This Week in the ACC: 2/18-2/24

[pfrduke]

Just three weeks left in conference play, and only 7 teams can feel at all comfortable about where they are. Those 7 have a healthy number of tough matchups this week, so the top of the conference could see some significant movement over the next few days. And pour one out for Clemson. Nothing is officially over, of course, but back-to-back one-point road losses at this point in the year is kind of heartbreaking.

Monday

[12]Virginia Tech (9-4) (+2) hosts [2]Virginia (10-2) (7:00, ESPN)

Tuesday

[79]Notre Dame (3-9) (-11) hosts [187]Wake Forest (2-10) (7:00, ESPNU)
[30]Clemson (5-7) (-1) hosts [20]Florida State (8-4) (9:00, ESPNU)

Wednesday

[43]Syracuse (8-4) (+1) hosts [14]Louisville (9-4) (7:00, ESPN)
[35]NC State (6-7) (-11) hosts [112]Boston College (4-8) (7:00, ACCNE)
[1]Duke (11-1) (-11) hosts [8]North Carolina (10-2) (9:00, ESPN)
[109]Georgia Tech (3-10) (-1) hosts [81]Pittsburgh (2-11) (9:00, ACCNE)

Thursday and Friday are dark

Saturday

[14]Louisville (9-4) (+4) hosts [2]Virginia (10-2) (12:00, ACCNE)
[30]Clemson (5-7) (-11) hosts [112]Boston College (4-8) (12:00, ACCNE)
[74]Miami (3-10) (-6) hosts [109]Georgia Tech (3-10) (2:00, ACCNE)
[8]North Carolina (10-2) (-8) hosts [20]Florida State (8-4) (3:45)
[79]Notre Dame (3-9) (+6) hosts [12]Virginia Tech (9-4) (4:00)
[43]Syracuse (8-4) (+12) hosts [1]Duke (11-1) (6:00, ESPN)

Sunday

[35]NC State (6-7) (-17) hosts [187]Wake Forest (2-10) (6:00, ESPNU)

ACC Non-Conference: 149-41
ACC vs. Power 5: 30-26

Efficiency margin (unadjusted) in conference play only:

Virginia - +19.6
Duke - +16.7
North Carolina - +14.7
Louisville - +12.5
Florida State - +8.6
Virginia Tech - +6.9
Clemson - +2.9
Syracuse - +1.4
NC State - -4.4
Miami - -8.5
Boston College - -9.3
Pittsburgh - -10.9
Notre Dame - -11.3
Georgia Tech - -14.0
Wake Forest - -24.1

[JasonEvans]

[12]Virginia Tech (9-4) (+2) hosts [2]Virginia (10-2) (7:00, ESPN)

Huge game tonight in VT's quest for the double-bye. Any word on when Justin Robinson might come back? Probably not until the 26th, right?

[MChambers]

Huge game tonight in VT's quest for the double-bye. Any word on when Justin Robinson might come back? Probably not until the 26th, right?

Probably comes back the game before that, so that he’s fully ready for the Blue Devils.

[SavDukeGrad]

Did anyone else notice that College Gameday is going to be at Syracuse for our game next Saturday? This is the 6th week of College Gameday this season, and 3 of the 6 games have featured Duke - the UVA game at Cameron, at UVA, and now at Syracuse. That’s 50% of their featured games! The Duke Effect!

I suppose we should say 4 out of 7, since they will be at Cameron for a mid-week version for the Carolina game I believe.

In fairness, I guess I should point out that they have been to Kentucky twice - for the Kansas and Tennessee games. But heck, who wants to be fair... Go Duke!!!

[Wahoo2000]

Did anyone else notice that College Gameday is going to be at Syracuse for our game next Saturday? This is the 6th week of College Gameday this season, and 3 of the 6 games have featured Duke - the UVA game at Cameron, at UVA, and now at Syracuse. That’s 50% of their featured games! The Duke Effect!

I suppose we should say 4 out of 7, since they will be at Cameron for a mid-week version for the Carolina game I believe.

In fairness, I guess I should point out that they have been to Kentucky twice - for the Kansas and Tennessee games. But heck, who wants to be fair... Go Duke!!!

That % seems waaaaaay too low given the apparent mandate from "ZSPN" to be "all Zion, all the time". (to note: I'm not complaining, just noting that ESPN's financial woes have become oh-so-apparent in their "ratings are the ONLY thing that matter" approach to sports coverage and "reporting" over the last couple years)

[AGDukesky]

Virginia not sharp on offense and VT missing a ton of open 3s despite being one of the best teams beyond the arc

[DU82]

How many teams lately have worn colors instead of white at home?

[-jk]

How many teams lately have worn colors instead of white at home?

Football school!

-jk

[ncexnyc]

Strange game so far. VT has moved the ball really well, but can't buy a 3pt basket.

[AGDukesky]

Strange game so far. VT has moved the ball really well, but can't buy a 3pt basket.

While everything Guy shoots goes in even if it has to hit the backboard...

[HereBeforeCoachK]

How many teams lately have worn colors instead of white at home?

More and more common in NBA, in NHL...and now in college....

[robed deity]

Virginia fortunate I thought. A lot of those VT looks from 3 were decent.

[curtis325]

Virginia fortunate I thought. A lot of those VT looks from 3 were decent.

3 for 27. Don't worry, in 8 days they will be 15-27.

[ncexnyc]

When your bread and butter is supposedly 3pt shooting, 3 of 27 doesn't cut it. VT did a nice job of moving the ball for open looks, but couldn't buy a basket. Solid win for UVA, but Jerome still doesn't look quiet right.

[ElliottHoo]

I'm a UVA fan so it pains me to say anything nice about VT, but they played a heck of a good game. Great ball movement, tenacious D and they played hard to the end despite having 4(!) guys play 40 minutes. If they weren't down so many players they'd be a top 10 team.

[devildeac]

3 for 27. Don't worry, in 8 days they will be 15-27.

At least !

[HereBeforeCoachK]

Virginia fortunate I thought. A lot of those VT looks from 3 were decent.

They're saving them for us...

[jhmoss1812]

Fortunate to beat VT last night. Blackshear played his butt off for them but they couldn't hit from 3. Maybe they should turn the lights on in their own gym.

Crazy stat I heard today - UVA has three players (Jerome, Guy, and Hunter) that are averaging at least 42% from 3 with 4 rebounds per game and 2 assists per game. That is more than the entire Big 10, Big 12, and SEC have combined.

[sagegrouse]

Fortunate to beat VT last night. Blackshear played his butt off for them but they couldn't hit from 3. Maybe they should turn the lights on in their own gym.

Crazy stat I heard today - UVA has three players (Jerome, Guy, and Hunter) that are averaging at least 42% from 3 with 4 rebounds per game and 2 assists per game. That is more than the entire Big 10, Big 12, and SEC have combined.

I was ready to write off Kyle Guy earlier this season as someone who had peaked and was now in decline. He's played very well the past few games.

[Phredd3]

I was ready to write off Kyle Guy earlier this season as someone who had peaked and was now in decline. He's played very well the past few games.

And I think he's a difficult player to hate. He plays clean, doesn't talk trash or showboat (and least not overtly), and he's almost always smiling and seems to be having a genuinely good time out there. His play is completely different than Zion, obviously, but they seem to have those traits in common.