This week brings up Judgment Week for many a potential ACC bubble teams, and there's plenty of work left to be done in that department.
It's way too soon predict the ACC will only get five -- or maybe even six -- teams into the NCAA Tournament, but teams like Miami that seemed like a sure bet, now have dug themselves a bit of a hole.
This week also might make Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim smile, as it's one where the old Big East teams meet up (his team hosts both Louisville and Syracuse). ACC traditionalists will smile at North Carolina at Duke, Part 1 happening on Wednesday night.
All in all, it should be a fun week, and one where some potential bubble teams have to do some work.
ALL-ACC TEAM (FEB. 9-15)
Michael Gbinije, Syracuse: Oh, all he did was average 24 points in games against Boston College and Duke last week on 18-of-25 shooting. And he averaged 6.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 2.5 steals. The Orange split those two games, but he's been playing extremely well and he was a big reason the Orange led Duke at halftime.
Jerian Grant, Notre Dame: It was just one game last week, but the senior guard had 22 points in a close win at Clemson on 7-of-14 shooting, adding two rebounds, five assists and three steals in all 40 minutes. He bounced back from a bad game at Duke as well, which was as important as anything he did stat-wise.
Quinn Cook, Duke: The senior guard continues to have an outstanding season, and he averaged 21.5 points in two road wins at Florida State and Syracuse on 12-of-25 shooting, adding 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and just three turnovers in all 80 minutes. It's scary to think where the Blue Devils would be without Cook right now.
Jahlil Okafor, Duke: To say Okafor had a quiet week would be ignoring that he averaged 18 points on 15-of-20 shooting to go with 9.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks. It felt quiet, but it certainly was not, and his 23 points in the win at Syracuse were his most since Jan. 11. His game against FSU -- quiet by his standards -- still ended in him getting 13 points and four rebounds. It's crazy how consistent the freshman center has been.
Konstantinos Mitoglou, Wake Forest: The Greek Deac, as the freshman is known, is really coming on. He averaged 19.5 points in two games on 12-of-25 shooting (a scorching 12 of 19 from three), adding 5.5 rebounds and an assist. He nearly beat the Cavaliers by himself on Saturday as he hit 6 of 12 three's, most coming late. He's a dangerous matchup for almost every Wake Forest opponent at 6-foot-10 with that shooting touch.
FRESHMAN WATCH
Duke rookie point guard Tyus Jones averaged 13.5 points on 9-of-21 shooting and added a ridiculous 18 assists to four turnovers in two games (both Duke road wins).
Speaking of freshman guards, Xavier Rathan-Mayes for Florida State averaged 12.5 points to go with 4.0 rebounds and a steal in two games (including one FSU win).
Syracuse freshman point guard Kaleb Joseph averaged nine points on 9-of-14 shooting and had seven assists to four turnovers, an improvement for the youngster who's been a bit shaky at times.
Jones' teammate Justise Winslow averaged 11 points, six rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block in both Duke wins.
Wake's Cornelius Hudson averaged 7.5 points on 4-of-7 shooting (all from three) in two games.
UNC's Justin Jackson had eight points, five rebounds, six assists and no turnovers in the Tar Heels' loss at Pitt.
THE "I SEE YOU WORKING" TEAM OF THE WEEK
NC State: Just when we think we're out, the Wolfpack pull us back in. The loss at Wake seemed to take NC State off the NCAA Tournament bubble for good, and the loss -- albeit a close one -- at home to No. 2 Virginia didn't do much to help matters.
Then NC State finally got its second big-time win of the year, this one at then-No. 9 Louisville.
Road wins impress the committee a lot, and road wins at a top-10 team do a lot to bolster a resume, too. The Wolfpack continue to be confusing in the way they play up or down to their competition, but perhaps they've built some positive momentum.
ACC WIN OF THE WEEK
Pittsburgh over then-No. 12 North Carolina, 89-76: This was a thorough destruction. Pitt shot so well in the first-half against North Carolina's oft-porous defense that when the Tar Heels did begin to tighten up, it was too late.
The Panthers made 69 percent of their two-pointers and 53.3 percent of their three's, and had an insane 30 assists on 37 made field goals to just five turnovers. Other than free throws -- Pitt was just 7 of 13 -- there's not much more you could have asked for from the Panthers in terms of playing a nearly-perfect game.
