Eagles fly higher in ACC
When it comes to the game of musical conferences, it looks like Boston College is coming out the winner, and Louisville the loser.
After finishing last season with the best record in the Big East, BC bolted from the BE and joined the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) this season.
Meanwhile, after capturing the Conference USA (CUSA) title last season and advancing to the Final Four, the Cardinals assumed the Eagles? perch in the Big East.
For the Cardinals, the move has been painful, especially considering how talented the Big East is this season. Through their first 25 games, Louisville was 16-9 overall with eight losses coming to conference foes. Overall the Cards are 4-8 straight up (SU) in conference play. They began the season ranked as high as No. 7 in Week 1 polls. They?re now off the board.
For the Eagles, the transition to the ACC hasn?t been smooth either. They lost their first three games including their home opener to NC State 78-60 as 5-point favorites.
?It?s definitely embarrassing to come out here for our first ACC game (at home), and to be 0-3,? BC forward Jared Dudley told reporters at the time. ?I expected to do well in this league.?
The Eagles did turn things around and won their next five games before losing a squeaker to Duke 83-81 as 5-point home favorites. Some felt officials showed bias towards the Blue Devils in that game.
BC went on to win the next five before suffering a setback against unranked Virginia on Tuesday, losing 72-58 as a 2.5-point road chalk. The Eagles are 21-6 overall and 8-5 in conference play.
By vacating the highly talented Big East and having modest success in the ACC, the Eagles have remained high in the polls. As of Wednesday, they were ranked No. 11 by the Associated Press, although they?ll likely drop as a result of the loss to the Cavaliers.
Evidence that BC has benefited from the switch to the ACC can be found in the NCAA?s RPI, where BC is ranked way down at No. 34.
The Eagles get a chance to redeem themselves for their opening ACC home loss to N.C. State when they travel to Tobacco Road to take on the No. 15 Wolfpack this Saturday (3:45 p.m. ET, CBS).
Although Dudley tends to get most of the press for BC, forward Craig Smith has arguably been the Eagles? most valuable player. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound senior leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.9 ppg (6th overall in the ACC). Smith also leads the team in rebounds with 8.5 rpg (4th overall) including 5.6 defensive boards (3rd overall).
Dudley is second on the team in scoring with 16.3 ppg.
Prior to Wednesday?s game against No. 21 UNC, the Wolfpack were 21-5 SU and sat in second behind Duke in the ACC with a record of 10-3.
A big component of the Pack?s success has been defense. N.C. State has the lowest field-goal percentage defense in the ACC at .398. They also have the second-lowest three-point percentage defense at .297.
One of the standouts making life difficult for shooters has been Wolfpack center Cedric Simmons. The 6-foot-9 sophomore center has a 7-foot-4 wingspan that?s allowed him distract shooters, block shots and grab boards.
Simmons leads the Wolfpack with 6.6. rpg and 2.8 blocks per game (2nd in the ACC). A low-post threat, Simmons is second on the team in scoring averaging 12.1 ppg. Considered an NBA prospect by some hoops observers, Simmons had a career-high 28 points, plus nine rebounds and seven blocked shots in the Pack?s 81-68 loss to Duke as 12-point road dogs.
Senior G-F Cameron Bennerman leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.7 ppg.
The Eagles head to Raleigh where the Wolfpack are 15-1 SU and 7-5 ATS. Overall, N.C. State is 14-8 ATS. BC is 6-3 SU on the road and 5-4 ATS.
The Wolfpack have a record of 13-8-1 on the OVER/UNDER and have seen eight of their past 11 games top the total.
Other nationally televised games involving Top 25 teams on Saturday:
No. 1 Duke at Temple (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 16 Kansas at No. 7 Texas (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 20 Iowa at No. 8 Illinois (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Michigan at No. 13 Ohio State (1:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Louisville at No. 14 West Virginia (1:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Kentucky at No. 24 LSU (3:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
----Perry
BetWWTS.com
When it comes to the game of musical conferences, it looks like Boston College is coming out the winner, and Louisville the loser.
