As the eyes of college basketball descend upon Tobacco Road for Wednesday?s game between rivals Duke and North Carolina, the real intrigue lies in the race among seven teams battling for third and fourth places in the Atlantic Coast Conference.
No. 2 Duke (19-1 overall, 7-0 ACC) and No. 3 North Carolina (21-1, 6-1) meet for the 224th time Wednesday at 9 p.m. in Chapel Hill in a series the Tar Heals lead, 127-96.
The rivalry will draw interest, as will the return of longtime ESPN analyst Dick Vitale, who underwent surgery on his vocal cords last year.
“In my opinion, he?s the best ambassador of college basketball we have,” UNC coach Roy Williams said. “His passion, his enthusiasm its great for the game. Here?s a guy who had some adversity, and he?s bouncing back to what he loves.”
Vitale?s return and likely enthusiasm about one of basketball?s best rivalries will add significance to the game. But really, the game has little meaning to the ACC standings, as both teams are considered destined to the NCAA Tournament. But the same can?t be said for the rest of the conference in which seven teams are decided by 1 1/2 games, and the conference likely will get no more than six teams into the NCAA Tournament. Virginia Tech (14-8, 5-3) is in third, Clemson (16-5, 4-3) and Maryland (14-8, 4-3) are tied for fourth and four teams ? N.C. State, Wake Forest, Boston College and Georgia Tech ? are all 3-4 in conference play.
Miami (2-5) and Florida State (2-6) are a few wins away from contention, and Virginia (1-6), which reached the second round of the NCAA Tournament last season, has lost seven of its past eight games.
But Virginia isn?t the only team needing to improve its standing, Clemson coach Oliver Purnell said.
“Everybody in our league is that way right now,” he said. “I don?t know if you want to call it desperate or if you want to call it teams approaching these games with a sense of urgency.”
North Carolina (3), Duke (4), Clemson (27), Miami (39), and N.C. State (42) fall within the RPI top 50. Virginia Tech (56), Wake Forest (64), Maryland (67), and Boston College (82) need some wins to build a case to the NCAA Tournament?s selection committee why they should be awarded an at-large berth into the college basketball?s marquee event if they do not win the ACC Tournament. In 2005, Maryland had an RPI of 57 and did not make the tournament.
The Terrapins have won eight of their past 10, showing marked improvement since the last time they played Boston College ? an 81-78 loss in College Park on Dec. 9. Maryland visits the Eagles (12-8, 3-4) Wednesday night at 7 with the chance to seperate from the middle of the pack.
“Our strength in our league is to have two outstanding teams that have proven themselves like Duke and North Carolina have,” Maryland coach Gary Williams said. “I don?t see a weak team there that can?t compete with anybody on any given night. That?s why I think you see the logjam in the middle of our conference. We?ve beaten each other.”
Terrapins this week
» WEDNESDAY: at Boston College, 7 p.m., ESPNU/105.7FM, 1300 AM
» SATURDAY: vs. N.C. State, 8 p.m., RLF/105.7FM, 1300 AM
