ACC Roundup - Pitt And Clemson Fighting For First Place Saturday

In Saturday’s ACC Action, Notre Dame visits UNC, Georgia Tech travels to Florida State, Wake drops in on Louisville, Clemson and Pitt tangle in the Pete, Syracuse heads to Charlottesville to take on Virginia and NC State visits Virginia Tech.

The highlight, strange as it sounds, should be Clemson at Pitt, because they are the last two undefeated teams in ACC play and both are playing well. Hopefully Pitt has regained its impressive homecourt advantage. When that place is right, it’s really good.

Notre Dame is skidding and a win at UNC seems unlikely right now. How could you justify it? Maybe anger at their own poor play, but it’s hard to make an argument for them, unless UNC has another stinker game. Maybe Caleb Love will jack up 25 shots and help them out. But that seems unlikely.

We haven’t watched Virginia closely but Reece Beekman is the key to that team. If he’s back and healthy, UVA should win with little problem. This Syracuse team has had its moments but guard play is a little erratic and you don’t want to go there against Virginia because they will make you pay.

And pay.

NC State is coming off a massive win over Duke. Will they have momentum in Blacksburg?

Well, they might: Hunter Cattoor is likely to be out still. Such absences can change a season.

Georgia Tech at FSU is a weird one. The Yellow Jackets just knocked off Miami, which is impressive, but Florida State is bigger. Can they do it again? Not so sure. For one thing, even with injuries, FSU is imposing defensively, especially inside, and Tech is not a big team, nor do they generally shoot all that well.

Louisville was this close against Syracuse but Wake is probably better. It’ll be a struggle for the Cards. Then again, everything this right now.

Injuries are a big theme so far this season. Duke has had some big ones, Boston College, lost their only real big man for some time and Florida State should seek an NIL deal from a local hospital their injuries have been so bad lately. Pitt has had issues with John Hugley, although you get the sense that no one knows exactly what his problem is, NC State lost Dusan Mahorcic and, as we said, Virginia Tech has been without Cattoor. Toss in some early UNC injuries to Armando Bacot and now Pete Nance, who hurt his back at Wake Forest and that could be a real problem. He’s questionable.

But that’s just the way the game goes and there’s not much you can do about it. On to the games!

Saturday’s ACC Action

• Notre Dame @ UNC || 11:30 AM || ESPN2
• Duke @ Boston College || 1:00 PM || ACCN
• Georgia Tech @ Florida State || 1:00 PM || ACCNX
• Wake Forest @ Louisville || 3:00 PM || ACCN
• Clemson @ Pitt || 4:00 PM || ESPN2
• Syracuse @ Virginia || 5:00 PM || ACCN
• NC State @ Virginia Tech || 7:30 PM || ACCNX

ACC Standings

• Pitt Signee Carlton Carrington Will be In Attendance for Pitt-Clemson Game
• Pitt Men’s Basketball Makes Debut On Joe Lundardi’s Latest NCAA Tournament Bracketology
• ACC Basketball power rankings: Clemson rises, while Notre Dame tumbles
• UNC basketball vs. Notre Dame: Scouting report, score prediction for ACC matchup
• Clemson basketball vs. Pitt scouting report, score prediction
• Pitt men’s basketball off to great start in ACC
• Updated Look At The ACC Basketball Standings After Georgia Tech’s Upset Win
• Paul Zeise: It isn’t a fluke — Pitt might be the best team in the ACC
• Kihei Clark could be key for No. 11 Virginia against Syracuse’s zone
• Hunter Cattoor, Rodney Rice Suffer Injury Setbacks
• Cattoor Injury Leads to Offensive Struggles for Virginia Tech