What: Virginia Cavaliers (22-8, 9-7 ACC) vs. N.C. State Wolfpack (21-11, 9-7 ACC)
Time: 2:00 p.m.
Date: March 9, 2012
Place: Philips Arena
TV: ESPN 2, ACC Network or you can stream the ACC tournament online at theACC.com or ESPN3.com
Radio: Virginia Sports Radio Network
Spread: NC State -3 Pomeroy: Virginia 62-59 (64%)
Last Meeting: Virginia 61, NC State 60
Last Time Out: NC State 78, Boston College 57
Series: NC State leads 80-58
Last time these two teams met, Ken Pomeroy called it right on button, with a 61-60 victory. Here's to hoping that his system works, and that it takes into account the loss of Malcolm Brogdon. A lot of Hoos are concerned about the depth of the team today, but I don't think it's today that we need to worry about. Virginia's played the last two games without Brogdon, and a couple games before that with him not even close to full strength. Joe Harris has been on and off this past week with concussion-like symptoms, but was at least practicing with the team. Sene has been out all season.
If Virginia is fortunate enough to get out of this game and break their 11-year drought to reach the ACC semifinals, it's tomorrow that Hoos need to worry about, what with Carolina's overabundance of talent and Virginia's seven able players with a combined 13 hands.
Winner of this game punches their ticket into the NCAA Tournament. Loser stays on the edge of their seat until Selection Sunday. NC State head coach Mark Gottfried had some choice words to say about Virginia, according to Doug Doughty.
"Look at Virginia. They've got no wins against the big three in our league [North Carolina, Florida State and Duke] and they've got the 223rd-ranked non-conference strength of schedule [actually the 227th]. Yet they seem to be solidly in the field. We could have been ranked [in the Top 25] if we'd scheduled the 223rd-ranked schedule."
So many things awry with this statement, the first being that Virginia beat NC State on the Wolfpack's own court. The second is that not only does NC State not have any wins "against the big three," but they only beat one team in the conference's top seven.
I'll let you guys dig down further into this. Leave your pre-, in- and post-game thoughts here, as well as any awesome gifs, and Go HOOS!