After finishing last season with the best record in the Big East, BC bolted from the BE and joined the ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) this season.
Meanwhile, after capturing the Conference USA (CUSA) title last season and advancing to the Final Four, the Cardinals assumed the Eagles? perch in the Big East.
For the Cardinals, the move has been painful, especially considering how talented the Big East is this season. Through their first 25 games, Louisville was 16-9 overall with eight losses coming to conference foes. Overall the Cards are 4-8 straight up (SU) in conference play. They began the season ranked as high as No. 7 in Week 1 polls. They?re now off the board.
For the Eagles, the transition to the ACC hasn?t been smooth either. They lost their first three games including their home opener to NC State 78-60 as 5-point favorites.
?It?s definitely embarrassing to come out here for our first ACC game (at home), and to be 0-3,? BC forward Jared Dudley told reporters at the time. ?I expected to do well in this league.?
The Eagles did turn things around and won their next five games before losing a squeaker to Duke 83-81 as 5-point home favorites. Some felt officials showed bias towards the Blue Devils in that game.
BC went on to win the next five before suffering a setback against unranked Virginia on Tuesday, losing 72-58 as a 2.5-point road chalk. The Eagles are 21-6 overall and 8-5 in conference play.
By vacating the highly talented Big East and having modest success in the ACC, the Eagles have remained high in the polls. As of Wednesday, they were ranked No. 11 by the Associated Press, although they?ll likely drop as a result of the loss to the Cavaliers.
Evidence that BC has benefited from the switch to the ACC can be found in the NCAA?s RPI, where BC is ranked way down at No. 34.
The Eagles get a chance to redeem themselves for their opening ACC home loss to N.C. State when they travel to Tobacco Road to take on the No. 15 Wolfpack this Saturday (3:45 p.m. ET, CBS).
Although Dudley tends to get most of the press for BC, forward Craig Smith has arguably been the Eagles? most valuable player. The 6-foot-7, 250-pound senior leads the team in scoring, averaging 16.9 ppg (6th overall in the ACC). Smith also leads the team in rebounds with 8.5 rpg (4th overall) including 5.6 defensive boards (3rd overall).
Dudley is second on the team in scoring with 16.3 ppg.
Prior to Wednesday?s game against No. 21 UNC, the Wolfpack were 21-5 SU and sat in second behind Duke in the ACC with a record of 10-3.
A big component of the Pack?s success has been defense. N.C. State has the lowest field-goal percentage defense in the ACC at .398. They also have the second-lowest three-point percentage defense at .297.
One of the standouts making life difficult for shooters has been Wolfpack center Cedric Simmons. The 6-foot-9 sophomore center has a 7-foot-4 wingspan that?s allowed him distract shooters, block shots and grab boards.
Simmons leads the Wolfpack with 6.6. rpg and 2.8 blocks per game (2nd in the ACC). A low-post threat, Simmons is second on the team in scoring averaging 12.1 ppg. Considered an NBA prospect by some hoops observers, Simmons had a career-high 28 points, plus nine rebounds and seven blocked shots in the Pack?s 81-68 loss to Duke as 12-point road dogs.
Senior G-F Cameron Bennerman leads the team in scoring, averaging 13.7 ppg.
The Eagles head to Raleigh where the Wolfpack are 15-1 SU and 7-5 ATS. Overall, N.C. State is 14-8 ATS. BC is 6-3 SU on the road and 5-4 ATS.
The Wolfpack have a record of 13-8-1 on the OVER/UNDER and have seen eight of their past 11 games top the total.
Other nationally televised games involving Top 25 teams on Saturday:
No. 1 Duke at Temple (2:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 16 Kansas at No. 7 Texas (9:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
No. 20 Iowa at No. 8 Illinois (6:00 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Michigan at No. 13 Ohio State (1:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Louisville at No. 14 West Virginia (1:30 p.m. ET, CBS)
Kentucky at No. 24 LSU (3:45 p.m. ET, CBS)
----Perry
BetWWTS.com
