I'm not going to proclaim that Virginia is in the NCAA Tournament after beating Duke, because that came back to bite the Hokies a couple years ago. But they certainly made a big step toward securing a berth. The Duke win, coupled with the wins over N.C. State and Wisconsin, looks good for a bubble team's resume. Maryland, meanwhile, went in the other direction, thoroughly outplayed on the road at Georgia Tech. The Terps have only won one road game in the conference this year.
This weekend's slate is highlighted by the ACC game of the year, Duke hosting Miami.
Saturday:
Maryland at Wake Forest (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Maryland desperately needs a win here, but they are at a big disadvantage. Their road woes, coupled with Wake's strong play at home, doesn't bode well. A loss here could be the death knell for the Terps' NCAA Tournament chances.
Miami at Duke (6:00 p.m., ESPN)
Miami certainly has a lot of confidence coming in, knowing what they did to Duke in Coral Gables. Duke had actually been playing better than Miami in their last few games, until their performance against Virginia. It is unlikely now that Duke will be able to win the regular season title, and they may have lost their chance at a #1 seed. But you better believe they will be fired up at home. I expect a tight game.
Clemson at Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m., FSN)
Clemson has really struggled away from Littlejohn, and is heading for a second straight disappointing season. Virginia Tech won last week at home against Florida State, and should come out inspired on Erick Green's senior day. These two teams always seem to play close games, and this should be no exception.
Sunday:
Florida State at North Carolina (2:00 p.m., CBS)
This game looked a lot more attractive at the start of the season for CBS than it does now. North Carolina is rounding into form. Even though Florida State has pulled off some good road wins this year, they are on a downward trend, and it's hard to see them keeping up, especially if the Tar Heels start hitting some threes.
Virginia at Boston College (4:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Two years ago, after knocking off Duke, Virginia Tech failed to beat Boston College, a very costly loss. Virginia will try to avoid the same. The Cavaliers have been really solid in the last month, but Boston College has the ability to pull off the upset at home. The team that can hit more outside shots will have the upper hand.
N.C. State at Georgia Tech (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
This is the type of game that N.C. State has struggled with this season. They are 2-5 on the road this year, and their two wins are by a combined six points. The Wolfpack still have a chance of getting a first round bye in the ACC Tournament, but they have to win this one. After a really rough start to the conference season, Georgia Tech can actually finish with the 8th seed.
Friday, March 01, 2013
Monday, February 25, 2013
Week Preview: 2/26-2/28
The headline in the ACC this weekend was Miami suffering its first loss of the season, on the road at Wake. I am not going to fault Miami for losing to Wake. It's very difficult to go through a conference season undefeated and they were bound to have a bad game. I am a little surprised that they had a bad game on defense - I figured if they lost it would be because of a bad shooting night.
North Carolina picked up a big win this weekend over rival N.C. State. The Heels used a late run to put the game away, moving them closer to making the NCAA Tournament. N.C. State Coach Mark Gottfried has to be disappointed about how his team folded down the stretch.
Not a lot of drama this weekend: the six games were decided by 13, 15, 11, 21, 28 and 10 points. Here's hoping for closer games this week:
Tuesday:
Wake Forest at Florida State (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Florida State suffered a fatal blow in their NCAA Tournament chances, losing Sunday at last place Virginia Tech. Right now they are playing for positioning in the ACC Tournament and a possible berth in the NIT. They should be able to take care of home court against Wake Forest, who is due for a letdown off their biggest win in years.
Wednesday:
Virginia Tech at Miami (7:00 p.m., FSN)
This definitely looks like a mismatch, the first place team hosting the last place team. The Hokies did play well in their last game against Florida State, though, and almost beat Miami in Blacksburg. The Hurricanes could come out focused and mad after losing their first conference game. Or they could get caught looking ahead to their huge game with Duke.
Boston College at N.C. State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
It should be a good bounceback game for N.C. State, hosting Boston College. This is a tough two game stretch for the Eagles, with back-to-back road games at Duke and N.C. State. The Wolfpack still have a chance of a first round bye in the ACC Tournament.
Maryland at Georgia Tech (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Georgia Tech has been a lot more competitive recently, up until Sunday's game against Virginia, where they got smoked. Maryland really needs this win to build some wins for that NCAA Tournament resume. They have to play better than they did in their last road game at B.C. if they want to win this one.
Thursday:
North Carolina at Clemson (7:00 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2)
Both of Thursday's games are really important for bubble teams. North Carolina has been playing well, but they need to play well on the road to win this one. Clemson is tough at Littlejohn. They just haven't been able to close out games late.
Duke at Virginia (9:00 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2)
Huge opportunity for Virginia to come up with a signature win this year. They have played really well at JPJ. But Duke has looked very good in their last two games since losing to Maryland. The team that can hit more threes will probably win this one.
North Carolina picked up a big win this weekend over rival N.C. State. The Heels used a late run to put the game away, moving them closer to making the NCAA Tournament. N.C. State Coach Mark Gottfried has to be disappointed about how his team folded down the stretch.
Not a lot of drama this weekend: the six games were decided by 13, 15, 11, 21, 28 and 10 points. Here's hoping for closer games this week:
Tuesday:
Wake Forest at Florida State (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Florida State suffered a fatal blow in their NCAA Tournament chances, losing Sunday at last place Virginia Tech. Right now they are playing for positioning in the ACC Tournament and a possible berth in the NIT. They should be able to take care of home court against Wake Forest, who is due for a letdown off their biggest win in years.
Wednesday:
Virginia Tech at Miami (7:00 p.m., FSN)
This definitely looks like a mismatch, the first place team hosting the last place team. The Hokies did play well in their last game against Florida State, though, and almost beat Miami in Blacksburg. The Hurricanes could come out focused and mad after losing their first conference game. Or they could get caught looking ahead to their huge game with Duke.
Boston College at N.C. State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
It should be a good bounceback game for N.C. State, hosting Boston College. This is a tough two game stretch for the Eagles, with back-to-back road games at Duke and N.C. State. The Wolfpack still have a chance of a first round bye in the ACC Tournament.
Maryland at Georgia Tech (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Georgia Tech has been a lot more competitive recently, up until Sunday's game against Virginia, where they got smoked. Maryland really needs this win to build some wins for that NCAA Tournament resume. They have to play better than they did in their last road game at B.C. if they want to win this one.
Thursday:
North Carolina at Clemson (7:00 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2)
Both of Thursday's games are really important for bubble teams. North Carolina has been playing well, but they need to play well on the road to win this one. Clemson is tough at Littlejohn. They just haven't been able to close out games late.
Duke at Virginia (9:00 p.m., ESPN or ESPN2)
Huge opportunity for Virginia to come up with a signature win this year. They have played really well at JPJ. But Duke has looked very good in their last two games since losing to Maryland. The team that can hit more threes will probably win this one.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Weekend Preview: 2/23-2/24
It was a good week for the top teams in the ACC. Miami, Duke, N.C. State and UNC all won. Miami was the only team that did not win convincingly, but they had the toughest test, at home against Virginia. The Cavaliers were able to get the tempo back to what they wanted, but couldn't make the plays down the stretch. N.C. State is firmly in the tournament right now, as they have righted the ship a bit, and are now playing for seeding. Maryland was the big disappointment this week, losing by double digits at Boston College and losing all the momentum they got from the Duke win.
Here is the schedule for this weekend:
Saturday:
Clemson at Maryland (12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Not a lot of interest in this game, other than the fact that Maryland has to win. The Terps can't afford any more bad losses if they want to push to make the NCAA Tournament. Clemson hasn't shown that it can play well on the road, although they have had a week off to rest so they might come out with better energy at the start.
Miami at Wake Forest (1:00 p.m., FSN)
Wake did have one big home win earlier this year, against N.C. State. And they will be pumped to try to give Miami its first conference loss. Wake has also had extra rest for this game. But even though the Deacs play well at home, it's hard to see Miami losing this one. They are focused and I think really want to go through the conference season unblemished.
N.C. State at North Carolina (4:00 p.m., ESPN)
This should be a great game. The Tar Heels will have payback on their minds after the embarrassing first half in Raleigh earlier this year. And they are playing better than they were in that first meeting. N.C. State is starting to round back into form, though, and has more talent than Carolina. If the Tar Heels can knock down some threes like they did against UVA, they will be difficult to beat at home.
Sunday:
Boston College at Duke (2:00 p.m., ACC Network)
BC picked up probably their best win of the year against Maryland, but following that up with a win in Cameron is unlikely. Duke is trying to nail down the #2 seed for the conference tournament and a possible #1 seed in the NCAAs. They should roll.
Georgia Tech at Virginia (2:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Virginia lost an opportunity at a big win in Miami this week, but they can get back in the win column this weekend at home. Georgia Tech is offensively challenged, so the first to 50 might win this one. Virginia is probably as squarely on the bubble as any ACC team and they can't afford to lose this one.
Florida State at Virginia Tech (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Barring a big run, I think Florida State is not going to make the NCAA Tournament. But if they want any chance, they can't lose to the last place team. The Seminoles have been so inconsistent, so Virginia Tech could sneak through a win. But traditionally Florida State has been a tough matchup for the Hokies.
