Player of the Week:
Chris Bell (Syracuse)
Bell has been a solid role player for the Orange this year. On the season, he has been averaging 11.4 points per game along with 2 rebounds per game. The last three games for Syracuse the forward has gone on a tear. Starting with Louisville, the sophomore posted a season-high in both scoring and rebounds with 30 points and 6 rebounds. He then recorded 16 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks against Clemson. He rounded out his trio of standout performances against North Carolina with 13 points and 3 rebounds.
Who’s Hot
Pittsburgh Panthers
Pitt is rolling right now and have won four-straight games.The team is slowly climbing in the standings, and are currently at the No. 5 spot. The Panthers boast a 16-8 record and hold a strong tally on the road with a 6-2 showing. Despite holding a 7-6 record in conference play, the unit is beginning to find its footing against its ACC foes with four-consecutive victories in addition to winning six of its last seven. It started with wins over Wake Forest, Notre Dame, NC State and most recently No. 21 Virginia.
Blake Hinson (Pitt)
Hinson has been an X-factor for Pitt in its recent hot stretch. With four consecutive wins, Hinson has played a large role in getting the Panthers in the victory column. The senior is averaging 18.3 points per game along with 5 rebounds, and has had some big performances en route to wins for Pitt. In his recent two game-stretch it started with 16 points and 4 rebounds against NC State, and was followed by 27 points and 4 rebounds in an upset victory over No. 21 Virginia.
Who’s Not
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
The Yellow Jackets have had stints throughout the season where they have performed at a high level, including a win over ranked Duke. However, for the majority of the campaign the squad has been toward the bottom of the standings. The recent stretch of games has corresponded to the struggles the team has seen throughout the course of the regular season. Georgia Tech is currently on a three-game losing streak after losses to Louisville, Wake Forest and NC State and will need to go back to the drawing board.
Tyrese Proctor (Duke)
When the sophomore returned to Durham for another season it provided a huge boost to an already incredibly talented Duke roster. While Proctor has provided meaningful minutes in his return from an injury earlier in the season, this week didn’t bode as well for the guard. In his recent stretch of games the facilitator has had his assists average decrease from 5 to 2. He additionally went scoreless against Wake Forest in his recent outing.
Top 5 3-Point shooting teams
1. Wake Forest Demon Deacons
The Demon Deacons lead the ACC in 3-pointers made per game with 9.3. The group is headlined by star player Hunter Sallis who shoots it at a 40% clip.
2. Miami Hurricanes
Led by a plethora of guards like Wooga Poplar, Nijel Pack and Matthew Cleveland who all shoot it effectively the Hurricanes are hard to stop from downtown. The team is No. 2 in 3-point field goals per game and No. 4 in team percentage.
3. Virginia Csvaliers
While the team doesn’t score a whole lot, it makes a living by being productive from long range. The Cavaliers lead the ACC in 3-point field goal percentage with 37.8%.
4. Duke Blue Devils
The Blue Devils can stretch the floor from any given spot whether it be from standout freshman Jared McCain at the guard spot or center Kyle Filipowski. Duke is No. 3 in the conference in shooting percentage from downtown.
5. North Carolina Tar Heels
The trio of RJ Davis, Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan give the ability for the Tar Heels to catch fire quickly on any given night, giving headaches to opposing matchups.