ACC Roundup - State And Virginia Is The Game Of The Night

In Tuesday’s ACC Action, UNC plays Wake Forest in Winston-Salem, Louisville goes to Pitt for a likely beating and NC State heads up to C-ville to take on Tony Bennett’s UVA squad. And that’s a very interesting game.

Normally you’d just expect Virginia to lay a whipping on the Pack. This time?

Maybe not.

We usually bet on Virginia because the defense is so effective, but State’s had some great games this season on the defensive end too. And it’s not like offense is so great it can’t be defended.

Don’t get us wrong. Virginia’s offense is very precise and effective, if slow. However, State’s defense this year is at times devastating. And as good as Virginia is, if you can take the ball away and get out in transition, the defense won’t have time to get set.

Obviously it’s easier said than done. But this one should be fun.

UNC and Wake is really intriguing as well. Wake Forest is 1-4 in the last five games with the win coming in the last one at Notre Dame.

And UNC has emerged as possibly the most erratic, and almost certainly the most disappointing team of the 2022-23 season.

Selected as the pre-season #1 team, UNC has lost two straight, is now 15-8 and there is some evidence the team is...well, not getting along is probably too strong. But not communicating well?

That’s probably fair.

On his last drive in Saturday’s win over the Tar Heels, Roach said he knew he’d get to the basket because UNC wasn’t talking on defense.

And we saw this Monday, which was just mind-boggling: Armando Bacot did not get a shot for the last 12:17 Saturday even while Pete Nance shot 1-10 and Caleb Love and RJ Davis combined to take 31 shots (and hitting just 10).

Put it all together, and Hubert Davis has a lot more to worry about than free throws.

You know, we like to be optimistic for everyone or at least to make a good argument for why one team might win.

Can you think of one for Louisville at Pitt? Maybe Covid. That’s about it.

You can never say never, but it’s hard to think of anything that would favor Louisville here. This is one of those seasons that, if you pull for Louisville, you kind of wish was over already.

Tuesday’s ACC Action

• UNC vs. Wake Forest || 7:00 PM || ESPN
• Louisville vs. Pitt || 7:00 PM || ACCN
• NC State vs. Virginia || 9:00 PM || ACCN

ACC Standings

• NC State, ACC basketball’s hottest team, earns a spot in the latest AP Top 25 poll
• NC State basketball is ranked (No. 22), while Duke and UNC are not. How rare is that?
• Wake Forest’s Steve Forbes responds to Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim’s claims
• UNC is running out of time to solve problems after Duke loss
• Teel: Will this be 14th consecutive March Madness with multiple Virginia teams?
• Pitt-Louisville preview: Panthers must avoid a trap game against Cardinals
• Paul Zeise: It is a lot more likely Jim Boeheim’s career crashes than ends on a high note
• Jeff Capel brushes off ‘bought a team’ comments from Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim
• Pitt recruitment report: Basketball offers Fede Federiko’s younger brother; Pat Narduzzi bashes NCAA
• As Pitt basketball turnaround continues, Heather Lyke ‘couldn’t be prouder’ of Jeff Capel
• Paul Zeise: Pitt is an NCAA tournament team, and fans should enjoy the ride
• Brandon Huntley-Hatfield back on the court for Louisville basketball
• Louisville HC Kenny Payne Previews Pitt Matchup: ‘It’s Hard to Guard Them’
• Cards facing toughest stretch with five games against top ACC teams
• Surging Pitt out for more against Louisville
• UNC Basketball set for upcoming rematch with Wake Forest
• Wake Forest will play host to North Carolina on Tuesday night
• Steve Forbes, Hubert Davis on Wake Forest’s small-ball lineup
• UNC vs. Wake Forest: Three Things to Watch