Normally, I spend
Anyway, what follows is the meager effort that’s the fruit of disappointment and malaise ...
THURSDAY, MARCH 8
Noon, #8 Maryland vs. #9 Wake Forest
Summary: Both teams are playing better of late (yes, even *gulp* Wake), but Mark Turgeon’s Terps have the upper hand in talent and will outlast the Deacs in a game that will serve as a fittingly brutal kickoff to a tournament that has lost so much luster.
Winner: Maryland
2 p.m., #5 NC State vs. #12 Boston College
Summary: The Pack is kicking itself for pissing away opportunities to have played itself into a first-day bye, so there is a chance that State will play lackluster against a bad-but-scrappy Eagles squad. However, Mark Gottfried will offer gentle reminders of the motivation that being on the bubble needs to bring, and the Wolfpack will pull away in the second half. Somewhere, Tom O'Brien snickers into a Black & Tan.
Winner: NC State
7 p.m., #7 Clemson vs. #10 Virginia Tech
Summary: The Hokies gave poor effort in the regular-season finale vs. State, and Seth Greenberg appears to be presiding over a team that simply can’t wait for the season to come to quietly conclude. The Tigers have been on the wrong end of many close losses, but Brad Brownell has pieced together a serviceable rotation -- at least serviceable enough to mercifully close out Virginia Tech’s campaign. Sheerly out of habit, Greenberg immediately begins drunk-dialing the NCAA Selection Committee to lobby for his Hokies.
Winner: Clemson
9 p.m., #6 Miami vs. #11 Georgia Tech
Summary: The Hurricanes have played surprisingly well for Jim Larranaga, and the Jackets are in a bit of a shambles after some key departures throughout an up-and-down year. Will playing in front of the home folks inspire Brian Gregory’s squad? For a while it will, but Tech is still a year away from making noise in the ACC. The ‘Canes’ bubble status will be enough to carry them past the Yellow Jackets, in easy enough fashion that Reggie Johnson casually destroys the media buffet at halftime.
Winner: Miami
FRIDAY, MARCH 9
Noon, #1 UNC vs. #8 Maryland
Summary: Turgeon will have his bunch more than primed to play his former mentor, Roy Williams, but the bottom line is the Terrapins just don’t have enough firepower to hang with the Heels—even when UNC plays disinterested ball for 25 minutes or so. This one will be over in plenty of time for Ol’ Roy to root on Kansas in the Big 12 tourney.
Winner: UNC
2 p.m., #4 Virginia vs. #5 NC State
Summary: The Pack booted away a chance to knock off the Cavaliers earlier in the year, and with a tourney bid potentially resting on this game for both teams, it should be a barnburner. Both teams lack depth, but State has a little more to call on, and it would be difficult to expect Sammy Zeglinski to duplicate his lights-out showing from the first meeting. The Wolfpack goes 3-16 from the free-throw line, but still takes a big step toward earning a Big Dance berth by pulling out a close one in the tourney’s first “upset.” Unfortunately, the event is marred by Karl Hess throwing Todd Fuller out of the ACC Legends brunch earlier.
Winner: NC State
7 p.m., #2 Duke vs. #7 Clemson
Summary: The Blue Devils are going to miss injured Ryan Kelly, but the Tigers don’t have the make-up to take advantage of Duke’s holes. The lack of a true point guard can hurt the Dookies against teams with good backcourts, but Clemson is more of a grind-it-out squad. Despite the customary 14 fouls committed by Tyler Thornton, the Devils have more than enough to hold off Brownell’s bunch here.
Winner: Duke
9 p.m., #3 Florida State vs. #6 Miami
Summary: One of my least-favorite features of the expanded ACC Tournament is the late game on Friday, which features a team playing its first game when the tourney is essentially already half over. However, the Seminoles don’t let it hurt them, as they regain their stride and end Miami’s NCAA Tournament hopes with a comfortable victory. But hey, go Frank Haith, right?
Winner: Florida State
SATURDAY, MARCH 10
1 p.m., #1 UNC vs. #5 NC State
Summary: In their second matchup, State uncovered the formula needed to beat the Heels: double down in the post and force the UNC guards to knock down perimeter shots. Unfortunately for the Pack, they didn’t rotate or close out well enough, and the Tar Heels, led by Kendall Marshall, nailed seemingly everything they took. The harsh reality for the Wolfpack is that UNC is a terrible matchup for them, and anything short of a Lakista McCuller game from someone like Alex Johnson is going to end badly for the Red and White. Roy likely won’t even need to do his weird gingerbread-man defensive-stance exhortation or pass out on the sideline.
Winner: UNC
3 p.m., #3 Florida State vs. #2 Duke
Summary: Expect the ‘Noles to pound the Blue Devils relentlessly on the interior in an effort to get the Plumlees in foul trouble. With Ryan Kelly sidelined, FSU should have even more success on the interior, and strong perimeter defense should be enough to outlast a team that relies on hitting a dozen three-pointers a game. Not even Austin Rivers’s four-step offensive shuffles will be enough to stop Florida State from getting everyone’s attention with a second victory over Duke this year.
Winner: Florida State
SUNDAY, MARCH 11
1 p.m., #1 UNC vs. #3 Florida State
Summary: The Seminoles’ destruction of the Tar Heels early in the year seemed to galvanize UNC, so this is a much-anticipated rematch. This time around, Florida State shouldn’t count on their guards going berserk from three-point range, but the stifling defense they play will get under the Heels’ skin. In an upset that will rock national pundits and reorganize brackets everywhere, the ‘Noles take home the tourney crown. Only this time, Roy will actually stick around to see the whole thing.
Champion: Florida State
No comments:
Post a Comment