This Week in the ACC - 1/25-1/31

[pfrduke]

Starting to see some separation at the top of the league with Virginia and Florida State asserting a claim to be head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league. Lots of teams in the middle of the pack playing each other this week which should help in further sorting out the big picture standings. Syracuse's 3 conference wins have been by 38, 26, and 18, propelling them toward the top of the conference in scoring margin despite a .500 record; Monday may give a look as to whether the record or the margin better captures how good the Orange are.

Monday
[9]Virginia (6-0) (-7) hosts [36]Syracuse (3-3) (7:00, ESPN)

Tuesday
[65]Pittsburgh (4-2) (+1) hosts [35]North Carolina (5-3) (7:00, ACCN)
[33]Duke (3-3) (-5) hosts [59]Georgia Tech (3-2) (9:00, ESPN)

Wednesday
[15]Florida State (5-1) (-13) hosts [99]Miami (2-7) (6:00, ACCN)
[78]Notre Dame (2-5) (+2) hosts [45]Virginia Tech (5-2) (7:00, ACCNX)
[68]NC State (2-4) (-8) hosts [118]Wake Forest (1-6) (8:00, ACCN)
[52]Clemson (3-4) (-1) hosts [37]Louisville (5-2) (9:00, RSN)

Thursday and Friday are dark

Saturday
[33]Duke (3-3) (-4) hosts [52]Clemson (3-4) (12:00, ESPN)
[118]Wake Forest (1-6) (-1) hosts [99]Miami (2-7) (2:00, ACCN)
[59]Georgia Tech (3-2) (+3) hosts [15]Florida State (5-1) (4:00, ACCN)
[45]Virginia Tech (5-2) (+3) hosts [9]Virginia (6-0) (6:00, ACCN)
[65]Pittsburgh (4-2) (-4) hosts [78]Notre Dame (2-5) (8:00, ACCN)
[37]Louisville (5-2) hosts [95]Boston College (POSTPONED)

Sunday
[36]Syracuse (3-3) (-6) hosts [68]NC State (2-4) (6:00, ACCN)

ACC Non-Conference Record: 61-22
ACC vs. Power 6: 18-14

Conference-Only Efficiency Margin:
Virginia: +22.1
Florida State: +18.0
Syracuse: +12.6
Pittsburgh: +7.9
Georgia Tech: +7.4
Louisville: +4.7
Virginia Tech: +2.7
North Carolina: +1.9
Duke: +1.0
Notre Dame: -4.8
NC State: -10.5
Boston College: -11.1
Miami: -11.4
Wake Forest: -12.3
Clemson: -13.4

[OldPhiKap]

We really need both games this week. LGD!

[CameronDuke]

Virginia continuing their annual assault on the ACC tonight early vs Cuse. Virginia is essentially putting their armpits in the rim whenever they want on alley oops vs Cuse. Watching Virginia’s deliberate and efficient offense to me is pleasurable. I sometimes wish Duke ran as efficient as an offense as Virginia but realize Duke is young and not as experienced as Virginia. But man there is a discrepancy in the two and the viewing experience is much different!

[CameronDuke]

Virginia blew the doors of Cuse 81-58 in Charlottesville. Folks, this Virginia team is elite eight and possibly final four good again this season. Tony Bennett has built a dynasty at Virginia. Hands down one of if not the most consistent team in the league the past 7ish seasons.

Virginia is now 11-2, 7-0. I don’t see how Virginia doesn’t win 16-17 games in the ACC again this season if not more. They are looking dominant again.

[Wahoo2000]

Virginia blew the doors of Cuse 81-58 in Charlottesville. Folks, this Virginia team is elite eight and possibly final four good again this season. Tony Bennett has built a dynasty at Virginia. Hands down one of if not the most consistent team in the league the past 7ish seasons.

Virginia is now 11-2, 7-0. I don’t see how Virginia doesn’t win 16-17 games in the ACC again this season if not more. They are looking dominant again.

Well, as of now we only have 17 ACC games on the schedule and I'm not finding any room for making up games that have been "postponed".

I'll also say that our torrid shooting tonight coupled with 'Cuse abysmal performance from 3 made that game look much worse than it actually was. I think we would normally beat Cuse, but prob more like a 7ish point game rather than a 20+ pt blowout. We also EASILY could have lost to GT on Saturday.

This Virginia team has POTENTIAL to be something close to a 1-seed or high 2-seed come tourney time. They still REALLY need to gel defensively (which I think they will as the new players to the system playing major minutes - Beekman, Hauser, Murphy - get acclimated with more experience). They also need to cut down a touch on some of the sloppy/brainfart turnovers - about 2-3 per game too many right now. If they can hit those 2 marks, this team has potential to garner a VERY high seed in the NCAAs. I won't go so far as to predict them being an E8 or FF squad, tourney is too much of a crapshoot.

TLDR - Virginia is *not* a FF/contender-type-team at the moment, but it seems like they haven't peaked yet and still very well may reach that status.

