Christmas Miracle? Predicting 4 upsets for the rest of the ACC basketball season
Christmas is finally here, and college basketball’s conference schedule will soon be in full swing across the country.
Every ACC team has already played at least one conference game as well as a full nonconference slate, so we already have an idea of each team’s relative strength.
Duke appears to be far and away the top team in the ACC and is currently ranked No. 6 in the country by KenPom. The next closest ACC team is No. 24 Virginia Tech, who lost to the Blue Devils by double digits earlier this week.
With that being said, upsets are still possible — or even probable — throughout a grueling ACC schedule.
Here’s a prediction for 4 major upsets — along with KenPom’s projected outcome as of Christmas day — for the remainder of the ACC’s season:
Wake Forest over Duke on Jan. 12
Wake Forest has already proved to be one of the more dynamic teams in the ACC. The Demon Deacons are led by senior guard Alondes Williams, who has already racked up a triple double and three 30-point games during nonconference play. If he has a big game vs. the Blue Devils, it could gave Wake Forest the marquee win it needs to make the NCAA Tournament. This game also comes at an awkward time for Duke — the middle game of a three-game stretch over eight days in mid-January.
KenPom projection: 26 percent
Georgia Tech over Virginia Tech on Feb. 2
Similar to Wake Forest, Georgia Tech’s offense runs through one key player — Michael Devoe. He’s averaging 21 points per game so far this year, which leads the ACC. His scoring and efficiency means the Yellow Jackets are capable of beating most teams on any given night. The Hokies could be susceptible to an upset coming off an important game vs. Florida State on Jan. 29.
KenPom projection: 15 percent
North Carolina over Duke on Feb. 5
Duke looks to be the runaway favorite in the ACC, so any conference game it loses this season would be an upset. That includes a matchup vs. UNC in Chapel Hill, which will be the last for Mike Krzyzewski. The Tar Heels are built to be an explosive team offensively, especially if Caleb Love and Dawson Garcia are hitting shots. A win over Duke would earn a lot good will for first-year coach Hubert Davis.
KenPom projection: 38 percent
Syracuse over North Carolina on Feb. 28
This is the penultimate game of the ACC’s regular season, and Syracuse is likely to be the more desperate team. The Orange will probably be on the NCAA Tournament bubble by late February, and a win over the Tar Heels could go a long way toward their résumé. It’s also a tough spot for North Carolina, who could be caught looking ahead to the final game of the regular season — and the last Duke-North Carolina game of Mike Krzyzewski’s career on March 5.
KenPom projection: 26 percent