Headlines: How Many ACC Teams Get In?

Brian: While we were off celebrating your last few days as a single man, and despite our best efforts to catch the game, we missed one hell of a basketball game. Rakim Sanders put back with 0.4 seconds left sent the Eagles to their fourth consecutive ACC win. The Eagles are now alone in 5th place in the ACC standings behind Wake, Duke, North Carolina and Clemson. We won't discuss a game we were unable to watch (and your boy, Eagle in Atlanta does a good job of discussing the game anyway). Let's instead talk about the ACC. Just when the ACC was primed to potentially get 6, 7, or 8 teams into NCAA field - and improve on last year's disappointing low of only 4 conference bids - the bubble teams went into somewhat of a self-destruct mode last weekend.

• Virginia Tech is on a two game skid - losing at home to Clemson and on the road at BC - and has 0 quality out of conference wins ...
• Florida State lost a heartbreaker to North Carolina and is now 16-5 (3-3 ACC)
• Miami (FL) is now on a three game slide, losing back-to-back overtime games to Virginia Tech and at NC State, and then dropping a game to Maryland on Saturday 73-68. The U is currently 14-7 (3-5 ACC).

So of the four or five teams (add in Maryland) currently on the bubble, who do you like to emerge from the pack this next month?

Jeff: Right now I think you have to look at BC and Virginia Tech as NCAA tourney teams. Virginia Tech has still done enough to warrant a bid and BC has proven that their post UNC slide is over and they are playing good ball in the best conference in America. After those two I look at FSU having the best chance to be the 7th tourney team from the ACC. Their schedule does not get easy but they have several winnable games in their final 10 conference games. 8-8 in the ACC will get you considered, but FSU should be able to get to 9-7 and get in the tourney with maybe a win on Thursday of the ACC tournament.

Brian: FSU is probably on the outside looking in right now but can certainly play their way in. Miami needs to do a lot from here on to make the dance.

Karl Hicks, the ACC’s associate commissioner for men’s basketball, worries that the ACC bubble schools that are not traditionally strong basketball programs - Florida State, Miami (FL), Virginia Tech, Boston College - are being overlooked in the rankings. Have you gotten the sense this season that these traditionally football-first programs aren't getting the love in the polls?

Jeff: Absolutely! It's not an argument this week after Virginia Tech dropped two games (to strong opponents) but last week Tech was unranked despite a good record and strong strength of schedule. They should've easily made the Top 25 but instead didn't even come close in either poll.  The Hokies are still 4-3 in the ACC despite dropping two close games this week and still have the victory at Wake Forest to hang their hat on. Tech has four games coming up that they should win and VT should be ranked in next week's poll or the week after's. That probably won't happen though given the lack of support they have gotten so far. As we have already seen this year, if the Hokies name were the Hoyas instead of just another football school, the Hokies would have been ranked and would still be ranked.

Brian:  Remember the Eagles won their division in the Big East and got left out of the dance while everyone slurped the ACC. BC moves to the ACC and everyone slurps the Big East.

Jeff: So true. A lot can and will still happen between now and the tournament. If Georgia Tech can beat Wake Forest, then you never know what else might happen.

Beanpot starts tonight. Go BC!!