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ACC QUESTION of WEEK : Are the Virginia Cavaliers playing the best basketball in the Atlantic Coast Conference?
Before directly answering that question, let’s look at the larger landscape of the league.
North Carolina State lost to North Carolina in the past week. Syracuse did, too.
Pittsburgh has dramatically cooled off after a few very strong weeks. Georgia Tech is Georgia Tech. Notre Dame lost to Wake Forest on Saturday. Florida State just lost to Clemson. Louisville is doing what it is supposed to do, but not too long ago, the Cardinals lost two games and looked horrible. Duke just lost two games in a row. Virginia Tech is limping along near the end of the season, as is Miami.
If you’re keeping track, then, there are only two realistic candidates for “teams playing the best basketball in the ACC right now,” and those are Virginia and Clemson.
One beat Duke on Saturday, one beat Florida State. Tony Bennett and Brad Brownell refused to give up on their teams midway through the season, when both programs were mired in misery. They have both steadily improved how they play, and they both respond so much better to pressure than they did a month ago.
If you wanted to say Clemson, I would have no problem with that answer… but I would just as readily say that if two teams are both playing well, but one is 13-5 in the ACC and another will miss the NCAA Tournament, which display of quality matters more — the one from the 13-5 team or the one from the team which is merely playing spoiler?
Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus… and you ARE playing the best ball in the ACC right now.
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