ACC Play Heats Up For March Madness

No doubt the ACC men’s basketball is good, very good! All but two teams have overall winning records, Virginia (.500, 12-12) and Georgia Tech (.458, 11-13). But who is going to make it on Selection Sunday on March 16? With teams having around 5 games left in the regular season it is all about getting a game ahead of the other. Duke and North Carolina are in and traditionally there usually 5 ACC teams who make the Big Dance. So who are the other three? The main teams who will vie for those spots are Clemson, Maryland, Wake Forrest, and Miami of Florida. NC State and Virginia Tech are peering in hoping to get into the mix.

Opportunity #1, the remaining regular season games. Maryland upsetting UNC and recently Wake Forrest upsetting Duke proves that anything can happen in college ball. Rank means nothing! Maryland has the toughest closing schedule even having already played UNC and Duke. The Terps still have to play Clemson, Wake and Miami at their houses, and a tough Tech game away in the regular season finale. Maryland must win these games, because these teams are all in the mix, so they can lock-up their tickets to The Tourney!

Clemson, Wake, Maryland, and Miami all have similar schedules playing each other which could lend itself to two possibilities. Two of the teams basically win out and get in or it comes down to the ACC Tournament through all four teams having similar records. Miami and Wake have the two weaker conference records (4-6) and (6-5) respectively. Maryland and Clemson both are 7-4. If Miami and Wake raise their conference record it will bolster their stock for being if not the top conference in the country (The Big Ten and Big East are up there). If they finish the regular season neck and neck the selection committee will make their decisions based more on the ACC Tourney.

Opportunity #2 The ACC Tournament. The favorites are the Blue Devils and the Tar Heels to win it. The winner automatically goes to the NCAA Tourney. With the upsets handed to these two it is still a possibility that these two may not win it. If the main four contenders come in tied it will be anyone’s ball game. Once the bracket is set based on the regular season is when we will be able to make conjectures on the outcomes. But do not be surprised if it comes down to the tourney, it usually happens.

But based on schedule and records I predict Clemson will lock up a trip to the Dance at the end of the regular season. They did loose to UNC twice in overtime with one by only 2 points. They’re legit. The other three teams will find out if they’re going to the Dance in the ACC tournament; they’re too close to call. But I will throw this out there because I like to be bold. I think it will be Maryland locking up a spot as well! For the third spot, well I’m not that bold to predict.