Here is the schedule for this weekend:
Saturday:
Clemson at Maryland (12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Not a lot of interest in this game, other than the fact that Maryland has to win. The Terps can't afford any more bad losses if they want to push to make the NCAA Tournament. Clemson hasn't shown that it can play well on the road, although they have had a week off to rest so they might come out with better energy at the start.
Miami at Wake Forest (1:00 p.m., FSN)
Wake did have one big home win earlier this year, against N.C. State. And they will be pumped to try to give Miami its first conference loss. Wake has also had extra rest for this game. But even though the Deacs play well at home, it's hard to see Miami losing this one. They are focused and I think really want to go through the conference season unblemished.
N.C. State at North Carolina (4:00 p.m., ESPN)
This should be a great game. The Tar Heels will have payback on their minds after the embarrassing first half in Raleigh earlier this year. And they are playing better than they were in that first meeting. N.C. State is starting to round back into form, though, and has more talent than Carolina. If the Tar Heels can knock down some threes like they did against UVA, they will be difficult to beat at home.
Sunday:
Boston College at Duke (2:00 p.m., ACC Network)
BC picked up probably their best win of the year against Maryland, but following that up with a win in Cameron is unlikely. Duke is trying to nail down the #2 seed for the conference tournament and a possible #1 seed in the NCAAs. They should roll.
Georgia Tech at Virginia (2:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Virginia lost an opportunity at a big win in Miami this week, but they can get back in the win column this weekend at home. Georgia Tech is offensively challenged, so the first to 50 might win this one. Virginia is probably as squarely on the bubble as any ACC team and they can't afford to lose this one.
Florida State at Virginia Tech (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Barring a big run, I think Florida State is not going to make the NCAA Tournament. But if they want any chance, they can't lose to the last place team. The Seminoles have been so inconsistent, so Virginia Tech could sneak through a win. But traditionally Florida State has been a tough matchup for the Hokies.
Monday, February 18, 2013
Week Preview: 2/19-2/21
It was another close call, but Miami kept their perfect conference record intact after knocking off Clemson on Sunday night. It wasn't the best-played game in the world, but Miami continues to impress me with how they are able to close out games. Clemson had two really good chances to tie at the end but couldn't convert. That was the biggest headline of the weekend in the ACC which also saw Duke go down in College Park. That is definitely a big win for the Terps and could revive their chances of making the NCAA Tournament. Duke has now played three games in a row in which they didn't look all that good. To their credit, they managed to win two of them.
N.C. State continues to struggle a bit, although they were able to escape at home with a thrilling overtime win over Virginia Tech. And Virginia's defense was as bad as it's ever been under Coach Tony Bennett in surrendering 93 points to North Carolina.
Some intriguing games for the bubble teams this week. Here's what the schedule looks like:
Tuesday:
Florida State at N.C. State (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Florida State struggled some with Boston College, and right now has a pretty faint hope of making the NCAA Tournament. N.C. State is vulnerable, although they are a much better team at home. I keep waiting for the Wolfpack to come out with the focused effort that they had against Duke and North Carolina. Maybe it will happen Tuesday.
Maryland at Boston College (9:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is a critical game for the Terps to not have a letdown. They need as many wins as they can get to try to make the NCAA Tournament, and this would qualify as a bad loss. Boston College continues to struggle down the stretch of games. They are close, though.
North Carolina at Georgia Tech (9:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Just like Maryland, it's important that North Carolina doesn't have a letdown here after a big win. In theory, they should have too much offensive firepower for the Yellow Jackets to keep up with. And for some reason Georgia Tech has played better on the road as of late. The team that can play at the tempo they want will be the winner.
Virginia at Miami (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Another tough road test for Virginia, going down to Coral Gables to try to give the Hurricanes their first loss. I do think Virginia has a chance, but they need to play much better defense than they did in Chapel Hill. If Miami starts making threes they will be very difficult to knock off at home.
Thursday:
Duke at Virginia Tech (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
Virginia Tech seems to rise to the occasion whenever Duke comes to town, but I'm not sure they have the firepower to pull off the upset. The Hokies played probably their best conference game at N.C. State and still lost. Still, Duke hasn't played their best basketball lately. This could be a battle to the end.
Clemson and Wake Forest are off this week.
N.C. State continues to struggle a bit, although they were able to escape at home with a thrilling overtime win over Virginia Tech. And Virginia's defense was as bad as it's ever been under Coach Tony Bennett in surrendering 93 points to North Carolina.
Some intriguing games for the bubble teams this week. Here's what the schedule looks like:
Tuesday:
Florida State at N.C. State (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
Florida State struggled some with Boston College, and right now has a pretty faint hope of making the NCAA Tournament. N.C. State is vulnerable, although they are a much better team at home. I keep waiting for the Wolfpack to come out with the focused effort that they had against Duke and North Carolina. Maybe it will happen Tuesday.
Maryland at Boston College (9:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is a critical game for the Terps to not have a letdown. They need as many wins as they can get to try to make the NCAA Tournament, and this would qualify as a bad loss. Boston College continues to struggle down the stretch of games. They are close, though.
North Carolina at Georgia Tech (9:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Just like Maryland, it's important that North Carolina doesn't have a letdown here after a big win. In theory, they should have too much offensive firepower for the Yellow Jackets to keep up with. And for some reason Georgia Tech has played better on the road as of late. The team that can play at the tempo they want will be the winner.
Virginia at Miami (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Another tough road test for Virginia, going down to Coral Gables to try to give the Hurricanes their first loss. I do think Virginia has a chance, but they need to play much better defense than they did in Chapel Hill. If Miami starts making threes they will be very difficult to knock off at home.
Thursday:
Duke at Virginia Tech (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
Virginia Tech seems to rise to the occasion whenever Duke comes to town, but I'm not sure they have the firepower to pull off the upset. The Hokies played probably their best conference game at N.C. State and still lost. Still, Duke hasn't played their best basketball lately. This could be a battle to the end.
Clemson and Wake Forest are off this week.
Friday, February 15, 2013
Weekend Preview: 2/16-2/17
Even when you think the game isn't going to be good, North Carolina/Duke does not disappoint. The Tar Heels played up to their competition throughout most of the game, and almost pulled off the upset. James Michael McAdoo's failings at the free throw line near the end really hurt Carolina. And make no mistake, Duke did not play their best game. They had a lot of foul trouble, and Mason Plumlee did not have his normal effort. North Carolina needs to get over this quickly because they have a big bubble game against Virginia on Saturday.
Once again, Miami impressed. I thought Florida State had a good shot at home, but they were playing from behind all game and couldn't catch up. Miami at Duke looms large later in the season.
Here is this weekend's schedule:
Saturday:
Boston College at Florida State (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Boston College pulled off a nice last second win at home against Wake this past week. They had been losing all their close games until this one. But I would imagine they would have a tough time in Tallahassee against a Florida State team that is stinging from that second loss to their rival. You never know what you are going to get from the Seminoles but they should win.
Virginia at North Carolina (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is the game of the weekend in my opinion. Virginia has played really good basketball in the last couple weeks, and passed their last road test at Maryland. You can bet they will be fired up to try to sweep the Tar Heels. This game will be a good test for how Coach Roy Williams can get his team to rebound from a tough loss. If they come out flat, like they did at the start of their game against Virginia Tech, they will be in trouble.
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest (2:00 p.m., FSN)
You can bet that this game won't be like the first one between these two teams, which Georgia Tech won big. The Yellow Jackets can really struggle to score at times. Wake plays much better at home and should be favored in this one.
Virginia Tech at N.C. State (2:00 p.m., ESPN2)
N.C. State hasn't really played a complete game in a while, and they have had a week of rest. It will be interesting to see how they come out in this one. Virginia Tech is wearing down and won't present a very difficult challenge, so it's up to the Wolfpack to put them away early.
Duke at Maryland (6:00 p.m., ESPN)
I think the Terps are seeing their NCAA Tournament chances slip away, so they need this win in the worst way. Maryland has been pretty good against the bottom teams in the league, but their best conference win was a one point home win against N.C. State. Duke has played pretty shaky in their last two games, so the Terps have a chance. And you know that crowd will be fired up.
Sunday:
Miami at Clemson (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Littlejohn is a tough place to play, but it's hard to forecast a Miami loss to one of the teams in the bottom half of the league. Shane Larkin should have a great game in this one. Clemson needs the best games of the year from Milton Jennings and Devin Booker to have a chance at the upset.
Once again, Miami impressed. I thought Florida State had a good shot at home, but they were playing from behind all game and couldn't catch up. Miami at Duke looms large later in the season.
Here is this weekend's schedule:
Saturday:
Boston College at Florida State (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Boston College pulled off a nice last second win at home against Wake this past week. They had been losing all their close games until this one. But I would imagine they would have a tough time in Tallahassee against a Florida State team that is stinging from that second loss to their rival. You never know what you are going to get from the Seminoles but they should win.
Virginia at North Carolina (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is the game of the weekend in my opinion. Virginia has played really good basketball in the last couple weeks, and passed their last road test at Maryland. You can bet they will be fired up to try to sweep the Tar Heels. This game will be a good test for how Coach Roy Williams can get his team to rebound from a tough loss. If they come out flat, like they did at the start of their game against Virginia Tech, they will be in trouble.
Georgia Tech at Wake Forest (2:00 p.m., FSN)
You can bet that this game won't be like the first one between these two teams, which Georgia Tech won big. The Yellow Jackets can really struggle to score at times. Wake plays much better at home and should be favored in this one.
