points per game) and DeAaron Fox (15.9), both f

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The Atlantic Coast Conference has shaken off a four-year Final Four drought with strong back-to-back postseason runs that have included winning one national title, playing for another and putting three teams in the national semifinals.The trick now is to keep that momentum going for the league that considers itself college basketballs best. The ACC also wants to increase its number of NCAA Tournament bids toward a still-unreached target of 10 invitations.I think with our 15 programs and as good as those programs generally are, I dont think its unrealistic to point to that, Commissioner John Swofford said in an interview Wednesday with The Associated Press during the leagues preseason media day. But I also dont think, if youve got seven, eight, nine and everybody talked about 10, thats not failure -- especially when theyre winning in the tournament.The ACCs series of expansions over the past decade were supposed to push the league to juggernaut status by adding programs like Louisville, Syracuse, Notre Dame and Pittsburgh to a lineup that featured tradition-rich charter members Duke and North Carolina.Its taken some time -- maybe a little longer than expected, the way North Carolina State coach Mark Gottfried sees it -- but the league is starting to earn that status.I think youre seeing now what we thought was going to happen a couple of years ago, said Gottfried, whose Wolfpack has been to the NCAAs in four of his five previous seasons with two Sweet 16 runs. Couple of years ago, we all said this is the best basketball league in America. It probably wasnt just yet.I think what youre seeing now, its happening. Just took a few years for us to get there. And part of that is because I think everybodys better.Compare that to a year earlier, when Gottfried said the league had work to do to earn its claim as the nations best by regularly earning more than the six bids it got in 2015. The league went on to tie its record of seven and wouldve had a new high mark had a 23-win Louisville team not sat out with a self-imposed postseason ban amid an ongoing NCAA investigation into allegations that a former staffer hired escorts and strippers for sex parties with recruits and players.Once in the tournament, ACC teams kept winning.North Carolina reached the NCAA championship game. Syracuse made a surprise run to the Final Four. Four teams reached the Elite Eight and a record six teams got to the Sweet 16.The league finished with a record 19 NCAA Tournament wins, surpassing the previous mark of 18 set by the Big East in 1985.And that came one year after Mike Krzyzewskis Blue Devils -- this years preseason favorite for the 15th time under the Hall of Famer -- won the NCAA title.The ACCs two-year run of 36 NCAA wins is also a record for all leagues, surpassing the Big East (2008-09) and the Big Ten (1999-2000) by eight.Notre Dame coach Mike Brey, whose Fighting Irish have gone to two straight Elite Eights, believes momentum from a strong finish can carry through the offseason and into the next season. He figures thats a factor in the ACCs broader success from the past two tournaments.Once you get to that second weekend, then youve got a group of guys coming back, Brey said. They talk about stuff like that. Then if you get the bid, theyre more believing they should advance. Theres a confidence instead of maybe a fear or an anxiety. I think thats whats happened with a number of programs.If Brey is right, the league could be in for another big year. Duke is considered a national-title contender, while UNC and Virginia have earned top-10 rankings in several preseason publications.If one of those teams have a deep run, then it will be up to the next tier -- Louisville, Syracuse, North Carolina State, Notre Dame, Florida State and Miami -- to get the league within reach of double-digit NCAA Tournament bids.I think they both matter in their own regard, but everybody wants to say, `Oh the Big 12 put this many teams in or `the Big Ten put this many teams in, Miami senior guard Davon Reed said. And thats good. The ACC not only puts a lot of teams in, but I think our record in the tournament each year ... speaks for itself -- the ACCs quality and the wins that they produce in the tournament.---Follow Aaron Beard on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/aaronbeardap---Online:More AP College Basketball site: http://collegebasketball.ap.org Tedy Bruschi Jersey . Louis Rams wide receiver Stedman Bailey last Sunday. The fine is the fourth this season for Goldson. He was fined $30,000 for a hit on the New York Jets Jeff Cumberland in Week 1. Irving Fryar Youth Jersey .25 million option on reliever Jose Veras. http://www.shoptheofficialpatriots.com/Elite-Sony-Michel-Patriots-Jersey/ . Jason Zucker and Matt Cooke also scored for Minnesota, which has won five of six. Kuemper made five saves in the first, nine in the second, and nine in the third. The rookies best save came with 2:17 left in the third period when he denied former Wild forward Matt Cullen from just outside of the crease on the right side. Rob Gronkowski Patriots Jersey . