Tonight's ACC Bubble Update

[Olympic Fan]

Three ACC games tonight and all three have an impact on the ACC's bubble team.

In order of importance:

Virginia Tech at BC: The Hokes, despite their 21-5 record, don't have much room for error. If they are close on Selection Sunday, their woeful strength of schedule could be fatal. They need this -- a loss to a bad BC team (even on the road) would be an excuse for the bracketologist to hammer them for their lack of quality wins.

Florida State at UNC: The Seminoles (19-7) are actually in better shape than the Hokies. But a loss to a bad UNC team (even in Chapel Hill) would hurt. It wouldn't be fatal -- if the 'Noles go home and beat Clemson and Wake in Tallahassee, they'd be okay. But winning this game would provide at least a little margin of error for the 'Noles.

Clemson at Maryland: The Terps are in pretty good shape. Clemson really needs to get one more road win -- at Maryland, at FSU or at Wake -- plus a home win over Georgia Tech to feel sale.

So best for the conference would be wins for VPI, FSU and Clemson-- but that's calling for three road teams to win. That's tough.

BTW: I think this game is pivotal for UNC. Not to make the NCAA (they're out of that). But I think that realistically, the 14-13 Heels are going to beat Miami in Chapel Hill next week and are going to lose at Wake and at Duke.

That means they are either 16-15 or 15-16 heading into the ACC, depending on the outcome of this game -- FSU is better, but it is in Chapel Hill. If they go to Greensboro one-game under .500, they'd need to win twice to avoid a losing season -- three times to get a winning record.

[Bob Green]

I predict wins by Virginia Tech, Florida State and Maryland. If this happens, it sets up a huge game on Saturday: Maryland at Virginia Tech.

[CDu]

VT putting up a VERY poor showing so far at BC (down 15 late in the first half). FSU, on the other hand, is up 11 late in the first half at UNC.

[pfrduke]

VT putting up a VERY poor showing so far at BC (down 15 late in the first half). FSU, on the other hand, is up 11 late in the first half at UNC.

4-18 from the field so far from Delaney and Hudson.

Also, I wonder if Seth said to the sideline reporter at halftime "we knew Jeff Allen was going to get called for two fouls during warmups." :rolleyes:

[Duvall]

VT putting up a VERY poor showing so far at BC (down 15 late in the first half).

Note to Seth Greenberg: THIS is why your teams don't get any respect.

[CDu]

4-18 from the field so far from Delaney and Hudson.

Also, I wonder if Seth said to the sideline reporter at halftime "we knew Jeff Allen was going to get called for two fouls during warmups." :rolleyes:

It might help if VT decided to guard Trapani (7-9 from the field, 17 points). Or anybody (BC shooting 55%).

[superdave]

FSU helping itself tonight in front of the Whine & Cheesers.

[CDu]

FSU helping itself tonight in front of the Whine & Cheesers.

Yeah, after tonight (if they don't throw this away) they're probably just a win away from feeling really safe about their tourney chances.

[pfrduke]

Yeah, after tonight (if they don't throw this away) they're probably just a win away from feeling really safe about their tourney chances.

Although beating UNC doesn't really get them anything. They really only benefit by not having a loss to a poor team on their resume. :D

[77devil]

Too bad ESPN is showing the pathetic Heels but not MD vs. Clemson at 9.

[CDu]

Although beating UNC doesn't really get them anything. They really only benefit by not having a loss to a poor team on their resume. :D

Well, yeah. Losing this game means that they'd probably need to win two games later in the season (against Wake or Clemson) to offset the bad loss.

[pfrduke]

It might help if VT decided to guard Trapani (7-9 from the field, 17 points). Or anybody (BC shooting 55%).

Losing by 20 at BC is officially a bad loss. Ugh....

[94duke]

Too bad ESPN is showing the pathetic Heels but not MD vs. Clemson at 9.

Clemson @ MD is on Raycom, not ESPN.

[CDu]

Losing by 20 at BC is officially a bad loss. Ugh....

The good news is that if VT again doesn't make the tournament, it couldn't happen to a (seemingly) nicer guy in Greenberg.

They're not done, but they really could have used that win.

[CDu]

Clemson @ MD is on Raycom, not ESPN.

Isn't that what the previous poster said?

[Duvall]

Too bad ESPN is showing the pathetic Heels but not MD vs. Clemson at 9.

Well, they had to make the call before the season, and who would turn down a chance to show the preseason #4 team in the country?

[D.C. Devil]

It's on ESPN 360, too. Best game going right now (thanks to the Russians' folding)

[77devil]

Clemson @ MD is on Raycom

Only in ACC country.

