ACC Tournament This Weekend

The ACC tournament gets started Thursday with four first round games. Here are the match-ups and predictions:

Game 1: #8 Virginia Tech vs. #9 Miami

Prediction: Miami has the best overall player between the two teams in Jack McClinton, but Virginia Tech has the better team overall. Greenberg knows that his team has no shot at the NCAA tournament if they do not win this one and probably beat UNC in the next round so Virginia Tech should be ready to play. Miami is in the same boat, but I will take Greenberg over Haith in the coaching match-up. The only way I see Miami winning this game is if McClinton gets hot and shoots the lights out. Virginia Tech by eight.

Game 2: #5 Clemson vs. #12 Georgia Tech

Prediction: Clemson. Georgia Tech really has nothing to play for other than pride and Clemson needs a decent ACC tournament to improve their tourney seed. They probably feel too that they have a shot at capturing the ACC title. Clemson by 12.

Game 3: #7 Maryland vs #10 NC State

Prediction: Maryland, but just barely. I have a weird feeling about this game. Maryland needs this game badly to make the NCAA tournament (they need a good showing this weekend to impress the selection committee). Usually the team that has a lot to play for will beat a team that doesn't have all that much to play for. NC State has no shot at making the tournament, and like Georgia Tech, is playing mainly for pride. However, these teams played a week ago and with Maryland up 8 with 5 seconds left, Vasquez shot a 3 to rub in the victory at the RBC Center. NC State will be able to play the revenge angle and they have been playing their best basketball of the year lately. I still say Maryland wins because they need the game so badly, but NC State could be the best upset pick in round one. Maryland by four.

Game 4: #6 Boston College vs. #11 Virginia

Prediction: Boston College. Virginia will be playing with some confidence, coming off a season ending win vs. Maryland but Boston College probably has too much talent overall. BC is solidly in the NCAA tournament and will be looking to improve their seeding this weekend (however, a loss to UVA would severely hurt their seeding and if there were a ton of upsets in other conference tournaments BC could be in a little trouble). This game will be close, maybe for the whole game, but in the end Boston College wins by 10.