If you’re good at something, people are always eager to notice when you don’t meet your usual standards. The Atlantic Coast Conference and basketball have been synonymous with success for a long time, and as the dominance of the ACC in the national basketball landscape has diminished in the past few years, critics have been more than happy to point that out.
But while the arguments against the ACC aren’t without merit, that doesn’t mean the conference lacks the potential to make a postseason impact.
Defense is the name of the game for several of the underrated teams in the conference, and good defensive teams are often strong candidates to be postseason surprises. The ACC is full of such teams. Virginia Tech has been decimated by injuries, but as they showed against Duke on Saturday, they’ve still got plenty of heart and a defense that allows just 62.9 points per game to complement a dangerous inside-outside duo in Malcolm Delaney and Jeff Allen.
Clemson’s defensive chops are the most impressive, as the Tigers’ 60 points allowed per game rank them 12th in the nation, with most of the teams ahead of them playing in smaller conferences or the much slower-paced Big Ten. Their execution on the offensive end leaves something to be desired, but their excellent length and athleticism could give any opponent fits as tournament time rolls around. Their 19-9 record may not appear especially impressive, but consider that their losses have been by an average of less than five points, with their only double-digit defeat coming at the hands of North Carolina on the road.
Yet the Tigers are an example of an ACC team—for a change—not getting the credit it deserves. ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi currently does not project Clemson to crack the top 68.
Maryland joins Clemson in the pile of teams that Lunardi says will be playing in the NIT instead of battling for a national championship in the Big Dance. But in addition to solid team defense, the Terrapins possess another attribute that could cause trouble for opponents: a player who can take over all phases of a game. Jordan Williams has emerged as one of the nation’s best post players, ranking fifth in the conference in scoring, first in rebounding and first by a wide margin in free-throw attempts. He’s also an excellent shot blocker and he rarely turns the ball over, so he’s the kind of player who can single-handedly control a game when he’s on.
North Carolina represents another team flying under the radar. The Duke faithful have especially enjoyed the Tar Heels’ relative fallow period in the recent past, but the trio of Tyler Zeller, Harrison Barnes and John Henson has the sheer talent to dominate any game. Although Barnes and Henson have not lived up to lofty expectations, their recent performances suggest an ability to sustain a higher level of play—Henson has averaged 12.3 points and 12.4 rebounds over his last nine games, and Barnes has chipped in 17.9 points and 6.7 boards during that same span.
Duke has games remaining against two of these squads, Clemson and North Carolina, and then will undoubtedly face one or more of them in the ACC tournament. The Blue Devils will have to be on top of their game if they want to make it through that stretch unscathed.
But as an ACC team themselves, they know firsthand just how dangerous some of these teams can be.
It’ll be the teams from the rest of the country, who have been reading the national press, who will be surprised to get tripped up by an underhyped squad from an undeservingly downtrodden conference.
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