2013 College Basketball Picks: ACC Conference Tournamant Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – ACC Tournament Schedule and Tournament Bracket: The Atlantic Coast Conference tends to be dominated by the powerhouse programs of Duke and North Carolina, and a few other teams join the battle for the top spot depending on the year. Although that could change in coming years with the conference expanding, this season was no exception as both the Tarheels and Blue Devils finished in the top three of the standings. Of course, neither team won the regular season crown so the ACC Tournament title isn’t in the bag for North Carolina or Duke. With that in mind, here is a look at the top contenders for the ACC Tournament crown.
2013 ACC Tournament Odds, Free Picks and Predictions
The Contenders
While they finished a game back of the top spot in the regular season standings, the Duke Blue Devils (27-4, 14-4 ACC) didn’t lose a game this season when they were at full strength. With forward Ryan Kelly back in the mix, Duke could easily win the ACC Tournament. After all, the Blue Devils lead the conference in scoring, and they posted a 7-1 record this year against opponents ranked in the top 25 of the RPI. Duke played the toughest schedule in the country and emerged with one of the best records. With double-double machine Mason Plumlee in the middle and plenty of perimeter firepower around him, Duke has already shown they can play and beat the nation’s best.
They were the surprise winners of the ACC regular season title, and the Miami Hurricanes (24-6, 15-3 ACC) will try to back it up with a victory in the conference tournament. An older roster has provided plenty of leadership, and the Hurricanes’ defense ranks third in the conference. Miami has speed on the perimeter with point guard Shane Larkin, muscle inside with Reggie Johnson and a pair of athletic forwards Kenny Kadji and Durand Scott. There really aren’t any glaring weaknesses with the Hurricanes, but on the flip side, the Hurricanes did lose three of their final five regular season games and have a couple of bad out-of-conference losses.
Since switching to a smaller lineup, the North Carolina Tarheels (22-9, 12-6 ACC) have been on a roll, winning six of their last seven games. Granted, this year’s team doesn’t have near the talent that North Carolina has been working with in recent years, but the Tarheels still rank in the top 20 in the country in both scoring and rebounding. Not to mention the fact that forward James Michael McAdoo has star potential while guards Reggie Bullock and P.J. Hairston can fill it up from behind the arc. That being said, North Carolina did go 0-4 against the two best teams in the ACC during the regular season and are 0-5 against teams ranked in the top 25 of the RPI. The Tarheels still have to prove their new lineup can beat elite competition.
A strong argument can be made that the North Carolina State Wolfpack (22-9, 11-7 ACC) have been the biggest disappointment in the country this year. After adding multiple McDonald’s All-Americans to a roster that made the Sweet 16 last year, the Wolfpack opened the year ranked in the top 10. Despite ranking 12th in the country in scoring and fifth in field goal percentage, North Carolina State has yet to show the focus on the defensive end that it takes to be an elite team. With five players averaging more than 12 points per game, the Wolfpack have more than enough talent to win the ACC Tournament. The question is their focus.
Bottom Line
If the Wolfpack can make it out of the early rounds, I wouldn’t rule out them making a run. They are a loaded team, but it seems like it takes the top competition to bring out their best. With that in mind, the battle-tested Blue Devils have the edge in the ACC Tournament. After all, there isn’t a team in the country that has faced a tougher schedule than Duke, and there isn’t a team in the conference that has better balance on both ends of the court. Throw in the fact that the Blue Devils still haven’t lost a game when their starting five has been intact, and a healthy Duke team is bad news for the rest of the ACC.
Prediction: Duke Blue Devils Win the ACC Tournament
Odds to Win ACC Tournament
1601 Boston College +8000
1602 Clemson +5000
1603 Duke -250
1604 Florida State +3000
1605 Georgia Tech +12500
1606 Maryland +2500
1607 Miami +200
1608 North Carolina +350
1609 North Carolina State +385
1610 Virginia +800
1611 Virginia Tech +10000
1612 Wake Forest +8000
2013 ACC Conference Tournament Schedule
Thursday, March 14
12 noon: Game 1: No. 8 Boston College vs. No. 9 Georgia Tech | TV: ESPNU, ACC Network
2 p.m.: Game 2: No. 5 NC State vs. No. 12 Va. Tech | TV: ESPNU, ACC Network
7 p.m.: Game 3: No. 7 Maryland vs. No. 10 Wake Forest | TV: ESPNU, ACC Network
9 p.m.: Game 4: No. 6 Florida State vs. No. 11 Clemson | TV: ESPNU, ACC Network
MORE SCHEDULES | Big East | Big Ten | Big 12 | Pac-12 | SEC
Friday, March 15
12 noon: Game 5: No. 1 Miami vs. BC/Ga. Tech winner | TV: ESPN2, ACC Network
2 p.m.: Game 6: No. 4 Virginia vs. NC State/Va. Tech winner | TV: ESPN2, ACC Network
7 p.m.: Game 7: No. 2 Duke vs. Maryland/Wake winner | TV: ESPN2, ACC Network
9 p.m.: Game 8: No. 3 North Carolina vs. Florida State/Clemson winner | TV: ESPN2, ACC Network
Saturday, March 16
1 p.m.: Game 9: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 | TV: ESPN, ACC Network
3 p.m.: Game 10: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 | TV: ESPN, ACC Network
Sunday, March 17
1 p.m.: Championship: Winner Game 9 vs. Winner Game 10 | TV: ESPN, ACC Network
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