This Week in the ACC - 2/17-2/23

[pfrduke]

No time for analysis this week, sorry - just a quick rundown of the schedule (slightly heavier action than usual due to winter weather rearing its ugly head last week).

Monday

[36]Florida State hosts [24]UNC (7, ESPN)

Tuesday

[52]Maryland hosts [112]Wake Forest (7, ACCN, ESPN3)
[55]Clemson hosts [69]NC State (7, ESPNU)
[129]Georgia Tech hosts [3]Duke (9, ESPN3)
[187]Virginia Tech hosts [7]Virginia (9, ESPN3)

Wednesday

[5]Syracuse hosts [153]Boston College (7, ESPN2)
[82]Miami hosts [86]Notre Dame (9, ESPN3)

Thursday

[24]North Carolina hosts [3]Duke (9, ESPN)

Friday is dark.

Saturday

[82]Miami hosts [153]Boston College (12, ESPN3)
[24]North Carolina hosts [112]Wake Forest (12, ESPN3)
[129]Georgia Tech hosts [55]Clemson (12, ESPN3)
[7]Virgina hosts [86]Notre Dame (2, ESPN2)
[187]Virginia Tech hosts [69]NC State (2, ESPN3)
[3]Duke hosts [5]Syracuse (7, ESPN)

Sunday

[14]Pittsburgh hosts [36]Florida State (6, ESPNU)

ACC Non-Conference Record: 139-53
ACC Record vs. BCS: 29-33

[erc128]

How do Duke fans feel about the ACC title race? Just curious, especially if they beat Cuse

[FerryFor50]

How do Duke fans feel about the ACC title race? Just curious, especially if they beat Cuse

It's UVA and Syracuse's to lose.

Even if Duke beats Cuse, they still have 3 losses. UVA and Cuse would still only have 1 loss.

It would take a lot of help/collapsing from UVA and Cuse for Duke to win the ACC regular season outright. UVA's schedule is favorable for them. And Syracuse is too good to lose 3 games between now and the end of the regular season.

So, Duke's best hope is to win the ACC tourny. :)

[nocilla]

How do Duke fans feel about the ACC title race? Just curious, especially if they beat Cuse

FerryFor50 answered above but I would like to add to it if you are asking how we 'feel' about it in general. Most of us here, although not all, feel that the regular season title lost it's luster when the league went to an unbalanced schedule. The true Champion of the ACC is the winner of the tournament according to the ACC and I think most of us here agree with that. We would be proud to win the regular season title but not as proud as UNC fans seem to be about it. And given the choice of either or, I personally would choose the tournament title.

[erc128]

Thanks. As a Virginia fan I am more scared of Duke and UNC than Syracuse in the tourney.

[ice-9]

It's UVA and Syracuse's to lose.

Even if Duke beats Cuse, they still have 3 losses. UVA and Cuse would still only have 1 loss.

It would take a lot of help/collapsing from UVA and Cuse for Duke to win the ACC regular season outright. UVA's schedule is favorable for them. And Syracuse is too good to lose 3 games between now and the end of the regular season.

So, Duke's best hope is to win the ACC tourny. :)


It's a weird situation. Syracuse is probably a more difficult team to beat than UVA, so given that Duke is likely to end up a 2 or 3 seed (though I'm not conceding that will definitely happen) I'd rather we face UVA in the semi-finals. Yet, something doesn't feel right with Syracuse winning the ACC regular season in its first year, so there's that.

[Bob Green]

Saturday

[82]Miami hosts [153]Boston College (12, ESPN3)
[24]North Carolina hosts [112]Wake Forest (12, ESPN3)
[129]Georgia Tech hosts [55]Clemson (12, ESPN3)
[7]Virgina hosts [86]Notre Dame (2, ESPN2)
[187]Virginia Tech hosts [69]NC State (2, ESPN3)
[3]Duke hosts [5]Syracuse (7, ESPN)


I've been taking care of a few task in the early part of the day so I haven't started watching basketball yet, but looking at the box score, it appears Carolina is still hitting on all eight cylinders. They lead Wake Forest by 19 points at the half.