[CameronDuke]

Well, as of now we only have 17 ACC games on the schedule and I'm not finding any room for making up games that have been "postponed".

I'll also say that our torrid shooting tonight coupled with 'Cuse abysmal performance from 3 made that game look much worse than it actually was. I think we would normally beat Cuse, but prob more like a 7ish point game rather than a 20+ pt blowout. We also EASILY could have lost to GT on Saturday.

This Virginia team has POTENTIAL to be something close to a 1-seed or high 2-seed come tourney time. They still REALLY need to gel defensively (which I think they will as the new players to the system playing major minutes - Beekman, Hauser, Murphy - get acclimated with more experience). They also need to cut down a touch on some of the sloppy/brainfart turnovers - about 2-3 per game too many right now. If they can hit those 2 marks, this team has potential to garner a VERY high seed in the NCAAs. I won't go so far as to predict them being an E8 or FF squad, tourney is too much of a crapshoot.

TLDR - Virginia is *not* a FF/contender-type-team at the moment, but it seems like they haven't peaked yet and still very well may reach that status.

I had forgotten they only are scheduled for 17 games. I think they win 14-15 probably. Huff, when he plays like he did tonight, is so darn good. He is my favorite player on Virginia along with Clark who is just so darn tough. Add in the shooting of Hauser and strong play of Murphy and Beekman and you have a good club. I think Caffaro gives them good minutes off the bench and is a huge body to bang around. Woldetensae shot the lights out some games last year but doesn’t get as much burn this year. I like Morsell off the bench too. They’re just so darn disciplined and play team ball. They remind me of the Duke teams I loved in the early to mid 2000s. Sound defense (obviously) and sharing the ball offensively.

Huff lived with his armpits in the rim tonight. I think Clark hit him with 4 or 5 alley oops. I mean Cuse got embarrassed tonight as far as I’m concerned.

[BobBender]

I had forgotten they only are scheduled for 17 games. I think they win 14-15 probably. Huff, when he plays like he did tonight, is so darn good. He is my favorite player on Virginia along with Clark who is just so darn tough. Add in the shooting of Hauser and strong play of Murphy and Beekman and you have a good club. I think Caffaro gives them good minutes off the bench and is a huge body to bang around. Woldetensae shot the lights out some games last year but doesn’t get as much burn this year. I like Morsell off the bench too. They’re just so darn disciplined and play team ball. They remind me of the Duke teams I loved in the early to mid 2000s. Sound defense (obviously) and sharing the ball offensively.

Huff lived with his armpits in the rim tonight. I think Clark hit him with 4 or 5 alley oops. I mean Cuse got embarrassed tonight as far as I’m concerned.

Am i the only one who is bothered that Huff is from Durham and by all accounts grew up a rabid Duke fan and he didn’t even get a sniff from our staff? I know it took time for him to acquire the requisite strength to play at his current level. But isn’t there a place in the program for Player development anymore? Does every kid who comes to Duke have to be an AAU mix-tape superstar with one foot out the door before he even gets on campus? Forgetting Zion-RJ- Jah-Justice for a moment, I guess i really miss legit 3 or 4 year players who have a commitment to the program and not to getting out as soon as they get picked in the second round. Nothing more depressing than reading “Dukies hooping overseas” and seeing names that never reached their collegiate potential like Huff is up the road.

[MartyClark]

Am i the only one who is bothered that Huff is from Durham and by all accounts grew up a rabid Duke fan and he didn’t even get a sniff from our staff? I know it took time for him to acquire the requisite strength to play at his current level. But isn’t there a place in the program for Player development anymore? Does every kid who comes to Duke have to be an AAU mix-tape superstar with one foot out the door before he even gets on campus? Forgetting Zion-RJ- Jah-Justice for a moment, I guess i really miss legit 3 or 4 year players who have a commitment to the program and not to getting out as soon as they get picked in the second round. Nothing more depressing than reading “Dukies hooping overseas” and seeing names that never reached their collegiate potential like Huff is up the road.

Kihei Clark, probably the shortest player on the court, was remarkably effective playing in the middle of the Syracuse zone. He repeatedly dished to Huff and others for dunks and easy baskets.

I was thinking the same thing about Huff. I don't know whether he was ever on Duke's radar but he has become a really good player. We could use him on this year's team.

[Bob Green]

Am i the only one who is bothered that Huff is from Durham and by all accounts grew up a rabid Duke fan and he didn’t even get a sniff from our staff?

Huff is a redshirt senior making him same class as Javin DeLaurier. My understanding is Duke didn’t recruit Huff because they were more interested in Javin.

Perhaps I am misremembering but if I am DBR will quickly correct me.

[BobBender]

Huff is a redshirt senior making him same class as Javin DeLaurier. My understanding is Duke didn’t recruit Huff because they were more interested in Javin.

Perhaps I am misremembering but if I am DBR will quickly correct me.

