ACC Breakdown: Duke-UNC clash highlights dwindling regular season

Duke hosts North Carolina on Saturday in a game that will likely decide the ACC’s third-place team. Naturally, members of Duke’s student body have been camping outside ticket offices all week to secure one of the 9,314 seats in Cameron Indoor Stadium for the 9 p.m. tipoff.

Standing in Duke’s way to a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament is one of the hottest teams in college basketball. The Tar Heels have won 12 consecutive games, and they beat Duke (74-66) in the teams’ first meeting a little more than two weeks ago.

Yet, Duke’s star freshman, Jabari Parker, has added more dimension to his game as the season has progressed. Parker leads the ACC in double-doubles (12), rebounding (8.9 boards per game) and is second in scoring (18.8 points per game). He is also projected by many to be selected No. 1 overall in the 2014 NBA Draft in late June, if he chooses to enter.

But Parker is also far from being one-dimensional with enterprise talents.

The Duke faithful got a taste of Parker’s culinary creation, “Jabari Bars,” Monday, and if the food reviews are free of bias, Parker might become more financially secure if he elects to open a bakery in the near future.

Parker threw on an apron Monday to bake his patented dessert in bulk and provided hundreds of Cameron Crazies with something to munch on while studying in their tents.

“The Crazies have been out there for weeks. The Jabari Bars are what they need,” Parker said in a video released by Duke Athletics.

Parker insisted the recipe be kept “top-secret,” but in the video, he uses a combination of crushed graham crackers, coconut, chocolate chips and lots of butter. He made the first Jabari Bar when he was in seventh grade.

One Crazy awarded the bars a 12 out of 10. Another, an 11. Parker wasn’t sure if the Crazies’ biases were bluff or fluff, but he said he’s sure his family and native friends of Chicago wouldn’t  sugarcoat their reviews.

“They think I’m the bomb when it comes to this dessert,” he said.

Parker said the bars “help your handles” because the graham-cracker-crushing process exercises hands and builds forearm muscle. With a straight face, he compared the conceptual duties of basketball to work in the kitchen.

“Basketball and cooking are kind of similar because, for me, I don’t use measuring cups,” he said. “So it’s all about sight, it’s all about feel, it’s all about being aware.”

Obscure analogies aside, all we can be sure of is that both teams and their followings are hungry for a win — regardless of the number of Jabari Bars eaten.

Here are The Pitt News’ updated ACC power rankings.

1. Virginia (25-5, 16-1 ACC)

In the unofficial ACC regular-season championship game, the Cavaliers dismantled Syracuse, 75-56, claiming the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament. Guard Malcolm Brogdon has now scored 10 or more points in 17 consecutive games — an ACC best — including 13 games with 14 or more points.

2. Syracuse (26-3, 13-3 ACC)

The Orange have lost three of their past four games, and in two weeks, they’ve gone from No. 1 to No. 7 in the national rankings. Point guard Tyler Ennis is still at the top of his game, though, leading the ACC in assists (5.6) and steals (2.1). If Ennis can hold the top spot after the finale against Florida State on Sunday, he would become the first-ever freshman to accomplish the feat.

T-3 Duke (23-6, 12-4 ACC)

Lopsided scoring totals have been a theme for the Blue Devils this season. They have had at least one 20-point scorer in 22 games this season, and their exceptional 3-point shooting has continued. Andre Dawkins (.447), Rasheed Sulaimon (.440) and Rodney Hood (.436) have traded places, but haven’t surrendered the top three spots in the ACC’s best 3-point percentages. Hood has now played 26 consecutive games in which he has scored a 3-point basket.

T-3 North Carolina (23-7, 13-4 ACC)

A win against Duke on Saturday will tie the Tar Heels’ longest winning streak since 2008-2009. The Tar Heels narrowly escaped upset against Notre Dame on Monday, but James Michael McAdoo had 14 points and nine rebounds in North Carolina’s 63-61 thriller. While McAdoo leads the ACC in attempted free throws per game, the junior forward is shooting just 52.3 percent from the line.

5. Pitt (22-8, 10-7 ACC)

The Panthers’ late-season woes could prevent the ACC from landing five teams in the NCAA Tournament. After losing at home to Florida State and North Carolina State, Pitt has fallen from the national rankings to a bubble team in tournament projections. The Panthers could hear some “N-I-T” chants from Clemson students Saturday if they find themselves down late in the game.

6. Clemson (18-10, 9-7 ACC)

Forward K.J. McDaniels leads the ACC in blocked shots (2.8) and has played five games in which he accumulated at least 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Tigers have lost four of their past seven, but are coming off a double-overtime win against Maryland at home. McDaniels, who has scored an average of 17.1 points per game, had his fifth game with 20 or more points and 10 or more rebounds against Maryland, registering 26 points and 14 rebounds. He also had six blocked shots.

7. Florida State (17-11, 8-8 ACC)

Forward Okaro White, who scored 18 points last week in a win against Georgia Tech, has averaged 20 points and six rebounds over his past two games. The Seminoles host Syracuse on Sunday at 2 p.m.

8. North Carolina State (18-12, 8-9 ACC)

Forward T.J. Warren set a Petersen Events Center scoring record in the Wolfpack’s 74-67 upset over Pitt. Warren scored 41 points while also setting another Petersen Events Center record with 16 made field goals. He leads the ACC in scoring with an average of 24.2 points per game.

9. Maryland (15-14, 7-9 ACC)

Terrapins junior guard Dez Wells might be the brightest part of a disappointing season for Maryland. Wells leads the team in scoring (14.8 points per game) and is shooting 47.8 percent from the floor. Additionally, he’s scored 11 or more points in 25 of his 29 games.

10. Miami (15-14, 6-10 ACC)

The Hurricanes host Wake Forest on Saturday at 2 p.m. to conclude a lackluster campaign. Guard Rion Brown has scored 10 or more points in 11 consecutive games, and he leads Miami in both scoring average (15.0 points per game) and rebounding average (6.2 boards).

11. Notre Dame (15-16, 6-12 ACC)

The Irish’s loss at North Carolina marked the end of their regular season. Guard Eric Atkins is fourth among ACC players in career scoring with 1,387 points. He’s also been playing his best basketball of the season lately, averaging 17 points and 6.5 assists during his last two contests.

12. Wake Forest (15-14, 5-11 ACC)

Four of the Demon Deacons’ starters scored in double figures, but lowly Wake Forest still lost to even more lowly Boston College on Saturday, 80-72.

13. Georgia Tech (13-16, 4-12 ACC)

The Yellow Jackets finish their season against Virginia Tech on Saturday at 2 p.m. Senior Daniel Miller has blocked at least one shot in 107 of his 122 career games and is 12th on the ACC all-time blocked shot list with 276.

14. Boston College (8-21, 4-12 ACC)

The Eagles travel to play North Carolina State on Sunday at 6 p.m. Guard Olivier Hanlan has scored 10 or more points in 36 of his past 38 games. A sophomore, Hanlan is averaging about 18 points per game and already has amassed more than 1,000 career points.

15. Virginia Tech (9-19, 2-14 ACC)

Freshman point guard and Montour High School graduate Devin Wilson is second among ACC players in assists (4.79), and he gets to the free-throw line more than any ACC freshman, attempting roughly 6.2 free-throws per game.