ACC Tournament Preview

by ggggmen08 on Mar 10, 2011 9:00 AM EST in Clemson Basketball

Heading into the ACC Tournament Clemson is teetering on the bubble. Some experts believe that Clemson is on the right side of the bubble, some believe they are on the wrong side. Fortunately, Clemson controls their own fate. But, it wouldn't hurt to get a little help along the way. Lets breakdown the match-ups, including what I believe needs to happen for Clemson to make the NCAA tournament

UNC Side of the Bracket

8 Virginia vs 9 Miami: UVA was able to close the season with wins over NC State and Maryland to get to 7-9. This was a surprising finish for UVA after a lot of personnel turnover in the offseason/midseason. Miami finished at 6-10. The winner gets UNC. I think Miami could give UNC a tougher game due to Reggie Johnson's presence inside.

5 Boston College vs 12 Wake Forest: This is the game Clemson fans should be interested in. Clemson needs BC to win this game, as a win against Wake Forest wouldn't do anything to enhance our profile. A win over Wake would actually hurt our profile. BC is the match-up that we need. BC sits squarely on the bubble with Clemson. If it comes down to it, a season sweep of the Eagles should serve as a tiebreaker. They say beggars can't be choosers, but I'd prefer for Wake to give BC all they can handle before falling short in the end. Clemson has the benefit of a first round bye and it would be nice if they could use it to their advantage by playing a BC team with tired legs on Friday afternoon.

Lets assume BC wins against Wake. BC is actually a favorable matchup for Clemson. They lack an interior presence and Devin Booker and Jerai Grant should have a field day inside. BC's best player is Reggie Jackson. He is a very skilled player, but Demontez Stitt is a good defender and has the quickness to stay in front of him.

Duke side of the Bracket

7 Maryland vs 10 NC State: Maryland's a better team, but they seem to have quit on the season. This match-up doesn't have any impact on Clemson. Neither team is making it to the NCAA tournament and the winner is going to get their packing slip the following day against Duke.

6 Virginia Tech vs 11 Georgia Tech: This game, however, does have an impact on Clemson. Clemson is battling Virginia Tech for a spot in the tournament. A loss here would be Virginia Tech's 3rd in a row and would complete an epic collapse after their win against Duke. The more bubble teams that are 1 and done in their conference tournaments can only help to enhance our chances of making the big dance. An added bonus to a Virginia Tech loss would be the tears in Seth Greenberg's eyes when his team is passed over yet again. The winner faces FSU, who is already a lock to make the tournament. If Virginia Tech happens to win 2 games, they will more than likely find themselves in the tournament.

What does it all mean?

As it stands right now, I believe a win over BC gets us into the tournament. We've already received some help this week with ODU winning the CAA, Butler winning the Horizon, and Nebraska and Baylor being 1 and done. It would be nice to see us get a signature win over UNC in the semifinals, but it may not be necessary this year with such a weak bubble. We'll continue to monitor Clemson's status as these conference tournaments shakeout.

I'm interested in hearing your thoughts on the other conference tournaments and what you think Clemson needs to do to get in.

Tweet Comment 27 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I think even a Clemson win over Wake

coupled with a VT loss, would get us in. With a VT win we’d need to beat BC or make it into the finals.

by PenthouseTiger on Mar 10, 2011 12:02 PM EST reply actions

I like college basketball but I'm not s huge fan so can somebody please explain the big deal about being at the bottom of the Top 65?

The big focus of this article (and just about everything I read about Clemson basketball, if not college basketball in general) seems to be about making the NCAA tourney. What’s the big deal about making the NCAA tourney and being one of the Top 65 teams in America— especially when (in Clemson’s case) we’re actually talking about being near the bottom of those 65 teams? Would anybody be excited if any other Clemson team was ranked as being about the 60th best team in America? Would we be excited about the football team making it to the Humanitarian Bowl (for a likely loss)?

Maybe lightening strikes and Clemson wins in the 1st round, only to lose in the 2nd round which would marginally indicate being near the bottom of the Top 32 or maybe even the 3rd round by some miracle. Can anybody remember which teams lost in the 2nd or even 3rd rounds last year? I just remember Clemson getting beat by a similarly decent Missouri team, who also had zero chance of winning the tourney, and who got whupped in the 2nd round. I can’t even remember who was in the final four— just that Duke won it all. (Again though, I’m not a huge fan so maybe basketball fans remember this stuff like I remember many of the top bowl games.)

Clemson is a major university so I find it odd that there is not a word of discussion about winning the ACC. (Yes, I understand we’re a football school in a basketball league with perennial superpowers like Duke & UNC.) But if you can’t even hope to win the ACC tourney, then surely there’s no hope to win the NCAA tourney. So why does everyone seem focused on making the NCAA tourney and being one of the Stellar 65? Is it like Duke football fans being happy about getting to a toilet bowl game? Is it the kind of unrealistic hope that comes from owning a lottery ticket, even though in the last 20 years, no 10-loss team has won the NCAA tourney? (But if so why is there no hope and excitement about winning the ACC tourney?) I just don’t understand it. Is that the “madness” part of March Madness? I’m not saying that it’s wrong. I would just like somebody to help me understand it.

