pfrduke
11-29-2011, 06:48 PM
Better late than never, right? Last week was decidedly so-so, with some decent wins over BCS opponents, but some unfortunate losses. Most disappointing is that, unless Clemson shows well at the Diamond Head next month, for the second straight year Duke will be the only ACC team to win its preseason tournament (and again, the vast majority of the ACC teams in pre-season tourney play did not reach the tournament finals).
This week, of course, is ripe with opportunities against BCS opponents, and although the prevailing wisdom is that the ACC is likely to draw the short straw, you never know what can happen once the ball gets tipped.
Monday was dark.
Tuesday features 2 of the 3 ACC teams hosting undefeated B1G opponents, with the marquee matchup between Duke and OSU. The goal of Tuesday is to avoid a huge deficit for the ACC - very few of these games look to be favorable matchups.
[37]Virginia hosts [33]Michigan
[70]Georgia Tech hosts [43]Northwestern
[104]Maryland hosts [45]Illinois
[40]Miami at [13]Purdue
[50]Clemson at [109]Iowa
[6]Duke at [3]Ohio State
Avoiding a deficit on Tuesday is critical because Wednesday presents an even less favorable slate. Per Pomeroy (who seems unusually high on the B1G teams), the ACC is the favorite in precisely zero second-day matchups (although I'm not sure you could find many people willing to back Wisconsin straight up on the road against the Heels)
[247]Boston College hosts [142]Penn State
[62]NC State hosts [22]Indiana
[18]Florida State at [14]Michigan State
[39]Virginia Tech at [47]Minnesota
[176]Wake Forest at [60]Nebraska
[5]North Carolina hosts [2]Wisconsin
Thursday and Friday are dark (and hopefully not filled with the licking of wounds)
Saturday kicks off with a UNC-Kentucky matchup that should feature the most future NBA professionals of any contest this season. I haven't watched a ton of Kentucky, but from the few games I've seen, I think they might be the best team in the country when everyone is clicking on all cylinders. Davis, Gilchrist, and Jones are an impressive frontcourt. UMass continues its tour of the ACC with a trip to Miami, BC squares off against in-city rival BU, and Georgia Tech travels to a Tulane squad that has beaten all comers thus far (which mostly include the little sisters of the poor - Tulane is ranked as the third-worst remaining unbeaten, ahead of North Dakota State and Auburn).
[5]North Carolina at [1]Kentucky
[176]Wake Forest hosts [81]Richmond
[37]Virginia hosts [319]Longwood
[40]Miami hosts [129]Massachusetts
[247]Boston College hosts [166]Boston University
[70]Georgia Tech at [108]Tulane
Sunday puts four squads in action, all against BCS opposition. Clemson has a rivalry game with South Carolina, NC State heads west to play a rejuvenated Stanford squad, Maryland hosts Notre Dame in the annual BB&T event, and Virginia Tech gets a home rematch of last year's game in Manhattan (neither the Hokies nor Kansas State are as good as last year).
[50]Clemson hosts [139]South Carolina
[62]NC State at [21]Stanford
[104]Maryland vs. [55]Notre Dame in D.C.
[39]Virginia Tech hosts [42]Kansas State
Standings to come.
This week, of course, is ripe with opportunities against BCS opponents, and although the prevailing wisdom is that the ACC is likely to draw the short straw, you never know what can happen once the ball gets tipped.
Monday was dark.
Tuesday features 2 of the 3 ACC teams hosting undefeated B1G opponents, with the marquee matchup between Duke and OSU. The goal of Tuesday is to avoid a huge deficit for the ACC - very few of these games look to be favorable matchups.
[37]Virginia hosts [33]Michigan
[70]Georgia Tech hosts [43]Northwestern
[104]Maryland hosts [45]Illinois
[40]Miami at [13]Purdue
[50]Clemson at [109]Iowa
[6]Duke at [3]Ohio State
Avoiding a deficit on Tuesday is critical because Wednesday presents an even less favorable slate. Per Pomeroy (who seems unusually high on the B1G teams), the ACC is the favorite in precisely zero second-day matchups (although I'm not sure you could find many people willing to back Wisconsin straight up on the road against the Heels)
[247]Boston College hosts [142]Penn State
[62]NC State hosts [22]Indiana
[18]Florida State at [14]Michigan State
[39]Virginia Tech at [47]Minnesota
[176]Wake Forest at [60]Nebraska
[5]North Carolina hosts [2]Wisconsin
Thursday and Friday are dark (and hopefully not filled with the licking of wounds)
Saturday kicks off with a UNC-Kentucky matchup that should feature the most future NBA professionals of any contest this season. I haven't watched a ton of Kentucky, but from the few games I've seen, I think they might be the best team in the country when everyone is clicking on all cylinders. Davis, Gilchrist, and Jones are an impressive frontcourt. UMass continues its tour of the ACC with a trip to Miami, BC squares off against in-city rival BU, and Georgia Tech travels to a Tulane squad that has beaten all comers thus far (which mostly include the little sisters of the poor - Tulane is ranked as the third-worst remaining unbeaten, ahead of North Dakota State and Auburn).
[5]North Carolina at [1]Kentucky
[176]Wake Forest hosts [81]Richmond
[37]Virginia hosts [319]Longwood
[40]Miami hosts [129]Massachusetts
[247]Boston College hosts [166]Boston University
[70]Georgia Tech at [108]Tulane
Sunday puts four squads in action, all against BCS opposition. Clemson has a rivalry game with South Carolina, NC State heads west to play a rejuvenated Stanford squad, Maryland hosts Notre Dame in the annual BB&T event, and Virginia Tech gets a home rematch of last year's game in Manhattan (neither the Hokies nor Kansas State are as good as last year).
[50]Clemson hosts [139]South Carolina
[62]NC State at [21]Stanford
[104]Maryland vs. [55]Notre Dame in D.C.
[39]Virginia Tech hosts [42]Kansas State
Standings to come.