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. Irving Fryar Jersey . -- Quarterback Will Finch threw for 252 yards and three touchdowns, and Yannick Harou rushed in two scores as the No. LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Wednesday nights showdown between No. 6 Kentucky and No. 10 Louisville is sure to produce fireworks.Admiring the Wildcats up-tempo style, Louisville coach Rick Pitino said his Cardinals will play ping-pong with Kentucky Wednesday night at 7 p.m. ET in Louisvilles KFC Yum! Center.We dont have the athletes that Kentucky has to play at that kind of pace, Pitino said Monday night. We have athletes. We have enough athletes to play our style. Our front-court doesnt run as fast as their front-court does, but our wings can run, so we will do a lot of running. Thats what the fans want to see so lets go play a ping-pong match.If Louisville (10-1) tries to match Kentuckys speed it could be an advantage for the Wildcats (10-1). The average Kentucky offensive possession lasts just 13.8 seconds and they average 95.2 points per game.We have nobody as fast as (DeAaron) Fox. We have nobody as fast as (Malik) Monk, Pitino said. ... We play fast, but not that fast.That doesnt mean the Wildcats are in for an easy time. Coach John Calipari views the game as a mighty treacherous contest.Playing a top 10 team on the road on their court, where are we on December 21? Calipari asked. Love to win it, but lets really learn about where are we right now.Heres what I said to them and Ill say it this game: You do not have to be perfect, you do not even have to be great, but you gotta play. Because this team plays hard, theyre competitive, theyre physical, theyre not afraid to bang. If you dont play you have no chance of winning.Kentucky owns a 34-15 edge in the series, including an 8-1 mark since coach Calipari took over the program. But Calipari contends none of that matters when rival reunite.I dont think any of the past games have any bearing on this game, Calipari said. When Im coaching against a guy that has won some games against me, Im not worried about the past. Im just saying, How do we win this game? I would say hes thinking the same way.Im happy when its over. Just get it done, Calipari said. Everybody makes it life or death and its not life or death ... its worse than that. Just play the game, lets see what happens and lets go. Weve got our league to deal with, hes got his league to deal with, lets just move on.The Cardinals only average 78.5 points per game and have not allowed more than 71 points to any team this season.ddddddddddddThe pace of Wednesday nights matchup is a chess game both Hall-of-Fame coaches will be monitoring closely.Im not playing zone, Calipari said at his pregame press conference. The he looked into the camera and dead-panned, I might in this game, Rick.Pitino said he didnt have a favorite moment in the series, but hes learning to put the game in better perspective.Pitino said Kentucky will be the most-talented team the Cardinals will face this season.Nobody has the athletes and the talent that Kentucky has, Pitino said. They have great talent. That doesnt mean you cant beat them, but you just have to know what you are going up against. ... It is going to be a great basketball game.The Wildcats won their first seven games, including a 69-48 drubbing of Michigan State, before losing to 97-92 to No. 2 UCLA on Dec. 3. Since then, Kentucky reeled off three more wins including Saturdays impressive 103-100 win over No. 8 North Carolina.Kentucky is led by guards Monk (21.9 points per game) and DeAaron Fox (15.9), both freshmen, and sophomore Isaiah Briscoe (15.9). The Wildcats also get 12.6 points and 7.9 rebounds per game from freshman center Bam Adebayo.Monk is coming off a 47-point effort in Kentuckys 103-100 victory over No. 7 North Carolina in Las Vegas.Louisville started the season with five straight wins including a 62-52 win over Wichita State before falling 66-63 to No. 4 Baylor in the Battle 4 Atlantis final on Nov. 25. The Cardinals rebounded with a 71-64 win over No. 15 Purdue and have since won four straight games.With four players scoring between 9.5 and 11.7 points per game, the Cardinals are a very balanced attack. Sophomore guard Donovan Mitchell leads the way at 11.7 per game with junior point guard Quentin Snider (11.0) the only other Cardinal in double-figures. Louisvilles defense is rated No. 1 in the nation by Ken Pomeroy and the Cardinals only allowing 59.4 points per game.We are going up against a team that is extremely well-coached, a tough team and were playing them in a place where they just dont lose, Calipari said. It is going to be very tough. ' ' '