Pitt's offensive efficiency (per Ken Pom) was 143.4, which is off the charts. How significant was that?
Well, in the Ken Pom era (since 2002), North Carolina has not allowed an OE over 140. And the Tar Heels have only allowed one over 130 twice (in 2013 to Miami, and in 2014 to Duke). That's it. Pretty darned impressive.
#goacc TEAM OF THE WEEK
Georgia Tech: Add two more close losses to the Yellow Jackets' list, except these were horrendous losses to the No. 168 team in Ken Pom's rankings in Virginia Tech (albeit on the road) that included Georgia Tech coughing up a late lead, and then again at home to No. 111 Florida State.
The losses came by a combined six points. But with as well as Georgia Tech played last week in losing at Duke by six and then pounding Wake Forest, one would have thought they were turning the corner. That is clearly not the case.
#goacc PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Robert Sampson, Georgia Tech: It seemed like the senior ECU transfer was taking some positive steps forward. But in the last two games -- both last week -- he shot 1 of 9 from the field, 0 of 5 from three and 0 of 2 from the foul line. He did have 10 rebounds, an assist, two steals and a block, but he also had five fouls and three turnovers in 29 minutes.
With Georgia Tech losing all these close ones, the Jackets need all the positive contributions they can get and this certainly doesn't help.
GAMES TO WATCH
Pittsburgh (17-9, 6-6 ACC) at No. 2 Virginia (23-1, 11-1 ACC), Monday, 7 p.m.
Virginia has looked vulnerable at best without Justin Anderson, which is to be expected. And Pitt has to be coming in playing with a great deal of confidence, particularly on the offensive end, after what it just did to North Carolina. It's not out of the realm that Pitt could make an NCAA Tournament at-large push, but it won't come without getting wins like this one.
Clemson (15-10, 7-6 ACC) at Georgia Tech (11-14, 2-11 ACC), Monday, 7 p.m.
Can Georgia Tech finally win a close game at home? And can Clemson finally start generating some positive momentum toward a potential -- albeit far-fetched, probably -- NCAA Tournament berth? Both teams have obviously conflicting goals, and there's no telling how this one will go. But it's particularly big for the Tigers after that heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame last week.
No. 12 Louisville (20-5, 8-4 ACC) at Syracuse (16-9, 7-5 ACC), Wednesday, 7 p.m.
An old Big East game at its finest, Syracuse clearly showed on Saturday night that they're still trying in spite of the self-imposed postseason ban. Louisville needs a bounce-back win in a bad way after struggling early and often against a hungry NC State team. Can the Cardinals force turnovers, like they've been struggling to do in ACC play? Can Syracuse's Rakeem Christmas get back on track after two subpar games?
No. 15 North Carolina (18-7, 8-4 ACC) at No. 4 Duke (22-3, 9-3 ACC), Wednesday, 9 p.m.
Speaking of needing a win, boy do the Tar Heels ever need one. But this isn't going to provide the easiest opportunity, one would think. Duke has shown all season it is dialed in and focused against top opponents, and in big-time games. This would certainly qualify. North Carolina needs to get its teetering defense on track, as that's been the area that's really let the team down as of late. North Carolina has little to no margin for error when it comes to making the top 4 in the final regular-season standings either, and a win would give Duke a bit of a cushion.
Pittsburgh (17-9, 6-6 ACC) at Syracuse (16-9, 7-5 ACC), Saturday, noon.
Another old Big East matchup. The Panthers arguably need both of their road games this week to keep hope alive, but it's not going to be easy up in the Carrier Dome.
Miami (15-9, 5-6 ACC) at No. 12 Louisville (20-5, 8-4 ACC), Saturday, 2 p.m.
Miami does still have an outside shot at making the NCAA Tournament as well, though the Hurricanes have a LOT of work to do. A win at Louisville would give Miami two marquee road wins to its credit (at Duke, too), and all the Hurricanes would have to do would be to win the games they should win, which has proven to be easier said than done at times. A loss for Louisville, though, would send the Cardinals a game back of the field in the ACC standings in terms of making that top 4, and they'll have to hope that the Tar Heels keep struggling as well.
