Weekend Recap

It was another busy weekend in the ACC. Let's start in Blacksburg, at the game I attended. The Hokies didn't have their best outing, especially in the second half, but managed to make the plays at the end of the game to beat Boston College. BC doesn't have the most talent but plays tough defense and can give people fits. It could have been a bad loss for the Hokies.

Virginia was exposed in a road loss to Wake Forest. The Cavaliers had a horrible shooting percentage, and only managed 15 points in the first half. It will be interesting to see if this game was a fluke or a sign of things to come. Maryland was able to blow out NC State, who returned to being not a very good team.

Duke had a very good road win at Clemson. It was a burst at the beginning of the second half, keyed by Nolan Smith, that proved the difference. Clemson did not get much offense at all outside of Trevor Booker, a bad sign for them. It certainly looks like Duke is the best team in the ACC.

On Sunday, Florida State got a hard-fought win over Georgia Tech, sweeping two games from them this year. The game was back and forth, but FSU was able to make the plays at the end to win. This could be big come March.

There are six conference games coming up this week. Here's a look at what you can expect:

Tuesday:

Clemson at Boston College (7:00 p.m., ESPN2) - This is the second time these teams will meet. BC has played better in its last two games but Clemson is definitely the better team. If Clemson can't win here, they will be on a three game slide.
Miami at Maryland (7:00 p.m., ESPNU) - The Canes have been struggling, while Maryland has been as hot as anyone. Miami needs a good performance here to just stay close with the Terps.
North Carolina at NC State (9:00 p.m., Raycom) - I'm interested to see how these two teams play. UNC is in desperate need of a win, but NC State is not going to lay down at home against their biggest rival.

Wednesday:

Florida State at Duke (9:00 p.m., ESPN) - The Noles have won two in a row but will be hard pressed to win at Duke. Florida State has played well in Cameron in recent years, so they might be able to keep it close.

Thursday:

Virginia Tech at Virginia (7:00 p.m., CSN) - The battle of Virginia features two teams that have been surprises so far this year. The Hokies have the more realistic NCAA Tourney shot, and a road win would be big.
Wake Forest at Georgia Tech (7:00 p.m., FSN) - Wake has been playing well recently, and should give Georgia Tech a good test. The Jackets need to win a game like this if they want to be taken seriously as a contender in the ACC.