ACC Roundup

Everyone except Pitt took a breather after the ACC-Big Ten Challenge, so it's time to get back at it with a serious list of creampuff opponents.

In fairness, it is either exam time or close to it, and everyone takes a breather about now. And in fairness to Clemson and Wake Forest, Arkansas and Richmond are hardly pushovers.

The rest? Blah.

There are two homecoming games of a sort: Mike Brey and the Irish host Delaware, where Brey did an incredible job before moving to South Bend. And Tony Bennett is going back home to Wisconsin and Green Bay, where his father coached before moving on to Wisconsin and where the younger Bennett played point guard for his dad.

Otherwise pretty lame. Georgia Tech takes on ETSU while up the coast Syracuse welcomes Binghamton. At least both opponents have basketball identities. UNC gets UNCG while State flies in Long Beach, a school once coached by Jerry Tarkanian, followed by Lute Olson.

We're pretty sure no one like that is there now.

So a pretty lame day.

Clemson does get a lot of credit for going to Arkansas, a similarly remote school by conference standards (Clemson isn't as remote as it used to be with the growth of the Carolinas). Arkansas is still building but it's a pressing, running program which is probably good for Clemson to see.

And for Wake Forest, Richmond has been a real nemesis of late, so it's also a useful measuring stick. A solid win would be great for the Deacs.

We mght add that since the NCCU loss, State has made some changes and looks much, much better. The Pack is getting more out of Jordan Vandenberg than we ever thought possible.