Virginia Tech at N.C. State (2:00 p.m., ESPN2)
N.C. State hasn't really played a complete game in a while, and they have had a week of rest. It will be interesting to see how they come out in this one. Virginia Tech is wearing down and won't present a very difficult challenge, so it's up to the Wolfpack to put them away early.
Duke at Maryland (6:00 p.m., ESPN)
I think the Terps are seeing their NCAA Tournament chances slip away, so they need this win in the worst way. Maryland has been pretty good against the bottom teams in the league, but their best conference win was a one point home win against N.C. State. Duke has played pretty shaky in their last two games, so the Terps have a chance. And you know that crowd will be fired up.
Sunday:
Miami at Clemson (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Littlejohn is a tough place to play, but it's hard to forecast a Miami loss to one of the teams in the bottom half of the league. Shane Larkin should have a great game in this one. Clemson needs the best games of the year from Milton Jennings and Devin Booker to have a chance at the upset.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Week Preview: 2/12-2/14
It was a good weekend for a couple bubble teams and a not good weekend for a few others. First the good: Virginia and N.C. State got nice road wins. It came pretty easily for Virginia, a dominating performance at Maryland. The Cavaliers have a very ugly loss to Old Dominion on their resume, but look like an NCAA Tournament team right now. N.C. State's last second win over Clemson was big because it stopped the bleeding. The Wolfpack really needed Scott Wood's shot to drop to avoid a four game losing streak.
On the flip side, Maryland and North Carolina took hits. Maryland is on the outside looking in right now, with not much to speak of on their resume. Losing at home by double digits to another bubble team is not the way to get it done. Meanwhile, North Carolina looked overwhelmed in Miami much like they did at N.C. State. And then there's Florida State. Who can predict what the Seminoles will do next? When they aren't getting buzzer-beaters from Michael Snaer they are looking pretty bad, only putting up 46 points against Wake Forest.
Here's the schedule for the week:
Tuesday:
Virginia Tech at Virginia (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Rivalry games can be close but there's not much in the recent play of Virginia Tech to suggest that's going to happen. The Hokies had one of the worst losses of the year, trailing at one point by 25 at home to Georgia Tech. In the meantime, Virginia is on a roll. If the Hokies don't start out well this could get very ugly.
Wednesday:
Miami at Florida State (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
In a week with good rivalry games, this one could be the most competitive. Miami is perfect in conference play, but could take on their first defeat in this one. Florida State is certainly capable of playing well, and they should be fired up to play Miami. An injury to Kenny Kadji could play a big factor. If he can't play that will boost the Seminoles' chances.
Wake Forest at Boston College (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Boston College had a really good chance to knock off Duke this weekend, but took two of the ugliest shots you will ever see at the end of the game and lost by one. It seemed like the moment was too big for them. We'll see how they respond at home against a Wake Forest team that is bipolar. At home, Wake is good, and on the road they really struggle. This one should come down to the wire.
North Carolina at Duke (9:00 p.m., ACC Network/ESPN)
I can't remember the last time this matchup had less fanfare. Duke is just way ahead of where North Carolina is right now, even with their struggles at Boston College. If this game was in Chapel Hill, it would be much more interesting. But it's hard to find a scenario in which the young Tar Heels will be able to handle the Cameron pressure, seeing how they performed at Miami and N.C. State.
Thursday:
Clemson at Georgia Tech (7:00 p.m., FSN)
These two teams just played each other a couple weeks ago, and Clemson pulled out a close win. I expect this one to be close as well. Neither one of these teams is looking at an NCAA Tournament bid, but they are playing for pride and position in the standings.
On the flip side, Maryland and North Carolina took hits. Maryland is on the outside looking in right now, with not much to speak of on their resume. Losing at home by double digits to another bubble team is not the way to get it done. Meanwhile, North Carolina looked overwhelmed in Miami much like they did at N.C. State. And then there's Florida State. Who can predict what the Seminoles will do next? When they aren't getting buzzer-beaters from Michael Snaer they are looking pretty bad, only putting up 46 points against Wake Forest.
Here's the schedule for the week:
Tuesday:
Virginia Tech at Virginia (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Rivalry games can be close but there's not much in the recent play of Virginia Tech to suggest that's going to happen. The Hokies had one of the worst losses of the year, trailing at one point by 25 at home to Georgia Tech. In the meantime, Virginia is on a roll. If the Hokies don't start out well this could get very ugly.
Wednesday:
Miami at Florida State (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
In a week with good rivalry games, this one could be the most competitive. Miami is perfect in conference play, but could take on their first defeat in this one. Florida State is certainly capable of playing well, and they should be fired up to play Miami. An injury to Kenny Kadji could play a big factor. If he can't play that will boost the Seminoles' chances.
Wake Forest at Boston College (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Boston College had a really good chance to knock off Duke this weekend, but took two of the ugliest shots you will ever see at the end of the game and lost by one. It seemed like the moment was too big for them. We'll see how they respond at home against a Wake Forest team that is bipolar. At home, Wake is good, and on the road they really struggle. This one should come down to the wire.
North Carolina at Duke (9:00 p.m., ACC Network/ESPN)
I can't remember the last time this matchup had less fanfare. Duke is just way ahead of where North Carolina is right now, even with their struggles at Boston College. If this game was in Chapel Hill, it would be much more interesting. But it's hard to find a scenario in which the young Tar Heels will be able to handle the Cameron pressure, seeing how they performed at Miami and N.C. State.
Thursday:
Clemson at Georgia Tech (7:00 p.m., FSN)
These two teams just played each other a couple weeks ago, and Clemson pulled out a close win. I expect this one to be close as well. Neither one of these teams is looking at an NCAA Tournament bid, but they are playing for pride and position in the standings.
Friday, February 08, 2013
Weekend Preview: 2/9-2/10
Where's Lorenzo Brown when you need him? N.C. State has really struggled without him, dropping a third consecutive game. There is no shame in losing at Duke, but State needs to right the ship in a bad way. Duke's win over N.C. State was one of several blowouts in the ACC this week. One of those included a really embarrassing road performance by Clemson, scoring 10 points in the first half for the second time this year in a 37 point loss to Virginia.
Florida State and Maryland picked up much needed road wins to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. For the Seminoles, Michael Snaer was again the hero. And for Maryland, while their offense wasn't in fine form, they were able to pull one out late in Blacksburg.
Some teams have interesting road tests this weekend. Here is the schedule:
Saturday:
Florida State at Wake Forest (12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
As poorly as Wake played in Chapel Hill this week, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they won this game. That's the kind of team they are. Florida State needs to build off the momentum of their last win and take control early. I think if they get off to a good start and take the crowd out of the game, they will win at Wake.
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (1:00 p.m., FSN)
Both teams lost close home games this week. Virginia Tech won in Atlanta this year and always seems to match up well with the Yellow Jackets. Where Georgia Tech has the advantage is rest. The Hokies have a short bench, a couple players have the flu, and they just played late on Thursday night. Don't expect a lot of scoring in this one.
North Carolina at Miami (2:00 p.m., ESPN)
The Tar Heels have been on a pretty good run recently, but this is their toughest game of the year. You have to believe that the Hurricanes will be fired up to try to knock off the Heels at home. I keep feeling like Miami is due to have a bad game, but that hasn't happened in a long time. If Carolina plays up to their potential, they have a shot. But they can't lose their poise like they did in Raleigh.
Sunday:
N.C. State at Clemson (1:00 p.m., ACC Network)
The ACC season is only halfway through, but this really is a must-win game for N.C. State. They don't want to lose four games in a row. If Brown can play, they will be much better equipped to win on the road. Clemson can really struggle to score at times but they have played pretty well at home. Guys like Milton Jennings have to show up though if they want to win.
Virginia at Maryland (1:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is a big game for two bubble teams. Virginia has looked dominant at home, but not so much on the road. Maryland has the talent, but has not been able to win a big game. The key for this one is how patient Maryland's young players are able to stay against Virginia's defense. If they get frustrated and guys like Seth Allen start chucking up shots that plays right into Virginia's hands.
Duke at Boston College (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
This is a tough week for Boston College. After having to go to Miami (and getting blasted), they host Duke. The Blue Devils are starting to get their rhythm back after dealing with the injury to Ryan Kelly. Conte Forum is normally not a very intimidating atmosphere, but if the blizzard keeps people from going to this game that could make it even more of a library. Duke should win easily.
Florida State and Maryland picked up much needed road wins to keep their NCAA Tournament hopes alive. For the Seminoles, Michael Snaer was again the hero. And for Maryland, while their offense wasn't in fine form, they were able to pull one out late in Blacksburg.
Some teams have interesting road tests this weekend. Here is the schedule:
Saturday:
Florida State at Wake Forest (12:00 p.m., ESPN2)
As poorly as Wake played in Chapel Hill this week, it wouldn't surprise me at all if they won this game. That's the kind of team they are. Florida State needs to build off the momentum of their last win and take control early. I think if they get off to a good start and take the crowd out of the game, they will win at Wake.
Georgia Tech at Virginia Tech (1:00 p.m., FSN)
Both teams lost close home games this week. Virginia Tech won in Atlanta this year and always seems to match up well with the Yellow Jackets. Where Georgia Tech has the advantage is rest. The Hokies have a short bench, a couple players have the flu, and they just played late on Thursday night. Don't expect a lot of scoring in this one.
