One: State runs into a buzzsaw… then the virus
Suffice it to say, the Wolfpack has had some tough luck lately. N.C. State’s game Tuesday against Florida State wasn’t close for long, as the Seminoles jumped out to a 25-point halftime lead en route to a 105-73 win. Along the way, FSU shot 67 percent from beyond the arc, 71 percent overall, and 100 percent from the free throw line. Against an effort like that from Florida State, the Wolfpack wouldn’t have had much of a chance unless David Thompson had walked out onto the court. As of the next day, N.C. State’s program had a COVID-19 cluster, and has since postponed two games. In a bit of good news, they aren’t scheduled to play the Seminoles again.
Two: Tough but understandable road losses for UNC and Duke
Despite some costly turnovers and missed shots that cost the Tar Heels the game, the 82-75 loss to Florida State on Saturday was still a promising performance, particularly for guards R.J. Davis and Caleb Love. The freshmen seemed to be able to settle into the offense and play more freely thanks to the addition of sophomore Anthony Harris into the fold. Harris, playing his first game minutes since tearing his ACL in December 2019, tallied five points and three assists in just nine minutes, and his stabilizing presence seemed to relieve some of the immense pressure on the shoulders of Love and Davis (who finally turned around their poor shooting, combining to make 56 percent of their three-pointers). The Tar Heels should be able to remedy the big man struggles that kept them from getting over the hump in this one, but UNC fans should be encouraged by the performance. Just like N.C. State, Carolina was simply unable to overcome a strong performance by the Seminoles.
Meanwhile, Duke’s second half comeback came up short as the Blue Devils fell 74-67 to 20th-ranked Virginia Tech on Saturday. However, they got excellent games from freshman Jeremy Roach (who notched a career-high 22 points) and sophomore Matthew Hurt (who recorded his third double-double of the season). Duke simply gave up too many open shots–to Keve Aluma and Tyrece Radford on the inside and to Jalen Cone beyond the arc–to stay in the game. The loss caused the Blue Devils to drop out of the top 25 for the first time since 2016, but this is still a young and improving team. The return of Jalen Johnson, who got back on the floor Saturday after missing more than a month with a foot injury, is another promising sign for the Blue Devils.
Three: Virginia asserts its dominance
The ACC’s marquee matchup from this past week quickly turned into a blowout, as the 18th-ranked Cavaliers routed 12th-ranked Clemson to the tune of 85-50. Guards Kihei Clark and Reece Beekman carved up the Clemson defense, combining for 11 assists, and the Cavaliers showcased remarkable range as they connected on an impressive (though not FSU-level) 55 percent of their threes. The UVA pack line defense held Aamir Simms, Clemson’s pre-season first team all-conference big man, to just two points in the game, and the Tigers were held scoreless during a 10-minute stretch of the first half. After a slow start to the season, this result could signal a return to Virginia’s usual dominance, and it was the kind of performance that should strike fear into the rest of the ACC. Except, of course, for Florida State.
