ACC Roundup - A Big Saturday Up And Down The ACC

Feb 4, 2023 - 2:44 PM
NC State v Wake Forest
WINSTON SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA - JANUARY 28: Terquavion Smith #0 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack reacts after making a 3-point basket against the Wake Forest Demon Deacons during the first half of their game at Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum on January 28, 2023 in Winston Salem, North Carolina. | Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images




In Saturday’s ACC Action, Virginia and Virginia Tech tangle in Blacksburg, Wake Forest goes to Notre Dame, Georgia Tech heads up to Raleigh, Florida State and Louisville meet in the Yum! Center, Miami heads up to Clemson and Syracuse hazards a trip to BC’s Conte Forum.

Most of these are at least interesting and some are quite consequential.

Let’s start in Raleigh.

Georgia Tech’s Josh Pastner is in a tough spot. The Yellow Jackets have only won once since December and have now lost eight straight and most of those weren’t close. The team seems to be spiraling and it’s fair now to ask if he’s lost his team. Why?

Pitt: lost by 21. NC State: lost by 22. Syracuse: lost by 17. Duke: lost by 43. Louisville: lost by 10.

Pitt, NC State, Syracuse and Duke were home losses. Florida State is 7-16. Louisville is 3-19. It’s just increasingly hard to make a case for Pastner at this point and, given the carnivorous nature of NC State’s defense as we saw against Duke and Florida State, things could get ugly fast in Raleigh. We’ll see.

Virginia Tech has clearly struggled but the Hokies are dangerous and can put on an offensive clinic. And Virginia is a rivalry game and at home. Can they do it?

Maybe. That’s a tough one. It’s hard to pick against Virginia though, not least of all because they’ve won seven straight. And while Virginia Tech is very dangerous, they have not done that.

Wake really needs a win, having lost four in a row. Granted, they’re tough teams - Virginia, Pitt, NC State and Duke - but that’s some losing. Notre Dame is the perfect antidote.

Clemson has had some real problems with guard health and that could make it tough to guard Miami.

Miami has to contain PJ Hall and Hunter Tyson, both of whom are capable of huge games. However, Norchad Omier has become a major force inside and could hold his own. It’s a fascinating matchup.

Good news for the Tigers: Brevin Galloway’s nutsack (his word, not ours) is back to normal and he’s good to go.

Boston College is one game under .500 and they have limitations, but the Eagles show up and play hard and if you don’t, you’ll pay. Quentin Post has emerged as a very dangerous player who can hit threes over, say, a 2-3 zone. And Syracuse has lost three straight.

Finally, Florida State goes to Louisville. These two proud programs have struggled mightily this season. It took Florida State until January 21st to win seven games; it took Louisville until this past Wednesday to win a third time.

But it’s not as dismal as last time. Louisville has improved and has a shot. But Florida State is still likely to be better defensively, and possibly offensively too.

Saturday’s ACC Action

  • Virginia vs. Virginia Tech || 12:00 PM || ESPN2
  • Wake Forest vs. Notre Dame || 1:00 PM || ACCNX
  • Georgia Tech vs. NC State || 1:00 PM || ACCN
  • Florida State vs. Louisville || 2:00 PM || ESPN2
  • Miami vs. Clemson || 3:00 PM || ACCN
  • Syracuse vs. Boston College || 5:00 PM || ACCN
  • UNC vs. Duke || 6:30 PM || ESPN

ACC Standings








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