North Carolina at Miami (2:00 p.m., ESPN)
The Tar Heels have been on a pretty good run recently, but this is their toughest game of the year. You have to believe that the Hurricanes will be fired up to try to knock off the Heels at home. I keep feeling like Miami is due to have a bad game, but that hasn't happened in a long time. If Carolina plays up to their potential, they have a shot. But they can't lose their poise like they did in Raleigh.
Sunday:
N.C. State at Clemson (1:00 p.m., ACC Network)
The ACC season is only halfway through, but this really is a must-win game for N.C. State. They don't want to lose four games in a row. If Brown can play, they will be much better equipped to win on the road. Clemson can really struggle to score at times but they have played pretty well at home. Guys like Milton Jennings have to show up though if they want to win.
Virginia at Maryland (1:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is a big game for two bubble teams. Virginia has looked dominant at home, but not so much on the road. Maryland has the talent, but has not been able to win a big game. The key for this one is how patient Maryland's young players are able to stay against Virginia's defense. If they get frustrated and guys like Seth Allen start chucking up shots that plays right into Virginia's hands.
Duke at Boston College (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
This is a tough week for Boston College. After having to go to Miami (and getting blasted), they host Duke. The Blue Devils are starting to get their rhythm back after dealing with the injury to Ryan Kelly. Conte Forum is normally not a very intimidating atmosphere, but if the blizzard keeps people from going to this game that could make it even more of a library. Duke should win easily.
Monday, February 04, 2013
NCAA Tournament Potential
This week I'm going to do something a little different. Now that we're almost halfway through the conference season, it's a good point to see where each team is relative to the NCAA Tournament. So here's how I see each team shaping up right now:
Locks:
Duke (19-2, 6-2 ACC)
Duke is never in any trouble of missing the NCAA Tournament, and this year is no exception. They are coming off a road blasting of Florida State and should be in contention for a #1 seed.
Next game: Thursday vs. N.C. State
Miami (17-3, 8-0 ACC)
Miami is riding high after another road win, this one over N.C. State. They are putting that early loss to Florida Gulf Coast way into their rear-view mirror. You have to like their chances at winning the ACC regular season title and earning a very good seed.
Next game: Tuesday vs. Boston College
N.C. State (16-6, 5-4 ACC)
Of course this is barring a collapse, but fans are very restless in Raleigh right now. The Wolfpack need to right the ship. They only have one win over a ranked team (Duke). As it stands, they have the resume to make it. But they need to beat the teams they are supposed to from here on out.
Next game: Thursday at Duke
Bubble teams:
North Carolina (15-6, 5-3 ACC)
Tar Heels fans have a lot of angst just thinking of their team being on the bubble. But they really don't have a very strong case to make the NCAA Tournament right now. They have a good win at home against UNLV and a road win at fading Florida State. If they can get to 11 or 12 wins in the conference they should be fine, especially if one is over Duke or Miami.
Next game: Tuesday vs. Wake Forest
Virginia (15-6, 5-3 ACC)
Virginia has an identical record as North Carolina, and a win against them. They also have a win over N.C. State and a road win at Wisconsin on their resume. What's hurting the Cavaliers is a bad RPI compounded with a loss to 2-19 Old Dominion. Virginia also faded down the stretch at Georgia Tech, a chance missed to get a road win. The Cavaliers only play Miami and Duke once this year so they need to load up on as many conference wins as possible.
Next game: Thursday vs. Clemson
Maryland (16-6, 4-5 ACC)
About a month ago, I thought Maryland was a lock. But they have underwhelmed in conference play. Their resume is being carried right now by a home win over N.C. State. Maryland has a huge opportunity with a home game against Duke later this year. They probably need to go at least 7-2 the rest of the way to make it.
Next game: Thursday at Virginia Tech
Florida State (12-9, 4-4 ACC)
Florida State has been okay in the ACC, but they are really going to be hurt by their non-conference performance. Losses to South Alabama, Mercer and Auburn are going to sting. They have two wins over Maryland, which could help them in the long run. But they really need to win their home game against Miami if they want to put something on the resume that will make the committee take notice.
Next game: Tuesday at Georgia Tech
Not this year:
Clemson (12-9, 4-5 ACC)
Wake Forest (10-11, 3-6 ACC)
Georgia Tech (12-8, 2-6 ACC)
Virginia Tech (11-10, 2-6 ACC)
Boston College (10-11, 2-6 ACC)
Of these five teams, Clemson is the closest. But a loss to Boston College over the weekend means they need to go on a real hot streak at the end of the year. But I didn't expect any of these teams to be in the NCAA Tournament this year, so there are no big disappointments.
Locks:
Duke (19-2, 6-2 ACC)
Duke is never in any trouble of missing the NCAA Tournament, and this year is no exception. They are coming off a road blasting of Florida State and should be in contention for a #1 seed.
Next game: Thursday vs. N.C. State
Miami (17-3, 8-0 ACC)
Miami is riding high after another road win, this one over N.C. State. They are putting that early loss to Florida Gulf Coast way into their rear-view mirror. You have to like their chances at winning the ACC regular season title and earning a very good seed.
Next game: Tuesday vs. Boston College
N.C. State (16-6, 5-4 ACC)
Of course this is barring a collapse, but fans are very restless in Raleigh right now. The Wolfpack need to right the ship. They only have one win over a ranked team (Duke). As it stands, they have the resume to make it. But they need to beat the teams they are supposed to from here on out.
Next game: Thursday at Duke
Bubble teams:
North Carolina (15-6, 5-3 ACC)
Tar Heels fans have a lot of angst just thinking of their team being on the bubble. But they really don't have a very strong case to make the NCAA Tournament right now. They have a good win at home against UNLV and a road win at fading Florida State. If they can get to 11 or 12 wins in the conference they should be fine, especially if one is over Duke or Miami.
Next game: Tuesday vs. Wake Forest
Virginia (15-6, 5-3 ACC)
Virginia has an identical record as North Carolina, and a win against them. They also have a win over N.C. State and a road win at Wisconsin on their resume. What's hurting the Cavaliers is a bad RPI compounded with a loss to 2-19 Old Dominion. Virginia also faded down the stretch at Georgia Tech, a chance missed to get a road win. The Cavaliers only play Miami and Duke once this year so they need to load up on as many conference wins as possible.
Next game: Thursday vs. Clemson
Maryland (16-6, 4-5 ACC)
About a month ago, I thought Maryland was a lock. But they have underwhelmed in conference play. Their resume is being carried right now by a home win over N.C. State. Maryland has a huge opportunity with a home game against Duke later this year. They probably need to go at least 7-2 the rest of the way to make it.
Next game: Thursday at Virginia Tech
Florida State (12-9, 4-4 ACC)
Florida State has been okay in the ACC, but they are really going to be hurt by their non-conference performance. Losses to South Alabama, Mercer and Auburn are going to sting. They have two wins over Maryland, which could help them in the long run. But they really need to win their home game against Miami if they want to put something on the resume that will make the committee take notice.
Next game: Tuesday at Georgia Tech
Not this year:
Clemson (12-9, 4-5 ACC)
Wake Forest (10-11, 3-6 ACC)
Georgia Tech (12-8, 2-6 ACC)
Virginia Tech (11-10, 2-6 ACC)
Boston College (10-11, 2-6 ACC)
Of these five teams, Clemson is the closest. But a loss to Boston College over the weekend means they need to go on a real hot streak at the end of the year. But I didn't expect any of these teams to be in the NCAA Tournament this year, so there are no big disappointments.
Friday, February 01, 2013
Weekend Preview: 2/2-2/3
A lot of games came down to the wire this week, with four of the six ACC games decided by five or fewer points. Big winners included UVA, which knocked off N.C. State. The last couple minutes were unusual in that neither team was able to score, and N.C. State was certainly hampered by Lorenzo Brown being out. But this was an upset.
Michael Snaer came through again for the Seminoles, knocking down a three to beat Maryland. This has to be a really deflating loss for the Terps, who continue to struggle to beat good teams. Miami impressed again, not playing their best game but holding off a strong performance by Virginia Tech with a strong showing by Shane Larkin.
Not a lot of compelling games this weekend, but there is one big highlight with Miami traveling to N.C. State.
Saturday:
Clemson at Boston College (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Clemson was able to hold off Georgia Tech despite some shaky late game play, and should be in for a close ballgame against BC. The Eagles have come close to pulling off some more wins, but haven't been able to close the deal. Last year BC was able to knock off Clemson at home, and they have a decent chance to do it again.
Virginia Tech at North Carolina (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
The Tar Heels suffered a big blow when P.J. Hairston went down in the Boston College game, and we'll see how they play without him. Virginia Tech played their best game in a while against Miami but weren't able to sustain their level of play down the stretch. The Tar Heels should be able to win at home.
Duke at Florida State (2:00 p.m., ESPN)
It feels like Florida State is hanging on by a thread right now. They could have easily lost their last two home games, against Clemson and Maryland. Duke didn't look like world beaters in their game against Wake, but they have played well in Tallahassee in recent years. I think Duke takes this one.
