Welcome to ACC Corner: Week 4 Edition. With some big games coming up this week, the picture became a little bit more clear in the standings. We also saw Duke blow out St. Johns in a non-conference game, 91-61. And much like the Super Bowl we saw on Sunday night, there were low scoring games. With that being said, let’s hand out some awards. As always, feel free to show some love or some hate @LukeTheKid3 on Twitter.
Team of the Week
North Carolina
The Tar Heels have quietly ripped off five straight wins and are tied for first place in the conference with Virginia and Duke with just one loss. UNC has been on a tear since a blowout home loss to Louisville in early January. The week started with a blowout win over Georgia Tech and ended with returning the favor to Louisville, winning 79-69 in Kentucky. Luke Maye and Cameron Johnson led the way for the Heels on Saturday, and Roy Williams has his squad rolling. With all the talk surrounding Duke and Virginia, North Carolina has almost faded to the background of ACC talk. Don’t sleep on the Tar Heels folks.
Player of the Week
Zion Williamson (Duke)
I like to try and spread this award around, but it’s pretty hard to do with the season Zion Williamson is having for Duke. He started the week with 26 points, nine rebounds, four assists, and four blocks against Notre Dame while shooting 10-12 from the floor. He would finish the week with a 29 point, six board, two blocks, and five steal performance, this time shooting 13-17 from the field. Williamson is now shooting 68.7% on the season. He is the first to win the award twice, and it was well deserved.
Luke’s Losers of the Week
NC State
This was the easiest pick for loser of the week ever. Wake Forest tried to make a run for the award by scoring just 37 points Sunday against Clemson, but NC State takes the cake. The week didn’t start all that bad. The Wolfpack lost a nail biter 66-65 at home against Virginia, a game that ended in overtime. But it was Saturday against Virginia Tech where it got real ugly. NC State scored 24 points in a 47-24 loss. Yeah, you read that right. The Wolfpack shot 2-28 from deep and 16.7% from the floor overall. For a team that averages 81.6 PPG, this was a shock. Not to mention they were in the Top 25 going into the game. It’s a big ole yikes from me this week for the Wolfpack. 24 points. 24.
What 2 Watch 4: Best Games in the Coming Week (Note: Rankings Reflect Last Week)
#3: No. 21 NC State at No. 9 North Carolina (Tuesday, 8 PM ACCNE)
Don’t let the 24 points we just talked about fool you. This is the same NC State team that almost pulled off the upset over Virginia earlier in the week. The good news for the Wolfpack is, it can’t get worse. Probably. But any in-state rivalry deserves some attention, especially when a team as hot as North Carolina is playing.
#2: No. 15 Louisville at No. 12 Virginia Tech (Monday, 7 PM ESPN)
Big Monday is finally back with a good game to look forward to. Virginia Tech rides a three-game win streak into Monday night, whereas Louisville was just handed a tough loss at home against North Carolina. The Hokies didn’t look particularly well in their 47-24 win over NC State, but their defense has looked a lot like their in-state rival Virginia this year. Both teams are now 7-2 in conference play and this could be a big one in terms of seeding.
#1: No. 2 Duke at No. 3 Virginia (Saturday, 6 PM ESPN)
This was a no-brainer for game of the week. The first time the two met, it was a 72-70 win for Duke. The game will be on Virginia’s home court where the Cavaliers have yet to lose a game this time. Both teams have been rolling ever since that first meeting, and Duke will have Tre Jones in the starting lineup for this showdown. It should be another classic in Charlottesville.
Daniel Jakes also referenced this match up in his “Dan’s Bedtime Thoughts“.
Power Rankings (Note: My own personal power rankings, not the standings)
- Duke
- Virginia
- North Carolina
- Virginia Tech
- Louisville
- Syracuse
- Florida State
- NC State
- Clemson
- Georgia Tech
- Notre Dame
- Pitt
- Boston College
- Miami
- Wake Forest
Biggest Jump: Notre Dame (+4)
Biggest Drop: Boston College (-3)
