I was just wondering what everyone thought about where the ACC teams stand prior to conference play...Here's what I see at the moment:
Picking this year's ACC Champ, will be a little tougher IMO because there are so many teams that are very close competition-wise at the moment....
Carolina-Everyone's preseason favorite has been hampered by injuries which also disrupts team chemistry, so it's hard to get a fix on this team at the moment, and don't know if we will know any more after the UCLA game tomorrow?...The hope is that the Tar Heels will get healthy for the upcoming conference schedule, and will play up to their capabilites?....Thus far, there have been a lot of mixed consistency, and injury problems that need to get resolved before this team can live up to expectations?
Duke-As much as I would have liked to have written off the Bluedevils, it just seems that they reload every season nowadays, and Ingram is growing in confidence which bodes well down the road when Jefferson returns...Bottom line: Duke ain't going anywhere anytime soon, and will likely challenge for the ACC Crown?
UVA-Senior leadership is always a great quality for a team to have....Mixed with the fact that the Wahoos have won the ACC the last couple years, and you also have the experience and confidence to go along with that talented veteran leadership...The Wahoos are missing that inside scoring threat at the moment as Tobey has been inconsistent to start the season, but make no mistake, this team will be tough to handle in the ACC once again, this year...
Miami-The Hurricanes have experience and talent in the backcourt in Rodriguez and McClelland, and have a big guy down low that can finish and rebound in Jurkuri(sp?), and have seemingly an abundance of talented role players surrounding the big 3, so expect this team to be tough to contend with this year ...The last time Miami had this much talent and experience...The Canes won the ACC...
FSU-The Seminoles have 2 talented freshmen who can put the ball in the hole, and they still have Rathan-Mayes to take that big shot when necessary....The one intangible that the Noles don't seem to have at the moment is a consistent player inside who can finish along with providing a low post game...That will not be a problem next year, but could be reason enough to keep the Noles from challenging for the top spot in the ACC, this year?
Louiville-I think everyone including me expected this team to struggle with all the offseason mess that's been happening with the basketball program, but the truth seems to be that this team is going to be a whole lot tougher than most thought, thanks to some key backcourt transfers who seem to have solved potential backcourt scoring issues....The Cardinals still lack a consistent inside scoring threat, but they do have a lot of size to work with, so the jury is still out in regards to an inside threat emerging before season's end?....I'm glad Harrell is gone, or this team might have been a threat to win the ACC this year?
Ga. Tech-Could this be the year that the Yellowjackets finally make the big dance for Coach Brian Gregory?....They have a finisher in Georges-Hunt, and they now have a couple other transfers to help with outside and inside scoring, especially with Maryland transfer Charles Mitchell who seems to be averaging a double/double every game out now?...Guess the question is?....How will this Yellowjacket team hold up throughout the rugged ACC season?....Results have not been positive the last few years or so....
Wake Forest-The Decs have a couple nice wins over Indiana and UCLA on a neutral court in Maui, and they now have Codi-Miller MacIntyre back in the fold after missing the first 8 games of the season due to a foot injury...Don't think the Decs have enough staying power to challenge for a top-3 finish, but do believe that on any given night they can beat anyone in the ACC this year as they have more size inside to help Thomas, and have more outside help it seems to help MacIntyre, so I think Wake will be much improved in Danny Manning's 2nd season at the helm of the Demon Deacons and could be a tourney team by season's end?...
NCST- Early preseason backcourt injuries have left the Wolfpack in desperate need of finding that consistent outside scoring thread that they've had the last several years...Maverick Rowan may eventually provide that consistent outside threat, but he's still finding his way as a freshman at the moment, it appears?....They do have a very capable inside game with Abu and Anya, and Barber does provide leadership, and a spark from the backcourt, but I just don't see this team challenging for a top-tiered ACC finish....Much like Wake, the Wolfpack can beat anyone in the ACC on any given night, but they can also lose to anybody on any given night as well....
The bottom of the ACC looks at the moment as if it might be Clemson or Va Tech as both teams are struggling to score on a consistent basis early in the season, and both will have matchup problems with all the other ACC teams on their schedule....Both are capable of pulling an upset or two, but still believe that it will likely be a long season for both as the Hokies are young, while the Tigers are playing all their home games this season away from home in Greenville S.C., while Little John gets a much-needed face lift, and besides neither team really has any consistent inside scoring threat which is absolutely necessary for competiting in the ACC?
Notre Dame and Syracuse are similar teams that I believe will battle State, Wake and Ga. Tech for a middle-of-the road finish in the ACC....Syracuse has struggled since Boeheim left the bench, and he of course will return when the Orange host Carolina in the Carrier Dome in January, which will likely boost the effort for the Orange players, but long term, I just don't see this team finishing in the top 5 of the ACC this year?.....The Irish seem to be missing that finisher this season with Grant gone, and I'm just not sure that there is an answer that will allow Notre Dame to have another magical ACC season?
