ACC Tournament Quarterfinals Preview:

Let me first say that I stayed up to watch all 6 overtimes between Syracuse and Connecticut, and it was well worth it. I have never seen a game quite like it, with 6 end of game scenarios that came down to the last second. From Devendorf's incredible shot that was just a split-second too late to the countless times both teams had point blank shots at winning, it was just an awesome effort. That being said, if you look at that result, there were an awful lot of top teams going down. UConn joined the list of Pitt, Oklahoma and Kansas to go down Thursday, all were potential #1 seeds.

Here's a look at Friday's ACC Tournament games:

#8 Virginia Tech vs. #1 North Carolina (12:00)
The Hokies put forth a complete team effort in one of their best games of the year to dominate Miami. They held the Canes to 47 points and completely shut down Jack McClinton. It was clear they had the fire and wanted to win that game more than Miami did. But will that be enough against Carolina?
All indications are Ty Lawson will not play, leaving the point guard duties to Larry Drew. That is certainly a huge drop-off and could impact the outcome of the game. But North Carolina still has more talent than any other ACC team without Lawson. The question will be do they have that hunger and focus to compete for an ACC title knowing that their real goal is a National Championship. Expect a tight game.

#12 Georgia Tech vs. #4 Florida State (2:30)
Georgia Tech definitely pulled off the stunner of the first round, leading most of the game against Clemson and holding them off in the final seconds. I'm not sure if that game said more about Georgia Tech playing beyond their ability or Clemson choking. But in Florida State the Yellow Jackets will see a team that is built much like their own, except playing at a higher level with better fundamentals.
I expect Toney Douglas to have a great tournament in his senior year. Florida State is out to prove they are a force to be reckoned with this year. And Georgia Tech is probably a bit worn out from yesterday's emotional high of beating Clemson. The Jackets are playing for nothing other than pride.

#7 Maryland vs. #2 Wake Forest (7:00)
The Terps kept their postseason hopes alive yesterday with a come from behind win over N.C. State. The game was back and forth until the final 2 minutes, when Maryland hit some clutch shots and State just couldn't buy a basket. The Terps run into a much stiffer challenge here though.
Wake Forest has been somewhat of a mystery this year, but there's no denying they have a lot of talent. They won at Maryland last week and with Jeff Teague and his cast of characters they should be able to duplicate that feat today. The only danger I see is if they take Maryland too lightly while looking ahead to a possible matchup with Duke.

#6 Boston College vs. #3 Duke (9:30)
Boston College proved they were the better team in their rather easy win over Virginia. The supporting characters for BC helped out Tyrese Rice and they were able to shut down Sylven Landesburg. BC also has a win over Duke this year.
But Duke is certainly playing better than they were when they traveled to Chestnut Hill. They played at a high level at UNC before fading down the stretch and will be well-rested for this one. I expect Gerald Henderson to carry the team this week. Whether that will be enough to beat more talented teams remains to be seen, but Duke should win this one.

Hope you enjoy what should be a great Friday!