ACC Rundown: Huge Showdown In Chapel Hill
Clemson still is the surprise leader in the ACC. The Tigers finish January against teams (Florida State and Boston College) with losing overall records.
There are eight other teams with two, three or four conference losses so there is plenty of jockeying left to be done.
Two of those teams will square off on Saturday when North Carolina State heads to Wake Forest.
There are still four ACC teams undefeated at home and that matches the number of conference squads with winning road records.
Virginia moved up four spots to No. 6 in the coaches’ poll and went from 10th to seventh in The Associated Press Top 25 poll.
Miami and Clemson are 19th and 24th in the coaches poll and 20th and 23rd in the AP rankings. Duke is 25th in the coaches’ poll but fell out of the top 25 in the Associated Press poll.
North Carolina (+2000) is 10th and Virginia (+2800) 13th in the odds to win the national title.
Virginia (+180) is favored to the ACC title. Next are Clemson (+350) and Miami (+450).
According to the college basketball playoff odds, Virginia (+500) is “shortest” in ACC in the odds to reach the Final Four. Virginia (-135) is the favorite to win the ACC title with Clemson priced at +280.
Here’s a look at a full slate of ACC games being played on Saturday.
Let’s check the latest college basketball news, stats, injury reports and college basketball lines. We’ve got plenty of NCAA basketball picks for you to consider.
Game of the Week
North Carolina State vs Wake Forest
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 1 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
This could be an entertaining affair with North Carolina State leading the ACC in scoring and Wake Forest ranking fourth.
Somehow Wake Forest lost to Pittsburgh on Wednesday despite shooting 51%, making 10 3-pointers and committing just seven turnovers. Davien Williamson came off the bench to score 14 points, topping his total from the last four games combined.
North Carolina State (16-5, 6-4 in the ACC) is 5-1 in January with wins over Duke and Miami. However, leading scorer Terquavion Smith is just 7 of 20 from the field in the last two games.
He is, in fact, him. pic.twitter.com/N2q3TEsluC
— NC State Men’s Bball (@PackMensBball) January 25, 2023
After North Carolina State won five consecutive games in the series, Wake Forest bounced back by sweeping the regular-season series last year including a 26-point win at home in March.
Wake Forest (14-7, 6-4) is 10-1 at home and will look to add another home victory to that total. Wake Forest leads the ACC with 15 of its games finishing over the college basketball betting lines total.
The Wolfpack had won three of the previous four games at Wake.
Rest of Saturday’s Schedule
Boston College vs Virginia
- Date, time: Saturday, Jan. 28, Noon ET
Virginia (15-3, 7-2) has been known for its stingy defense over the years. However, Armann Franklin is leading the offensive charge with eight straight double-digit scoring games.
He had 25 points, one shy of his season high in Saturday’s win over Wake Forest.
Boston College (10-11, 4-6) turned up the defensive pressure in the win over lowly Louisville as the Eagles had 11 steals, four by sophomore guard Jaeden Zackery and forced 19 turnovers. It will be challenging to match those numbers against the Cavaliers.
Virginia has won nine of the last 10 matchups with Boston College and that includes the last three all by double digits. The Eagles have covered in four games during that stretch.
The Cavaliers have won the last seven times that Boston College came to town with the last BC win in Charlottesville coming in 20111 as a 1.5-point underdog.
Louisville vs Notre Dame
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, Noon ET (ESPN2)
This is probably not the matchup to showcase the ACC to the national television audience. Notre Dame (9-12, 1-9) has dropped four games in a row while Louisville (2-18, 0-9) has lost nine straight. The teams are not just struggling to win straight up, they are the two worst performing teams in the ACC against the spread with Louisville covering in just six of 20 games and Notre Dame’s mark of 4-16-1 is the second-worst number among Division I men’s teams, ranking only ahead of Tulsa.
A lack of depth has been an issue for Notre Dame with the Fighting Irish utilizing mostly a seven-play rotation and even though all seven are shooting better than 40% from the field, the heavy minutes could be catching up with them on the other end of the floor.
This is the last chance for Louisville to avoid going winless in January. Expect to see EJ Ellis leading the way for the Cardinals as has scored in double figures in each of the last 12 games.
Notre Dame has won the last two games with Louisville after the Cardinals won the previous six matchups. Louisville did cover as a 6.5-point underdog on the road in the most recent matchup.
Four of the last five games in the series went under the total.
Duke Blue vs Georgia Tech
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 3 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
Duke’s loss to Virginia Tech finally knocked them out of the Top 25 poll as the Hokies connected on 57% of their shots and finished 10 of 19 on 3-pointers to overcome 29 points and 10 rebounds from Duke freshman Kyle Filipowski.
Georgia Tech (8-12, 1-9) has lost six straight since upsetting Miami. The last time out the Yellow Jackets never led and missing 19 of 23 from 3-point range ended any chances of another upset.
Duke leads the ACC in rebounding margin and in offensive rebounds per game.
Duke (14-6, 5-4) has won 15 of the last 16 matchups with Georgia Tech even if the Yellow Jackets have covered in four of the last five.
In the most recent meeting, Georgia Tech covered as an 18½-point underdog. The last time the teams met in Atlanta, the Yellow Jacket snapped a 14-game losing streak with an 81-77 victory.
Miami vs Pittsburgh
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 4 p.m. ET (ESPNU)
Isaiah Wong appears to have shaken off the illness that slowed him in the last couple of games for Miami as he had 18 points and nine rebounds in the Hurricanes’ 86-63 win at Florida State. All five Miami starters scored in double figures as the Hurricanes looked unstoppable on offense.
Ole Miss transfer Blake Hinson usually takes more shots from 3-point range than he does inside the line for Pitt (14-7, 7-3) . He took it to another level in Wednesday’s win over Wake Forest. All 14 of his shots were 3-pointers as he tied a program record with eight made 3-pointers.
Pitt is 14-6-1 and Miami 12-8 against the college basketball odds and those are the two best marks in the ACC.
Miami (16-3, 7-3) has won the last two meetings with the Panthers and nine of the last 11 with the Hurricanes covering in eight of those matchups.
Clemson vs Florida State
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 5 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
Clemson’s PJ Hall is one of the hottest players in the ACC as he is averaging 21.3 points in the last four games as Clemson (17-4, 9-1) continues to lead in the ACC race after being picked to finish 11th in the ACC’s preseason poll. He had 28 points and six assists the last time he faced the Seminoles.
Any momentum that Florida State (7-14, 5-5) gained with wins against Notre Dame and Pittsburgh came crashing to a halt with a 23-point home loss to Miami when the Seminoles allowed the Hurricanes to shoot 56% from the field and 50% on 3-pointers.
Each of the last five games between the Tigers and Seminoles finished over the total with the home team winning each time. Clemson has covered in four of those meetings.
Syracuse vs Virginia Tech
- Date, time (TV): Saturday, Jan. 28, 7 p.m. ET (ACC Network)
Syracuse (13-8, 6-4) has been outscored by 28 points at the foul line in its last three losses and that included North Carolina shooting 23 free throws to 3 for the host Orange the last time out.
Virginia Tech (12-8, 2-7) comes into the game after snapping a seven-game losing streak by beating Duke.
Wright State transfer Grant Basile led the way with 24 points and he is averaging 18.8 points over the last four games.
Syracuse has won three of the last four against the Hokies and covered in each of those victories. Five of the last seven games between the Orange and Hokies finished under the total