Another question: Would you rather win the NIT or lose in the 1st round of the NCAA?

by RazzMcTazz on Mar 10, 2011 12:54 PM EST reply actions

It's not the same as football

there are far more teams involved and every single conference from the Big South to the Big East gets a guaranteed bid for their champion.

by PenthouseTiger on Mar 10, 2011 2:04 PM EST up reply actions

For starters, making the tournament is a prestige thing. College basketball has over 300 teams, so there is no shame in only being one of the top 68 teams.

Secondly, making the NCAA tournament helps recruiting. The top high school kids want to play for winning programs. The best way to sell a kid is to show them a resume that consists of consistently making the big dance, which is the highest level of college basketball.

You absolutely want to play in the NCAA tournament for 1 game over winning the NIT. The NIT gets little exposure. That’s like asking if you’d rather play in a BCS bowl game that you might lose, or play in the Smurf Turf bowl but be guaranteed a win. Of course you would choose to play on the biggest stage, in primetime, against the highest quality competition. The excitement level for 1 game in the NCAAs trounces 5 wins in the NIT.

When I played AAU basketball we had an A team and a B team. Our A team was never able to win states. But our B team was very good (for a B team) and could beat any other B team in the state. Anyone on that B team would’ve traded their undefeated record for the chance to play on the A team with and against the big boys.

by ggggmen08 on Mar 10, 2011 2:06 PM EST up reply actions

Interesting. Thanks. Of the 300 teams, how many more than the 120 D-1 football teams are actually relevant? 5? 10? 20?

I understand that there are bragging rights associated with making the NCAA tournament, and that recruits buy into that as much as anybody else. I just have a hard time understanding why ANYBODY buys into that. (Though I very much appreciate the explanations that you and others have posted here. It helps.)

Would you say that being a bubble team with a 1st-round loss in the NCAA tourney is the rough equivalent glory of being, say, an unranked Humanitarian Bowl team, or a Top 25 team or a Top 15 team in football? How would a team with a 2nd round loss stack up? Sweet 16? I just don’t have a good feel for the prestige levels.

by RazzMcTazz on Mar 10, 2011 2:43 PM EST up reply actions

It’s very similar to the way CFB fans are concerned with their teams top 25 ranking. What’s the difference between being ranked 23rd or 26th? To most people it doesn’t mean a thing. But fans go crazy because “so-and-so is ranked ahead of us!” CFB coaches try to sell kids on their rankings…“we’ve finished in the top 25 ranking the past 3 years…we’re an up and coming program!”

Bubble team in CBB = Bubble top 25 team in CFB
Sweet 16 team in CBB = Top 10 team in CFB
NIT team in CBB = Losing to USF in the Tire Bowl in CFB

by ggggmen08 on Mar 10, 2011 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

Good points. Good explanations. Thanks!

by RazzMcTazz on Mar 10, 2011 4:06 PM EST up reply actions

Look at it this way. It was a great accomplishment to finish in the top 4 of the ACC this year, and get the bye for the first round of the ACC tourney. Win one game and we finish as at least a top 4 team in the ACC. To win the ACC, we would probably have to face UNC and Duke on consecutive days, winning 3 games, 3 days in a row. Consider Duke is a possible number 1 seed in NCAA tourney, and UNC is at least a number 5 seed. It’s not impossible to win the ACC, but I think most realistic fans realize that its extremely unlikely.

Finishing in the top 4 of ACC tourney, and getting to the Sweet 16 of NCAA tourney is a reasonable goal for this team. Tough, but doable.

Just my thoughts…

by greenvandal on Mar 10, 2011 2:08 PM EST up reply actions

Making it doesnt mean we're one of the bottom 65

We’re actually one of the bottom 30 or 40, if that helps. There are many low-major conferences that have champions that probably arent as good as us.

"If I have asthma, they won't let me scuba. And if I can’t scuba, then what’s this all been about?? What am I working toward??"

"You look like you should be married to one of the San Diego Padres."

by Doghnut on Mar 10, 2011 2:47 PM EST up reply actions

This is correct

by ggggmen08 on Mar 10, 2011 2:50 PM EST up reply actions

Basketball/Football Conferences

I also look at it like this: If the ACC is a so-called basketball conference (which these days I do not agree with) and we are a football school then we should be dominating the ACC in football(similar to how Miami used to run through the big east)- which we all know we are not.

And, think about how much HELL we gave lamecock fans when they continuously stated “SEC is a football conference, the best there is” but kept finishing 6-6 or 7-5. They were doing NOTHING to uphold the “Power Conference” title. So if the ACC is an upper tier basketball conference but we are not making the tournament, what have we done to contribute to the conference prestige?

by scgreatest803 on Mar 10, 2011 4:02 PM EST up reply actions

This may come as a shock, but...

The ACC has won the last 2 championships.. and 8 of the last 20. The Sec has won 5, The Big East has won 3, Pac 10 2, Big 10 1, Big 12 1 in the same time frame.

