Boston College's Ideal ACC Tournament Draw? And The Big Finish

Brian: With each team having just five regular season games left, we seem to have hit the stretch run for the 2012-13 ACC basketball regular season. The Eagles have five games to go -- two home, three road -- before heading off to Greensboro to play in this year's ACC Tournament.

Believe it or not, the Eagles can finish as high as fourth in the final ACC standings if they win out and get plenty of help. But we know that isn't going to happen.

Realistically, the Eagles are looking at anywhere between a 7 seed and the 12 seed for this year's ACC Tournament. The question is which program would be the ideal first-round draw for the Eagles?

We know with some degree of certainty that both Miami (13-1) and Duke (10-3) will receive first round byes, while two of Virginia, North Carolina and N.C. State are well positioned to receive the other two.

That leaves a pool of possible first-round matchups that includes one of:

Virginia / North Carolina / N.C. State
Maryland
Florida State
Clemson
Georgia Tech
Wake Forest
Virginia Tech

Out of those nine programs, which one would you most like to see the Eagles face in the first round of the ACC Tournament?

Jeff: I would like to play Virginia Tech in the first round. If we end up playing Virginia Tech, we have already shown that we can beat them on the road so I would feel good about BC's chances against the Hokies on a neutral site. More importantly, since beating then 15th ranked Oklahoma State, the Hokies have only won four games. Two of those wins came in overtime. Virginia Tech has only two wins in conference and those two wins have come against Georgia Tech and Wake Forest -- two teams almost certain to be in the bottom four slots in the ACC Tournament.

Virginia Tech has played in four overtime games so far this season and three of those came in ACC play so some people might think that Virginia Tech is better than their record indicates. I would disagree with that though. They are 2-2 in those overtime games and you have to go back to their December 8th loss to West Virginia to find a game that the Hokies lost by a single possession. Even those overtime losses ended up being by an average of 9 points each. Individually, Erick Green is having a great season, leading the team in points, minutes, assists, steals, free throw percentage, as well as pulling down the fourth highest rebound total on the team. Without Green it is tough to imagine that the Hokies would have any conference victories this season, but he clearly cannot carry the load enough for his team to compete consistently in conference.

Brian: I don't think there's an ACC team that doesn't want to see the Hokies in the first round of the ACC Tournament. BC facing Virginia Tech in the first round is probably too good to be true. Barring a miraculous turnaround, with games left against Duke, Miami and Florida State, the Hokies seem a near lock for the 12 seed. I don't think the Eagles can get to the no. 5, which combined, means BC and Virginia Tech are likely done playing each other for the year. Coincidently, this is the first year that BC and Virginia Tech haven't played twice during the regular season. That's unfortunate.

Realistically I'm hoping the Eagles draw either Clemson or Georgia Tech. Based on the ACC's odd scheduling this year, we don't know how BC stacks up to Georgia Tech since the two teams won't face one another until the final game of the regular season. But the results just haven't been there for the Jackets. Three of Georgia Tech's four wins have come over Wake Forest (x2) and Virginia Tech, as you said two teams that figure to finish in the bottom 1/3 of the conference (the other win is over Virginia).

BC has shown that they can beat Clemson. In fact, that was the lone ACC result so far this season for the Eagles where the team could have blown the game wide open. Of course they didn't but I'll certainly take the wins any way they come.

I would be OK with facing either Maryland or Florida State, but I'd prefer to face Georgia Tech or Clemson over those two teams. Ideally BC can work its way into the 6 vs. 11 or 5 vs. 12 games to avoid what seems to be a sure loss to Miami or Duke in the quarterfinals. This isn't to suggest that BC should jockey for tournament seeding; merely to point out that outside of the top 2, the path to the ACC semifinals is a lot easier.

Big Finish

Brian: The big news this week was Addazio landing a verbal commitment from Connecticut RB Marcus Outlow. Like the addition?

Jeff: Yes, it is a good start to his plan to recruit the best in New England.

Jeff: Syracuse-Georgetown is not a great nationally-known rivalry but it is the biggest game of the year for those student bodies right now. How devastating would it be for Duke if North Carolina leaves the ACC?

Brian: I don't think it happens but if it does, Duke-Carolina would continue to play one another.

Brian: A new ACC-themed restaurant is being built in Raleigh-Durham airport. Any good suggestions for the name?

Jeff: The Big Ten and SEC Feeder.

Jeff: Sarah Mannelly might be BC's brightest young star logging 8 goals and 5 assists in her first two games at BC. Why can't she play a revenue sport?

Brian: Shrugs.

Brian: BC-Merrimack hockey at 4 PM. The Eagles haven't had a three-game winless streak all season. Does BC get back in the W column?

Jeff: They need to get a win and they need it against Hockey East leader Merrimack.

Jeff: By now you have probably seen this William Carey University make a half court flip basketball shot. This is the top play of the year in all sports, right?

Brian: That's unreal. Donahue should teach the team to shoot free throws like that.

Brian: Last one. BC-Duke hoops this afternoon. BC is 8-5 ATS in ACC games, but just 3-3 ATS on the road. Do the Eagles cover the spread?

Jeff: BC played Duke real tight at home which leads me to think they will not keep it close on the road.