Chansky’s Notebook: Trap Game?

It’s Duke week and the Tar Heels are sitting pretty.

Now that February is here, we can start the official jockeying for first-round byes in the ACC tournament at the empty Greensboro Coliseum. And with the balance that may be good or bad for NCAA bids, the ACC race is up for grabs.

Virginia Tech just knocked rival Virginia from the Cavs’ undefeated conference perch with a two-touchdown win in Blacksburg. That leaves the ‘Hoos at 7-1 in the ACC but with a pretty formidable schedule the rest of the way.

The Hokies are a half-game behind Virginia, tied in the loss column with FSU. Louisville and Carolina have three losses, and the Tar Heels have a big game at Clemson tonight that could set them up to knock Duke (5-4) out of the running at Cameron Saturday night at 6 on ESPN.

If the Heels can extend their three-game win streak at Death Valley and Duke, they will be 8-3 and in prime position to finish in the top four and nab one of the byes. Their last eight games feature five at home (six if Clemson gets rescheduled somehow), with road games at Virginia, BC and Syracuse.

Did the week off since the win at Pitt give Roy Williams the extra practice time he needed to continue this upward surge, or will the team be facing a trap game at Littlejohn against the Tigers who got blown out at Duke Saturday and have lost four of their last five?

Clemson is last in the ACC in offense but second in defense, so it looks like a bump-and-grinder tonight at 7 on the ACCN. The Tigers started the season 9-1 before an 11-day break for COVID, which wiped out the January 9 game at the Smith Center.

The only reasonable date it can be rescheduled is Wednesday, March 3, but that would give Carolina three games in six days over the last week of the regular season, which ends at home against the Blue Devils.

Williams goes after his 897th career win tonight and in sight of Bobby Knight’s 902, third most in college basketball history. It is also Ol’ Roy’s 300th ACC regular-season game, after which he will have the second-best record at that plateau behind Dean Smith (220-80).

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