Wake Forest at Maryland (2:00 p.m., FSN)
Wake had a good showing at home against Duke. This will be a good test to see if they can avoid an emotional letdown. The last road test they failed miserably against Georgia Tech. Maryland has to be emotionally drained after their last second loss to Florida State. But I can't see anyone from Wake slowing Alex Len down.
Miami at N.C. State (4:00 p.m., CBS)
Definitely the game of the weekend in the ACC, and CBS was smart to put this one on their schedule for the year. The health of Lorenzo Brown will go a long way in determining the outcome of this one. It's not just his offensive skills, but his ability to stop Shane Larkin. N.C. State has been really hard to beat at home, but you better believe Miami will be ready to play. I don't see a blowout like what the Wolfpack did to North Carolina last week.
Sunday:
Virginia at Georgia Tech (3:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Interesting test for Virginia. They have played really well in the last couple weeks, especially at home. Georgia Tech is coming off a great game against Wake and a pretty solid performance in a loss at Clemson. If Georgia Tech starts to get frustrated by Virginia's defense they could be in for a long day offensively.
Michael Snaer came through again for the Seminoles, knocking down a three to beat Maryland. This has to be a really deflating loss for the Terps, who continue to struggle to beat good teams. Miami impressed again, not playing their best game but holding off a strong performance by Virginia Tech with a strong showing by Shane Larkin.
Not a lot of compelling games this weekend, but there is one big highlight with Miami traveling to N.C. State.
Saturday:
Clemson at Boston College (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Clemson was able to hold off Georgia Tech despite some shaky late game play, and should be in for a close ballgame against BC. The Eagles have come close to pulling off some more wins, but haven't been able to close the deal. Last year BC was able to knock off Clemson at home, and they have a decent chance to do it again.
Virginia Tech at North Carolina (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
The Tar Heels suffered a big blow when P.J. Hairston went down in the Boston College game, and we'll see how they play without him. Virginia Tech played their best game in a while against Miami but weren't able to sustain their level of play down the stretch. The Tar Heels should be able to win at home.
Duke at Florida State (2:00 p.m., ESPN)
It feels like Florida State is hanging on by a thread right now. They could have easily lost their last two home games, against Clemson and Maryland. Duke didn't look like world beaters in their game against Wake, but they have played well in Tallahassee in recent years. I think Duke takes this one.
Wake Forest at Maryland (2:00 p.m., FSN)
Wake had a good showing at home against Duke. This will be a good test to see if they can avoid an emotional letdown. The last road test they failed miserably against Georgia Tech. Maryland has to be emotionally drained after their last second loss to Florida State. But I can't see anyone from Wake slowing Alex Len down.
Miami at N.C. State (4:00 p.m., CBS)
Definitely the game of the weekend in the ACC, and CBS was smart to put this one on their schedule for the year. The health of Lorenzo Brown will go a long way in determining the outcome of this one. It's not just his offensive skills, but his ability to stop Shane Larkin. N.C. State has been really hard to beat at home, but you better believe Miami will be ready to play. I don't see a blowout like what the Wolfpack did to North Carolina last week.
Sunday:
Virginia at Georgia Tech (3:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Interesting test for Virginia. They have played really well in the last couple weeks, especially at home. Georgia Tech is coming off a great game against Wake and a pretty solid performance in a loss at Clemson. If Georgia Tech starts to get frustrated by Virginia's defense they could be in for a long day offensively.
Monday, January 28, 2013
Week Preview: 1/29-1/30
I've been a little reluctant to praise them after their first few wins in the conference, but I can now say with some certainly that Miami is the best team in the ACC. That may change before the year is out, but there's no question they are playing the best basketball. Miami has already beaten Duke, UNC and Florida State on the way to a 6-0 conference start. They are currently two games ahead of anyone else.
Other headlines from this weekend include N.C. State's domination of UNC. When the Wolfpack get up for a game, they are as good as anyone. The final score was not indicative of how well N.C. State played for much of the game. Carolina looked completely flustered at times, even forcing Roy Williams to call a rare timeout. Duke got back on the right track as well, with a breakout performance from Rasheed Sulaimon in a blowout win over Maryland. The Terps have yet to have that signature win that NCAA Tournament resumes are built on.
Here is the schedule for this week:
Tuesday:
Georgia Tech at Clemson (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Georgia Tech got their first conference win in impressive fashion over Wake Forest over the weekend. After struggling offensively, they broke out for 82 points. Can their offense continue on the road at Clemson? The Tigers need more efforts from Milton Jennings like they had against Virginia Tech.
N.C. State at Virginia (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
The best game of the week, in my opinion. N.C. State has shown the ability to beat anyone at home, but has already lost to Wake Forest and Maryland on the road. Virginia will try to keep them out of that transition offense that was so good against North Carolina. If Virginia can hit threes like they have been recently, they can pull off the big home win.
North Carolina at Boston College (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Boston College has been competitive, but not able to seal the deal down the stretch in ACC games. They have a chance at a big win at home against the Tar Heels. We'll see how North Carolina's mindset is after that loss in Raleigh. Can they find two or three consistent scorers? If the Heels get out to a lead early, expect them to coast.
Wednesday:
Duke at Wake Forest (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Wake's confidence had to take a hit after their performance in a winnable road game at Georgia Tech. They now get a second chance against Duke. The Blue Devils may have found a star in the making in Sulaimon. I can see Wake hanging around for a while but the Blue Devils will be too much in the end.
Maryland at Florida State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
These two teams really need to win this game. Maryland stands at 3-4 in the league, needing to put some wins together. Florida State is at 3-3, coming off a blowout loss to Miami. Both of these teams have NCAA Tournament inspirations, but it's unlikely both will make it. If Alex Len can control the paint, Maryland can win.
Miami at Virginia Tech (9:00 p.m., FSN)
Miami is obviously on a roll right now. The only way they lose this game is if they have a big letdown after their last two home wins. Virginia Tech does not have the manpower to compete with the Hurricanes' veteran squad. Miami has not been as effective offensively on the road, but they shouldn't have much trouble scoring against the Hokies' defense.
Other headlines from this weekend include N.C. State's domination of UNC. When the Wolfpack get up for a game, they are as good as anyone. The final score was not indicative of how well N.C. State played for much of the game. Carolina looked completely flustered at times, even forcing Roy Williams to call a rare timeout. Duke got back on the right track as well, with a breakout performance from Rasheed Sulaimon in a blowout win over Maryland. The Terps have yet to have that signature win that NCAA Tournament resumes are built on.
Here is the schedule for this week:
Tuesday:
Georgia Tech at Clemson (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Georgia Tech got their first conference win in impressive fashion over Wake Forest over the weekend. After struggling offensively, they broke out for 82 points. Can their offense continue on the road at Clemson? The Tigers need more efforts from Milton Jennings like they had against Virginia Tech.
N.C. State at Virginia (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
The best game of the week, in my opinion. N.C. State has shown the ability to beat anyone at home, but has already lost to Wake Forest and Maryland on the road. Virginia will try to keep them out of that transition offense that was so good against North Carolina. If Virginia can hit threes like they have been recently, they can pull off the big home win.
North Carolina at Boston College (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Boston College has been competitive, but not able to seal the deal down the stretch in ACC games. They have a chance at a big win at home against the Tar Heels. We'll see how North Carolina's mindset is after that loss in Raleigh. Can they find two or three consistent scorers? If the Heels get out to a lead early, expect them to coast.
Wednesday:
Duke at Wake Forest (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Wake's confidence had to take a hit after their performance in a winnable road game at Georgia Tech. They now get a second chance against Duke. The Blue Devils may have found a star in the making in Sulaimon. I can see Wake hanging around for a while but the Blue Devils will be too much in the end.
Maryland at Florida State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
These two teams really need to win this game. Maryland stands at 3-4 in the league, needing to put some wins together. Florida State is at 3-3, coming off a blowout loss to Miami. Both of these teams have NCAA Tournament inspirations, but it's unlikely both will make it. If Alex Len can control the paint, Maryland can win.
Miami at Virginia Tech (9:00 p.m., FSN)
Miami is obviously on a roll right now. The only way they lose this game is if they have a big letdown after their last two home wins. Virginia Tech does not have the manpower to compete with the Hurricanes' veteran squad. Miami has not been as effective offensively on the road, but they shouldn't have much trouble scoring against the Hokies' defense.
Friday, January 25, 2013
Weekend Preview: 1/26-1/27
There were some surprising results in the ACC this week. Let's start with Wake Forest's win over N.C. State. This has to be a red flag result for the Wolfpack. They had a 12 point lead at halftime, and couldn't hold that in the second half against Wake. Give the Demon Deacons credit, this is the biggest win that Jeff Bzdelik has had in his three years. But this is a bad loss for N.C. State. They can't afford to be taking games off. And their defense has to step it up.
The other pretty surprising score was Miami 90, Duke 63. We knew that Miami had a good chance of knocking off the Ryan Kelly-less Blue Devils, but didn't think Duke would let anyone go on a 25-1 run. This game was completely over at halftime.
Elsewhere, Virginia picked up a nice road win in coasting over rival Virginia Tech. If the Cavaliers can shoot threes like they did in this game, they will finish in the top half of the league. Clemson came oh so close to beating Florida State but let Michael Snaer lead the Seminoles to a dramatic win. Florida State has been wildly inconsistent this year, you never know which team you will get.
