The temperatures are dropping outside and that can only mean one thing -- basketball season is on it's way. Teams around the country started practice last week and the anticipation for the opening tip-off is beginning to build on Tobacco Road. Click through as we take a look at each of the ACC squads this season and make predictions about where they will end up. The league looks as if it will have more parity this season than the past couple years, which should makes things very interesting in February and March.
In reverse alphabetical order:
Wake Forest - As you might expect, the first fact that comes up about the Demon Deacons is the loss of James Johnson and Jeff Teague to the NBA draft. However, Wake still has a lot of talent, length and experience on their roster. They will be led by preseason All-American candidate Al-Farouq Aminu and senior point guard Ish Smith, who will look to claim the number two spot in assists in the Wake Forest record books by the end of the season. Alongside Smith will be seniors L.D. Williams and Chas McFarland. Williams has never been much of a threat from the outside, but brings a great defensive and athletic presence to the Deacon lineup. The 7'0 McFarland is by far the best post scorer for Wake and can be a force in the paint if he keeps his head in the game and stays out of foul trouble. Helping McFarland in the post will be a trio of big bodies in Tony Woods, David Weaver and Ty Walker. The preliminary reviews of Woods' improvement have been positive, as he looks to make a big jump in his sophomore season. The biggest wild card for Wake is newcomer Ari Stewart. At 6'7" with nice touch, the versatile Stewart can score inside and out and will be tough to keep out of the starting lineup. Wake is thin in the backcourt, so Konner Tucker, Gary Clark and C.J. Harris will need to be ready when their numbers are called. If Aminu, Stewart and Smith can pick up most of the scoring slack left behind by Teague and Johnson, the Deacons should comfortably be an NCAA tournament team.
Virginia Tech - The Hokies have, in my estimation, the best guard in the conference in Malcolm Delaney. Delaney averaged 18 points and nearly 4 assists last season and always seems to make a big play when it is needed most. The Hokies' other star player is Jeff Allen, who averaged nearly 14 points and 9 rebounds last season. Allen is a big-bodied forward who is a reliable post scorer and can also step out and make long jumpers. The key for VT will be finding someone to replace the scoring of departed senior shooter A.D. Vassallo as well as a reliable backcourt mate for Delaney. The candidates for the other guard spot are junior Dorenzo Hudson and freshmen Erick Boggs and Ben Boggs after last year's backup point guard Hank Thorns left the program unexpectedly. Forward J.T. Thompson figures to be in the starting lineup after bringing a lot of energy to the floor last season and sophomore Victor Davila should be in the mix as well. If the Hokies are going to finally slip off the bubble and into the tournament, they will do so on the shoulders of Delaney and from unexpected scoring from a couple of the unheralded freshmen.
Virginia - New Cavaliers coach Tony Bennett brings an offense to the ACC that will have opponents frustrated more often than not. His slow paced attack was very effective at Washington State and if UVA's players can adjust, it could make for some very interesting games in Charlottesville. Of course, the Cavs are led by star sophomore Sylven Landesburg. Landesburg can play several positions and is a threat to score from outside or off penetration. As a freshman he averaged just under 17 points per game and was named the ACC rookie of the year. Calvin Baker and the speedy Sammy Zeglinski fill out the UVA backcourt and will look to take some of the pressure off the shoulders of Landesburg. The second option for the Cavaliers is power forward Mike Scott. Scott was inconsistent last season, but showed flashes of what he can become in his final two seasons in the paint. Helping Scott in the post will be developing center Assane Sene, smooth shooting forward Jamil Tucker and versatile freshman Tristan Spurlock. While Virginia should be improved from last year, it may take some time for Tony Bennett to get them back into the tournament. However, judging by his recruiting lately, this may happen sooner than other ACC fans are expecting.
North Carolina State - While the talent level of this N.C. State team is not great, Wolfpack fans are happy to finally get rid of the drama that was Brandon Costner, Courtney Fells and Ben McCauley. This season they will be starting fresh behind the leadership of experienced guards Javier Gonzalez and Farnold Degand and the talent of some up-and-coming frontcourt players. State's biggest scoring presence is forward Tracy Smith, who was impressive at times last season playing behind the seniors. Smith, who averaged 10 points last season, showed that he can be a very productive low-post player for the Pack. However, if State is going to climb out of the cellar this season, it will be behind the play of the freshmen. Despite the fact that highly talented guard Lo Brown had to go to prep school for a year, the Wolfpack still have some notable freshmen in Scott Wood, Deshawn Painter, Richard Howell and Jordan Vandenberg. Painter, Howell and the Aussie Vanderberg will all try to earn minutes in the frontcourt, while Scott Wood is known for raining threes with regularity. Other returning players not previously mentioned are Dennis Horner, C.J. WIlliams and Julius Mays. Since Tracy Smith is the only returning player who averaged in double figures last season, State's biggest challenge will be putting enough points on the board to compete. Getting consistent backcourt play will also be important for the Pack, as Gonzalez and company have been frustrating at times for State fans the past few seasons.
North Carolina - The defending national champions lost a ton from last season, but Roy Williams has restocked the talent pool as he always does in Chapel Hill. The strength of this year's Heel squad is unquestionably in the paint, where they have a bevy of players that would start for just about any other school. The starters will be senior Deon Thompson and super sophomore Ed Davis. Thompson has often been overlooked during the course of his career, but can hit the baseline jumper with great consistency as