The Notre Dame at Virginia game is firmly on my schedule at 1400 and I hope to catch some of the 2nd half of the Carolina game. It is never too early to scout them for the March 8 rematch.

[dukelifer]

I've been taking care of a few task in the early part of the day so I haven't started watching basketball yet, but looking at the box score, it appears Carolina is still hitting on all eight cylinders. They lead Wake Forest by 19 points at the half.

The Notre Dame at Virginia game is firmly on my schedule at 1400 and I hope to catch some of the 2nd half of the Carolina game. It is never too early to scout them for the March 8 rematch.

UNC has found themselves- too much talent there. You could make a case that they are the best team in the ACC despite the flaws. They have also shown an ability to hang with the better teams outside the ACC- although early in the season. I still stand by an earlier prediction that they could easily make the Final Four. This is not to say they are a great team- just good enough to play with any team out there. This is most unfortunate because they are likely not to lose any critical player at the end of the season and have a boatload of new talent coming in the door. The Roy haters- mostly UNC fans- will need to figure out what to say now.

[jipops]

UNC has found themselves- too much talent there. You could make a case that they are the best team in the ACC despite the flaws. They have also shown an ability to hang with the better teams outside the ACC- although early in the season. I still stand by an earlier prediction that they could easily make the Final Four. This is not to say they are a great team- just good enough to play with any team out there. This is most unfortunate because they are likely not to lose any critical player at the end of the season and have a boatload of new talent coming in the door. The Roy haters- mostly UNC fans- will need to figure out what to say now.

I don't know, uva is still up there.
Preseason acc favorites next season?

[dukelifer]

I don't know, uva is still up there.
Preseason acc favorites next season?

I like UVa but I think their game will not translate outside the ACC. Unlike UNC- they have not really beaten anyone yet. Pitt is their best win and Pitt is really just so-so.

[Bob Green]

I like UVa but I think their game will not translate outside the ACC. Unlike UNC- they have not really beaten anyone yet. Pitt is their best win and Pitt is really just so-so.

Virginia also beat SMU and, oh by the way, they beat UNC.

[Bob Green]

UNC just laid a 33 point butt whipping on Wake Forest: 105-72. All five starters plus Brice Johnson scored in double digits. It seems the Heels are starting to click at the right time of the season. They play at State and VT next week so I do not see them being challenged unless the "other" Carolina team reappears.

[dukelifer]

Virginia also beat SMU and, oh by the way, they beat UNC.

Okay- fair enough. UNC is not ranked yet- so I missed that one. Next week UVa will have a better record.

[Bob Green]

Virginia and Notre Dame tied up at the half 30 apiece. Virginia threaten to blow it open early jumping out to a 12 point lead at 19-7, but they turned the ball over in bunches while Notre Dame knocked down multiple 3 PT FGs.

[Olympic Fan]

Virginia and Notre Dame were tied at 43 with 11 minutes to go ... then BOOM! ... the Cavs score 25 straight to blow the game wide open. Amazing run.

Clemson and N.C. State got wins they needed to stay in the NCAA Bubble chase -- although State did their best to give VPI a chance to steal the game in the final three minutes.

BTW: Was anybody else watching the little scuffle near the end of the game when one of the refs gave Kyle Washington an elbow? Of course, Washington exaggerated contact, but the blow clearly came from the ref. Then the refs go to the monitor and assess VPI a technical??? When Jim Boeheim started talking about the worst call of the year, that was what I thought of.

Looking forward to Pitt-FSU Sunday ... A win would put FSU back in the NCAA conversation ... but a loss might leave Pitt's NCAA chances a bit shaky.

[Matches]

Any word on whether they let Bzdelik on the bus after the game? Yea I know UNC has improved but no way should that team put up 105 points on *anyone*. The situation at Wake is beyond embarrassing at this point - how much more rope are they going to give this guy? Could he be coaching for his job when we visit them week after next?

[FerryFor50]

FSU throws another nail in the Pitt NCAA coffin.

They have been in a free fall since their close Duke and Syracuse losses.