This Week in the ACC - 11/18-24
Originally Posted by
Duvall
Has anyone noticed that the new super-ACC isn't that great at winning basketball games?
Sadly, this is a fair assessment thus far this season. The other big conferences have not been immune to losses and upsets (hi Michigan) but the losses are much fewer. The AAC and Big Ten have 4, the Big East, Big XII, and Pac 12 have 5. The ACC has 12 (only the SEC, with 9, is in shouting distance). While some have come against strong opponents (Kansas) or in games the ACC team was expected to lose (Connecticut), the rest have been at best 50/50 games (that we've been winning less than half of) and at worst upsets (Belmont, Indiana State).
This week and next week have pre-season tournaments that give the conference a chance at redemption (although those chances only come because essentially all of the preseason tournaments guarantee the host teams spots in the semi-finals - without that guarantee, UNC, Boston College, and Virginia Tech all would be playing for consolation prizes). By Sunday, champions will be crowned in the 2kSports Classic (BC is the ACC representative), Charleston Classic (Clemson), Puerto Rico Tip-Off (FSU), Coaches vs. Cancer (Virginia Tech), and Hall of Fame Tip-Off (UNC), with the Paradise Jam (Maryland) following up with a finale next Monday. It's safe to say that none of these teams are the favorites in their field (those would be UConn, New Mexico, Michigan/VCU, Michigan State, Louisville, and Providence (Maryland could be considered a co-favorite, which says a lot about the field)), but it's about time for the conference to record some unexpected victories to make up for the unexpected losses.
Let's see what's on tap for a busy week ahead:
Monday tips off the Preseason NIT, one of the last (if not the last) major early season tournaments where every game counts. Duke needs to win its home games to get a date with (probably) Alabama and ultimately Arizona if the chips fall right. Syracuse has mainland Maui action against the St. Francis team that upset Miami on opening night; that same Miami squad is traveling to Charleston to see if it can play better on the road early on than it has at home (this is a down year for Charleston and Miami is a very slight favorite). Wake is hosting Jacksonville - the Deacons currently sit at 85 in the Pomeroy rankings, which is as highly ranked as the team has ever been under Jeff Bzdelik
[7]Duke hosts [213]UNC-Asheville
[142]Virginia Tech hosts [274]VMI
[85]Wake Forest hosts [282]Jacksonville
[15]Syracuse hosts [212]St. Francis (NY)
[122]Miami at [204]Charleston
Tuesday has second round PNIT action in Durham and Virginia hosting the Naval Academy.
[7]Duke hosts [185]East Carolina/[222]Norfolk State
[19]Virginia hosts [298]Navy
Wednesday features Georgia Tech hosting a pretty good Dayton squad. The Jackets have looked good in the early going, picking up a solid road win at Georgia last week. Pitt and NC State host lesser opponents.
[43]Georgia Tech hosts [82]Dayton
[12]Pittsburgh hosts [181]Lehigh
[72]NC State hosts [235]North Carolina Central
Thursday starts tournament play in earnest. Boston College was supposed to be one of the up and coming teams this year, returning essentially everyone from a squad that improved over the course of last season and played competitive ball despite finishing under .500. They started this season as the 37th ranked team in Pomeroy, but have plummeted after three straight losses and a very unimpressive win over Florida Atlantic. The 2kSports final rounds give them a chance at redemption, starting with New England rival Connecticut in the opener and a chance to knock off either Washington or Indiana in game 2. This team has the talent to put together a run, but first they need to show they can play defense and end possessions - BC is atrocious at rebounding the basketball, and it's hurt them in every one of their games so far. FSU got no favors from the seeding committee in Puerto Rico, drawing VCU as an opening round opponent. Leonard Hamilton's squads have always been turnover prone (this year is no exception, giving the ball away nearly 1 of every 4 positions, good for 332nd in the country), which is not a good tendency going against Havoc. Clemson has a bit of a better draw against Temple, plus they should have a home court advantage playing in-state in Charleston.
[96]Boston College vs. [10]Connecticut in Madison Square Garden
[122]Miami hosts [147]Central Florida
[85]Wake Forest hosts [336]Citadel
[64]Florida State vs. [9]VCU in San Juan
[53]Clemson vs. [123]Temple in Charleston
Friday has 2nd round action in Puerto Rico and Charleston, finals (or consolation) in NY, opening round action in St. Thomas, and semifinal play in the Coaches vs. Cancer classic in Brooklyn. Starting with the last one first, Virginia Tech has a tall order taking on what will certainly be the #1 team in the country when the polls come out later today (then again, if Columbia can take the Spartans to the wire...). If FSU manages to beat VCU, they'll almost certainly get Michigan in round 2 - the Puerto Rico Tip Off has a stacked field this year. Clemson's road is much less arduous, with either Georgia or Davidson waiting in round 2.
[59]Maryland vs. [291]Marist in St. Thomas
[96]Boston College vs. [31]Indiana/[111]Washington in Madison Square Garden
[64]Florida State vs. [21]Michigan/[199]Long Beach State in San Juan
[53]Clemson vs. [114]Georgia/[152]Davidson in Charleston
[54]Notre Dame hosts [166]Santa Clara
[142]Virginia Tech vs. [3]Michigan State in Brooklyn
Saturday has the CvC finals, semifinal play in the Hall of Fame Tip Off, and second round action in St. Thomas (if Maryland loses).
[28]North Carolina vs. [87]Richmond in Uncasville
[19]Virginia hosts [262]Liberty
[142]Virginia Tech vs. [55]Oklahoma/[76]Seton Hall in Brooklyn
*[59]Maryland vs. [121]Northern Iowa/[156]Loyola Marymount in St. Thomas
Sunday crowns champions in Connecticut, Charleston, and San Juan, includes second round action in St. Thomas (if Maryland wins), and has a few pre-Thanksgiving home games thrown in for good measure.
[28]North Carolina vs. [1]Louisville/[225]Fairfield in Uncasville
[54]Notre Dame hosts [276]Army
[43]Georgia Tech hosts [261]North Carolina A&T
[53]Clemson vs. [23]New Mexico/[45]Massachusetts/[69]Nebraska/[95]Alabama-Birmingham in Charleston
[64]Florida State vs. [25]Georgetown/[61]Kansas State/[136]Charlotte/[169]Northeastern in San Juan
[7]Duke hosts [195]Vermont
*[59]Maryland vs. [121]Northern Iowa/[156]Loyola Marymount in St. Thomas
ACC Non-Conference Record: 34-12
ACC Record vs. BCS: 4-5
American Athletic: 1-2
Atlantic Sun: 3-1
Atlantic Ten: 1-2
Big 12: 1-1
Big East: 0-1
Big South: 4-0
Colonial: 1-0
CUSA: 2-0
Horizon: 1-0
Ivy: 1-0
MAC: 1-1
MEAC: 4-0
Missouri Valley: 0-1
Mountain West: 1-0
Northeast: 0-1
Ohio Valley: 1-1
Pac-12: 0-1
Patriot: 3-0
SEC: 2-0
Southern: 5-0
Southland: 1-0
SWAC: 1-0
Just be you. You is enough. - K, 4/5/10, 0:13.8 to play, 60-59 Duke.
You're all jealous hypocrites. - Titus on Laettner
You see those guys? Animals. They're animals. - SIU Coach Chris Lowery, on Duke