Although the ACC is widely regarded as one of the top, if not the top, basketball conferences in the country, last season it had a very disappointing year, with the exception of a certain national championship. Outside of Duke, no ACC team managed to reach the Sweet 16. But despite last year’s struggles, the ACC should pose a solid test for the Blue Devils this season.
Last season, Duke’s only ACC losses came on the road: first in Atlanta at the hands of Georgia Tech, second in Raleigh to N.C. State and last in College Park to Maryland. Both the Yellow Jackets and Terrapins lost major contributors to the NBA this year, and thus both teams were left out of the Preseason USA Today Coaches’ Top 25 Poll.
Georgia Tech lost its top two scorers and rebounders in third overall pick Derrick Favors and physical second round pick Gani Lawal. The Yellow Jackets return just two starters in Iman Shumpert and Mfon Udofia. Two non-conference matchups that Georgia Tech fans will have their eye on are the matchup against in-state rival Georgia and a road trip to face Siena. These two opponents could potentially reach March Madness and will serve as early measuring sticks for this inexperienced Yellow Jackets squad.
Maryland also will be looking for new leaders this season after losing three-year starter Grevis Vasquez. Vasquez, the Terrapins’ leading scorer for the last three seasons, was selected in the first round of the NBA draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and is currently recovering from ankle surgery. His alma mater has several question marks this season.
“We don’t have any preconceived ideas of the make-up of our first eight or nine players,” Maryland head coach Gary Williams said.
The Terrapins suffered a heart-breaking loss at the hands of No. 5 seed Michigan State’s Korie Lucious’ buzzer beater. Maryland’s returning starters, led by Adrian Bowie and Cliff Tucker, have a bitter taste in their mouth after that stunning defeat. Many experts predict that the Terrapins will play a role in the ACC hunt because of the emergence of power forward Jordan Williams, a sophomore who provided a strong inside presence as a freshman last season. Williams, who averaged 9.6 points and 8.6 rebounds in just under 25 minutes per game last year, will look to develop even more and lead Maryland deeper in the tournament.
“I am never satisfied with what I do,” Jordan Williams said. “I always want to get better at what I do.”
North Carolina, who followed a national championship campaign with a disappointing postseason NIT bid, will certainly be focused on improvement this season as well. Despite losing Ed Davis, one of their most talented players, to the NBA, the No. 9-ranked Tar Heels have high hopes this season. With highly touted freshman Harrison Barnes joining Tyler Zeller, John Henson, and Larry Drew II, North Carolina could prove a roadblock to their cross-town rivals’ title hopes.
Another team who may pose a threat to the defending champions is Virginia Tech. Though the Hokies have not been a powerhouse in recent years, senior Malcolm Delaney hopes to lead them to their first conference championship since joining the ACC in 2004. Delaney, the conference's reigning scoring champion, received 61 out of a possible 62 votes to earn Preseason All-ACC First Team Honors. Though they have not made the NCAA Tournament since 2007, don't sleep on Seth Greenberg's squad this year.
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