The Week Ahead

Time is running out for teams that want to make a move toward the NCAA Tournament. There are still a bunch of teams who can either play their way in or play their way out. This week isn't exactly chock full of big matchups, but there are plenty of games that teams can't afford to lose.
Here are the most important games:

Tuesday:
Maryland at Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m.) - Maryland is one or two losses away from being firmly off the bubble. A weekend loss to Boston College was killer. The Hokies are in decent shape for now, but losing this game certainly does not help their cause. Tech played very well up in College Park and will be carrying a lot of confidence into this game.

Wednesday:
Duke at Virginia (7:00 p.m.) - The only real interest in this game has to do with seeding. If Duke slips up on the road, that gives UNC (which is playing Wake) a chance for the conference title.

Thursday:
Clemson at NC State (7:00 p.m.) - The last time these two teams played, NC State burst out to a huge lead in the first half, only to blow it all away and lose by double digits. Clemson suffered a tough loss at home to UNC, and if they lose this game that will severely hurt their NCAA chances.

Saturday:
Virginia Tech at UVA (1:00 p.m.) - Virginia Tech fans remember what happened when these two teams played in Blacksburg. If the Hokies lose the Maryland game, this road win is a must.

Boston College at UNC (4:00 p.m.) - The first time these two played was pretty ugly. UNC won by 32 in Chestnut Hill. Boston College is in decent shape for the tournament now, but a win on the road would really help their cause. Don't think it's going to happen though.

Sunday:
Clemson at Miami (3:30 p.m.) - Clemson has a couple of sneaky tough road games this week. They haven't proved that they could win on the road so far this year. We'll know by this time next week if Clemson is for real.