ACC Game On will periodically review recent games involving ACC teams and take a look forward to key upcoming matchups.
The streak is over. The Atlantic Coast Conference’s short reign as the only undefeated conference in college basketball came to an end last night as both Georgia Tech and Maryland fell in the opening round of their respective tournaments. Against Saint Joseph’s and Alabama, neither team could figure out ways to score, particularly from long range. Georgia Tech and Maryland went a combined 3-24 from behind the arc.
While Georgia Tech was able to successfully go inside to manufacture some offense, the Yellow Jackets’ inability to stymie Saint Joseph’s perimeter attack (the Hawks shot over 50% on three-pointers) compounded with GT’s own terrible three-point shooting added up to a thirteen-point loss. Where Georgia Tech was able to at least have some success on offense, Alabama completely shut down Maryland. In addition to going 2-12 on threes, the team shot 26.5% from the field. On a Maryland team whose strength is supposed to be guard play, Alabama held the Terrapins’ starting trio of Sean Moseley, Terrell Stoglin, and Nick Faust to 2-23 combined shooting. That’s right, Maryland’s starting guard rotation shot 8.6% from the field. While it would be nice to give all credit to the sensational Alabama defense that didn’t allow a single Maryland player to score in the double figures, the truth is that it wasn’t all Alabama. Maryland played poorly and looked lost on offense. If Maryland is going to win more than a handful of games this year, the backcourt is simply going to have to play better.
Shaka Smart's VCU Rams Will Take On The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in Charleston
Better Than It Has Any Right To Be
- Georgia Tech vs. Virginia Commonwealth at 8:30 PM on ESPN3.com
Despite taking place in the loser’s bracket of a tournament that had trouble attracting serious heavyweights, this Charleston Classic match-up might be the best game of the night involving an ACC team. The teams are relatively evenly matched and both are engaged in serious rebuilding projects. While neither looks like they will be particularly great this year, a close game between two middling teams is more entertaining to me than a one-sided blowout, no matter how beautifully executed.
Hail Traditional Rivalries!
- Boston College at Holy Cross at 7:30 PM
This is the 111th meeting of these two teams, playing in the eleventh month of 2011. If you are superstitious, I reckon you should make a wish. Holy Cross, despite its rich basketball tradition (the national championship in 1947 and the college team of Celtics greats Bob Cousy and Tommy Heinsohn) has fallen on hard times in this rivalry. Boston College has won sixteen of the past seventeen games between the two schools, though Holy Cross still leads the overall series, 57-53. A weakened and very young Boston College might be ripe for an upset by the Crusaders, but as young as the Eagles lineup is, it’s hard to not see them as favorites against a team that finished 7-7 in the lowly Patriot League last year.
The Curry Classic
- Davidson at Duke at 6:00 PM on ESPNU
Seth Curry will play host to his brother’s alma mater as Davidson travels to Durham to take on Duke. When Steph Curry was at Davidson, Bob McKillop‘s team would take on as many ACC teams as he could schedule in the preseason. These games were a lot of fun and Steph would typically steal the show in a losing effort. But this time, with the sweet-shooting Curry as a leader of the already dominant Blue Devils, the game doesn’t have the same spice it might have had a few years ago. Nonetheless, Duke fans are probably eager to see how freshman Austin Rivers bounces back from a disappointing outing against Michigan State.
For Fans Only
- Texas Christian vs Virginia at 6:00 PM
- Maryland vs. Colorado at 7:30 PM on ESPN3.com
Texas Christian won a single game in the Mountain West Conference last year. Virginia should handle TCU easily. The Maryland and Colorado game should be more competitive, though maybe not by much. Colorado had an excellent offense last year, but the loss of Alec Burks to the NBA and the graduation of a trio of senior starters has left the cupboard a little bit bare. The identity of this team is very much up in the air, but Maryland should be able to beat them. Their guards also should have been able to shoot over 10% against Alabama though, so maybe it’s all a wash.