ACC Breakdown: Virginia confirms status as conference’s top team in Greensboro

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One of the biggest conundrums heading into Selection Sunday was determining the team worthy of claiming the final No. 1 seed. After following up its regular-season title with winning its first ACC Tournament championship in 38 years, Virginia took it without controversy.

The Cavaliers lost four nonconference games before the new year, and they saw a drop in the offensive production of senior sharpshooter and preseason all-ACC honoree Joe Harris.

Harris’ scoring hasn’t increased, but Virginia has escaped losses in all but two games since.

His point totals may have actually been tweaked due to Virginia’s slow-paced offensive attack — or lack thereof. Virginia owns the 345th-fastest adjusted offensive tempo in the country, according to KenPom.com, so it naturally doesn’t attempt an overwhelming amount of shots.

In fact, the Cavaliers needed just 10 second-half field goals to beat Pitt in the ACC Tournament’s semifinal Friday. They attempted 22.

To put that in perspective, Duke’s freshman sensation, Jabari Parker, attempted 24 shots in the Blue Devils’ loss in the ACC Tournament championship game. He made nine.

The Cavs’ NCAA Division-I-best 55.3 points allowed per game has also helped. In the championship game, Virginia held Duke, who scores an average of 80 points per game, to a mere 63.

These are just a few reasons why the Wahoos have also taken The Pitt News’ unanimous first-place vote for the ACC power rankings heading into NCAA Tournament.

Virginia (28-6, 16-2 ACC)

The Cavaliers have recently been playing their best basketball. With 15 championship game points and 47 points overall, Harris was selected as the ACC Tournament’s Most Valuable Player. Malcolm Brogdon chipped in for Virginia with a career-high 23 points Sunday, giving him 39 for the tournament, while senior center Akil Mitchell collected a season-high 15 rebounds. Anthony Gill also contributed to the devastation the Cavaliers caused in the ACC Tournament bracket, scoring 38 points and grabbing 17 rebounds off the bench in their three games.

Duke (26-8, 13-5 ACC)

Duke is also playing what is arguably its best basketball. The Blue Devils committed just 18 turnovers in a three-game span in the ACC Tournament, and they had won their previous 11 games before Sunday. Parker’s total of 23 points tied for the fourth-highest by a freshman in an ACC championship game. This season, Parker is averaging 19.3 points per game, which is the highest average by an ACC freshman since 1993. The Blue Devils received the Midwest’s No. 3 seed.

Syracuse (27-5, 14-4 ACC)

After many projected the Orange as the NCAA Tournament’s No. 1-overall seed, Syracuse has now lost five of seven games and was given the South’s No. 3 seed. After dropping a 66-63 loss to North Carolina State in its ACC Tournament opener, no Syracuse player was voted to the All-Tournament team.

North Carolina (23-9, 13-5 ACC)

Some are already calling it “The Battle of the Point Guards.” The No. 6-seed Tar Heels face No. 11-seed Providence during prime time Friday in a game that features two of college basketball’s best undersized point guards. North Carolina’s 6-foot-1 Marcus Paige is averaging 17.4 points per game, while the Friars’ 6-foot-1 Bryce Cotton is scoring 21.4 points per contest.

Pitt (25-9, 11-7 ACC)

The Panthers are also in the midst of a hot streak. “We’re healthy and playing our best basketball,” Pitt coach Jamie Dixon said after the Panthers lost to Virginia in the ACC Tournament’s semifinal round. “I told our guys we have to continue to improve this week and be ready for next week.” The Panthers received the South’s No. 9 seed and will play No. 8-seed Colorado on Thursday in Orlando at 1:40 p.m. The Panthers committed just eight turnovers against Virginia, and three of them were offensive foul calls — an excellent sign for the Panthers. Talib Zanna was named to the ACC’s All-Tournament team. He grabbed a career-high 21 rebounds in Pitt’s 80-75 win over North Carolina. The total was the highest amount by an ACC player this season.

North Carolina State (21-13, 9-9 ACC)

The Wolfpack snuck into the NCAA Tournament and will participate in the West’s play-in game against Xavier. A No. 12 seed, N.C. State will play No. 6-seed St. Louis with a play-in win. Wolfpack forward T.J. Warren was named to the ACC’s All-Tournament team, as well, and increased scoring totals have brought the sophomore to 24.8 points per game.

Teams that did not make the NCAA Tournament include:

Florida State (9-9, 19-13 ACC)

Maryland (9-9, 17-15 ACC)

Miami (7-11, 17-16 ACC)

Wake Forest (6-12, 17-16 ACC)

Georgia Tech (6-12, 16-17 ACC)

Notre Dame (6-12, 15-17 ACC)

Boston College (4-14, 8-24 ACC)

Virginia Tech (2-16, 9-22 ACC)