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It all comes down to this. The emotions of Championship Week are unrivaled. Who doesn’t love the blood, sweat and buzzer beaters? Attempting to nail who will represent its league in the Big Dance, the Big Noise gives his conference tournament leans. Merry March Madness!
The pick — Clemson to win ACC Tournament (+550, BetMGM)
Christian Laettner opens the car door. JJ Reddick ushers you down the red-carpeted aisle. And Grayson Allen guides you to your front-row destination as a properly noticed Cherokee Parks waves from the rafters.
It sure seems like the ACC Tournament in Charlotte is the Duke Invitational. The future No. 1 Big Dance seed is the top-ranked team the past 30 days, according to BartTorvik, laying waste to opponents by a margin of 29.5 points per game.
Jon Scheyer’s team is chalky for myriad reasons, but at -325 to secure the NCAA Tournament automatic bid, there isn’t a justifiable reason to squeeze the acidic juice.
[ Bracket Big Board: Brad Evans' latest NCAA Tournament projections ]
However, Clemson, available at a much sweeter +550 price, is worth a little sip.
The Tigers, who knocked off Duke 77-71 at Littlejohn Coliseum on February 9, are growling. At 14-1 since January 11, they might be the hottest team in the country few are outwardly talking about. Steadily moving up the Bracket Big Board, the dark horse is projected to have its name called among the No. 4 seeds on Selection Sunday.
Over the last month, Brad Brownell’s boys have cooked as BartTorvik’s No. 6 team. They also rank top-25 in adjusted offensive efficiency and adjusted defensive efficiency. Down low, Viktor Lakhin and Ian Schieffelin have controlled the glass and scored at an effective clip, and gunners Chase Hunter (41.2 3PT%), Chauncey Wiggins (38.2 3PT%) and Jaeden Zackery (35.6 3PT%) have kept defenses honest by draining multiple outside jacks. Clemson also is terrific defensively, exhibiting few weaknesses.
With a bottom-half bracket placement, the Tigers wouldn’t cross paths with the top-seeded Blue Devils until the championship game. No. 2 seed Louisville poses a significant road bump — Clemson lost 74-64 at the KFC Yum! Center in early January — but if wheel axles don’t buckle, a rematch with Duke seems inevitable.
Take a swipe.