Weekend Thoughts

There weren't a lot of surprises in the ACC this past weekend. Still, there was plenty of compelling action.

Let's start in Durham, where Maryland gave Duke all it could handle. If there is a such thing as a moral victory, the Terps had it, staying right with the #1 Devils the whole game. Maryland used a very strong performance from Jordan Williams to spark them. Duke really struggled in their offense for most of the game before coming through with some free throws and clutch baskets down the stretch. It will be interesting to see if this is just an isolated incident for one game or will be a sign of things to come.

In Charlottesville, the Cavaliers played a very inconsistent game against UNC. Virginia played very well in the first half, hitting a lot of big shots and sparking what became a very good crowd. But in the second half, the shooting got very cold for UVA and they really struggled to score, only getting 19 points. You could just feel the air slowly suck out of the building as UNC creeped back in the game. The Heels definitely have some issues, and need to find an outside shooter, but at the end of the day they should be happy with a win.

Virginia Tech got a badly needed win at home over Florida State. The Hokies have been playing much better since they established their current lineup, and won by playing zone. Jeff Allen had a monster game, matching the game that Chris Singleton had. The difference was Virginia Tech had other players step up, and Florida State did not.

In other action, NC State got an expected win over Wake Forest. The Deacons continue to struggle. Boston College got a tougher than expected victory over Georgia Tech, not pulling away until late. And Clemson was able to win a home game that many thought Miami would pull out.

Here is the slate for the mid-week games. One note: the game between Georgia Tech and Clemson was moved from Tuesday to Wednesday because of weather.

Tuesday:
NC State at BC (9:00 p.m) - Good test for the Wolfpack.

Wednesday:
Georgia Tech at Clemson (7:00 p.m.) - Another opportunity for a home win for the Tigers.
Maryland at Wake Forest (8:00 p.m.) - Any letdown for the Terps?
Duke at Florida State (9:00 p.m.) - Game of the mid-week and one where Duke is vulnerable.

Thursday:
Virginia Tech at UNC (9:00 p.m.) - Can the Hokies' thin lineup hold up in Chapel Hill?