ACC Event guarantees pleasure, surprises

Alyssa Utsby outruns the Duke protection final weekend. North Carolina Athletics picture.

Tomorrow, the much-anticipated ACC Event suggestions off in Greensboro, North Carolina. Although 5 groups are ranked within the prime 25 this week, it’s a thriller as to who will declare  the crown in Sunday’s championship recreation. This 12 months – considered one of its greatest in latest reminiscence – the ACC is like an iceberg: there may be much more depth to this convention than meets the attention.

The highest 4 groups

No. 1-seeded Notre Dame, No. 2 Duke, No. 3 Virginia Tech and No. 4 Louisville all get double-byes, and don’t play till Friday’s quarterfinals.

For a lot of the season, Notre Dame seemed like the perfect staff within the convention, with the best probability of reaching the Remaining 4, as they’re a two-way staff. Nonetheless, regardless of ending the season on a six-game successful streak, there may be now uncertainty as a result of ACC’s help chief, Olivia Miles, taking place with a proper knee harm within the ultimate recreation of the common season in opposition to Louisville on Sunday. No replace on her situation has but been supplied.

Duke sat on the prime of the convention for a lot of the 12 months, as they’re the by far the perfect defensive staff with the fewest factors allowed per recreation, and the bottom opposing capturing proportion from the sphere. Gamers like Celeste Taylor, Kennedy Brown, Shayeann Day-Wilson and Elizabeth Balogun have led the Blue Devils again to contender standing in coach Kara Lawson’s second 12 months.

Virginia Tech completed the common season on an eight-game successful streak, with reigning convention participant of the 12 months, Elizabeth Kitley, dominating on each ends of the ground. Towards Georgia Tech Sunday, she put up 29 factors and grabbed 11 rebounds, as she overpowered Nerea Hermosa not simply within the paint, but additionally along with her soar shot. Kitley was additionally, as soon as once more, a fantastic rim protector, because the Hokies solely allowed 14 factors within the paint.

“She’s bought a very robust, excessive launch, however even with our 6-5 and whole contest, she’s knocking them down, so kudos to her,” Yellow Jacket coach Nell Fortner mentioned.

Regardless of falling out of the rankings earlier this season, Louisville isn’t out for the depend so long as they’ve Hailey Van Lith. The dynamic junior guard is averaging 19.4 factors, 5 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.5 steals per recreation. The Cardinals might need gotten off to a tough begin at 9-4 in non-conference play, however they completed robust within the month of February, going 5-2.

First- and second-round matchups

Sport 1 of the event will characteristic No. 13 Virginia vs. No. 12 Wake Forest. Each groups are good defensively, and never so good offensively, and that might be an enormous benefit for whoever performs in Sport 4 in opposition to No. 5 Florida State. The Seminoles have haven’t simply the top-scoring offense, but additionally the ACC’s main scorer in freshman Ta’Niya Latson.

Sport 2 will characteristic No. 10 Clemson vs. No. 15 Pitt. The Tigers completed the season on a two-game successful streak, with an especially-impressive defensive efficiency in opposition to Florida State within the ultimate recreation, wherein they held Latson to only 4 factors. The Panthers are within the backside three when it comes to scoring and factors allowed. One in every of these groups will play No. 7 North Carolina in recreation 6.

Sport 3 will characteristic Cameron Swartz of No. 14 Georgia Tech, who will face off in opposition to her former staff, No. 11 Boston Faculty. Swartz carried her new staff offensively of their ultimate residence recreation of the season, as the one participant in double-figures with 20 factors, and she or he single-handedly saved the Yellow Jackets within the recreation along with her soar capturing (44 p.c), and particularly her 3-point capturing (44 p.c). Georgia Tech will want her once more in the event that they wish to transfer on to play No. 6 Miami in Sport 7.

“We’re nonetheless going to run stuff for her, however the offense provides different folks appears and we’ve bought to be assured to knock these pictures down,” Fortner mentioned.

