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Except for top 3, ACC is awash in NCAA tournament bubble teams

By Caulton Tudor
ctudor@newsobserver.com
Caulton Tudor has worked for The News & Observer or The Raleigh Times for more than 30 years.

With the month of February annually marking the unofficial grand opening of Bubbleville, it’s significant that only 25 percent of the ACC membership has genuine NCAA tournament security entering the five games on Saturday and one on Sunday.

Duke, Miami and N.C. State are in line to land top-four regional seeds, with the Blue Devils (18-2, 5-2) tracking toward No. 1 in the East.

The Wolfpack, which is obviously more concerned about the health of guard Lorenzo Brown than bracketology, is in much the same situation as the Miami team that will visit PNC Arena at 4 p.m. Saturday.

Both the surprising Hurricanes (16-3, 7-0) and Pack (16-5, 5-3) presently have the look of a No. 3 or 4 regional seed with decent potential to move up.

Otherwise, the ACC is awash with teams that are likely to move on and off the NCAA selection committee radar for at least another week or two.

North Carolina (14-6, 4-3) is almost certainly in the field for now, but the Tar Heels still have to play Duke twice and the Wolfpack once while facing trips to Miami, Clemson, Maryland and Georgia Tech.

Even with surging P.J. Hairston questionable against Virginia Tech (11-9, 2-5) on Saturday in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels cannot afford any sort of missteps at home against the Hokies, Wake Forest, Virginia and Florida State.

Best guess is UNC gets a bid in the Nos. 6-9 seeding range.

The Seminoles (12-8, 4-3) desperately need a win Saturday in Tallahassee against Duke and another win when Miami arrives on Feb. 13, then a split against NCSU (Feb. 19 in Raleigh, March 9 in Tallahassee).

If the big wins don’t materialize, FSU will have to win the conference tournament March 7-10 in Greensboro.

Best guess is Seminoles wind up in NIT.

Virginia (15-5, 5-2) – entering Sunday’s game at Georgia Tech (11-8, 1-6) – needs to dodge injuries and keep winning ugly against a schedule that includes five more home games.

Best guess is the Cavaliers will have big problems on the road – Maryland, UNC, Miami, Boston College and Florida State after Sunday – but hang on and land a bid in the Nos. 10-12 range.

Maryland (15-6, 3-5) clearly cannot lose Saturday against Wake Forest (10-10, 3-5).

In fact, the Terps likely need to arrive in Greensboro with at least nine and maybe 10 league wins. The non-conference schedule was dishwater weak.

Best guess, NIT.

Clemson (12-8, 4-4) is a prime candidate to finish 8-8, then 1-1 in the league tournament and wind up in the NIT.

Tudor: 919-829-8946

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