Well, Javin was from St. Anne Belfield ( known as STAB in Charlottesville). At the time, word from guys who follow Va. closely was that Bennett much preferred another local guy from Blue Ridge School, Diakite, because he saw more upside in him than Javin.He never offered Javin. An honest look back would validate that assessment as Diakite was definitely more impactful.

[UrinalCake]

UNC with a small lead early on Pitt. They’re a tough match up. Like us they don’t shoot well, but they get so many easy points inside.

[devildeac]

Yea, why am I not surprised Pitt soiling their shorts at home against the cheats.

[TKG]

Cheats > Pitt

Pitt is still hungover from playing their SuperBowl against us...

[Wahoo2000]

Well, Javin was from St. Anne Belfield ( known as STAB in Charlottesville). At the time, word from guys who follow Va. closely was that Bennett much preferred another local guy from Blue Ridge School, Diakite, because he saw more upside in him than Javin.He never offered Javin. An honest look back would validate that assessment as Diakite was definitely more impactful.

There was a decent-sized contingent of UVA fans that were very unhappy at the way Bennett "slow-played" DeLaurier. He was a fairly high rated kid, but Bennett seemed much more highly invested in Diakite and saw them as filling a similar role. We also had a commitment from Sascha Killeya-Jones who decommitted shortly after Huff joined the fold and instead went to Kentucky (where things didn't pan out so well for him). That decommittment ultimately opened the door for us to snag DeAndre Hunter, who was really almost an afterthought in that 2016 class (Guy/Jerome/Huff/Hunter and KINDA Diakite too, though Mamadi graduated early and enrolled in 2015 and redshirted). Ultimately, that "class" of Jerome/Guy/Hunter/Diakite/Huff *should* go down as the best in UVA history if you combine expectations (all 4 and 5 star guys, all top 100) and results (title, FF MoP, NDPoY, couple of All Americans, all 1st or 2nd team all-acc).

[jv001]

There was a decent-sized contingent of UVA fans that were very unhappy at the way Bennett "slow-played" DeLaurier. He was a fairly high rated kid, but Bennett seemed much more highly invested in Diakite and saw them as filling a similar role. We also had a commitment from Sascha Killeya-Jones who decommitted shortly after Huff joined the fold and instead went to Kentucky (where things didn't pan out so well for him). That decommittment ultimately opened the door for us to snag DeAndre Hunter, who was really almost an afterthought in that 2016 class (Guy/Jerome/Huff/Hunter and KINDA Diakite too, though Mamadi graduated early and enrolled in 2015 and redshirted). Ultimately, that "class" of Jerome/Guy/Hunter/Diakite/Huff *should* go down as the best in UVA history if you combine expectations (all 4 and 5 star guys, all top 100) and results (title, FF MoP, NDPoY, couple of All Americans, all 1st or 2nd team all-acc).

Your Cavaliers had a very good recruiting class in 1977 when they picked up Jeff Lamp and Lee Raker. Lamp is one of my all time favorite ACC players. Both Lamp and Raker were from Kentucky. Terry Holland convinced them to attend Virginia. Lamp had been predicted to attend either Kentucky or Indiana, both top college programs back then. Lamp and Raker would later be joined by Jeff Jones and a fellow by the name of Ralph Sampson.

[DavidBenAkiva]

Daniels left the second half against Wake Forest on Wednesday night and today the Wolfpack confirmed he suffered a torn ACL. That really sucks for NC State and Daniels. The senior was leading the team in scoring, assists, and steals.

NC State hosts Duke on February 13th.

[chrishoke]

Daniels left the second half against Wake Forest on Wednesday night and today the Wolfpack confirmed he suffered a torn ACL. That really sucks for NC State and Daniels. The senior was leading the team in scoring, assists, and steals.

NC State hosts Duke on February 13th.

Damn. Injuries suck.

[PackMan97]

Daniels left the second half against Wake Forest on Wednesday night and today the Wolfpack confirmed he suffered a torn ACL. That really sucks for NC State and Daniels. The senior was leading the team in scoring, assists, and steals.

NC State hosts Duke on February 13th.

This is why State fans don't get nice stuff.

Now would be a good time to self impose a NCAAT ban.

[JasonEvans]

This is why State fans don't get nice stuff.

Now would be a good time to self impose a NCAAT ban.

Yeah, plead guilty to all the Dennis Smith/Mark Gottfried stuff right away and take your medicine in Covid-year.

A good chance to see what the promising freshman class of Shakeel Moore, Dereon Seabron, and Cam Hayes can really do.

[PackMan97]

Yeah, plead guilty to all the Dennis Smith/Mark Gottfried stuff right away and take your medicine in Covid-year.

A good chance to see what the promising freshman class of Shakeel Moore, Dereon Seabron, and Cam Hayes can really do.

Although, to be honest, NC State did nothing wrong. Or at least nothing that the NCAA can prove in accordance to their investigatory powers in the by-laws would find. (aka the UNC defense).

I'm not sure I really like pleading guilty when UNC-CHeat didn't even do that and their crimes are orders of magnitude worse.