Greetings Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) sports fans. Hope your weekend is going well.
Well, after three games, here are a couple of lines about each ACC men’s basketball team:
Virginia – The Hoos, like always, are playing great defense – but are playing confidently on offense this year (very efficient). Seems like the ACC regular season crown runs through Charlottesville, VA this year. I’m really looking forward to the Hoos game with Duke next week – but they have challenging task prior to that event when the Hokies come to town.
Duke – Perhaps the most offensively and defensively talented team in the country – the most talented team, period. The Blue Devils, along with the Hoos, are one of a couple teams we think can make a run in the NCAA tournament to a potential national title.
Virginia Tech – You know what you’re getting with the Hokies and Buzz Williams teams; some of the best guard play in the country. The challenge for the Hokies will be to compete with some of the more physical teams in the ACC. Shout out to @DavidTeelatDP for this terrific article on the Commonwealth Challenge game here. Here is what he had to say about this game:
Indeed, when two programs have met 147 times dating back to 1915, good luck counting the storylines and subplots. But never have Virginia and Virginia Tech clashed with both ranked among the nation’s top 10 by the Associated Press, or any poll for that matter.
Until now. Until the largest regular-season men’s college basketball contest our state has witnessed.
Tuesday night in Charlottesville, the No. 9 Hokies visit the No. 4 Cavaliers. The AP will unveil a new poll Monday, but it’s difficult to envision either team exiting the top 10.
NC State – NC State had one of the biggest non-conference wins of the year when the Pack defeated Auburn. Keatts has an organized, frenetic (those two words are kind of the opposite of each other – but hear me out) pace of play that is going to cause problems for ACC teams. The key for me will be to see what Keatts teams can do in the half court offense vs. some of the more physical teams. I’m looking forward to a Virginia Tech/NC State matchup – the guard play in that game will be sick.
North Carolina – The Tar Heels are one of the best transition teams in the country – but when that isn’t working, you have the chance to get what they got today vs. Louisville. I might be harsh here, but it looked like North Carolina kind of disappears on defense for large parts of a game.
Louisville – This week, Louisville had what I think wasn’t a good loss to Pittsburgh (however, there are no off nights in the ACC) and a monster program win (big for Chris Mack) today vs. North Carolina (and trust me, the Cards absolutely worked the Tar Heels). Chris Mack is getting every ounce out of his roster.
Syracuse – The Orange – at times – look like trash in the half court offense – and can’t make free throws. Again, they look like the type of team that could be in the play in game – and of course, that means they will make the sweet 16.
Georgia Tech – Josh Pastner’s group almost had two wins this week – a monster road win over Syracuse and a home loss in which the Jackets actively tried and successfully snatched defeat from the jaws of victory vs. Virginia Tech. If Pastner could find himself a shooter, he might get his team into the middle of the ACC pack on a regular basis.
Florida State – Don’t let the Seminoles 1-2 ACC record deceive you – the Seminoles have a huge, athletic team that would be a nightmare matchup for Gonzaga in the NCAA tournament. The Seminoles have a really good shot to end up 11-5 or so in the ACC. That should set up Leonard Hamilton for a nice NCAA seed and a deep NCAA tournament run.
Notre Dame – We are big fans of Mike Brey here at @AllSportsDACC. However, with Robby Carmody and Rex Pflueger out, there’s a ceiling on what Notre Dame can do this year. (h/t @peacone36)
Pittsburgh – So, Jeff Capel did something in two games that Kevin Stallings could only do once in a couple of seasons; Pitt got an ACC road win vs. Louisville. Capel will make Pittsburgh better.
Miami – A good first half of the game ACC team. The Canes just don’t have the players to keep up with the rest of the ACC teams, but they are going to pull an upset or two this year.
Clemson – Clemson is 0-3 in the ACC and if they aren’t careful, could start out 0-6 in the ACC. Clemson, while it should defeat Georgia Tech, better not take them lightly at Littlejohn. Clemson then has road games at Florida State and NC State. It’s hard to start out and recover from even a 1-5 start – this type of start is not out of the realm of possibility for Clemson.
Boston College – I have a feeling that ACC teams are going to load up on Ky Bowman – and that it will be a tough season for the Eagles.
Wake Forest – I don’t know much longer Danny Manning is going to be the head coach in Winston-Salem – but he’s clearly nearing the end of his tenure. I have to think he maybe gets one more year – and then the buyout comes.
And there you go!! Happy Saturday!! Welcome back ACC basketball!!
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