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10:28 p.m.: Maryland goes down - Even though they had a whole other game to attend, at least two Maryland fans left the Greensboro Coliseum after their team's quarterfinal loss to Ga. Tech 69-64.

"We're all diappointed, of course," said Ken Brace as he walked out with his grandson. But he's looking on the bright side of things.

"We're going to the NCAA tournament," he said.

But what will the Terps' seeding be after the ACC Tournament loss?

"A 7 or 8 seed," said his grandson, Kent.

"We were a five-seed, but that loss busted them down," Brace said.

8:26 p.m.: Where'd Tech go? Looks like those Maryland fans are getting what they wished for. Tech has 7 turnovers in their first 9 possesions of the 2nd half.

8:15 p.m.: A hot second half - That's what Maryland fans were hoping for on the concourse during the second half of the Ga. Tech - Maryland basketball team.

"You have to make your layups and play defense," said Bill Day, from Baltimore. "And both centers have two fouls each. That's not good."

Tech led at the half 41-25.

Did Day expect that game?

"Absolutely not," he said. "We're a second-half team."

6:38 p.m.: The rain - The storm sure picked a heckuva time to drop some rain. Right between the sessions of the Friday tournament.

Denice Blaylock of Roxboro stood in the Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion, where most of the ACC FanFest activites had moved. She had a Duke blue umbrella tucked under her arm as she stood with her mother, who leaned on a blue anodized metal cane.

"My mom broke her hip four weeks ago," Blaylock said. "The first thing she said was 'I won't be able to make it to the tournament."

Well, they had, but were avoiding rain. And they snacked on some carrots and ranch dressing that someone had handed out among the gathered.

"That's a healthy snack," she said.

Basketball games, 3 point contests, freebies and fun for kids were available inside.

“Like at the fair, right,” David Mallory said to his 16-year-old son, Robert.

Robert and his buddies had just shot 3-pointers to win some ACC-branded gym bags. They didn't hit the shots.

“It’s kind of getting long, the day,” said Blake Hoarty, 16. “By the fourth game, we’ll be tired and worn out.”

Mallory said they expected to leave midway through the Florida State – N.C. State game.

Meanwhile, outside, vendors sat still in the rain. No smell of funnel cakes and powdered sugar. No grilling hotdogs. Just waiting for customers.

"They should have provided a tent, to get a band to play out here," said one vendor who asked not to be identified. Business was slow, he said. He directed his ire at the weather, and event organizers. "They should have a big tent, with all that money they have. Everything's inside."

3:55 p.m.: Personally speaking ... - With Miami on the floor, it feels like a good time to tell a personal story of my history with the school.

As the University of Miami cheer squad does its dance, and mascot Sebastian jaunts across the floor, I'm thinking of the V-shaped scar on my chin.

I once visited a friend in Miami several years ago to get a little sun during a cold February.

Many floors in that part of the country are made of tile. My guess is that they are there to ease cleanup of any sand that might make it in a house or apartment. And when those floors are paired with dress socks, they become the subtropical version of black ice - super slick. Slick enough for a reporter to fall face first and bust his chin wide-open.

I'll spare the gory details. But after 10 stitches from the University of Miami Hospital on an otherwise uneventful Sunday morning, I can attest to the professionalism of the staff and doctors there.

But I wouldn't recommend visiting them, if you don't have to. Stick to the beaches.

3:30 p.m.: The $1 million shot - Andy Dodson of Atlanta had a chance at winning $1 million through a sweepstakes held with Pepsi and Food Lion.

He had to hit it from halfcourt during halftime of the quarterfinal game between Miami and Va. Tech.

"I found out on Tuesday that my father-in-law had won," said Dodson, who was asked to take the shot.

"I went out in the rain this week and shot, and out of about 30, I hit two," he said.

He took center-court today, wound up, and launched a shot. The ball fell short by several feet. A a consolation, he went home with a $4,000 gift  certificate to Food Lion.

"I guess this wasn't three out of 31," he said.

2:26 p.m.: A $15 seat - Way up in section 236, Pat Scheper of Durham sat with his father-in-law to see the Duke win over Virginia in the first game of the quarterfinal round of the tournament.

It's kinda dark in the nosebleed seats. But for $15 tickets just minutes before the game, one gets a good angle of on-the-court action from there.

"I took a half day off work," Scheper said. "I've never been here before."

He wore a maroon shirt and a Virginia Tech wristband. A few sections over was a mass of Va. Tech colors.

"The Hokies seem to have travelled well," he said.

12:59 p.m.: Good seats - Talk about good seats. Wilson Bruce, with his son, Will and his buddy Tyler Kirk happened to have good neighbors in the N.C. State section Thursday night.

On Friday morning they sat outside of the coliseum, waiting to go into the arena while they polished off a beer and talked about whose knees were in Wilson Bruce's back.

N.C. State legend Tommy Burleson. And next to him, David Thompson.

"And then Lefty Driesel came over and said, 'I got to get a picture with you two'," Bruce said. Driesel was talking about Thompson and Burleson, not Bruce and his son.

"It was a blast," Bruce said.

Bruce said that Driesel talked about the 1974 ACC Championship game in which he coached Maryland and lost to the N.C. State team with Burleson and Thompson.

Driesel had time for a story on Thursday for Bruce.

"After the game, Lefty found the N.C. State bus, got on the bus and said that was the best game he ever had coached," Bruce said. "And then before he got off, Lefty turned around and told the team, 'Now, I want you to go all the way'."

Guess you never know who you might see at the ACC tournament.

Other reports have said that ESPN reporters Erin Andrews and Digger Phelps are around. Some NBA scouts, too. And Pat Riley.

11:17 a.m.: Blacktop bracketology - Jim Webb (not the senator from Virginia) stood around the back of an SUV in the parking lot at the Greensboro Coliseum with a couple of friends and a solo cup full of Zing Zang.

"Did you see Roy Williams' face last night?" asked the Duke fan about the telecast of the UNC coach who watched his team lose to Ga. Tech 62-58 on Thursday. "They showed that face about twice."

Yeah, Williams was pretty upset. And for a Duke fan - well, let's just say they aren't going to get upset about the situation.

With UNC out of the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament, and Wake Forest also going down in the first round, Webb and his buddies discussed who might make the NCAA tournament from the ACC.

"Wake played themselves out last night," he said. As for the others, there may be six teams from the conference to make it to the tournament, he said. But who?

Anyone's guess. So let the conversation begin.