Locked On ACC - Daily College Football & Basketball Podcast - UNSTOPPABLE: Duke Leads The Way Nearing the ACC Tournament | Who Can CHALLENGE The Blue Devils?

Starting point is 00:00:00 The top four teams in the ACC are locked in. Who are the favorites? Who are the sleepers? And who could be a Cinderella? Let's talk about it. You are locked on ACC, your daily podcast on the Atlantic Coast Conference. Part of the Locked on Podcast Network, your team every day. Hello, everyone, and welcome in a locked on ACC.

Starting point is 00:00:32 I'm Jackson Holesor, host of Locked on Syracuse, filling in for Alex. Dono, that is Kenton Gibbs, host of Locked-on NC State Wolfpack. Thank you so much for making us your first listen of every single day here on the Locked-on podcast network where it's your team every day. Of course, we're always free and available wherever you get your podcast here on the number one sports podcasting network. And on today's edition of Lockdown, ACC, the ACC tournament is just around the corner. We are five days away.

Starting point is 00:01:01 And yes, I know there is still another weekend of A-C-C. C C basketball. But why not, Kenton? Why not start giving our early thoughts on the ACC tournament in just five days? We'll talk about our Cinderella team's potential sleepers in the tournament, who could go far, and of course the favorites for the ACC tournament, all that and more coming up here on today's edition of Locked-on ACC. And before we get to everything, this episode is brought to you by Mazda. We put that same drive into every detail. Wins to find the moment, putting in the work that defines you. Stay tuned for highlights in this week's moving the game. there's more to a Mazda because there's more to you.

Starting point is 00:01:39 So, Kenton, the top four teams in the ACC, they are locked in, meaning they will get a double by for the tournament, Duke, Virginia, Miami, and North Carolina. So let's start with the favorites here. Other than Duke, which of those three teams, in your opinion, has the best chance at winning the ACC? Kent, you're muted. I don't, other than Duke is a pretty big caveat. This is a very big, other than that one thing, how was the play, Mrs. Lincoln? But now, with that being said, I think the obvious answer has to be

Starting point is 00:02:22 Virginia. They've been a buzzsaw all year long. Now, some people will rebut that with, well, when North Carolina is healthy, they beat Virginia and they've been one of the best, wait, did they beat Virginia? Are I making that up? North Carolina, yeah, North Carolina. beat Virginia. Okay, yeah. So when healthy, you can make the argument in North Carolina's beat Virginia. But I would say Virginia has played spectacular basketball and they have a floor that is higher than North Carolina's floor. The problem is North Carolina's ceiling is much higher. So if you're saying, hey, of these four teams, who is the one that could surprise, or these three teams rather, since Duke is out of it for the sake of this argument here, which of these three teams could pull it off?

Starting point is 00:03:08 you'd absolutely look at UNC in terms of who could do it, but who's the most likely to do it, I'd have to say Virginia. Again, if you're talking ceiling, if UNC's guards can play three good games in a row, if they could just play three good games or you could get three elite level games from their guards, it's over.

Starting point is 00:03:31 It's done. Nobody can compete with this team outside of Duke, who they've already beaten. But with that in mind, That's asking for a lot. Their guard play has left a ton to be desired this year. UVA, on the other hand, they've shown, hey, our ceiling may not be as high. We may not be as good on our best day, but our worst day is a lot better than what the tar heels are bringing.

Starting point is 00:03:55 So ultimately, I would see this as a situation of, I think every team except Miami in this top four. I think Miami, they just don't have the shooting on the outside and even their guys on the interior. I think they have the worst of these three front courts. And their front court is good. I'm not saying their front court is bad. I'm not saying they're terrible. But when you put them up against UVA where you're looking at multiple guys over 16, when you put them up against UNC where you've got a top 10 draft pick and another guy in Vassar

Starting point is 00:04:23 that's probably going pretty high as well, it's not the same. It's just not the same level of play there. So I would ultimately say those are the two teams that I would say are they could do it. I would say Virginia has the highest life. Even though Miami at the time of this recording is actually three. They're ranked or not ranked, but they are above North Carolina in the standings. I actually tend to agree with you about Miami, but it's also really just about their depth or lack there of it. They have really good high-end talent.

