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ACC WBB Standings, Info

Sonja

Moderator
Moderator
Jun 20, 2001
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Louisville
www.cardinalcouple.com
ACC WBB as of 1/9/21:

There are still two undefeated teams in conference and overall play. Those are NC State (5-0, 10-0) and Louisville (2-0, 9-0). There are three teams currently in the AP Top 25. Louisville is ranked #2, NC State is ranked #3 and Syracuse (2-1, 6-1) checks in at #24.

In conference games, behind the Cards and Wolfpack are FSU (3-1, 4-1), Syracuse, Georgia Tech (3-2, 5-3), UNC (2-2, 7-2), Clemson (3-3, 8-3), Notre Dame (3-3, 5-5), Wake Forest (2-2, 5-3), Miami (2-4, 5-4), Pitt (1-2, 3-3), Va Tech (1-3, 6-3) Boston College (1-4, 5-4), Virginia (0-2, 0-5). Duke (0-1, 3-1) has opted-out for the season.

Now for some personal observations:

Biggest surprise team of the season (so far): Georgia Tech.

ACC preseason pickfor ninth, the Yellow Jackets are getting it done without All-Everything Francesca Pan, who is playing pro ball in Italy. Stepping up for Nell Fortner are Lotta-May Lahtinen and Lorela Cubaj. I guess you could say "L's Up!" in Atlanta? An interesting tidbit about GT. Cardinal great Jordan Nwora's sister Ronni is on the squad, she's 6'2" but out with injury.

Biggest disappointment team (so far): Virginia.

I figured with Tina Thompson coming in as head coach and the Cavs having a rich recruiting base, they would do pretty well this year. They sit at 0-5 and are last in the ACC in scoring (51.7 ppg) by a wide margin. One of the few bright spots for the Hoos is Amandine Toi, with 14.0 ppg. She's a story, she had to sit out her first two years in Charlottesville because of knee injuries. She came in highly regarded, a member of the French National Team and is just now beginning to reach her goals. What's troubling is that Virginia's next currently scheduled five games are NC State, Georgia Tech, Florida State, North Carolina and NC State again. It's not hard to imagine them 0-10 after that stretch.

MVP: Dana Evans

Say what you will about Elissa Cunane, Elizabeth Kitley, Aisha Sheppard, Taylor Soule and/or Ivana Raca. The clear MVP is Dana Evans. She leads the league in scoring. Her Cardinals are #2 in the nation. She guided the Cards to victory at Va Tech.

Coach of the Year: Jeff Walz

This category is really a tough one, at first glance, when you consider what Wes Moore, Nell Fortner, Quentin Hillsman, Kenny Brooks and some others have accomplished this season -- but I go with Jeff Walz. He's done wonderful work with a squad that has just one senior. A program that has struggled just to find opponents. Walz has taken a talented group of student-athletes, asked them to set their egos aside and be "all-in" for team goals and unity. The city of Louisville didn't exactly have a calm and non-controversial 2020 -- Walz kept the squad together, they discussed the chaotic world and city they were living in and his group has responded with a 9-0 record, is #2 in the nation and done it with class and style. Outsiders will probably never know or realize just what Walz has gone through in the last 10 months. He's still able to smile, to make quips and have successes.

Walz will tell you that his team still needs a lot of work. I can't think of anyone better to lead them to the job site and get that work done.

The road ahead awaits. What will the ACC -- all of college basketball -- see? I can't predict it, I'm just thankful for what we've been able to see and write about so far. I hope for an ACC Tournament, an NCAA Tournament and. most of all -- good health and less postponements for the student athletes and their programs.

--sonja--
 
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