ACC Tournament Preview

I’ll be honest and state that in the past, outside of getting the enjoyment of watching 3 Duke game’s in 3 days, I haven’t cared that much for Duke’s sake about the ACC Tournament.  Usually Duke is playing just fine, and really a loss in the tournament would just allow for some rest prior to a run in the tournament.  This year though, Duke limped to the end of the season losing two out of three.  Neither of the losses a horrible loss mind you, but the losses just amplified what we had already seen.  This team is still flawed and needs to eliminate said flaws prior to being able to win another championship.  Can Duke cure what ails them in the ACC tournament?

Let’s take a look at the “competitive” participants in order of their rankings to start the tournament, their best possible scenario and worst possible scenario as I see it:

1. North Carolina

Carolina is the hottest team in the ACC, the regular season chumps…er…champs, and so the #1 seed in the ACC Tournament.  Harrison Barnes has figured things out and is living up to the hype.  Larry Drew II was horrible and by leaving the team has allowed for the blossoming of Kendall Marshall.  Henson and Zeller are consistently good on the boards and scoring inside.  So what could be an issue for UNC?  Roy Williams doesn’t care about the ACC Tournament (ADD LINK TO STORY), with this disdain or just lack of interest towards this weekend from the coach I can see UNC laying a bit of an egg this weekend and looking forward to the NCAA Tournament they weren’t good enough to participate in last year.

Best Possible Result: Champion.

Worst Possible Result: A Semi’s loss to a desperate Clemson or BC.

2. Duke

Unlike UNC, Duke likes to win this thing.  This year they really want to win this thing.  A 1 seed in the NCAA’s could be a reward that comes with another ACC Tourney trophy.  Let’s all be honest, Duke has played like a 2 or maybe even a 3 seed as of late.  With the weak ACC though Duke can take advantage and win this tournament and all but lock their chances for a 1 seed up.  As we saw last year a 1 seed can give a team favorable matchups and an easy/easier road to the Elite 8.  Once there you are a couple bounces away from cutting down the nets again.  Singler is the key player to watch for Duke.  The senior knows he needs to step up and a one and done format, as shown last year, can bring out his best.

Best Possible Result: Champion (And Kyrie Irving returns and gets his game legs back prior to NCAA’s).

Worst Possible Result: Loss in Quarters to desperate rival Maryland.

3. Florida State

It is still unknown if Chris Singleton, the Seminoles best player, will be back after foot surgery a little over a month ago.  With him back the Noles are in the hunt for to win the title of the conference tourney, without him they are still dangerous but with no real threat of winning it.  Without Singleton, FSU has gone 3-2 with a 16 pt loss to Maryland and a 2 point loss to the “on fire” Tar Heels.  So we have two predictions for FSU, the w/ Singleton prediction and the w/out Singleton prediction.

W/ Singleton:

Best Possible Result: Champs.

Worst Possible Result: Lose in quarters to Virginia Tech.

W/O Singleton:

Best Possible Result: Lose to Duke in Semis.

Worst Possible Result: Lose to horrible Georgia Tech in quarters.

4. Clemson

Amazing how the talent drops off after the top 3 in the ACC.  Although Clemson is no world beater, they have played well enough this year to put themselves square on the bubble for the NCAA’s.  A win and good competition against UNC in the semifinals will more than likely lock them in.  With what was expected of Clemson this year, this has been a very good season.

Best Possible Result: Championship Game loss to Duke.

Worst Possible Result: Quarters loss to Boston College who is battling them for a bid to the NCAA’s.

5. Boston College

Low point?  Losing to Yale earlier this year.  High Point?  Right now.  They finished off the regular season with 3 straight wins and 1 being against fellow bubble resident Virginia Tech.  Boston College needs to carry this mini-streak into the tourney and get 2 wins to probably lock up a bid to the NCAA’s.

Best Possible Result: Beat UNC (lost by only 2 on 02/19) and lose in championship game to Duke

Worst Possible Result: Lose to bubbler Clemson in Quarters

6. Virginia Tech

This team can’t get out of its own way when it comes to getting into the tournament.  Beat Duke, finally get their resume built to a point where they can get into the NCAA’s finally and not sweat it out on Selection Sunday as long as they just take care of business the rest of the way.  Instead, lose at home on Senior Night to Boston College then follow that up with another loss at Clemson to finish off the year square on the bubble again.  BC and Clemson are also on the bubble, so Coach Greenberg has to realize that this ACC Tournament is their only chance to get picked for the NCAA’s over those two teams.  They must win some games this weekend or yet again the NIT will be giving them a call.

Best Possible Result: Loss in Semis to Duke or whomever…let’s be honest this team isn’t consistent enough to win 3 in a row.

Worst Possible Result: Loss to FSU in quarters.

7. Maryland

The final team we will give an explanation for because the Terps are probably the only team left that could make a serious run in the tournament.  Maryland has the talent to win this thing.  Maybe I give them too much respect because when I see Maryland they are playing Duke and when they play Duke they usually play their best basketball.  Maryland is on the outside looking in and may need to win this thing or come very close in order to get into the NCAA’s.  Sweaty Gary will get them all lathered up and I see the possible quarters matchup with rival Duke as a game that could be the best of the tournament.

Best Possible Result: Champs, I understand it’s a long shot but I don’t doubt Gary Williams, I make fun of him but I respect him.  Combine that respect with a very talented and desperate team they could make some serious noise this weekend.

Worst Possible Result: Lose 1^st round to another underachieving talented team in NC State.

Worst of the Rest:

8. Virginia

9. Miami

10. NC State

11. Georgia Tech

12. Wake Forest

Game start Thursday at 11 am central with Virginia and Miami and the tournament ends Sunday with the championship game at noon central.  Very exciting weekend to come with all the tournament madness across the country and then the unveiling of the NCAA bracket on Sunday night.