We're two games in and getting a good feel for the teams' strengths and weaknesses. The headline of the last few days is probably Miami's road win at Chapel Hill, and the struggles of the young Tar Heels. UNC is heading to the wrong side of the bubble fast, and has not played like a team in their last few games. They will not have a lot of chances to learn on the fly, as their next couple games are very tough.
Another big story is the start of the Seminoles. It looked like this was definitely going to be a down year in Tallahassee, and it still can be, but they have gotten off to a great start, winning at Clemson and at Maryland. The Terps really struggled at home in the second half, which is a red flag for people who thought they were only doing well because of their soft schedule.
This weekend is shaping up to be a really good slate of games. Let's check it out:
Saturday:
Duke at N.C. State (12:00 p.m., ESPN)
This may be the game of the year in the ACC and on paper the best chance for Duke to take a conference loss. One thing that should play into N.C. State's favor is the absence of Ryan Kelly, who was injured in the Clemson game. The Blue Devils proved late last year that missing Kelly is a huge factor. N.C. State struggled a bit with Georgia Tech before rolling at the end. They will definitely be pumped up for this one.
Virginia at Clemson (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is a matchup of teams that really struggled in their last games. Clemson only scored 10 points in the first half against Duke, while Virginia was down big at Wake before staging a late rally. Virginia is the team that is more capable of playing to a high level, but they haven't proven that they can play well on the road. Clemson really needs to win this one to gain some confidence.
North Carolina at Florida State (2:00 p.m., ESPN)
This game last year certainly went in the way of the Seminoles. We'll see how much UNC is out to prove after two uninspiring losses. Florida State has been much improved recently, but don't assume that Florida State is going to roll. They are still very capable of laying an egg. The key will be 3 point shooting. If North Carolina can hit some outside shots, they can win.
Virginia Tech at Georgia Tech (2:30 p.m., ACC Network)
Both teams have been really struggling, each with different problems. For Georgia Tech, it's offense, and for Virginia Tech, it's defense. The Hokies have looked like clearly the worst team in the league in their past several games, never more evident than in their double-digit home loss to Boston College. Georgia Tech hung well with N.C. State until it got close to the end. They should win at home.
Boston College at Wake Forest (4:00 p.m., FSN)
The matchup of the preseason bottom two teams in the league. Both were able to get wins during the week, which they will be looking to build on. Don't expect a lot of offense in this one. The difference will be whether Boston College can get some scoring from anyone other than Ryan Anderson.
Sunday:
Maryland at Miami (8:00 p.m., ESPNU)
I really like this game. Maryland will be upset coming off that blown game against Florida State. Miami is riding high from its win in Chapel Hill. Alex Len will be key in this one. Without Reggie Johnson's big body in there for Miami, Len should be able to dominate inside. If he doesn't, and if Miami hits their 3s, the Hurricanes will win.
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