After the flights home and the holiday pleasantries, ACC hoops picks up again
Tuesday night with three games:
Virginia Tech takes on William & Mary, B.C. takes on Duquesne, and Miami
takes on winless Stetson.
None of these games are worth anything unless there is an unexpected upset.
More interesting games are on the horizon later in the week. Undefeated
Clemson gets a chance to play a respectable opponent in 7-3 Georgia on
Wednesday, Georgia Tech travels to Air Force for what is being billed as the
biggest home game in their history, and on Friday, Virginia Tech faces a
very tough Old Dominion squad, which is being coached by Mike Montgomery protege
Blaine Taylor, and State takes on George Washington, coached by Jim
Calhoun-groomed Karl Hobbs.
Both of those are going to be - should be - very competitive games. For
ODU, it's a chance to not just knock off an in-state team, but also to knock off
an ACC team. And for GW,
a win over State would go a long way to securing a bid . With wins over two
ranked ACC teams, they'd have to really collapse to not get a bid. And
ODU would be happier as well with a win over an ACC team.
For State, honestly, you have to wonder why the always cautious Herb Sendek
scheduled this game. A win would be huge for State, coming on the
heels of the Alabama victory, and pushing the Pack closer to the Top
10. A loss, though GW is a legitimate team and very dangerous, won't
go over well with some State fans, who are eternally critical of Herb Sendek.