[David]

I was at the BC-VT game tonight (part of the 5-game BC ticket package I purchased in order to see the Duke game). Va Tech looked really flat from the get-go. Seth was somewhat frustrated with the refs (per usual) and very frustrated with his team. Hey coach - when your team loses to inferior opponents year after year, you own a fair amount of the blame yourself.

[superdave]

Clemson had a nice lead (52-40) but MD on a run now (pulled to 61-57).

They dont have any easy games left. They need to TCB! 19-7 overall, 7-5 in ACC.

[DukeFencer]

It's on ESPN 360, too. Best game going right now (thanks to the Russians' folding)

Blacked out on espn360.com in ACC country when it's being shown on Raycom. Raycom has free online video, too, but I don't have much success with it (~30 seconds at a time before major freezing.) espn360.com, however, works great, even on the 1 bar of wifi we pick up.

[Olympic Fan]

Clemson had a nice lead (52-40) but MD on a run now (pulled to 61-57).

They dont have any easy games left. They need to TCB! 19-7 overall, 7-5 in ACC.

Clemson is 19-8 (7-6) after the Maryland loss.

In itself, this doesn't hurt the Tigers too bad. A roasd loss against a top 30 RPI team. They still have a quality resume and a RPI in the low 30s, which is usually good enough.

The danger is that their closing stretch is so tough -- now at FSU, Georgia Tech at home and at Wake Forest. Lose them all and they are in big, BIG trouble. Just win the one home game and they're still very much on the bubble -- need at least one ACC Tournament win (which will be over a bad UNC or Miami team) and maybe two wins -- which means a Friday win over a quality ACC team.

I think they need to beat Georgia Tech at home and get one of those two road wins to feel safe.

FSU did help themselves by beating UNC, even if UNC is lousy this year. They avoided a bad loss and added a road win. The bad news is that UNC dropped out of the top 100 (they were 102 this morning).

But Virginia Tech is the team that really, REALLY hurt themselves -- losing to a BC team that's not in the top 100. I know they have a lot of wins, but they have the weakest schedule -- by far -- of any bubble team.

They've put themselves in position where they almost have to beat Maryland Saturday in Blacksburg (then follow that with a homecourt win over erratic NC State). If they give the committee a chance to leave them out, they'll be joining Miami in the NIT.

[Bob Green]

The danger is that their closing stretch is so tough -- now at FSU, Georgia Tech at home and at Wake Forest. Lose them all and they are in big, BIG trouble. Just win the one home game and they're still very much on the bubble -- need at least one ACC Tournament win (which will be over a bad UNC or Miami team) and maybe two wins -- which means a Friday win over a quality ACC team.

I will not be suprised to see Clemson drop their last three regular season games. This is disheartening as I am a fan of Oliver Purnell and desire to see the Tigers go dancing. They are going to have to find a way win one of those last two road games because Georgia Tech will not be a pushover. The Yellow Jackets need every win they can get.

There are seven ACC teams capable of making the field of 64. I consider Duke and Maryland locks, Florida State and Wake Forest are solid, Georgia Tech must finish strong, while Virginia Tech and Clemson are on the bubble.

We wait all year for it and it is almost here - - - March Madness is just around the corner!

[moonpie23]

could clemson meet UNC AT THE DEAN DOME in the NIT???

[oldnavy]

I will not be suprised to see Clemson drop their last three regular season games. This is disheartening as I am a fan of Oliver Purnell and desire to see the Tigers go dancing. They are going to have to find a way win one of those last two road games because Georgia Tech will not be a pushover. The Yellow Jackets need every win they can get.

There are seven ACC teams capable of making the field of 64. I consider Duke and Maryland locks, Florida State and Wake Forest are solid, Georgia Tech must finish strong, while Virginia Tech and Clemson are on the bubble.

We wait all year for it and it is almost here - - - March Madness is just around the corner!

You are forgetting UNC. Roy has said that he expects them to make a run and get in the big dance. :D

[CDu]

could clemson meet UNC AT THE DEAN DOME in the NIT???

Well, wouldn't UNC have to be the higher seed for that to happen? If so, I think it s highly unlikely to say the least.

[Greg_Newton]

Curious... if GT goes 1-1 to close the regular season (@CLEM, VT), what are their tourney credentials like? 20-10, 8-8 ACC... hugely talented, but only 1 OOC win against a BCS team as far as I can tell (USC).

I would think they'd need at least 2 wins in the ACCT to have a chance. On paper, they're just not that good.

[ice-9]

Georgia Tech actually has strong numbers: #33 on the RPI and #23 on KenPom. That plus an 8-8 ACC conference finish (against a tougher than average schedule) should get Gtech in.

If they finish 1-1 in the regular season and get at least one in the ACC tournament they'll be fine.