Two weeks ago, I mentioned that one of the ACC's biggest offseason stories would be (again) looking into expanding the conference basketball season to 18 games. For the third straight season, the current system of scheduling has been a talking point.

Last year, Virginia won a share of the ACC regular season crown with what was, statistically, the weakest schedule in the conference. This past season, Virginia Tech played UNC, Duke and Clemson just once apiece ... and that may have cost them an NCAA Tournament bid.

Now, the ACC may look into expanding the season from 16 to 18 games.

The Big East, Big Ten and Pac-10 all play the 18-game schedule and it hasn't hurt them come tournament time. The ACC is currently in a tournament funk (getting bids and winning games) and losing those bids to teams from those conferences.

Some say that adding the two extra games actually hurts the conference's RPI because it means those bad teams have to play more games, too. True, but one of the reasons the ACC continues to sit near the top of those RPI standings is because their "bad" teams are usually better than the other league's "bad" teams.

A Charlotte spokesman said Tuesday that Spears wanted to be closer to his home in Salisbury (NC) because of an undisclosed family medical issue.

Spears was the Eagles' third leading scorer last season ... averaging 9.6 points and 6.1 rebounds and starting 17 games.

Spears has two years of eligibility left and may be allowed to play next year. Typically, transfers must sit out one season before suiting up for their new school. However, the NCAA can waive that it if is deemed a hardship situation ... which his family situation certainly could be considered.

BC also will see fellow sophomore Daye Kaba transferring as well for undisclosed reasons.

If there is one thing we can count on, it is the Maryland Terrapins stinking up the ACC tournament.

In the Gary Williams era (beginning in 1989-90), the Terps have won exactly one ACC tournament (2004). The only other time they've even got to the finals was in 2000. Taking out the 2004 ACC Championship team, the Terps have won just one game in the tournament since 2003.

The Terps lost their first round game against Boston College today, essentially ending any hopes to get into the NCAA tournament. The loss is their 5th in six games ... and sixth out of eight. Understand that the BC team that beat them had lost six straight games and 12 of 13. Needless to say, this was embarassing.

And unlike previous years where Terps fans can moan about the tournament being in North Carolina (which it is again this year), Maryland lost to Boston College ... a school that is on the outskirts of the ACC and making just their third ACC tournament appearance.

Oh, and you want more? The Terps had a 20-5 lead in this game and led the Eagles come back! This team was the definition of kaput and they let them come back and win the game?

With the ACC regular season over and done, it's time to go back and give a few awards for the season.

Player of the Year: Tyler Hansbrough, North Carolina. Only Antawn Jamison, Tim Duncan and Horace Grant have led the ACC in both scoring and rebounding in the same season over the past 25 years. All three of those guys went on to win the Player of the Year in the ACC (two won the national award).

Coach of the Year: Dino Gaudio, Wake Forest. Va Tech's Seth Greenberg or Miami's Frank Haith may win it (and they would deserve it). But Gaudio came into such a tough situation with a team that hadn't been very good lately. Sure, the magic of the win over Duke was dampered a bit with the ensuing four game losing skid, but this was a big year for

All-ACC Team: Hansbrough, Tyrese Rice (BC), DeMarcus Nelson (Duke), Sean Singletary (UVa) and Greivis Vasquez (UMd). Either this was a great year for guards or a poor year for big men. Either way, Rice and Singletary have been the lone reasons to pay attention to either of their teams. Vasquez, a sophomore, has really stepped into his leadership role at Maryland. Nelson fills the customary senior swingman spot on this team. Just like Vasquez, Nelson's leadership has meant more to Duke than his abilities ... and that is saying quite a bit!

Boston College's Tyrese Rice had a whale of a first half against the #2 UNC Tar Heels. Rice dumped eight three-pointers in scoring 34 points by the break. Right then, Rice had set his career high.

In the second half, Rice was forced to create his own shots off the dribble and added another 12 points. However, he looked a bit tired and struggled to get his shot off against a taller Marcus Ginyard.

Still, Rice's 46 points is the second most points scored this season (Houston's Robert McKiver went for 52 points earlier this week), the second most points scored in BC hoops history (the record is 49 set back in 1964) and is the third most scored by a player against the Tar Heels (Duke's Dick Groat poured in 48 against the Heels in 1952).

Through all that, the Eagles had a 58-40 lead just minutes into the second half. But ...

Two major developments are coming out of Chestnut Hill, MA today. One is the fact that North Carolina guard Ty Lawson has finally come back into the lineup for the first time in a month. He didn't start (Quentin Thomas did) but did come in and play a few minutes in the first half.

The other is Boston College's Tyrese Rice. Rice scored 23 points in the first seven minutes of the game ... and has 34 points in the first half. Rice has hit eight three-pointers thus far (again, it is halftime) and set his career high -- for an entire game!

North Carolina ... one of the best scoring teams in the nation ... has just 40 points at the break.

The odd thing is Lawson is having to guard Rice when he's on the floor. Lawson hasn't played since Super Bowl Sunday when he injured his ankle in the opening minutes against Florida State. Now he's asked to guard on of the best scorers in the ACC ... but when he's feeling it offensively.

Boston College leads the #2 Tar Heels 54-40 at the half.

"Coach called us out after the Kansas game," (BC guard Tyrese) Rice said. "We took it to heart. We tried to prove that we could be better than people think we can."

Boston College scored 14 of the first 16 points and led 50-27 with 11:26 to play before McClinton hit a 3-pointer to start a 23-10 run that pulled Miami back into the game. He had 13 points in all over the five-minute span, including three 3-pointers.

Still, it wasn't enough. Boston College improves to 3-0 in the ACC ... keeping pace with North Carolina and Duke as the conference's lone unbeaten teams in ACC play.

#24 Miami drops just its second game on the season (the first was to Winthrop). BC travels to Virginia while Miami goes to Raleigh to take on struggling NC State on Saturday.