ACC Roundup - Big Saturday Ahead

Three games Saturday as Florida State heads up to snowy Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech travels to Chapel Hill and Notre Dame takes on Clemson in Littlejohn.

All three are compelling for different reasons.

Florida State has yet to win on the road which actually is kind of normal. They’ve rarely been a great road team. Still, this is a talented team that should make the NCAA field.

So should Virginia Tech. Yet the Hokies haven’t played well since December. This is a tough streak coming up: the Hokies get FSU then UNC at home, then off to Notre Dame and an improved BC. The only “easy” games left are BC and NC State and neither of those are as easy as they used to be. Okay, you could argue Georgia Tech too but that’s on the road and the Yellow Jackets are improving too. So Virginia Tech has little margin for error for the rest of the season.

Amazing.

Speaking of Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets are at Chapel Hill this Saturday and while we don’t think they will win we wouldn’t rule it totally out. Tech has a solid backcourt and something UNC lacks, which is a solid big man. Ben Lammers has had a tough time this season while working through an injury but he’s a skilled scorer and shot blocker and UNC may have at tough time containing him.

The most interesting game though is likely to be in Clemson.

Notre Dame comes with Matt Farrell now, back from his injury, but without Bonzi Colson and DJ Harvey.

Despite the serious losses, Notre Dame has been incredibly competitive. Georgia Tech upset them in Atlanta (see what we mean?), but UNC won by just one point and Louisville needed double OT.

Add to that the fact that Clemson is somewhat banged up and you have elements of desperation seeping in. This game could be incredible.

And somewhere in the back of Clemson’s mind is bound to be Zion Williamson. Presumably the Spartanburg phenom has told some people where he’s going but he’s announcing Saturday and everyone, even the most partisan Kentucky fans, expect he’ll pick Clemson over UK, Duke, UNC, Kansas and South Carolina.

If he does, he’ll be the biggest thing ever to hit Clemson basketball.

Virginia is about to start a major road swing. The Cavs are currently alone in first place but with road games against Duke, Syracuse, Florida State and Miami coming up, things could get interesting.

Just as a thought, it’ll be interesting to see Miami’s pocket rocket Chris Lykes against the Pack Line. One guy can’t beat it but it’s a shame that we can’t see Muggsy Bogues try. Lykes might be the closest we get to that.

• ACC Weekend Tipoff: Looking ahead at the basketball weekend
• Clemson ‘a little bit banged up’ entering pivotal showdown with Notre Dame
• ‘Banged up’ Clemson basketball team has tall order against Notre Dame
• FSU Men Look To Conquer The Road At VT
• Notre Dame Basketball: Injuries continue with DJ Harvey out four weeks
• Here’s what you need to know heading into the Miami Hurricanes game at the Wolfpack
• Omer Yurtseven taking the lead for NC State’s offense in ACC games
• Vanishing Act: Virginia Basketball erases opposing top options
• Coby White makes final pitch for basketball star Zion Williamson to join him at UNC
• Comparing SU’s tourney resume to bubble teams
• Syracuse basketball’s Elijah Hughes on potential changes to NCAA transfer rule