In Saturday's ACC action, Virginia goes to UNC, and Florida State goes to Clemson to see if the Tigers are still hot after creaming Duke.
There's no reason whatsoever to think that Virginia can beat UNC, but we think they might do better than most expect. There are a couple of reasons for this.
First, UNC has no fear of this team whatsoever. Their expectations for a tough game are zero. Second, Sylven Landesberg was embarrassed last time and will want to show he's better than that. And third, UNC's depth is no longer a major factor.
But that all has to be balanced against this: Virginia is in a death spiral. They've lost six straight and there are no easy wins coming up. Coach Dave Leitao has ripped his team for their effort, but given some of the comments former players and even the radio announcer have made about his program, we can't imagine that anyone is really excited about going down to the gym these days. He's harsh when they win and can't be much fun when they're on a bad losing streak.
A.D. Craig Littlepage is apparently feeling pressure and has sent a letter out apologizing for the state of the football and basketball programs. If he is feeling personal heat, then someone else will walk the plank first. If Virginia finishes with a 15 game losing streak - which is possible - he may feel immense pressure to make a change.
Clemson's performance against Duke was immense and confirms a sea change in that program:Â the changes Oliver Purnell has made are real, significant, and enduring. They're not going anywhere.
Having said that, it's not uncommon to follow a great performance with a letdown, something Purnell is wary of. Clemson is a better team than FSU, but the 'Noles are capable and will handle the press better than Duke did.
Here's an update on former UNC star Donald Williams, who is coaching now in Denmark. They have college basketball in Denmark?