Buzzketball Central: ACC Remaining Regular Season and Projected ACC Tourney Bracket

All right Hokie fans, as we close in on the ACC tournament, I wanted to give you a last look at what still has to go down between now and the tournament. No team seems to want to lock up the conference yet, with several top teams suffering losses this week.

Currently this is how the Conference breaks down.

Take into account that Louisville is not participating in the conference tournament, so that essentially bumps everyone behind them up one spot. They are however still in position to win the regular season title if breaks go their way.
1) #12 Miami - The Hurricanes have a lot more to play for then I thought, with the possibility of winning their second regular season ACC title under Jim Larranaga in the last four years. They close out their season with #23 Notre Dame and then us. They are both away games so I imagine that Miami will probably lose at least one of the two games, most likely Notre Dame unfortunately. Projected finish 13-5 in the ACC.
2) #7 UNC – The Tar Heels keep making bad mistakes that drop them from the top echelon # 1 seeding for the NCAA Tournament. They have Syracuse and #15 Duke remaining. The Orange have to go to Chapel Hill, while UNC travels to Cameron. I could see UNC winning both these games depending on which Duke team shows up. Projected finish 14-4 in the ACC.
3) #3 UVA – Don't look now but the Wahoo's are third in the country, so much for the rule changes setting them back. UVA finishes with games at Clemson and then home against #11 Louisville. I think the Cavs handle the Tigers but lose to Louisville, throwing their top seed into jeopardy, as Louisville will be treating this game as their conference championship. Projected Finish 12-6.
4) #11 Louisville – The Cardinals are a pretty pissed off team right now, having their administration take away their post season for previous sins of the program. They finish the season with games at home versus Georgia Tech and away at UVA. I think they win both games. Projected Finish 13-5.
5) #15 Duke – The Blue Devils are nearly impossible to guage this season. Their last two games will likely be split with a win over Wake Forest and a loss to UNC. Projected Finish 11-7
6) #23 Notre Dame – The Irish have had one of the most difficult schedules in the ACC this season. They finish it with a home games against Miami and NC State. I think that the Irish split this. Projected Finish 11-7
7) Pittsburgh – The Panthers have been terrible on the road in the ACC this year and they finish the season with two road games, playing us and then Georgia Tech. I think that VT may surprise the Panthers at home with a good crowd and less biased officiating. Projected Finish 10-8
8) Syracuse – For a team that looked so lost when Jim Boeheim was suspended, the Orange definitely came on strong this season. The Orange get the priviledge of finishing their year on the road at UNC and Florida State. The y to the Heels and then beat the Seminoles. Projected Finish – 10-8
9) Clemson – The ACC giveth and then they taketh away, or in this case, they taketh and then giveth. Clemson finishes the season at UVA and then home against BC. Split decision. Projected Finish 10-8
10) Virginia Tech – The Hokies have Pitt and then Miami at home with a chance at a winning record in the ACC which would be a first in almost five years. Unfortunately I don't see us beating both of these teams and possibly neither but we will project them the surprise win over Pitt. Expected Finish 9-9
11) Georgia Tech – Finishing the year at #11 Louisville and then home against Pitt just isn't friendly. I think the Jackets lose both. Projected Finish 7-11
12) Florida State – Two home games against the Irish and the Orangemen is how FSU finishes up. They surprised the Irish. Projected Finish 7-11
13) NC State – Home against BC and then away to play the Irish. This team splits the last two games. Projected Finish 5-13
14) Wake Forest – The Deacons finish with a loss to Virginia Tech and then at Duke. A final insult to what seemed a prosperous season early on, Wake loses to Duke. Projected Finish 2-16.
15) Boston College – Already the first team to start an ACC season 0-16, the trend will continue when they play at NC State and then home against Clemson. Projected Finish 0-18.

Projected Standings

It seems very likely that we are going to face Clemson in the second round of the ACC tournament. The scary part is that spots 5-10 are all still possibilities for this team with the two remaining games. 10-8 could put us as high as 5, 8-10 could put us back in the 10 spot. Duke and Notre Dame sit at 4 and 5 respectively when you remove Louisville at 10-6 right now. Pitt, Syracuse and Clemson all sit at 9-7, we are at 8-8 and Georgia Tech is at 7-9.