ACC Shining

I think if you are one of those people like me who wonders why a team like NC State plays like world beaters one game and loses to a bottom level team the next I think the start by the ACC in the NCAA tournament almost will help explain why.

RPI is about as accurate as any thing to tell us how good teams really are.  All six ACC  teams are in the top 40 in the RPI and at least seeded as 32nd in the NCAA tournament.  The Big Ten can say hey, we won the Big Ten/ACC challenge but do you realize that was back the first part of December and that was ages ago.

State finished sixth and Carolina fifth in the ACC.  Villanova was second in the polls, first in the Big East and yet this was not the first time this year the Pack had play a team as good as Nova.  They seemed to have been through the wars playing Duke twice and Virginia twice and both are right at the same area of the rankings as Nova.

Carolina drew Arkanas who finished second in the SEC.  Once again the Tar Heels have played just as many teams equal to the Hogs so there is something about being prepared by the competition you play.  Now back to the question of why do teams play like world beaters one night and duds the next?

Game after game you play top competition then you slip against a Clemson.  It is hard for any team to be up every game night in and night out and when one of the lower tier teams is next if you are going to relax that would be the time and you catch that team hot.  Kentucky has not had to play two games in a row against top 25 teams and yet it seems the top teams in the ACC are doing it every night.
Carolina's victory over Arkansas to me is not a good sign for Kentucky.

The Triangle still has three teams left in this year's tournament.  Duke has lost only once since they  kicked a player off and I think we can say they have played at a higher level since.  Carolina has played better lately because Marcus Paige the last three weeks has looked like the 2014 Paige.  I don't know whether he is 100 per cent or not but he sure is playing like he is.  State started going with Lennard Freeman more the last month and Washington, Lee have played less but with what few minutes they have gotten they have contributed.

Is it conceivable that all three could make the Final Four?  Possible, but not likely.  Can't wait to see what the next seven days brings.  If it happens the state of North Caroina will have to shut down the week leading up to the final four for a week of national holidays.  If two wind up playing each other for the title April 6th the entire state will shut down that Monday like it was a snow day.  Does anybody know what the weather forecast is?