Here are the games this weekend:
Saturday:
Boston College at Virginia (1:00 p.m., FSN)
Boston College has come pretty close a few times, but will need to have their outside shooting going if they want to win in Charlottesville. The way Virginia plays, it wouldn't surprise me if they lost a game like this. But they have been good at home so far and should win this one.
Maryland at Duke (1:00 p.m., CBS)
This game doesn't have the same luster that it did a few weeks ago. Duke is coming off a blowout loss to Miami, and is still without Ryan Kelly. Maryland won their last game but have really struggled offensively in the last couple weeks. They need a better first half performance than they had last week at North Carolina or it's going to be a Duke rout.
Wake Forest at Georgia Tech (3:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is an intriguing game. Georgia Tech has struggled in conference play, but has the talent to win. Wake is coming off their biggest win in three years, but will they have a letdown? Neither one of these teams is going to make the NCAA Tournament but this should be a good fight.
North Carolina at N.C. State (7:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is a big game for both teams, especially the Wolfpack. They haven't looked like world-beaters since they toppled Duke, going 1-2 with the only win a narrow one at home against Clemson. Meanwhile, the Heels are coming in on a roll, with as much confidence as they've had all season. They won't be intimidated by going to Raleigh. This one is all about emotion. If N.C. State is able to play fired up but not too fired up they will win.
Sunday:
Virginia Tech at Clemson (1:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Clemson has been playing better, but have two narrow losses in the last week. They will be happy to go back home, where their defense has really clamped down on opponents. Virginia Tech has to get more from players other than Erick Green to be able to compete in this one.
Florida State at Miami (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Miami just keeps rolling through the ACC schedule, a surprising first place team. As I mentioned earlier, Florida State is very inconsistent. If they bring their A game they can win. But they can't afford to take stretches off and have Miami jump on them like they did in the Duke game.
The other pretty surprising score was Miami 90, Duke 63. We knew that Miami had a good chance of knocking off the Ryan Kelly-less Blue Devils, but didn't think Duke would let anyone go on a 25-1 run. This game was completely over at halftime.
Elsewhere, Virginia picked up a nice road win in coasting over rival Virginia Tech. If the Cavaliers can shoot threes like they did in this game, they will finish in the top half of the league. Clemson came oh so close to beating Florida State but let Michael Snaer lead the Seminoles to a dramatic win. Florida State has been wildly inconsistent this year, you never know which team you will get.
Here are the games this weekend:
Saturday:
Boston College at Virginia (1:00 p.m., FSN)
Boston College has come pretty close a few times, but will need to have their outside shooting going if they want to win in Charlottesville. The way Virginia plays, it wouldn't surprise me if they lost a game like this. But they have been good at home so far and should win this one.
Maryland at Duke (1:00 p.m., CBS)
This game doesn't have the same luster that it did a few weeks ago. Duke is coming off a blowout loss to Miami, and is still without Ryan Kelly. Maryland won their last game but have really struggled offensively in the last couple weeks. They need a better first half performance than they had last week at North Carolina or it's going to be a Duke rout.
Wake Forest at Georgia Tech (3:00 p.m., ACC Network)
This is an intriguing game. Georgia Tech has struggled in conference play, but has the talent to win. Wake is coming off their biggest win in three years, but will they have a letdown? Neither one of these teams is going to make the NCAA Tournament but this should be a good fight.
North Carolina at N.C. State (7:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is a big game for both teams, especially the Wolfpack. They haven't looked like world-beaters since they toppled Duke, going 1-2 with the only win a narrow one at home against Clemson. Meanwhile, the Heels are coming in on a roll, with as much confidence as they've had all season. They won't be intimidated by going to Raleigh. This one is all about emotion. If N.C. State is able to play fired up but not too fired up they will win.
Sunday:
Virginia Tech at Clemson (1:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Clemson has been playing better, but have two narrow losses in the last week. They will be happy to go back home, where their defense has really clamped down on opponents. Virginia Tech has to get more from players other than Erick Green to be able to compete in this one.
Florida State at Miami (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Miami just keeps rolling through the ACC schedule, a surprising first place team. As I mentioned earlier, Florida State is very inconsistent. If they bring their A game they can win. But they can't afford to take stretches off and have Miami jump on them like they did in the Duke game.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Week Preview: 1/22-1/24
In a weekend full of great college basketball, the ACC wasn't really a big factor. Only eight teams played this weekend, with two of the four games ending in blowouts. The headliner was the game between Maryland and North Carolina. The Tar Heels appear to be getting better by the game, coasting to an easy win after a great first half. Reggie Bullock outscored Maryland in the first half by himself. The Terps have to be a little more concerned. They are an Alex Len putback away from being 0-4 in their last four games.
N.C. State struggled to put away Clemson, thanks largely to the game by Devin Booker. But they were able to make plays down the stretch to win. Florida State looked terrible in putting up just 36 points on the road at Virginia. That has to be a concern for Seminole fans. The most competitive game was Virginia Tech knocking off Wake Forest at home despite a really good game for Travis McKie.
All 12 teams are back in action this week. Here's the schedule:
Tuesday:
N.C. State at Wake Forest (7:00 p.m., FSN)
The Wolfpack have a fairly short turnaround after their win on Sunday night, but don't have a long road trip to Winston-Salem. This is a game they should win, but so far Wake is 2-0 at home. The Demon Deacons need to be able to get offense from players other than McKie and C.J. Harris if they want to be able to pull off the upset.
Boston College at Maryland (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Boston College has been playing better, although they only have one conference win so far. Maryland cannot slip up and lose this one, though. They have to come out focused and put away BC early. Right now Maryland is not an NCAA Tournament team but if they can start putting together some wins they can play their way in.
Wednesday:
Duke at Miami (7:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is the marquee ACC game of the week. Duke is definitely not the same team without Ryan Kelly, but they have enough talent left to pull off the road win. Miami has been good so far, but this is their biggest test of the season. If Miami can find someone to slow down Mason Plumlee with Reggie Johnson out, they can win.
Georgia Tech at North Carolina (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
North Carolina has the ability to put together a nice run here, with a favorable schedule in the next five. This is such a young team, though, that you never know what you are going to get. Georgia Tech played well for a half at Duke and could give the Heels trouble but I would expect Carolina to win.
Thursday:
Clemson at Florida State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
It's pretty crazy that these two teams are playing for the second time already. Florida State got out to a big lead and held on in the first game at Littlejohn. You never know what you are going to get from them, though. Clemson has played better in their last three games, but I would expect them to struggle some on the road here.
Virginia at Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
No ACC team has had such a difference in their home and road results than Virginia. They have played really poorly on the road at Clemson and Wake Forest. The Cavaliers are a better team than Virginia Tech, but this is a rivalry series that doesn't always go according to plan. Expect it to go down to the wire.
N.C. State struggled to put away Clemson, thanks largely to the game by Devin Booker. But they were able to make plays down the stretch to win. Florida State looked terrible in putting up just 36 points on the road at Virginia. That has to be a concern for Seminole fans. The most competitive game was Virginia Tech knocking off Wake Forest at home despite a really good game for Travis McKie.
All 12 teams are back in action this week. Here's the schedule:
Tuesday:
N.C. State at Wake Forest (7:00 p.m., FSN)
The Wolfpack have a fairly short turnaround after their win on Sunday night, but don't have a long road trip to Winston-Salem. This is a game they should win, but so far Wake is 2-0 at home. The Demon Deacons need to be able to get offense from players other than McKie and C.J. Harris if they want to be able to pull off the upset.
Boston College at Maryland (9:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Boston College has been playing better, although they only have one conference win so far. Maryland cannot slip up and lose this one, though. They have to come out focused and put away BC early. Right now Maryland is not an NCAA Tournament team but if they can start putting together some wins they can play their way in.
Wednesday:
Duke at Miami (7:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is the marquee ACC game of the week. Duke is definitely not the same team without Ryan Kelly, but they have enough talent left to pull off the road win. Miami has been good so far, but this is their biggest test of the season. If Miami can find someone to slow down Mason Plumlee with Reggie Johnson out, they can win.
Georgia Tech at North Carolina (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
North Carolina has the ability to put together a nice run here, with a favorable schedule in the next five. This is such a young team, though, that you never know what you are going to get. Georgia Tech played well for a half at Duke and could give the Heels trouble but I would expect Carolina to win.
Thursday:
Clemson at Florida State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
It's pretty crazy that these two teams are playing for the second time already. Florida State got out to a big lead and held on in the first game at Littlejohn. You never know what you are going to get from them, though. Clemson has played better in their last three games, but I would expect them to struggle some on the road here.
Virginia at Virginia Tech (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
No ACC team has had such a difference in their home and road results than Virginia. They have played really poorly on the road at Clemson and Wake Forest. The Cavaliers are a better team than Virginia Tech, but this is a rivalry series that doesn't always go according to plan. Expect it to go down to the wire.
Friday, January 18, 2013
Weekend Preview: 1/19-1/20
There were two one-point games this week, with interesting finishes. Despite being down almost the whole game, N.C. State had a great chance to pick up a road win at Maryland, but Alex Len's putback with 0.9 seconds left gave the Terps the win. N.C. State went a little too much to Scott Wood down the stretch, missing the opportunity to seize control. For Maryland, it's a much needed win. The other exciting finish was in Chestnut Hill. Boston College had three free throws to tie the game at the end, but fell one point short of a nice upset. Miami remains unbeaten in the ACC.
