bruce Dalrymple was honored at halftime of the Duke-Miami semifinal Saturday as one of the 2010 ACC basketball legends. Dalyrmple was a first-team all-tournament selection on Tech's first ACC title team in 1985, along with Mark Price. The 1984 ACC rookie of the year is 14th all-time on Tech's scoring list with 1,588 points in his career.