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| Duke University celebrating the 2010 National Championship |
Collegiate athletics will be in full swing when the 2010-2011 college basketball season tips off in November. The Duke Blue Devils are looking forward to making another title run while trying to repeat as the ACC regular season and tournament champions. Here is a look at my predictions for the teams that will battle for the top spots in the ACC.
1. DUKE: The defending National champions are coming back with a wealth of talent. Leading scorer Kyle Singler, 17.7 points, returns for his senior year while being surrounded by top recruiting prospects Kyrie Irving and Joshua Hairston. The Blue Devils also added the sharp-shooting transfer Seth Curry (Stephen Curry’s younger brother).
2. NORTH CAROLINA: The Tar Heels look forward to rebounding from their dismal 20-17 and 5-11 record in the ACC. Coach Roy Williams was shocked by the late transfers of forwards David and Travis Wear to UCLA, but Williams signed three top 30 prospects in Harrison Barnes No.1 in the ESPNU 100, Reggie Bullock No.13 and Kendall Marshall No. 19. The biggest question for the Heels is can junior guard Larry Drew II be an efficient leader for this team?
3. VIRGINIA TECH: After being snubbed from the NCAA Tournament after going 25-9 and 10-6 in the ACC last season, head coach Seth Greenburg and the Hokies are determined to make some noise. Senior Malcolm Delaney decided to return in order to lead his team and the Hokies non-conference schedule should put them over the hump.
4. FLORIDA STATE: Recruits Okaro White, Bernard James, and Ian Miller have a chance to make early impacts for the Seminoles especially with the loss of Solomon Alabi who anchored their defense.
5. NC STATE: The Wolfpack defeated Duke last season so there is some talent in their program. For head coach Sidney Lowe, this may be his last chance to uplift this program back into relevancy.
6. MARYLAND: Greivis Vasquez was the heart and soul of the Terrapins for four years and now his pulse is gone. They shared the co-ACC regular season championship with dude at 13-3, so they might be the dark horse of the league this season.
7. CLEMSON: Brad Brownell is taking over the program after Oliver Purnell’s exit. Hopefully Brownell can keep these players from folding down the stretch of the season. They will look for freshmen Damien Leonard and Cory Stanton to contribute early.
8. BOSTON COLLEGE: The Eagles are another ACC team bringing in a new coach in Steve Donahue. They were 6-10 in ACC play last season so expect similar numbers this year.
9. GEORGIA TECH: Derrick Favors absence is going to hurt the Yellow Jackets. Paul Hewitt’s team will rely on his guards whom are turnover prone.
10. WAKE FOREST: Wake Forest loss their best player in Al-Farouq Aminu and Jeff Bzdelik is their new coach. The Demon Deacons will not duplicate their 20 wins from a season ago.
11. MIAMI: Hurricane fever will not be in effect this season. They got pounded in league play and it might be repeated. Sophomore Durand Scott will have his hands full.
12. VIRGINIA: Six freshmen enter the program so this will be another rebuilding year for the Cavaliers.
