UNC and Duke Picked To Finish First In ACC Preseason Poll; Ed Davis First Team All-ACC

There is a first for everything I suppose.  In the 41 years the ACC has had the media release a preseason poll, this is the first time there has been a tie at the top.  Needless to say that speaks volumes since I think we are walking headlong into a repeat of 2007, 1995 or 1985 whichever one strikes your fancy.  2007 seems more likely since that season, like this one, was characterized by plenty of youth with a smattering of experience on most teams. Here is the predicted order of finish via ACC Now:

1. Duke (25), 545
1. UNC (20), 545
3. Clemson, 409
4. Georgia Tech (2), 387
5. Maryland, 378
6. Wake Forest (1), 315
7. Florida State, 314
8. Virginia Tech, 273
9. Boston College, 251
10. Miami, 135
11. Virginia, 116
12. N.C. State, 76

Duke actually received more first place votes, but the points are all that really matter.  Since Duke did get more first place votes I assume those three first place votes that went inexplicably to Georgia Tech and Wake Forest also pushed Duke down to 3rd on those ballots creating the tie.  Voting the Yellow Jackets #1 is not that insane but still does not seem grounded in any logic I am buying.  Voting Wake Forest atop the standings is downright nuts however.

As noted above, there is nothing clear-cut about this season of ACC basketball. Everyone has more questions than a box of Trivia Pursuit and answers are speculative at best. The two teams at the top are staring at uncertainty in the backcourt and in the case of UNC no real grasp on where the perimeter scoring is coming from.  Duke’s backcourt is thin and the frontcourt is deep but unproven followed by Clemson has to replace Terrence Oglesby, KC Rivers and Raymond Sykes.  Georgia Tech has Paul Hewitt who can do less with more than any coach in the ACC.  Maryland and Wake Forest both have at least one All ACC player to go along with plenty of question marks.  Florida St, Boston College and Miami all will be looking to replace a dynamic scorer from last season while Virginia Tech has Malcom Delaney but lost some of its interior punch.  No one knows what UVa has except Sylven Landesberg and a coach whose idea of a good time is putting up 60 points in one game while NCSU brings up the rear with the mantra of “Subtraction is addition!” In short, this season will probably be a wild ride which could hinge on which team got the better shake from the cursed unbalanced schedule. It also means, when all else fails put UNC and Duke at the top then stand back and see what happens.

First team All-ACC is reflective of the uncertainty in the standings. Maryland’s Greivis Vasquez and Duke’s Kyle Singler are no brainers based on past work. Clemson’s Trevor Booker is a good choice since he is the focus of the Tiger offense, same is true for Malcom Delaney at Virginia Tech.  Ed Davis being the fifth player on the team looks like the writers collectively decided they had to put someone from UNC on the first team since the Heels were tied atop the poll. Davis was the choice based on potential but who knows what Deon Thompson or even Tyler Zeller might end up doing. Singler was the pick for ACC POY but I am not sold on that.

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