Here's what's on tap for the weekend:
Saturday:
Maryland at North Carolina (12:00 p.m., ESPN)
Very interesting game to start off the weekend. Maryland wants to build off the momentum of the N.C. State game and get to 3-2 in the conference. They need to find some offense after a couple games in a row of subpar offensive outputs. North Carolina hasn't played since their solid road win at Florida State. The Heels need to show that it wasn't a fluke, and that they are building. Another home loss at this point in the year would be very damaging.
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech (2:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Wake took a step back in their last game, only mustering 44 points in a blowout loss to Clemson. It's hard to say at this point if they have made progress from last year. Virginia Tech got a nice road win last week at Georgia Tech but had been playing really poorly before that. If Wake can force someone other than Erick Green to beat them, they can win.
Florida State at Virginia (4:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Maybe a trip back home will be what Virginia needs to snap out of their two game funk. Of course this game last year was a bad memory for the Cavaliers, blowing a late double digit lead. Florida State has been a very mixed bag so far. It's hard to tell what will happen in this game. But expect a low scoring affair.
Sunday:
Clemson at N.C. State (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Clemson hasn't shown the ability to score with any regularity, and they will be taking on an N.C. State team that has to be mad with how their last game turned out. If the Tigers don't come ready to play, they could be blown out of the gates.
Duke, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Miami are off this weekend.
Here's what's on tap for the weekend:
Saturday:
Maryland at North Carolina (12:00 p.m., ESPN)
Very interesting game to start off the weekend. Maryland wants to build off the momentum of the N.C. State game and get to 3-2 in the conference. They need to find some offense after a couple games in a row of subpar offensive outputs. North Carolina hasn't played since their solid road win at Florida State. The Heels need to show that it wasn't a fluke, and that they are building. Another home loss at this point in the year would be very damaging.
Wake Forest at Virginia Tech (2:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Wake took a step back in their last game, only mustering 44 points in a blowout loss to Clemson. It's hard to say at this point if they have made progress from last year. Virginia Tech got a nice road win last week at Georgia Tech but had been playing really poorly before that. If Wake can force someone other than Erick Green to beat them, they can win.
Florida State at Virginia (4:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Maybe a trip back home will be what Virginia needs to snap out of their two game funk. Of course this game last year was a bad memory for the Cavaliers, blowing a late double digit lead. Florida State has been a very mixed bag so far. It's hard to tell what will happen in this game. But expect a low scoring affair.
Sunday:
Clemson at N.C. State (6:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Clemson hasn't shown the ability to score with any regularity, and they will be taking on an N.C. State team that has to be mad with how their last game turned out. If the Tigers don't come ready to play, they could be blown out of the gates.
Duke, Georgia Tech, Boston College and Miami are off this weekend.
Monday, January 14, 2013
Weekend Recap
Parity is ruling so far in the ACC. After three games, only N.C. State and Miami are unbeaten, and only Georgia Tech is winless. The Wolfpack had the biggest win over the weekend, knocking off #1 Duke at home. I really don't consider that an upset. Duke was without Ryan Kelly, and on the road against the preseason #1. Assuming Duke wasn't going to go through the ACC undefeated, this would have been my #1 choice for a game they would lose. Still, credit to N.C. State. They came out with a lot of energy in the second half, and with the help of some great rebounding by Richard Howell, pulled it out.
North Carolina also got a big win over the weekend, on the road at Florida State. They were able to really increase their offensive output against a team that historically has been very stingy on defense. The other game of interest was Miami surviving at home against Maryland in a game where offense was lacking. Neither team was able to score 20 points at the half. Maryland now needs to regroup after losing two in a row.
What was interesting about this past weekend is that there were three games between teams in the top half of the conference, and three games between teams in the bottom half. That made for some competitive games, with only one being decided by double digits.
The slate of games during this week is lighter, with four teams taking a few days off.
Tuesday:
Wake Forest at Clemson (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Wake finds itself at the top half of the standings at 2-1, but those wins have been against Virginia and BC at home. Let's see if they can win one on the road. Clemson remains offensively challenged, but got a surprisingly easy win against Virginia on Saturday.
Wednesday:
Miami at Boston College (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Possible trap game for Miami? Boston College has played more competitive basketball as of late. Miami is definitely on a roll, with a solid 3-0 start, but they need to avoid any bad losses if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. Look for a good battle between Ryan Anderson and Kenny Kadji.
N.C. State at Maryland (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
This is a very big game for Maryland. N.C. State is coming off an emotional win at home, traveling to the Comcast Center. Maryland is no lock to make the NCAA Tournament and the Terps have not looked very good in their last two games. A loss doesn't hurt N.C. State that much, but Maryland doesn't want to go 1-3 in the ACC with a trip to Chapel Hill on the weekend.
Thursday:
Georgia Tech at Duke (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
Georgia Tech has played pretty solid defense so far, but they haven't been able to get it done on the offensive end, especially late in games. That's why they sit at 0-3. Duke is coming off a tough loss, and banged up. The Yellow Jackets may be able to keep it close, but I expect the Blue Devils to be too tough at home.
By the way, I mentioned that the teams in the top half and the bottom half played each other this weekend. They might not be in the top and bottom of the standings, but I think there's a pretty clear line you can draw between the six best teams in the league and the six bottom teams. At the top you have Duke, N.C. State, Maryland, Miami, UNC and Florida State. At the bottom it's Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Virginia, BC, Clemson and Georgia Tech. Unless something changes, look for that to be the hierarchy going forward.
North Carolina also got a big win over the weekend, on the road at Florida State. They were able to really increase their offensive output against a team that historically has been very stingy on defense. The other game of interest was Miami surviving at home against Maryland in a game where offense was lacking. Neither team was able to score 20 points at the half. Maryland now needs to regroup after losing two in a row.
What was interesting about this past weekend is that there were three games between teams in the top half of the conference, and three games between teams in the bottom half. That made for some competitive games, with only one being decided by double digits.
The slate of games during this week is lighter, with four teams taking a few days off.
Tuesday:
Wake Forest at Clemson (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Wake finds itself at the top half of the standings at 2-1, but those wins have been against Virginia and BC at home. Let's see if they can win one on the road. Clemson remains offensively challenged, but got a surprisingly easy win against Virginia on Saturday.
Wednesday:
Miami at Boston College (7:00 p.m., FSN)
Possible trap game for Miami? Boston College has played more competitive basketball as of late. Miami is definitely on a roll, with a solid 3-0 start, but they need to avoid any bad losses if they want to make the NCAA Tournament. Look for a good battle between Ryan Anderson and Kenny Kadji.
N.C. State at Maryland (7:00 p.m., ESPN2)
This is a very big game for Maryland. N.C. State is coming off an emotional win at home, traveling to the Comcast Center. Maryland is no lock to make the NCAA Tournament and the Terps have not looked very good in their last two games. A loss doesn't hurt N.C. State that much, but Maryland doesn't want to go 1-3 in the ACC with a trip to Chapel Hill on the weekend.
Thursday:
Georgia Tech at Duke (9:00 p.m., ESPN)
Georgia Tech has played pretty solid defense so far, but they haven't been able to get it done on the offensive end, especially late in games. That's why they sit at 0-3. Duke is coming off a tough loss, and banged up. The Yellow Jackets may be able to keep it close, but I expect the Blue Devils to be too tough at home.
By the way, I mentioned that the teams in the top half and the bottom half played each other this weekend. They might not be in the top and bottom of the standings, but I think there's a pretty clear line you can draw between the six best teams in the league and the six bottom teams. At the top you have Duke, N.C. State, Maryland, Miami, UNC and Florida State. At the bottom it's Wake Forest, Virginia Tech, Virginia, BC, Clemson and Georgia Tech. Unless something changes, look for that to be the hierarchy going forward.
Friday, January 11, 2013
Weekend Preview: 1/12-1/13
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.
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.
Monday, January 07, 2013
First ACC Weekend Recap
The first weekend of ACC play is in the books, and for the most part it was a good weekend for the teams that are supposed to be in the upper echelon in the conference. Duke and Maryland both got easy home wins against lesser teams. N.C. State did not play well but was able to escape with a road win at Boston College. And Miami had perhaps the most impressive performance of the weekend, winning by 13 on the road against Georgia Tech. That game was actually more of a blowout than the final score indicated.
A couple of other games may have been minor surprises. Florida State controlled their game in the first half at Clemson, and then were able to hold on despite some questionable play in the last minute. And North Carolina really struggled down the stretch at UVA, letting the Cavaliers go on a 10-0 run late in that one.
On paper, the weekday game schedule is pretty weak. But there could be some close games:
Tuesday:
Clemson at Duke (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Clemson is staring at an 0-2 start in the conference, as they have to go to Cameron Indoor and try to compete with the Blue Devils. Duke coasted to a pretty easy win in their home opener, and have another favorable game before their big matchup with N.C. State this coming weekend.
Wednesday:
Boston College at Virginia Tech (7:00 p.m., FSN)
If there is an opportunity for Boston College to sneak a road win, this is it. They didn't win a game on the road in conference last year, but came very close a few times. Virginia Tech is reeling right now, not being able to stop anyone on defense. Boston College played well at times against N.C. State but just couldn't hit the shots in the final minute. I expect this one to come down to the wire.
