The Atlantic Coast Conference boasts the nation?s top-ranked team in North Carolina, but Maryland coach Gary Williams said the conference?s strength is its depth.
“I think that?s what separates the ACC from other leagues,” Williams said. “Its not necessarily the top two or three teams, but from one to 12, there are no easy places to play.”
The classic ACC contenders ? the Tobacco Road trio of UNC, Duke and N.C. State ? are the only ranked teams in the various preseason polls.
“When we think about what we want to do, we say we want to be the best team in the country. We say we want to be ACC champions, national champions,” Duke senior guard DeMarcus Nelson said at ACC Media Day last month. “Those are the type of goals that we set. If we are those things, then we?ll be the best team in the [Tobacco Road] Triangle.”
North Carolina was named the preseason favorite to win the conference, and junior forward Tyler Hansborough was named the Preseason Conference Player of the Year.
“I think it makes you prepare more,” Hansborough told reporters last month. “With that added pressure, you kind of expect every team to be going at you harder, so that makes you practice harder and kind of do all the little things right.”
North Carolina made the furthest trek of any ACC school in last year?s NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels lost to Georgetown, 96-84, in the Elite Eight.
Seven ACC teams made the NCAA Tournament in March, and Florida State, N.C. State and Clemson each went to the National Invitational Tournament.
After the ACC had nine players ? including three freshmen ? selected in the NBA Draft, many of the conference teams are relying on younger players this winter.
Maryland has seven freshmen who will be learning on the job in a tough environment. But ask any player, and they?ll say the ACC does a tremendous job preparing its teams to have success in the NCAA Tournament.
“We?ve always had a competitive schedule. Just playing in the ACC itself makes our schedule competitive,” Maryland senior forward James Gist said. “That helps us out when it comes time to play in the tournament.”
