There wasn't a lot of action across the college basketball landscape as teams took time off for the holidays, but there were a couple of important games involving ACC teams:
1. No. 16 Notre Dame (12-1, 1-0 in the ACC)
The Fighting Irish continued their impressive start to the season with a 91-66 victory against Northern Illinois, just two days after a 31-point dismantling of in-state rival Purdue. Jerian Grant leads one of the most potent offenses in the country—Notre Dame is fifth nationally at 86.1 points per game and first in field goal percentage at 55.6 percent. Grant and the Fighting Irish will look to keep things going against Hartford and Georgia Tech this week.
2. N.C. State (10-3, 1-0)
The Wolfpack shook off a Dec. 20 loss at West Virginia with an eight-point home win against Louisiana Tech Dec. 23. Alabama transfer Trevor Lacey led the way once again for N.C. State with 20 points and was joined by three teammates in double-figures. Forward Kyle Washington turned in a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds, a welcome contribution for Mark Gottfried's guard-heavy team. The Wolfpack host Cincinnati Tuesday night and step back into conference play with Pittsburgh Saturday at noon.
3. No. 5. Virginia (11-0)
After cracking the top five in the AP Poll with a dominant win against Harvard Dec. 21, Tony Bennett's Cavaliers took last week off. Justin Anderson and Virginia round out the nonconference slate with Davidson Tuesday before turning their attention to an upstart Miami squad in the ACC opener for both teams Saturday in Coral Gables, Fla.
4. No. 2 Duke (10-0)
The Blue Devils sat idle during the holiday break, and will end an 11-day lay-off Monday night against Toledo at 7 p.m. at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
5. No. 4 Louisville (11-1)
Saturday's contest between the Cardinals and No. 1 Kentucky was one of the most-anticipated matchups of the college basketball season, and did not disappoint. In a low-scoring affair, the Wildcats kept their perfect record unblemished and handed Rick Pitino's team its first loss of the campaign, a 58-50 defeat at the KFC Yum! Center. Louisville was done in by the length and athleticism of Kentucky's defense—the Cardinals shot 25.9 percent from the floor and only recorded one assist as a team.
Earlier last week, Louisville coasted against Cal State-Northridge without the services of Montrezl Harrell. The national player of the year candidate served a one-game suspension stemming from a scuffle against Western Kentucky Dec. 20. Harrell returned against Kentucky and scored nine points and grabbed eight rebounds in the loss. Louisville hosts Long Beach State Tuesday before traveling to Wake Forest for its ACC opener Sunday.
6. Miami (9-3)
After starting out 8-0 and vaulting into the top 20, the Hurricanes have fallen on hard times. Miami has lost three of four, most recently a 76-62 defeat at the hands of Providence Dec. 22 in the Brooklyn Hoops Holiday Invitational at the Barclays Center. The Hurricanes played the Friars even in the first half, but faltered after intermission, partly due to fatigue—three starters played 35 or more minutes, and Miami only got eight points from its bench. Transfers Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez continue to do most of the scoring for Jim Larranaga's club, but the Hurricanes are in need of some more offense heading into ACC play. That could be difficult to come by in the conference opener against a stingy Virginia defense.
7. No. 20 North Carolina (9-3)
The Tar Heels avenged last season's road loss to UAB with an 89-58 win Saturday in Chapel Hill. Six North Carolina players scored in double-figures, which got 21 combined points from reserves Nate Britt and Isaiah Hicks. The Tar Heels have dominated opponents on the glass this season—Roy Williams' team ranks second in the nation with 45.0 rebounds per contest—and Saturday was no exception, as Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson fueled a 44-33 advantage on the boards. North Carolina hosts William and Mary Tuesday before heading to face Clemson Saturday in its ACC opener.
8. Pittsburgh (9-3)
Forwards Jamel Artis and Michael Young scored 13 points apiece to lead the Panthers to a 58-39 home win against Holy Cross Dec. 23. Young—Pittsburgh's leading scorer and rebounder 13.7 points and 8.1 boards per game—was effective again in limited action, playing just 18 minutes. Jamie Dixon's squad opens ACC play Saturday at N.C. State.
9. Georgia Tech (8-3)
The Yellow Jackets fell on the road against Dayton Dec. 23. Leading scorer Marcus Georges-Hunt led the way and is averaging 11.8 points per game for Georgia Tech, but is also shooting a dismal 16.7 percent from behind the arc. Maryland transfer Charles Mitchell has been a welcome addition with 10.5 points and 7.5 rebounds per game, but the Yellow Jackets have struggled on offense all season, ranking outside the top 200 in points, assists and field goal percentage. The offensive woes could be problematic when Georgia Tech heads to Purcell Pavilion to face high-octane Notre Dame Saturday after facing Charlotte Tuesday in Atlanta.
10. Virginia Tech (8-4)
The Hokies have put together four straight wins as 2014 winds down, including a pair of double-digit wins last week. Virginia Tech defeated high-scoring Virginia Military Institute 87-74 Dec. 23 before taking down Presbyterian 87-65 Saturday. Freshman Justin Bibbs scored 20 points—two shy of his career high—in the win against the Keydets, and guard Ahmed Hill led the way with 18 against the Blue Hose. First-year coach Buzz Williams has to be pleased with the balance his offense has shown of late—five Hokies reached double-figures in both of the wins. Virginia Tech has a chance for a pair of signature wins this week, playing Tuesday at No. 18 West Virginia before hosting Syracuse Saturday.
11. Syracuse (8-4)
December has not been kind to the Orange, who are 3-3 in the final month of 2014. But Syracuse has now won two in a row after double-digit wins against Colgate and Long Beach State this week. Forward Rakeem Christmas registered double-doubles in both contests, and former Duke guard Michael Gbinije had a monster game against the 49ers with 24 points, six rebounds and eight assists. Syracuse faces Cornell on New Year's Eve before opening ACC play at Virginia Tech.
12. Clemson (7-4)
Clemson took care of Oakland 70-60 Dec. 22 before taking a break for the holidays. After two bad losses early in the year, the Tigers have won three of four, and Jaron Blossomgame is a big reason why. The redshirt sophomore scored a career-high 26 points against the Golden Grizzlies and has scored in double-figures in all but one of Clemson's 11 games this season. Five Tigers average more than 10 points per game for head coach Brad Brownell, even though Clemson scores just 66.7 points per game. Robert Morris and North Carolina are on the docket for Blossomgame and Co. this week.
13. Boston College (6-4)
The Eagles were idle this week, but will take on UMass Lowell Monday night before heading to Durham for their ACC opener against Duke Saturday afternoon.
14. Florida State (7-5, 0-1)
The Seminoles squeaked out a 63-59 win against Stetson Dec. 22, giving Leonard Hamilton's team a three-game winning streak. Florida State faces a pair of SEC opponents this week in in-state rival Florida and Mississippi State. Aaron Thomas and the Seminoles got a head start in ACC play, but don't jump back into conference action until Jan. 6.
15. Wake Forest (7-6, 0-1)
The Demon Deacons defeated Bucknell Dec. 22 behind 19 points and eight rebounds from star Codi Miller-McIntyre and held on against Richmond with a 65-63 win Sunday. Head coach Danny Manning's first season in Winston-Salem hasn't gotten off to the best of starts, and ACC play may not be forgiving; Wake Forest gets Lousiville and Duke in its first two games of the new year.
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