Florida State at Maryland (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Florida State played pretty well at Clemson, but winning up at College Park is a much stiffer challenge. Maryland looks like the second best team in the conference right now, with a lot of depth. If the Seminoles can win the three point percentage, they can win. But I expect the Terps to come out on top in this one.
Georgia Tech at N.C. State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Georgia Tech was able to pull off the surprising road upset in this game last year. But they have to come up with a lot more offense to top the Wolfpack. The Yellow Jackets are capable of putting together a good offensive game, and they may be able to catch the Wolfpack looking ahead to their big game against Duke. But this one is all about N.C. State. If they come out with a focused effort, they won't lose.
Virginia at Wake Forest (9:00 p.m., FSN)
This is an interesting week for Virginia. They are coming off a big win over North Carolina, their first in John Paul Jones Arena. Now they have two winnable road games against Wake Forest and Clemson. For Wake, this is a big game to get some confidence. If they are patient against Virginia's pack line defense they have a chance.
Thursday:
Miami at North Carolina (7:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is the best game of the week and a big one for both teams. The schedulers did Miami no favors. Look at their first five conference games: @GT, @UNC, vs. Maryland, @BC, vs. Duke. They need to win as many games as they can in this tough early stretch to build that NCAA Tournament resume. For North Carolina, it's about getting back to Tar Heel basketball. They did not look good at all against Virginia, and right now Miami is the more talented team, even without Reggie Johnson. If the Heels don't win this one, they are no lock to make the NCAA Tournament. Their next two are at Florida State and home against Maryland. An 0-4 start is not a reach.
A couple of other games may have been minor surprises. Florida State controlled their game in the first half at Clemson, and then were able to hold on despite some questionable play in the last minute. And North Carolina really struggled down the stretch at UVA, letting the Cavaliers go on a 10-0 run late in that one.
On paper, the weekday game schedule is pretty weak. But there could be some close games:
Tuesday:
Clemson at Duke (7:00 p.m., ESPNU)
Clemson is staring at an 0-2 start in the conference, as they have to go to Cameron Indoor and try to compete with the Blue Devils. Duke coasted to a pretty easy win in their home opener, and have another favorable game before their big matchup with N.C. State this coming weekend.
Wednesday:
Boston College at Virginia Tech (7:00 p.m., FSN)
If there is an opportunity for Boston College to sneak a road win, this is it. They didn't win a game on the road in conference last year, but came very close a few times. Virginia Tech is reeling right now, not being able to stop anyone on defense. Boston College played well at times against N.C. State but just couldn't hit the shots in the final minute. I expect this one to come down to the wire.
Florida State at Maryland (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Florida State played pretty well at Clemson, but winning up at College Park is a much stiffer challenge. Maryland looks like the second best team in the conference right now, with a lot of depth. If the Seminoles can win the three point percentage, they can win. But I expect the Terps to come out on top in this one.
Georgia Tech at N.C. State (8:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Georgia Tech was able to pull off the surprising road upset in this game last year. But they have to come up with a lot more offense to top the Wolfpack. The Yellow Jackets are capable of putting together a good offensive game, and they may be able to catch the Wolfpack looking ahead to their big game against Duke. But this one is all about N.C. State. If they come out with a focused effort, they won't lose.
Virginia at Wake Forest (9:00 p.m., FSN)
This is an interesting week for Virginia. They are coming off a big win over North Carolina, their first in John Paul Jones Arena. Now they have two winnable road games against Wake Forest and Clemson. For Wake, this is a big game to get some confidence. If they are patient against Virginia's pack line defense they have a chance.
Thursday:
Miami at North Carolina (7:00 p.m., ESPN)
This is the best game of the week and a big one for both teams. The schedulers did Miami no favors. Look at their first five conference games: @GT, @UNC, vs. Maryland, @BC, vs. Duke. They need to win as many games as they can in this tough early stretch to build that NCAA Tournament resume. For North Carolina, it's about getting back to Tar Heel basketball. They did not look good at all against Virginia, and right now Miami is the more talented team, even without Reggie Johnson. If the Heels don't win this one, they are no lock to make the NCAA Tournament. Their next two are at Florida State and home against Maryland. An 0-4 start is not a reach.
Friday, January 04, 2013
Preview: ACC Conference Play Starts
After what seems like a long non-conference season, we are finally about to start conference play. For some teams, it is a chance to build on positive momentum. And for others it's a chance to get momentum back. Remember, this is the first year the ACC has gone to 18 games in conference play. And there are some interesting matchups for the first weekend:
Saturday:
Virginia Tech at Maryland (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Virginia Tech has been the tale of two teams so far. The one that started 7-0 and beat Iowa and Oklahoma State, and the one that has gone 2-4 since with the last two losses by a combined 62 points. Maryland has coasted since an opening loss to Kentucky, albeit against the weakest schedule of any ACC team. The momentum certainly favors Maryland, and so does the home court. If the Hokies get behind early, it could be a blowout.
Wake Forest at Duke (12:00 p.m., ESPNU)
This is certainly a mismatch on paper. The best team in the conference at home against arguably the worst team. Wake has played a little better of late, coming off their best win of the year against Xavier. Duke will look to have a better home season than they did last year, and should start with a win. I can see Wake holding tough for maybe a half, but Duke should win by 20.
Miami at Georgia Tech (2:30 p.m., ACC Network)
I don't think many people at this point in the season would think Georgia Tech would have a better record than Miami. Part of that is schedule, but Miami has lost two of their last three after losing Reggie Johnson to an injury. They are still in the conversation for the NCAA Tournament, so games like this one are key. Georgia Tech has won six in a row against mostly underwhelming competition. Interesting stat: in their last five games, the Yellow Jackets have scored 73-75 points each time.
Florida State at Clemson (4:00 p.m., FSN)
Florida State has been the biggest disappointment in the ACC so far, with their latest loss coming at Auburn. They need a strong showing to avoid a road loss to Clemson. The Tigers haven't been world beaters so far, but have the home court advantage, which should swing the momentum in this one. This could be an ugly game to watch.
N.C. State at Boston College (4:00 p.m., ESPN2)
At first glance this looks like a N.C. State romp. Yes, the Wolfpack have played much better recently, winners of seven straight. But they could face a challenge in Chestnut Hill. Boston College can lull them to sleep with some 3 pointers and a less than hostile crowd. And the Eagles have won five in a row. But if N.C. State loses this game, that will certainly be an upset.
Sunday:
North Carolina at Virginia (8:00 p.m., ESPNU)
The weekly ESPNU Sunday night game gets a later start this week, giving the UVA fans a chance to watch the Redskins. This is a very intriguing game. North Carolina put together their best win of the year last week against UNLV, but they have been very inconsistent. Virginia won eight in a row before a really bad loss at a neutral site to Old Dominion. Carolina definitely has the edge in talent, but if Coach Tony Bennett can get the tempo he wants Virginia has a chance to pull the mild upset.
Saturday:
Virginia Tech at Maryland (12:00 p.m., ACC Network)
Virginia Tech has been the tale of two teams so far. The one that started 7-0 and beat Iowa and Oklahoma State, and the one that has gone 2-4 since with the last two losses by a combined 62 points. Maryland has coasted since an opening loss to Kentucky, albeit against the weakest schedule of any ACC team. The momentum certainly favors Maryland, and so does the home court. If the Hokies get behind early, it could be a blowout.
Wake Forest at Duke (12:00 p.m., ESPNU)
This is certainly a mismatch on paper. The best team in the conference at home against arguably the worst team. Wake has played a little better of late, coming off their best win of the year against Xavier. Duke will look to have a better home season than they did last year, and should start with a win. I can see Wake holding tough for maybe a half, but Duke should win by 20.
Miami at Georgia Tech (2:30 p.m., ACC Network)
I don't think many people at this point in the season would think Georgia Tech would have a better record than Miami. Part of that is schedule, but Miami has lost two of their last three after losing Reggie Johnson to an injury. They are still in the conversation for the NCAA Tournament, so games like this one are key. Georgia Tech has won six in a row against mostly underwhelming competition. Interesting stat: in their last five games, the Yellow Jackets have scored 73-75 points each time.
Florida State at Clemson (4:00 p.m., FSN)
Florida State has been the biggest disappointment in the ACC so far, with their latest loss coming at Auburn. They need a strong showing to avoid a road loss to Clemson. The Tigers haven't been world beaters so far, but have the home court advantage, which should swing the momentum in this one. This could be an ugly game to watch.
N.C. State at Boston College (4:00 p.m., ESPN2)
At first glance this looks like a N.C. State romp. Yes, the Wolfpack have played much better recently, winners of seven straight. But they could face a challenge in Chestnut Hill. Boston College can lull them to sleep with some 3 pointers and a less than hostile crowd. And the Eagles have won five in a row. But if N.C. State loses this game, that will certainly be an upset.
Sunday:
North Carolina at Virginia (8:00 p.m., ESPNU)
The weekly ESPNU Sunday night game gets a later start this week, giving the UVA fans a chance to watch the Redskins. This is a very intriguing game. North Carolina put together their best win of the year last week against UNLV, but they have been very inconsistent. Virginia won eight in a row before a really bad loss at a neutral site to Old Dominion. Carolina definitely has the edge in talent, but if Coach Tony Bennett can get the tempo he wants Virginia has a chance to pull the mild upset.
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