Games #199-200. The evening session in Greensboro will give us a classic rivalry as well as an important bubble game.
7 pm. Duke vs. Maryland. There is no good will between Duke and Maryland. While the Blue Devils’ rivalry with North Carolina has shades of mutual respect, the rivalry with Maryland is one of pure unadulterated hate. Maryland has lost twice to Duke, but gave the Devils a real scare in early January by nearly stealing one in Durham. The question of this game, as it has been for an increasing number of game, is Kyle Singler. In the two prior games against Maryland, Singler scored a critical 25 and 22 points. Singler’s recent slump is cause for concern given how important he has been to victory over Maryland. Conversely, this matchup against the Terrapins may be just what Singler needs to get over his slump.For Maryland, the focus will be on defense. In January, Maryland boasted the most efficient defense in the entire country, but have now slumped to eighth in the conference. If Maryland can play effective defense against Duke’s elite perimeter scorers and set loose Jordan Williams on the soft Duke interior, an upset is a very real possibility.
9:30 pm. Virginia Tech vs. Florida State. While Virginia Tech looked like world-beaters on defense last night against hapless Georgia Tech, Florida State’s defense is even better. Boasting the seventh best defense in the nation and the third best in the ACC, the team has the potential to get even tougher. Chris Singleton, the presumptive pre-season Defensive Player of the Year for the ACC, is rumored to make his return as the anchor of a defense that was already well-nigh impenetrable. Singleton’s fractured foot side-lined him for the last chunk of the ACC season, but a return tonight spells bad news for a Virginia Tech team that counts on interior penetration to score. An additional worry is the long minutes that the Hokie starters played against Georgia Tech last night. While Florida State has likely already secured an NCAA berth, Virginia Tech probably needs at least this win to get off the bubble, and in all honesty, that might not be enough. Virginia Tech won against Florida State in January by 12 points, and last night they showed the power of their disruptive zone to flummox an offense. Florida State’s propensity for turning the ball over looks like a rough match-up against a team that has the ball-hawking talent of Virginia Tech.