With the ACC so down this year, particularly in the middle and bottom of the conference, the opening round quadruple-header was rather uneventful. The semifinals should be very good, but today’s quarters have a chance to be relatively interesting.
7 people went 4-for-4 yesterday, including Dave, Doogan, Lohse, Lynch, Mac, Stri, and Teddy, so this conference is there for the taking.
#1 North Carolina vs. #8 Maryland
The Terps looked really good yesterday, and it is hard to know whether that was because they played really well or their opponents (Wake Forest) were just that bad. It was probably some of Column A, and more of Column B. Either way, to say that the competition level from the 9th-place Deacons to the 1st-place Heels is a a big step up is quite the understatement. UNC was the preseason #1, and, while it took them 4 months to show it, they sure looked like it on Saturday in Cameron. Now, they get to start their quest for an ACC title and another #1 seed in the tournament. Personally, I’m hoping that they can get that third #1, so that, if all falls right (which never happens), we could get a dream championship game between Kentucky and Carolina. But, that’s more of a Sunday night conversation.
KA has this huge upset pick of Maryland here. The other 19 have UNC, with a large number taking Carolina all the way.
#4 Virginia vs. #5 N.C. State
This is a great quarterfinal matchup. Not because it’s two great teams, but because it’s two decent teams, who are very interesting, particularly if matched up against each other because of their different styles. N.C. State throws athletes at you in waves, while UVa likes to play slowwwwwwwwwwww.
Doogan, Gross, J, Lynch, and RSmith are the only 5 with N.C. State here. Waters has already lost the game with BC. The other 14 have the Cavs. Dave and KA have UVa in the finals.
#2 Duke vs. #10 Virginia Tech
Va Tech ended the Clemson season last night, 68-63, giving them a shot at #2 Duke. The Blue Devils don’t have the most talented team in the country, by any stretch, but they do have the best coach. Ryan Kelly is out for the tournament, which should hurt, but they have like 7 Plumlees that can just up their minutes a little bit and no one will notice that the other big white guy is out.
All 20 entries have Duke winning this game, so I guess the 4 people that don’t have Duke in the finals (Gross, Primm, RDoc, Scoot) will hope that they get this pick wrong.
#3 Florida St. vs.
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