The ACC Conference Tournament will play a crucial role in the number of teams that end up getting into the Big Dance. As of now, Duke and Maryland are locks with Duke no doubt securing a number one seed by winning the tournament. Even if they're not seen cutting down the nets, they still have a shot at a #1 seed because they are in fact Duke.
Clemson, Florida State, and Wake Forest should also see spots in the field which brings the ACC total up to five. Virginia Tech is hurt by their lack of a quality win and poor strength of schedule (SOS) while Georgia Tech has 11 losses but a good RPI and SOS. Both teams have a lot to play for since they are in fact sitting on the bubble but a win for each of them should push them over.
The four-day tournament is being played in Greensboro, North Carolina and with seasons on the line and NCAA tournament seeds at stake, the ACC Tourney is not to be missed.
Schedule (All times Eastern)
Thursday, March 11
G1 - #9 Virginia @ #8 Boston College - noon
G2 - #12 Miami @ #5 Wake Forest - 2:00
G3 - #10 North Carolina @ #7 Georgia Tech - 7:00
G4 - #11 North Carolina State @ #6 Clemson - 9:00
Friday, March 12
G5 - #1 Duke vs. Boston College/Virginia winner - noon
G6 - #4 Virginia Tech vs. Wake Forest/Miami winner - 2:00
G7 - #2 Maryland vs. Georgia Tech/North Carolina winner - 7:00
G8 - #3 Florida State vs. Clemson/North Carolina State winner - 9:00
Saturday, March 13
G9 - Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner - 1:30
G10 - Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner - 3:30
Sunday, March 14
ACC Championship Game - 1:00
Sleeper - North Carolina Tar Heels (16-15, 5-11)
How the mighty have fallen. Sure, they lost a bunch of quality players from their Championship run last season but I still wasn't expecting to be calling out UNC as a sleeper in the ACC Tournament. This type of season for the Heels isn't something that's going to happen on a regular basis. As bad as their conference play has been this season, there's no better team to pull an upset than North Carolina. You have to believe they'll be motivated to come out and win. They need to show some fire and toughness and develop a leader for next season. John Henson could very well be that guy. The lanky freshman has started to step up in the absence of Ed Davis (out with a broken wrist) and needs to grow up real fast if UNC has any shot of going beyond the opening round. The road isn't easy as they'd have to go through Georgia Tech and then #2 seed Maryland but as much as I don't like him, Roy Williams has the ability to coach any team to a much needed victory.
Bust - Florida State Seminoles (22-8, 13-3)
The Seminoles have definitely surprised me this season but I just don't see them as a team with a chip on their shoulder and having what it takes to win the big games. They'll be matched up against Clemson or North Carolina State and Clemson is a heavy favorite in that opening round contest. It also doesn't help their chances that they've lost both times they've faced Clemson this season, by 11 and 3 respectively and shot very poorly in both of those contests. An even bigger surprise was their horrible loss to North Carolina State in their one matchup this season. Hard to believe the #3 seed in the ACC will be facing a team they have yet to defeat this season. Florida State has three talented players in sophomores Solomon Alabi and Chris Singleton as well as freshman Michael Snaer but none of them has achieved superstar status as of yet (although a few more season would certainly help). I think Florida State has great potential, but this tournament isn't going to be the time for them to shine.
Players to watch
Malcolm Delaney, G, Virginia Tech Hokes
If you don't know who Malcolm Delaney is, you should by now. A unanimous All-ACC first-team selection, he's gone on to average 20.9 points, 4.2 assists, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.2 steals. Numbers like that should get you recognized no matter what conference or team you play for. The fiery guard has a knack for getting to the rim as well as the free-throw line as shown with his 23 attempts against Clemson. He's really carried the Hokies on his back this season and is a player that you never want to see on the opposite side of the court. Mr. Delaney has the ability to step out and hit the three as well as keep the rest of his team involved by running the floor and doling out assists. With a showdown looming between the Blue Devils, all that fire power is not to be missed.
Trevor Booker, F, Clemson Tigers
Booker is a force to be reckoned with down in the post. At 6-foot-7, 240 lbs. the senior really knows how to throw people around. He plays with a great intensity, sometimes too much, that doesn't come around very often. For the second-straight season, Booker has led the Tigers in both scoring (15.3 points) and rebounding (8.3 rebounds). He received first-team All-ACC honors and should be fun to watch come Thursday night and beyond. He plays great defense, hardly ever turns the ball over and commits less than two fouls per contest. These factors contributed to him also being named to the All-ACC defensive team. Post players beware; Booker is going to make a statement.
Derrick Favors, F, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The uber-talented freshman has lived up to the pre-season hype on his way to claiming ACC Rookie of the Year honors. Favors was absolutely dominant against Maryland on Feb 20 when he pulled down 18 board and dropped in 21 from the field. He's a fun player to watch and you can see the tremendous amount of upside that this kid has. You better get a good look at him while you can as the NBA is right around the corner for this youngster. He's really come on strong down the stretch and shows great poise and athleticism which are essential for any freshman. Watching Favors and Henson square off in Round 1 should be well worth the price of admission.
Greivis Vasquez, G, Maryland Terrapins
I figured that I had to mention one of if not the most exciting player in the ACC this season. Vasquez squeaked out the ACC Player of the Year honors as evidenced by his 19.6 points, 6.3 assists, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 steals and the late season victory over the Blue Devils. Vasquez has a unique sense and feel for the game that just can't be taught. His level of intensity is off the charts along with his unwavering desire to just plain win. He makes everyone on the floor around him better and is a natural born leader. A third showdown of the Duke / Maryland rivalry is looming large and all eyes will be on Vasquez against Duke's Big 3 (Kyle Singler, Jon Scheyer, Nolan Smith). Vasquez can go off for 30 plus on any given night so make sure you catch what will be one of his last few games in his storied career as a Terp.
Brian Zoubek, C, Duke Blue Devils
Huh? Really? Yes, it's true, Zoubek IS a factor for the Blue Devils. He's actually been playing well lately and really hitting the glass hard. He's not known for scoring and we really don't care if he does but his ability to pull down boards from both ends of the floor has been a big boost for Duke. The Blue Devils need a presence in the middle to have any shot at going deep in the ACC and NCAA Tournaments. The combination of Zoubek and the Plumlee brothers fits that bill and really adds that extra dimension that Duke has been missing for years. Don't mess with the Zoubek.