ACC Tournament Preview
The ACC Tournament always produces some of the most exciting basketball in the nation,
and this year should be no different. The ACC has a lot of teams that are competing for a spot in the NCAA Tournament, and they all have the opportunity to get an automatic bid into the big dance.
The ACC regular season crown was won by powerhouse Virginia. The Cavaliers finished the season 17-6 overall, with a 13-4 conference record. Virginia always has one of the top defenses in college basketball, making it hard for any team to score against their pack line defense.
The Cavaliers have been led all year by Sam Hauser, who has dominated since his transfer from Marquette. Hauser is averaging 15.8 points and 6.8 rebounds, making him one of the top players in the conference and has the Cavaliers ready to take home the ACC Tournament crown.
Multiple teams in the ACC need to make a run in the ACC Tournament to make the big dance, and it starts with the Duke Blue Devils. Duke is normally a lock for the tournament, but it has been on the bubble all year.
A late three-game losing streak now has Duke out of the tournament all together. Most experts believe Duke needs to win the ACC Tournament to make the NCAA Tournament, and it is extremely hard to win five games in five straight days.
Duke is one of the top programs in the nation, but it needs a miracle to clinch a berth in the NCAA Tournament this year.
Another team that could need a run to lock up a bid in the NCAA Tournament is Syracuse. The Orange have a solid 15-8 record, but it does not have a lot of quality wins. The Orange only have two road wins, and are 1-6 against Quad One opponents.
Syracuse has a strong record, but it does not have any great wins compared to other teams on the bubble. Syracuse could gain a couple big wins in the ACC Tournament that can boost their resume enough to get them into the NCAA Tournament.
A team that is one of the favorites for the ACC Tournament is the Florida State Seminoles. Florida State might be the most complete team in the nation, ranking near the top of the nation in both offense and defense.
A mix of veteran leadership by M.J. Walker, as well as a superstar freshman in Scottie Barnes makes Florida State a dangerous team in every game it plays in. The Seminoles have a lot of players that can close games, making them a tough team to beat in any game they play in.
The ACC is always one of the premier conferences in all of college basketball, and its conference tournament is sure to be exciting. A lot of teams need to make a late push to qualify for the big dance, making every game a must win this week.
Adam Sheetz is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him, email ads360@psu.edu.