Sport 5 of the second spherical has No. 9 Syracuse Orange and No. 8 NC State dealing with off. Each groups have headed in reverse instructions just lately, because the Wolfpack have misplaced 5 out of their final eight video games, whereas the Orange completed out their slate successful 4 of their final seven.

Pertinent inquiries to ask

• Can Duke rating when it issues? As stout of a defensive staff because the Blue Devils have been all season lengthy, they’re solely twelfth within the ACC in factors per recreation. That did damage them in opposition to opponents like Virginia Tech, UConn and North Carolina, as they have been unable to attain in crucial moments.

• Elizabeth Kitley launches a shot. Virginia Tech Athletics picture.

  Will Virginia Tech’s supporting forged present up? Within the ultimate recreation of the common season, the Hokies’ whole beginning lineup – Kitley, Georgia Amoore, Taylor Soule, Cayla King and Kayana Traylor – was accountable for all 65 of their factors scored. They’ll want at the very least some assist off the bench, hopefully from Ashley Owusu, with a purpose to go far.

• How wholesome will NC State be? The Wolfpack have missed Diamond Johnson up to now three video games, and only in the near past bought Jada Boyd again, so it undoubtedly stays to be seen if and when Johnson will return. If she doesn’t, Jakia Brown-Turner might want to step up in her absence.

Darkish-horse contenders

• Miami: The beginning duo of Haley Cavinder and Future Harden, in addition to the reliable supporting forged of Hanna Cavinder, Lashae Dwyer and Kyla Oldacre, is ready to compete with the perfect lineups within the nation when they’re at full throttle.

• North Carolina: The Tar Heels have now gotten their full staff again with Eva Hodgson, Kayla McPherson and Alyssa Utsby, who be part of Deja Kelly and Kennedy Todd-Williams to have the ability to defend at a excessive degree, as proven once they held Duke to only 41 factors of their weekend win over their Triangle rival.
• Boston Faculty: The Eagles are a staff that’s undoubtedly greater than the sum of its components. They boast 5 gamers in JoJo Lacey, Dontavia Waggoner, Taina Mair, Maria Gakdeng and Andrea Daley, which are in a position to come collectively like a puzzle in that if all of them are enjoying to their fullest potential, they appear to be reputable contenders.

ACC Event Schedule and Predictions

All video games at Greensboro Coliseum

First 4 rounds on ACC Community. Championship recreation on ESPN.

First Spherical – Wednesday, March 1

Sport 1: No. 12 Wake Forest vs. No. 13 Virginia, 1 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Virginia)

Sport 2: No. 10 Clemson vs. No. 15 Pitt, 3:30 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Clemson)

Sport 3: No. 11 Boston Faculty vs. No. 14 Georgia Tech, 6:30 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Boston Faculty)

Second Spherical – Thursday, March 2

Sport 4: No. 5 Florida State vs. Sport 1 winner, 11 a.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Florida State)

Sport 5: No. 8 NC State vs. No. 9 Syracuse, 2 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Syracuse)

Sport 6: No. 7 North Carolina vs. Sport 2 winner, 6 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: North Carolina)

Sport 7: No. 6 Miami vs. Sport 3 winner, 8 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Boston Faculty)

Sonia Citron scores a vital bucket in opposition to Louisville final weekend. Notre Dame Athletics picture.

Quarterfinals – Friday, March 3

Sport 8: No. 4 Louisville vs. Sport 4 winner, 11 a.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Louisville)

Sport 9: No. 1 Notre Dame vs. Sport 5 winner, 2 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Notre Dame)

Sport 10: No. 2 Duke vs. Sport 6 winner, 6 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Duke)

Sport 11: No. 3 Virginia Tech vs. Sport 7 winner, 8 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Virginia Tech)

Semifinals – Saturday, March 4

Sport 12: Sport 8 winner vs. Sport 9 winner, midday ET (Predicted Winner: Louisville)

Sport 13: Sport 10 winner vs. Sport 11 winner, 2:30 p.m. ET (Predicted Winner: Virginia Tech)

Championship – Sunday, March 5

Sport 12 winner vs. Sport 13 winner, 1 p.m. ET (Predicted Champion: Virginia T