ACC Roundup - Break Up The Yellow Jackets!

We’ll admit it. We didn't think much of Georgia Tech’s decision to hire Josh Pastner. After his time at Memphis it seemed like a gamble. Yes, he had a reputation as a prodigy but he seemed erratic and a bit full of himself. Fans were staying away in droves.

So we certainly didn’t expect much.

Well so much for expectations.

If the smashing win over UNC wasn’t enough to reconsider, the total devastation his team wreaked on FSU was more than enough. He’s doing a great job.

Still: how the hell did they do that?

Florida State is a great team and they had a shot at being #1 this week since #1 Villanova lost, #4 Kentucky lost and #2 Kansas may lose this weekend to Kentucky.

It would have either been FSU or Gonzaga, assuming Kansas loses and the voters don’t elevate Gonzaga.

Well not any more.

Tech just destroyed Florida State. This was blitzkrieg on the hardwood. Tech shot out to 12-2 lead and never looked back. Soon it was 40-12 and at the half it was 41-15.

FSU tried, they really did, but in the second half it seemed like every important break went to Tech. They just steamrolled the #6 team in the country and made it look easy.

And it made us think: is this year’s ACC the most insanely competitive conference in the history of college basketball?

Look at it. You could argue that Pitt is a lost cause if you want (and by the way, check this out). But Clemson in last place? This Clemson team?

It’s a good team, plenty good enough to make the NCAA Tournament. Look at the Top 25. We’ll give you Villanova, Kansas, Kentucky, Arizona and UCLA. Maybe Oregon.

Anyone else the Tigers could beat. And they’re in last place.

BC suddenly has a backcourt that can be devastating. NC State has a guard who could be a top 3 pick. Wake Forest and Miami are both young and promising.

It’s a great conference.

And consider this too: many people felt the ACC outperformed the SEC this year in football. So you have to ask: is the ACC now the best conference overall? There’s a solid argument that it is.

In the nightcap, BC, which was seen as a joke in the preseason, nearly knocked off Miami.

That aforementioned backcourt was a bit off, or at least half off: Ky Bowman was just 3-8 for 10 points. But Jerome Robinson hit 27 and AJ Turner tossed in 15.

With just seconds left BC had a valiant last stand, scoring a three to cut the lead to three, then disrupting the inbounds and getting the ball back. Ky Bowman was fouled and split his shots making the score 76-74. Bruce Brown was then fouled and hit both of his. Robinson hit a last-second three to make it a one point margin.

So let’s see how things go in Chapel Hill Thursday night, because it wouldn’t surprise us at all if Tech pulled an upset.

On the other hand it also wouldn’t surprise us if UNC won by 30.

It’s that kind of year.

• Emphatic win for Jackets over No. 6 Florida State
• Despite player losses, ACC is UNC’s to lose – DeCock
• Valvano, Jamison and Shelden Williams named to ACC Legends class
• Why UNC’s historically good rebounding isn’t enough for Roy Williams
• Georgia Tech stuns lackluster No. 6 Seminoles in blowout
• UNC vs. Virginia Tech: Storylines and things to know
• Ability to embrace pressure allows Virginia Tech men's hoops to come through in clutch
• Clark: Seminoles get humbled in blowout loss to Georgia Tech
• What to expect as No. 9 UNC men's basketball takes on Virginia Tech
• COLLEGE BASKETBALL: Yellow Jackets sting Seminoles