This Week in the ACC: 11/12-11/18

[pfrduke]

There were precious few tough games, but still worth noting that the ACC is undefeated thus far on the season. As you might imagine, no other conference can make that claim (MSU's loss to Kansas ruins things for the Big Ten while Providence falling to Wichita keeps the BEast from being unbeaten).

As Jason observed in last week's thread, the ACC went unblemished in the season's first week. While the conference was the underdog in just one game (and won that one by 34), still, avoiding bad losses is as much a part of the battle as getting good wins. This week has a few games where the ACC team isn't the favorite and gets pre-season tournament play kicked off (neither Virginia Tech nor Wake is expected to win in South Carolina, but being finalists would be a good outcome for both; Syracuse is the favorite in MSG).

Monday

[3]North Carolina (-18) hosts [84]Stanford (7:00, ESPN2)
[121]Pittsburgh (-6) hosts [161]Troy (7:00, ACCNE)

Tuesday

[31]NC State (-21) hosts [266]UNC Asheville (7:00, ACCNE)
[20]Miami (-15) hosts [135]Stephen F. Austin (7:00, ESPNU)
[63]Louisville (-24) hosts [344]Southern (7:00, ACCNE)
[90]Georgia Tech (+14) at [11]Tennessee (9:00, ESPN2)

Wednesday

[2]Duke (-21) hosts [122]Eastern Michigan (7:00, ACCNE)
[16]Clemson (-24) hosts [283]Sam Houston State (7:00, ACCNE)
[69]Boston College (-17) hosts [281]IUPUI (7:00, ACCNE)
[51]Notre Dame (-11) hosts [159]Radford (7:00, ACCNE)

Thursday

[30]Virginia Tech (-8) vs. [99]Ball State in Charleston (11:30, ESPN2)
[102]Wake Forest (+1) vs. [94]St. Joseph's in Myrtle Beach (11:30, ESPNU)
[8]Syracuse (-12) vs. [97]Connecticut in Madison Square Garden (7:00, ESPN2)
[121]Pittsburgh (-13) hosts [287]Central Arkansas (7:00, ACCNE)

Friday

[4]Virginia (-35) hosts [348]Coppin State (7:00, ACCNE)
[3]North Carolina (-33) hosts [310]Tennessee Tech (7:00, ACCNE)
[63]Louisville (-8) hosts [123]Vermont (7:00, ACCNE)
[90]Georgia Tech (-15) hosts [264]East Carolina (7:30, ACCNE)
[30]Virginia Tech vs. [55]Alabama/[79]Northeastern in Charleston (TBD)
[102]Wake Forest vs. [77]Central Florida/[133]Cal State Fullerton in Myrtle Beach (TBD)
[8]Syracuse vs. [18]Oregon/[38]Iowa in Madison Square Garden (TBD)

Saturday
[121]Pittsburgh (-19) hosts [339]North Alabama (12:00, ACCNE)
[51]Notre Dame (-11) hosts [150]William & Mary (12:00, ACCNE)
[31]NC State (-27) hosts [335]Maine (2:00, ACCNE)
[20]Miami (-25) hosts [303]Bethune-Cookman (2:00, ACCNE)

Sunday

[30]Virginia Tech vs. [15]Purdue/[78]Wichita State/[85]Davidson/[176]Appalachian State in Charleston (TBD)
[102]Wake Forest vs. [14]West Virginia/[88]Western Kentucky/[134]Valparaiso/[212]Monmouth in Myrtle Beach (TBD)

ACC Non-Conference: 25-0
ACC vs. Power 5: 2-0

American: 1-0
Atlantic-10: 1-0
Big Sky: 1-0
Big South: 1-0
Colonial: 2-0
Horizon: 3-0
MEAC: 3-0
Northeast: 2-0
Ohio Valley: 1-0
Patriot: 2-0
SEC: 2-0
Southern: 3-0
Southland: 2-0
WAC: 1-0

[PackMan97]

Glad to see NC State cranking up the difficulty on their schedule. Team average this week is ALMOST <300. Might only win these games by 40.

[devildeac]

Glad to see NC State cranking up the difficulty on their schedule. Team average this week is ALMOST <300. Might only win these games by 40.

And no bed-wetting, hopefully.

[MChambers]

Give Tony Bennett even mor credit for scheduling yet another obscure Maryland school, Towson (#348).

[dukelifer]

UNC doubled up Stanford at the half- and somehow Stanford had no free throws.

[PackMan97]

UNC doubled up Stanford at the half- and somehow Stanford had no free throws.

Stanford winning the second half by 6 points. Too bad they spotted the cheaters 26.

[Wahoo2000]

GT hanging with Tenn a little closer than I had expected. Down 9 with 12 min to go.

[JasonEvans]

GT hanging with Tenn a little closer than I had expected. Down 9 with 12 min to go.

The Vols ended up winning 66-53 in what was a very competitive game. This is further proof of how freaking outstanding the ACC is this season. The team most expect to be in the bottom three in the conference just went on the road to a top 3 SEC team and gave them a legit game.

[PackMan97]

The better opponent didn't really seem to matter to NC State as we hit our average scoring 100 to UNC-A's 49. The game was never in doubt and perhaps the most interesting stat of the game is that the player with the most minutes had 26 and the player with the least had 16! Against Maryland-Eastern Shore the minutes were even tighter with the most minutes getting 23 and the least 18! It will be interesting to see what happens if we struggle in a game or what the minutes look like when we play Wisconsin, but I'll say right now it looks like State plans on playing 10 deep and trying to hustle teams to death.

This is despite Markell Johnson leaving four minutes into the game from running into a blind pick and hitting the floor a bit too hard. He was held out for the rest of the game as a precaution. Post-game the word was that he wasn't diagnosed with a concussion but would be evaluated today. Whatever that means.

[pfrduke]

BC and Notre Dame lost home games to IUPUI and Radford, respectively. I think this is the last week for the year of Notre Dame being in the others receiving votes category in the AP poll (which was silly to begin with).

[PackMan97]

BC and Notre Dame lost home games to IUPUI and Radford, respectively. I think this is the last week for the year of Notre Dame being in the others receiving votes category in the AP poll (which was silly to begin with).

Clemson really struggled to put away Sam Houston State.

[Troublemaker]

This should be an impossible misspelling to make:

[arnie]

This should be an impossible misspelling to make:

Yea it’s not like he’s Coach K’s grandson.

[NSDukeFan]

Glad to see NC State cranking up the difficulty on their schedule. Team average this week is ALMOST <300. Might only win these games by 40.

Coach Kevin K hasn’t yet figured out that the teams ranked in the 200s don’t hurt your schedule as much and aren’t much more likely to win?

[CameronBornAndBred]

This should be an impossible misspelling to make:

Insult to injury. 'Cuse loses to UCONN.

[dukelifer]

This should be an impossible misspelling to make:

Maybe the NCAA vacated a letter along with 108 wins

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Maybe the NCAA vacated a letter along with 108 wins

OR...maybe a former football player at unCheats ordered the uniforms...

[dukelifer]

UNC with another blowout win. Not sure it is fair to have Luke Maye in college ball.

[left_hook_lacey]

UNC with another blowout win. Not sure it is fair to have Luke Maye in college ball.

His YMCA set shot is making a mockery of college basketball.

[dukelifer]

His YMCA set shot is making a mockery of college basketball.

Country strong - just making a mockery of the game.