ACC Roundup - UNC, Wake Forest Really Need Wins

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BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA - FEBRUARY 25: Ben Hammond #11 of the Virginia Tech Hokies shoots over Reyne Smith and Khani Rooths #9 of the Louisville Cardinals in the second half during a game at Cassell Coliseum on February 25, 2025 in Blacksburg, Virginia. | Photo by Ryan Hunt/Getty Images

As Clemson and Louisville face off with Virginia and Pitt

In Saturday’s ACC Action, Clemson visits Virginia, Miami jets up to Chapel Hill, Syracuse drops in on Virginia Tech, NC State heads down to Hotlanta to play Georgia Tech, SMU continues its West Coast swing against Stanford, Notre Dame stops off in Winston-Salem to take on the Demon Deacons, Pitt and Louisville tangle in the Yum! Center and Boston College finishes up its Golden State trip with a game at Cal.

Virginia has certainly picked up lately but we don’t think they are good enough to beat what may become Clemson’s finest team ever. We’re not sure what the highest Clemson has ever been rated, but it’s not a whole lot higher than #13. When it comes to the postseason, the Tigers have made the Elite Eight twice, if memory serves, and this team might be good enough to get to the Final Four. They’re 14-2 in their last 16 games and with the emergence of Viktor Lakhin as a major force, Clemson could easily get on a post-season roll.

UNC appears to have righted the ship and aside from the other issues, Miami has had injuries. Miracles do happen, but we can’t see one happening here.

Syracuse and Virginia Tech are both having bad seasons but the Hokies are at home and Syracuse has mostly been a wretched defensive team. If Virginia Tech is healthy and can hit their threes, we think they’ll win. However, if Mylyjael Poteat is still out, or limited, the Hokies have a major problem.

NC State’s season has become depressing. Can they grab a late win at Georgia Tech? Well...maybe.

Georgia Tech has shown immense heart lately but State’s defense can be pretty difficult to deal with and the Yellow Jackets still lack depth and the Pack could get into their legs.

We like Tech though. They’re a flawed but tough team.

SMU and Stanford is a really interesting game. SMU won in Dallas but the Cardinal was missing Duke transfer Jaylen Blakes. We like Stanford to win here, partly because he’s back and partly because it’s at home. And it also looks like Boopie Miller might still be out.

If Notre Dame had Braeden Shrewsberry and Matt Allocco, we might favor them here. Wake Forest has been slipping late and they are vulnerable. But they probably won’t have them, Wake is at a tipping point, and they really need this game. If the Irish win, it’ll be one of the most stunning victories this ACC season.

Same with Pitt. The Panthers are a flawed team. They’d have to play very well to beat Louisville and since their strength is in the backcourt, and Chucky Hepburn will personally neutralize one guard, that’s asking a lot of Pitt.

Finally, we’ve learned this season that ACC teams don’t understand yet how to manage West Coast travel well. BC will have to control Jeremiah Wilkinson and Andrej Stojakovic. Realistically, the Eagles could win this, but will they?

We don’t think so.

Saturday’s ACC Action

Clemson at Virginia || 12:00 || ESPN2
Miami at UNC || 12:00 || ESPN
Syracuse at Virginia Tech || 12:00 || CW
NC State at Georgia Tech || 3:00 || ACCN
SMU at Stanford || 6:00 || ACCN
Notre Dame at Wake Forest || 5:15 || CW
Pitt at Louisville || 6:00 || ESPN2
Florida State at Duke || 7:00 || ACCN
Boston College at Cal || 10:00 || ESPNU

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ACC Roundup - UNC, Wake Forest Really Need Wins

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