Overall, the level of play in the ACC has seriously dropped since the late 90s. Bringing in Miami, BC, and Va tech hasn’t exactly turned us into a powerhouse conference.

We do not have a lot of conference depth now, but the elite teams in the ACC still win. Duke has 4, UNC has 3, and Maryland has 1 in the last 20 years.

by sedge94 on Mar 10, 2011 4:32 PM EST up reply actions

8 of the last 20

and 5 of the last 10 national champions. Plus, Ga Tech made it to the championship game in 2004.

Part of restoring the ACC basketball tradition is getting rid of the bad coaches. BC and Clemson both made coaching updgrades, in my opinion. NC State and Ga Tech have terrible coaches that need replacing.

The ACC still recruits at the highest level. Last year the ACC had 7 schools ranked among the top 25 recruiting classes.

by ggggmen08 on Mar 10, 2011 4:41 PM EST up reply actions

This UVA Miami game is ridiculous...

UVA is giving it away!

by WC ScottyP on Mar 10, 2011 2:05 PM EST reply actions

That's a worse collapse than Maryland versus Duke in 2002

by ggggmen08 on Mar 10, 2011 2:11 PM EST up reply actions

You can watch the UVA BC Game Online

At the ACC website. They are making it free of charge for all those in the ACC “Territory” (NC, SC, GA, FL, VA, MD (DC), MA, RI, ME, VT and NH). The link is

Enjoy! Go Tigers!

Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano

by AParker on Mar 10, 2011 2:49 PM EST reply actions

Here's the link

http://www.theacc.com/live/

Don't give up, don't ever give up ~ Jim Valvano

by AParker on Mar 10, 2011 2:49 PM EST up reply actions

I think a win over BC gets us in regardless of whatever else happens.

If we lose to BC, then we still might get in, but we will be sweating bullets come selection Sunday.

"Clemson is coming!" - Stephone Anthony

by Tigerplowboy on Mar 10, 2011 3:50 PM EST reply actions

Never thought i would read a post saying

“Why is it such a big deal to make it to the big dance?”

We went 12 YEARS without making it.. and we haven’t won a game since 1996 when we beat Miami, OH and Tulsa. If we get in this year, Jerai, and Demontez would have been in the tourney for their entire college career. No clemson player has ever been able to say that.

It’s about building something. If we can just make it this year.. that is a HUGE accomplishment.. then next year.. it’s about making it to the sweet 16.. and building the program over time. It’s very rare that you see a team come out of the blue and reach the Elite 8. There are steps to take a long the way.

I live in Cincinnati, OH and Xavier is one of 2 teams in the country that has been to 3 sweet 16s in a row. When they recruit.. and they recruit very well.. they can look up and show off those banners.

by sedge94 on Mar 10, 2011 3:50 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

Very big deal in recruiting..all recruits want to have a chance to play in the big dance..the only alternative to the Tourney is …Yikes I wont even say it..

by scgreatest803 on Mar 10, 2011 4:05 PM EST up reply actions

Building something

to add to that I believe that Brownell is much more apt to succeed in the tournament that Purnell and his style. Not to mention you can already start to see that he actually coaches the players to reach their potential.

To get in the tournament I see the BC game as a must win, I don’t believe losing that game and still going to the dance is an outcome that has much of a chance of happening. Even winning that game the team needs to have a strong showing against UNC to help there chances, or best case scenario,run the table, Win the ACC and get an automatic birth.

by andrew21 on Mar 11, 2011 9:48 AM EST up reply actions

Seriously...

why wasnt there a thread for this game ?

by sedge94 on Mar 11, 2011 4:17 PM EST reply actions

I'll take the blame for that

I had a review all day and wasn’t able to put anything up.

I did just check the score and I’m pretty pumped about the beatdown we put on ’em.

by ggggmen08 on Mar 11, 2011 4:32 PM EST up reply actions

Post game thoughts

FUCK YES.. we have a coach that can get a team to win in march.

Demontez was a beast
Our bench scored 20 pts and were 5-7 from 3. God bless Zavier Anderson.. zero TOs
Our D was crazy good.

Sum it up.. we’re dancing baby. 4 years in a row

by sedge94 on Mar 11, 2011 4:33 PM EST reply actions

And....

Coach B has won 21 games this season.. most ever by a 1st year coach. God i hope he doesnt leave in 4 years.

by sedge94 on Mar 11, 2011 4:36 PM EST reply actions

Impressed

I am impressed with the job Coach BROWNLEE had doen this year with the least amount of talent in years. ONce this guy gets his recruits in here I think we will be a top 10 team.
He is always gonna be coach Brownlee to me now.

by Boilingspringstiger on Mar 11, 2011 4:57 PM EST reply actions

Definitely excited about going dancing again, especially when nobody really thought that was a possibility….wonder how Purnell feels now, anyway still business at hand. Can the Tigers finally overcome the Tar Holes this season? It will be tough especially considering how close UNC came to losing today.

Henderson-Sports 06
MFFL & Caniac

by Henderson-Sports 06 on Mar 11, 2011 5:58 PM EST reply actions