As we near the halfway point, any objective observer would have to say that three teams have underachieved – Georgia Tech (defending national finalist), Maryland (defending ACC champs), and NC State (11-5 in ACC play last year, with returning Coach and Player of the Year). Interestingly enough, fellow strugglers Maryland and Georgia Tech represent the ONLY conference wins for NC State.
Like NC State, both Maryland and Georgia Tech stumbled early in conference play, and needed a signature win this week. Maryland beat Duke and Cameron, Georgia Tech won a home thriller against Wake Forest (Prosser’s crew would be glad never to see overtime again this season). NC State lost at home to Florida State, handing the Seminoles their first ACC road win since 2001 (and that 2001 victory was against Clemson, which hardly counts).
Of course, unlike NC State, MD and GT only need to get to 8-8 AT MOST in ACC play to be assured of an NCAA berth (we need 9-7). And also unlike NC State, the Terps and Jackets are 3-3 rather than 2-4. Neither team has to look forward to 4 future games against Wake and UNC, either.
Vital Stats:
Georgia Tech – #21 Sagarin (67 SOS)
Maryland – #25 Sagarin (54 SOS)
NC State – #56 Sagarin (132 SOS)
And the Sagarin rankings are, by far, the most generous to NC State. Bottom line – the Terps and Jackets will dance, probably with 6 or 7 seeds, if they play .500 ball for the rest of the regular season. NC State will have to beat Wake or UNC at least once, and run the table in the rest of its games, just to get off the bubble.
