ACC Quarterfinal Matchup

[ShaneDawg85]

I expected the vote to be in favor of playing Carolina, but 100% to this point? I'm nervous to some degree about facing either team. Tech has the size and beat the Terps on the boards all game long the last time they played. UNC is going in with such low expectations, and they've got nothing to play for except pride. That's a potentially dangerous combination come tournament time.

[The Epic]

I think we'll get to find out. I have UNC over GT.

Have you seen the UNC/GT games? UNC was getting smoked at home before Will Graves carried the team on his back. That isn't happening again.

[Danielos38]

Call me crazy, but I took GT. If Carolina has anything left, they're going to be playing angry. They know how horrible they have been this year. I'd rather play a good team, then an angry and desperate one.

[ccbird]

Just a little history lesson.

Comcast Center Feb 22 2003 :

MD-96

UNC -56

Greensboro Colisium March 14 2003 ACC tourny:

#7 seed UNC-84

#2 seed MD-72

I see a lot of simiarities. I'm not saying, I'm just putting it out there.

[ccbird]

Call me crazy, but I took GT. If Carolina has anything left, they're going to be playing angry. They know how horrible they have been this year. I'd rather play a good team, then an angry and desperate one.

GT is just a horrible matchup for us and it's why I'd still rather face UNC even though I don't like that matchup either. The difference is minimal for me though. One of the first reasons is because Hewitt is a bad coach.

[Mackus]

Just a little history lesson.

Comcast Center Feb 22 2003 :

MD-96

UNC -56

Greensboro Colisium March 14 2003 ACC tourny:

#7 seed UNC-84

#2 seed MD-72

I see a lot of simiarities. I'm not saying, I'm just putting it out there.

Yeah I was driving down to Greensboro my freshman year as I listened to us lose that game.

Still, that's obviously meaningless to this game, and I just can't see Carolina beating us this year, even in Greensboro.

[Birds of B'more]

Call me crazy, but I took GT. If Carolina has anything left, they're going to be playing angry. They know how horrible they have been this year. I'd rather play a good team, then an angry and desperate one.

OK, you're crazy!

But that entire bolded part could describe GT. They're good, angry (after losing close ones to the Terps twice, including a buzzer-beater) and desperate (NCAA bubble).

Luckily, the Terps are just playing for seeding this time around, but that could be big too, since I'll be a little disappointed if they don't make the Sweet 16. If they go one-and-done in the ACC Tourney, then I don't think they get better than a #5. But if they make it all the way to the ACC Final, I think they get a #4 and maybe even a #3 if they win it all....which would likely make the path to the Sweet 16 much easier.

[sportsfan8703]

UNC all day. Ga Tech is a tough matchup for us. They have a player in Favors that could take over and almost beat us by himself. UNC has no such player and no guards. They suck

[Mackus]

Call me crazy, but I took GT. If Carolina has anything left, they're going to be playing angry. They know how horrible they have been this year. I'd rather play a good team, then an angry and desperate one.

GT is far more desperate than Carolina is. They likely would have to beat us to make the NCAA tournament. That's about as motivated as you can get, and its the motivation we used to beat Wake last year.

[Sports Guy]

If Tech beats UNC, they have much more to play for than MD and they can exploit MD's weakness...i think Tech beats MD....Which wouldn't be the worse thing in the world for a team that has played a lot of games the last 3 weeks or so.

[Sports Guy]

Yeah I was driving down to Greensboro my freshman year as I listened to us lose that game.

Still, that's obviously meaningless to this game, and I just can't see Carolina beating us this year, even in Greensboro.

UNC has a lot of size...I haven't heard if Ed Davis will be back or not(i doubt he will) but UNC could hurt MD down low.

UNC went in Wake and won...which MD didn't do.

UNC is a capable team...I agree that MD would beat them but I don't think it would be a blow out.

[adamwolff11]

If Tech beats UNC, they have much more to play for than MD and they can exploit MD's weakness...i think Tech beats MD....Which wouldn't be the worse thing in the world for a team that has played a lot of games the last 3 weeks or so.

Definitely agree with the bolded part. Maryland has had a very nice run, but it's involved a lot of close, dramatic games over a short timespan. I am a bit worried about the team not having much left come tournament time. I'm on the fence when it comes to the ACC tourny..it'd be nice to make a run and possibly improve seeding for the NCAA tournament, but I don't think a little bit of time to rest would necessarily be a bad thing either.

[The Epic]

UNC has a lot of size...I haven't heard if Ed Davis will be back or not(i doubt he will) but UNC could hurt MD down low.

UNC went in Wake and won...which MD didn't do.

UNC is a capable team...I agree that MD would beat them but I don't think it would be a blow out.

I think Davis has officially been shelved, but don't quote me on that. And Wake was just in a horrible place...I wouldn't put much weight on that.

[Mackus]

Definitely agree with the bolded part. Maryland has had a very nice run, but it's involved a lot of close, dramatic games over a short timespan. I am a bit worried about the team not having much left come tournament time. I'm on the fence when it comes to the ACC tourny..it'd be nice to make a run and possibly improve seeding for the NCAA tournament, but I don't think a little bit of time to rest would necessarily be a bad thing either.

I disagree with this. I wanna win the ACC tournament this year, badly, and I think we've got a squad that can do it. I'll be very disappointed if we don't at least make the finals. I want another shot at Duke, even though playing them in Greensboro would probably favor them.

[YardBirds13]

I disagree with this. I wanna win the ACC tournament this year, badly, and I think we've got a squad that can do it. I'll be very disappointed if we don't at least make the finals. I want another shot at Duke, even though playing them in Greensboro would probably favor them.[/QUOTE]

Don't be so sure.

As you know, the Terps travel well. Also, when Duke or Carolina is playing in the final, fans of the other (and any other fans in the arena) root VERY hard against Duke/Carolina. When MD beat Duke in Greensboro in the '04 Final, I'd say the crowd was about 50-50.