ACC Vs. Big East: This Week's ACC Action Solid Evidence in Conference Debate

If you were wondering why so many folks love ACC basketball, this week has provided a rock-solid answer. Virginia Tech and Miami set the table with a highly entertaining game on Sunday night, and Wednesday’s ACC doubleheader was as good as it gets.

The roulette wheel that is which ACC team will be No. 1 took another entertaining turn when No. 4 Wake Forest defeated No. 1 Duke on a brilliantly orchestrated inbounds play at game’s end. No. 6 North Carolina and Florida State followed it up with a nerve-wracking nightcap that came down to another buzzer beater.

Potential year-end All-ACC players dominated the action—Kyle Singler was phenomenal for Duke, A.C. Vassallo and Malcolm Delaney carried the Hokies, and Ty Lawson won the game for the Heels with a last-second three that completed a night of 6-for-7 shooting, which resulted in a 22-point night.

Lawson's performance was made all the more entertaining in contrast to the tremendous effort by the Noles' Toney Douglas (32 points, 24 during FSU’s second-half comeback) in a game where the Seminoles defense and the refs rendered last year’s national player of the year, Tyler Hansbrough, a moot point.

Up next, how about No. 2 UConn?

The Huskies are likely to ascend to the No. 1 spot if they can survive another Big East weekend. So far in January, four teams have been to the summit only to fall. Only Pittsburgh managed to last all of two weeks at the top spot.

Finally, we aren’t the Fun Police and we never will be, but you Wake students need to stop rushing the court. Last week you were ranked No. 1, and this week you’re No. 4; this isn’t your first rodeo.

If Virginia, in their current state of disarray, beats Duke at JPJA, the Wahoo kids can storm the court, but you guys are now among the elite of college basketball. Act accordingly.

(Photos by Steve Dykes/Getty Images and AP Photo/Phil Coale)