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ACC Roundup: David Collins Suspended, Dawson Garcia Calls It A Season

As the season rolls on

By JD King
/ new
Syndication: The Greenville News
Clemson senior guard David Collins (13) hugs Duke University Head Coach Mike Kryzewski after being ejected from a flagrant foul on Duke University forward Wendell Moore Jr (0) during the first half at Littlejohn Coliseum Thursday, February 10, 2022.
Ken Ruinard / staff / USA TODAY NETWORK

It’s a busy Saturday around the ACC as UNC hosts Florida State, Miami visits Wake Forest, NC State flies up to Pitt, Georgia Tech drops in on the Wahoos, Syracuse tests Virginia Tech in Blacksburg and Clemson visits Notre Dame, sans David Collins.

Collins was suspended for that game by the ACC after his frightening take down of Wendell Moore during the first half of Thursday night’s game between the Blue Devils and the Tigers.

He was lucky not to have gotten more severe punishment. Perhaps his immediate contrition and on-court apology to Duke’s Mike Krzyzewski earned him a break.

No matter how you look at it though it makes Clemson’s life tougher. They’re already missing Hunter Tyson (broken clavicle) and PJ Hall is playing on a damaged foot. David Thompson wrote a nice piece, linked below, about Hall helping him with a dead battery and we think it was there that Hall said he thought for a minute that Coach K was going to fight the entire Clemson bench.

Notre Dame may or may not have Nate Laszewski (bone bruise) but it shouldn’t matter too much. Clemson is spiraling, having lost three straight and going 3-8 since January.

They nearly beat UNC before playing Duke of course and it says a lot about where UNC is now that they had a tough time beating a team that was struggling so severely (Collins was the guy who missed Clemson’s last-gasp three point attempt).

UNC played without Dawson Garcia as they've been doing for some time as he’s been home for a family medical emergency. Apparently it’s quite serious because Garcia has decided to stay home with his family for the rest of the season. He posted this on Twitter.

We wish him and his family the very best and we’re sure all ACC fans do so as well.

If UNC wins over Florida State - and keep in mind FSU is really struggling and has multiple injuries - they’ll be tied for third in the ACC with whoever wins the Wake Forest-Miami game. That game has huge implications for the conference race. Steve Forbes is building a strong case for ACC Coach Of The Year.

NC State is in dead last and Pitt is not far ahead. There’s not a lot to say there other than this: despite serious trouble, both teams still have plenty of fight. It won’t be a pretty game but the intensity should impress.

Any chance Georgia Tech can pull an upset at Virginia? We don’t see it happening but if someone heats up, it’s possible. Just unlikely.

And Syracuse-Virginia Tech? Keep in mind that the Orange are now without Jesse Edwards, who broke his wrist against BC. It’s a thin team with no real big man anymore.

On the bright side, it could be a real three point battle, so that could be fun.

Saturday’s ACC Action

  • Florida State @ UNC || 2:00 || ESPN
  • Miami @ Wake Forest || 3:00 || ACCNX
  • NC State @ Pitt || 3:00 || ACCN
  • Georgia Tech @ Virginia || 4:00 || ESPN2
  • Duke @ Boston College || 5:00 || ACCN
  • Syracuse @ Virginia Tech || 6:00 || ESPN2
  • Clemson @ Notre Dame || 7:00 || ACCN

ACC Standings

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