ACC Basketball Recap

The ACC is once again lighting up the college basketball scene, and all eyes are on the powerhouse known as Duke—currently the frontrunner to seize the conference crown! Once the unrivaled titan of NCAA hoops, the ACC is on a mission to reclaim its former glory amidst fierce rivalries and relentless competition.

Our thrilling day of basketball kicks off with a nostalgic clash as Pittsburgh takes on Syracuse, reviving the legendary Big East rivalry! The Panthers, battling a tough 3-4 conference record and stuck in a four-game slump, faced off against a Syracuse squad eager to bounce back from a recent road loss to Clemson. The arena buzzed with electricity as Pittsburgh pulled off a nail-biting 77-73 victory, led by the unstoppable Jaland Lowe, who dazzled the crowd with a phenomenal 22 points! Syracuse’s J.J. fought hard, putting up 16 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Panthers. With this emotional win, Pittsburgh climbs back to a .500 record and boasts an impressive overall mark of 13-6!

Next, we jet over to Raleigh, North Carolina, where NC State hosted the imposing SMU Mustangs. SMU charged in with a sturdy 5-3 conference record while the Wolfpack struggled at 2-6. The Mustangs faced an early downturn, falling behind 8-0 right off the bat. But like true warriors, they shifted gears and powered through for a thrilling 63-57 victory! Samet Yigitoglu was simply sensational for SMU, racking up an impressive 20 points, while NC State’s Marcus Hill chipped in with 14.

Our epic journey takes us deeper into North Carolina, where Boston College—with a conference record of 1-7—aimed to pull off a major upset against a shaky UNC team sitting at 5-3 and favored by a staggering 18.5 points! The Eagles brought the heat, terrifying the Tar Heels at every turn. Just when it seemed they had a shot, BC stumbled in the final seconds with a botched inbounds play. UNC’s RJ Davis had a desperate look at a game-winner that rimmed out! The drama carried on into overtime, where the Tar Heels surged ahead, outpacing BC 13-7 for a thrilling 102-96 home win. RJ Davis led UNC with 22 points, and Boston College’s Donald Hand was on fire, scoring a stunning 26 points!

Then came the moment everyone had been waiting for: Duke—the number two ranked team—led by the phenomenal Cooper Flagg—faced off against Wake Forest in a highly anticipated showdown in Winston-Salem. Duke started a bit sluggish but stormed to a commanding 35-22 halftime lead. The second half turned into an edge-of-your-seat thriller as Wake Forest clawed back to challenge the Blue Devils! With Cooper Flagg himself committing a staggering 6 turnovers, Duke fans were left breathless. Just when the pressure was on, Duke’s Proctor and Gills nailed crucial shots to reclaim the lead. As the clock ticked down, Duke found itself clinging to a narrow 61-56 lead with just 16.2 seconds remaining. In a heart-pounding finale, Duke held on for the victory against a gritty Wake Forest squad. Flagg finished with an impressive 24 points, while Wake's Juke Harris led his team with 14 in a spectacular contest!

Clemson dominated Virginia Tech, controlling the pace right from the tip-off to secure a smooth 72-57 victory! Chauncey Wiggins shined brightly for the Tigers, scoring 16 points, while Virginia Tech’s Toby Lawal led his squad with 14.

In a vital clash of struggling teams, Notre Dame traveled to Charlottesville with something to prove against Virginia—and they delivered! The Fighting Irish showcased their prowess from the tip, ultimately finishing strong with a roaring 74-59 triumph! Markus Burton stole the show with a sensational 21 points for Notre Dame, while Jacob Cofie fought valiantly for Virginia, leading his team with 17.

As the dust settled from a battle of two 13-6 teams, Florida State made the journey to Stanford, California, to take on the Stanford Cardinal. From the get-go, it was all Stanford, but FSU gave it their all, nearly pulling off a comeback that fell just short in a thrilling 78-71 final. Oziyah Sellers was electric, scoring 27 points for Stanford, while Jamir Watkins led FSU with 20.

This leads us to the final game of the night in the acc. The last place Miami Hurricanes heads to is Berkeley Ca to take on California. A rough season for Miami as their long-time coach Jim Larranaga stepped down after 14 seasons back in December. They come into this game on an eight-game losing streak. Miami starts extremely poor heading into halftime down 47-39. Coming to the second half Miami fought back. Down 2 Cal goes 1 out of 2 from the line to make it a 3-point game. With 1 second left, Matthew Cleaveland hits a 3 to send the game into overtime. DJ Campbell goes red-hot in overtime for Cal but Miami keeps fighting. Miami falls short losing 98-94. The leader's scorers are Jeremiah Wilkinson with 30 points for Cal and Matthew Cleveland with 30 of his own for Miami.

What a day bursting with exhilarating ACC action! Buckle up, because more heart-stopping matchups are headed your way!

Updates ACC Standings

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