Weekend Recap

It was a pretty good weekend for the ACC, with some key wins against non-conference foes.

Let's start in Chapel Hill, where UNC got a much needed win against Kentucky. The Tar Heels have had the Wildcats' number in recent years, and needed this confidence builder. Neither team really got it done on the offensive end, especially late in the game. But Tyler Zeller knocked down some big free throws down the stretch.

Butler played their butts off to a first half draw in a rematch of the NCAA Championship game against Duke. I don't know if it was a hangover from their game against Michigan State or more about what Butler did, but Duke struggled more in that first half than they have all year. That being said, they were still able to win by 12.

Miami got a huge win over West Virginia. The Hurricanes also needed a confidence boost after struggling some in November, and beating the Mountaineers is a good step forward.

NC State held tough against Syracuse, leading late in the game, only to see things slip away. I'm not sure if Wolfpack fans will be heartened by their improved effort or disappointed because of the loss. Either way, NC State has some work to do before conference play starts.

Clemson lost a tough battle against its biggest rival, South Carolina. The Tigers have been struggling some in the early season as well, and look like they will endure some growing pains in the first year under Brad Brownell.

Virginia continued its strong play of late with a road upset of Virginia Tech. The Cavaliers came out hot in the first half, and held onto their 12 point halftime lead. This speaks a lot to the resiliency of Tony Bennett and the Cavs after their tough stretch a couple weeks ago. For Virginia Tech, there are a lot more questions than answers. They seem to lack chemistry, and need to get things together quickly or it will be a very disappointing season.

Maryland strugged offensively against a tough Temple team, trailing by double digits at one point at the BB&T Classic. They were able to make a game of it, losing by 3, but they have to think this loss was a missed opportunity.

The schedule dries up a little bit this week as some teams go on a break for exams. There are only two games of note during the week:

Tuesday: Georgia at Georgia Tech (7:00 p.m.)
Wednesday: Providence at Boston College (7:00 p.m.)