Less than 48 hours later, the Tigers put an exclamation point on their national ranking with an 85-65 whopping of North Carolina; unlike the court-storming after beating Duke, UNC warranted no such antics.
The ACC now has two schools in the AP Top 25, with Duke at No.3, and Clemson checking in at No. 23.
Two.
By comparison, this week the SEC has eight teams among the Top 25.
Auburn is the top team, at No. 1, while Alabama, Florida and Tennessee are all in the Top 5.
And remember, this is basketball, not football, where the SEC has long dominated the national spotlight.
It wasn’t that long ago that ACC teams usually topped the national rankings; now, the script has flipped.
With the revenue gap between the two leagues and the Big 10, is the ACC helpless to change direction?
It’s an interesting proposal by familiar names
On his weekly podcast, Hall of Fame former Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski discussed the possibility of forming a mega basketball conference between the ACC and Big East.
St. John’s Hall of Fame coach Rick Pitino gave the idea full support.
So, let’s not be so quick to dismiss this idea.
Coach K admitted that the ACC has been down “results-wise” in men’s basketball and football recently, and he thinks it’s time for the ACC to consider some “innovative ideas” to try to slow down the SEC and Big 10.
Said Pitino, “I am 100% in agreement with him (Krzyzewski). I’ve been trying to get the Big East on board”.
Pitino added, “Right now, a little like the ACC, we are not the typical Big East of the past, which was like getting eight or nine or 10 teams in the NCAA tournament. So, we will miss the boat if we don’t expand.
Maybe it’s time the ACC stopped ignoring the earthquake around them and considered listening to some voices of experience to regain some sound footing on the national landscape.
It is a great idea, but the logistics might not work
Sometimes, what makes all the sense in the world does until it doesn’t.
The ACC currently has 18 member schools; all play football.
The Big East has 11 schools, and only UConn attempts to play FBS-level football.
The idea of a 29-team basketball conference doesn’t make sense.
Or does it have to be that big?
Maybe the ACC goes on a scavenger hunt and cherry-picks the cream of the crop of the Big East, like UConn, St. John’s and Villanova.
Maybe Coach K had a hidden motive for throwing out the thought of an ACC/Big East merger, knowing adding all 11 current Big East teams wouldn’t work, but how about just the best three?
Basketball is still king in the Northeast, with plenty of TVs.
Football may be driving the bus for now, but college basketball still fills a significant void for the television networks.
While the ACC can only do so much to counter the SEC and Big 10 in football, some moves can be made in basketball to close the gap.
At least Coach K believes so.
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