Player of the Week:
Jared McCain (Duke)
McCain was a member of the high-profile freshman class that Jon Scheyer brought into Durham for this season. The highly-touted shooting guard joined Duke and was thrust into a starting spot filled with established veterans alongside other talented newcomers. McCain’s season has been filled with ups and downs, but recently the Sacramento, California, native has turned it up a notch. Starting with Wake Forest, he posted a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds along with 4 assists. He continued his hot play against Florida State recording 35 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.
Who’s Hot
Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils currently are second in the conference behind their nearby and historical rival North Carolina. The squad boasts a 20-5 record paired with a 11-3 conference record and 13-2 total at home. While figuring out how to deal with the incoming talent along with the returning stars, Duke was going through an experimental process to start the season. The squad has begun to click, as it currently nets a four-game winning streak. This past the week the unit garnered victories over Wake Forest and Florida State.
Armando Bacot (North Carolina)
A staple of the Tar Heels program during his time at UNC, Bacot has been an instrumental part of the team from Chapel Hill since he stepped onto campus. The senior is one of the leaders of the program, and has been a huge part of the success the group has seen so far. Additionally, if North Carolina wants to make a run at the ACC Tournament title as well as the NCAA Championship, Bacot will need to perform along with being a leader. The big man recorded 14 points and 10 rebounds against Syracuse as well as 25 points and 12 rebounds against Virginia Tech in the past two games.
Who’s Not
Miami Hurricaines
The Hurricanes entered the season as candidates to be one of the top teams in the ACC. After a solid showing to start the season, Miami has plummeted down the standings and sit at the bottom of the conference. The Canes are currently 12th place in the conference and hold a 15-11 record paired with a 6-9 showing in ACC play. The squad is currently on a four-game losing skid with recent losses to Clemson and Boston College.
Casey Morsell (NC State)
Morsell has been a key contributor for an NC State team that has shown flashes over the duration of the season, as it finds itself in the middle of the pack within the conference. The senior has been an efficient scorer on the campaign averaging 11.3 points per game on 40.7% shooting. The past two outings have had him significantly below these averages, as he recorded 6 points on 20% shooting against Clemson and 4 points on 20% shooting in a contest with Syracuse.
Top 5 Performances
1. Blake Hinson (Pitt)
In a blowout win over Louisville, Hinson popped off for a ridiculous 41 points and 5 rebounds. He outscored the Cardinals in the first half.
2 .[Player DJ Horne] (NC State)
Horne went on a tear scoring the ball against Syracuse recording 32 points on a 6-10 shooting from 3-point range.
3 Chris Bell (Syracuse)
Bell erupted in another strong showing going for 26 points on 8-10 shooting fon the 3-ball. The eight shots from downtown were hit consecutively.
In typical Bacot fashion, he recorded another monstrous double-double performance against Virginia Tech, going for 25 points and 12 rebounds.
5. Jared McCain
McCain had his best game of his young career against Florida State notching 35 points, 4 rebounds and 3 steals.