The Week Ahead

My note at the end of the last blog proved true, as road teams found life very difficult in the ACC over the weekend.  Home teams won in five of the six games.  The only road team that won was Duke, and that game was much tighter than expected.  These games really didn't do much to provide clarity as to who's good and who isn't, which isn't necessarily good for the league as a whole.  It is looking more and more likely that this will be a three bid league.  There's still time for things to change, though, starting with this week.  Here's what's on tap:

Tuesday:

Florida State at Virginia Tech (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Both teams had very disappointing performances on Saturday.  The Seminoles can't score, but will stay in games with their defense.  Virginia Tech can hit outside shots, but don't have the size to match FSU down low.  Both teams have NCAA Tournament aspirations, and the loser will really be behind the 8-ball.

Miami at North Carolina (9:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Miami had a very good chance at pulling off a good road win at UVA.  Now they are staring a 0-2 start in conference in the face with a road trip to Chapel Hill.  The Heels were a little underwhelming against Boston College and can't take Miami lightly.

Wednesday:

Wake Forest at Maryland (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Wake played well in a win against Virginia Tech, and will look to build some momentum on the road against Maryland.  The Terps lost a close one to NC State, but you never really felt like they were going to win that game.  If Maryland is going to make some strides, they need to win this game.

Georgia Tech at NC State (9:00 p.m., FSN)
The Wolfpack have a very friendly start to conference play, with home games against Maryland and Georgia Tech.  They are still looking for that killer instinct and the ability to put teams away at the end.  Georgia Tech played improved basketball against Duke but the Jackets are still a work in progress.

Thursday:

Clemson at Boston College (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
For as poorly as Clemson was playing, they have a very good shot at starting 2-0.  They had a nice win over Florida State, and get a road game against the conference's worst team.  Boston College didn't play as poorly as I expected them to in Chapel Hill, but wins will be hard to come by this year.

Virginia at Duke (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is the best matchup of the week.  Virginia added to their winning streak against Miami, and is playing with a lot of confidence right now.  Duke is struggling to find its defensive identity a bit.  That being said, it is always very difficult to win at Cameron.  If Virginia can keep this in the 50s, they can win.