That's my view of the ACC before conference play begins, what's your opinion?
Picking this year's ACC Champ, will be a little tougher IMO because there are so many teams that are very close competition-wise at the moment....
Carolina-Everyone's preseason favorite has been hampered by injuries which also disrupts team chemistry, so it's hard to get a fix on this team at the moment, and don't know if we will know any more after the UCLA game tomorrow?...The hope is that the Tar Heels will get healthy for the upcoming conference schedule, and will play up to their capabilites?....Thus far, there have been a lot of mixed consistency, and injury problems that need to get resolved before this team can live up to expectations?
Duke-As much as I would have liked to have written off the Bluedevils, it just seems that they reload every season nowadays, and Ingram is growing in confidence which bodes well down the road when Jefferson returns...Bottom line: Duke ain't going anywhere anytime soon, and will likely challenge for the ACC Crown?
UVA-Senior leadership is always a great quality for a team to have....Mixed with the fact that the Wahoos have won the ACC the last couple years, and you also have the experience and confidence to go along with that talented veteran leadership...The Wahoos are missing that inside scoring threat at the moment as Tobey has been inconsistent to start the season, but make no mistake, this team will be tough to handle in the ACC once again, this year...
Miami-The Hurricanes have experience and talent in the backcourt in Rodriguez and McClelland, and have a big guy down low that can finish and rebound in Jurkuri(sp?), and have seemingly an abundance of talented role players surrounding the big 3, so expect this team to be tough to contend with this year ...The last time Miami had this much talent and experience...The Canes won the ACC...
FSU-The Seminoles have 2 talented freshmen who can put the ball in the hole, and they still have Rathan-Mayes to take that big shot when necessary....The one intangible that the Noles don't seem to have at the moment is a consistent player inside who can finish along with providing a low post game...That will not be a problem next year, but could be reason enough to keep the Noles from challenging for the top spot in the ACC, this year?
Louiville-I think everyone including me expected this team to struggle with all the offseason mess that's been happening with the basketball program, but the truth seems to be that this team is going to be a whole lot tougher than most thought, thanks to some key backcourt transfers who seem to have solved potential backcourt scoring issues....The Cardinals still lack a consistent inside scoring threat, but they do have a lot of size to work with, so the jury is still out in regards to an inside threat emerging before season's end?....I'm glad Harrell is gone, or this team might have been a threat to win the ACC this year?
Ga. Tech-Could this be the year that the Yellowjackets finally make the big dance for Coach Brian Gregory?....They have a finisher in Georges-Hunt, and they now have a couple other transfers to help with outside and inside scoring, especially with Maryland transfer Charles Mitchell who seems to be averaging a double/double every game out now?...Guess the question is?....How will this Yellowjacket team hold up throughout the rugged ACC season?....Results have not been positive the last few years or so....
Wake Forest-The Decs have a couple nice wins over Indiana and UCLA on a neutral court in Maui, and they now have Codi-Miller MacIntyre back in the fold after missing the first 8 games of the season due to a foot injury...Don't think the Decs have enough staying power to challenge for a top-3 finish, but do believe that on any given night they can beat anyone in the ACC this year as they have more size inside to help Thomas, and have more outside help it seems to help MacIntyre, so I think Wake will be much improved in Danny Manning's 2nd season at the helm of the Demon Deacons and could be a tourney team by season's end?...
NCST- Early preseason backcourt injuries have left the Wolfpack in desperate need of finding that consistent outside scoring thread that they've had the last several years...Maverick Rowan may eventually provide that consistent outside threat, but he's still finding his way as a freshman at the moment, it appears?....They do have a very capable inside game with Abu and Anya, and Barber does provide leadership, and a spark from the backcourt, but I just don't see this team challenging for a top-tiered ACC finish....Much like Wake, the Wolfpack can beat anyone in the ACC on any given night, but they can also lose to anybody on any given night as well....
The bottom of the ACC looks at the moment as if it might be Clemson or Va Tech as both teams are struggling to score on a consistent basis early in the season, and both will have matchup problems with all the other ACC teams on their schedule....Both are capable of pulling an upset or two, but still believe that it will likely be a long season for both as the Hokies are young, while the Tigers are playing all their home games this season away from home in Greenville S.C., while Little John gets a much-needed face lift, and besides neither team really has any consistent inside scoring threat which is absolutely necessary for competiting in the ACC?
Notre Dame and Syracuse are similar teams that I believe will battle State, Wake and Ga. Tech for a middle-of-the road finish in the ACC....Syracuse has struggled since Boeheim left the bench, and he of course will return when the Orange host Carolina in the Carrier Dome in January, which will likely boost the effort for the Orange players, but long term, I just don't see this team finishing in the top 5 of the ACC this year?.....The Irish seem to be missing that finisher this season with Grant gone, and I'm just not sure that there is an answer that will allow Notre Dame to have another magical ACC season?
That's my view of the ACC before conference play begins, what's your opinion?
