AP SPORTS WRITER

WASHINGTON--With the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament in the nation's capital for the first time, many fans are taking advantage of seeing the sights in the precious few hours when there's not a basketball game going on.

"I went down to the Law Enforcement Museum today," Lloyd Jackson, a Wake Forest graduate from Richmond said before yesterday's semifinals. "And my sons have been out doing a couple of things. It's a great venue."

The International Spy Museum has been a big favorite, mainly because it's conveniently located only a block from the MCI Center. Naturally, no trip to Washington would be complete without a day or two spent at the Smithsonian, but that would require missing some games.

"We just haven't had time," said Tom Stafford, a North Carolina State fan from Raleigh. "It's been too much basketball. We wish we did have a little time."

Others, though, are thrown by the big city bustle of downtown Washington. For instance, the best way to get to MCI Center is by subway--a novel idea for Southerners married to their cars. Some of those fans pined for the Carolina charm of traditional ACC tournament host city Greensboro.

"You can drive to it," said Ronnie Pearce, a North Carolina fan from Louisburg, N.C. "And you're getting burned up here with the cost of everything."

Coach Paul Hewitt couldn't help but chuckle when he was handed the boxscore at the start of Georgia Tech's postgame news conference.

"Thirty-five?" said Hewitt, who then looked at the senior guard sitting next to him. "Wow!"

The senior guard was Will Bynum, who had just scored a career-high 35 points in yesterday's 78-75 victory over North Carolina in the semifinals. It was the most points ever scored by a Georgia Tech player in the ACC tournament, surpassing Mark Price's 33 against Virginia in 1983.

"It was big, but I would rather have scored two and won anyway," Bynum said. "As long as we get the win, that's what counts."

Hewitt interrupted: "It was fun watching the 35, I'll tell you."

In the second semifinal, Duke's J.J. Redick also scored 35, breaking the Blue Devils' ACC tournament mark of 34 set by Ronnie Mayer against Virginia in 1955.