Jacobs On ACC Turnarounds

Clemson and Florida State have improved significantly, or at least become more competitive, based on their victory totals compared to last season. Virginia (14 wins in 2005), N.C. State (21) and even Duke (27) are similarly positioned to show tangible improvement, although with farther to go at this point to exceed last year’s achievements.

Clemson won 16 times in 2005, itself the best improvement at the school since a seven-game jump from 1989 to 1990. Oliver Purnell’s Tigers, arguably the league’s biggest surprise, stand 14-5 with 10 ACC games remaining, half at home. N.C. State visits on Sunday, Jan. 29. Then comes the ACC Tournament, and a probable postseason appearance of some sort.

Florida State was 12-19 in ’05. FSU already has 12 victories after visiting Winston-Salem and beating Wake Forest’s plummeting Demon Deacons. Leonard Hamilton’s FSU squad has 11 regular season games remaining, seven of them in Tallahassee. Stumbling Miami, looking less and less likely to improve on last year’s 16 wins, visits the Tucker Center on Sunday.

Virginia, with 10 wins and six losses, already has exceeded many expectations. Coach Dave Leitao’s young, thin squad has 10 regular season games left following its visit this weekend to Durham. Among the five upcoming home games is a contest against the Longwood Lancers from Farmville, Va., currently 3-16.