Starting point is 00:04:54 Don't get me wrong. And they are a team that's going to make March Madness. They've definitely gotten hot down the stretch here. They've played from maybe a bubble team. Now they're safely in the NCAA tournament. But I don't think they have the depth. Even three games in three days is a lot. lot. It's a lot of wear and tear. And when you don't have a deep bench for a run in three

Starting point is 00:05:11 day, three, three, three, three wins in three days. I just, I don't see that happening from Miami. I'm going to double down on what I said, I think a couple of weeks ago that I think the biggest threat to Duke in the ACC is North Carolina. North Carolina obviously beat Duke earlier this season in that thrilling game where it seemed like North Carolina was going uphill the entire game until, oh my goodness, Seth Trimble actually just hit a shot, which was very nearly a buzzer beater. It wasn't a buzzer beater, but it was very, very close. Just a couple of tenths of a second there.

Starting point is 00:05:40 So I'm going to go with North Carolina because of their front court. I hear your points about Virginia's back court versus North Carolina's back court, but I think North Carolina, when they are healthy with that front court, Caleb Wilson obviously has to be in the lineup. I think that they are the second best team in the ACC. But with

Starting point is 00:05:56 that being second, I mean, do you think that Duke is a lot to win this thing and that we shouldn't even be talking about this? Yes, hand them to crime already. That they're Here's the thing that confuses me about Duke so much. They are so much better than everybody else for 90% of the season. And they always have those two to three games around tournament time. You're like, who is this team?

Starting point is 00:06:18 And mind you, the two to three games is not like the entire game. It's always just a stretch. It's always like the other team stays within striking distance because Duke can't quite bury them. And then all of a sudden there's a stretch where Duke's basketball players have their abilities taken by the monster or something. Like, I don't understand it. I genuinely do not get it.

Starting point is 00:06:41 I would hope that this team is different because if it is, they will be national champions. But I have a sneaky suspicion that it could happen in the NCAA tournament time. But I think ACC tournament, I think this team is, they're just on another level right now from everybody else. Everybody else, you can point to definitive holes in terms of their team where you can say, hey, if you can stop this one thing or these two things, you'll have a chance to be pliable or you'll have a chance to kind of make something happen.

Starting point is 00:07:12 For example, UVA and as good as they are, you can bring their bigs out to the perimeter and make those guys move around, which, hey, they've got a guy by the name of Boozer over there that is pretty good at drawing bigs to the perimeter and making them play all over the place. You're going to have a problem there. North Carolina, we've talked about the guard play and what that entails in terms of can your guards keep up with Wilson and Vassar and what that looks like. Miami, you've talked about it already. The depth is not there.

Starting point is 00:07:41 It just isn't there. And another thing about Miami, beyond the depth, they can't shoot. They cannot shoot. So if you can pack in the paint effectively, because Miami is going with Duke's strategy just without Duke's players, and everybody knows any Duke team that's with their weight and salt,

Starting point is 00:07:58 they're going to attack the rim relentlessly. That is their whole thing. Get down here. no frills, get to the Baja and make something happen there. So ultimately, when I talk about what these teams bring and who could do what and what their problems could be, Duke is the most complete team. They have counters for everything that these teams

Starting point is 00:08:20 that are below them are bringing. The only thing that you could potentially account for and say, hey, this team could beat them. For whatever reason, North Carolina always plays their best basketball of the season against Duke. That is just, we know it's the biggest robbery in college basketball, even though I think they're a little too buddy-buddy-frey for it to be a robbery, because I like my rival's with a little hatred.

Starting point is 00:08:40 I don't like that. Oh, we respect you. Baby, I grew up with Ohio State, Michigan. It's the game for a reason. We hate them, they hate us type of deal. You know what I mean? Like every breath drawn by those greedy Ohio. No, my, we need to talk about how bad Ohio is.

Starting point is 00:08:54 Love is blind already proved that to a. Shout out to season 10. But the reality of this thing is, you're absolutely right. As much as I would love to say you're wrong, North Carolina is the biggest contender, but Duke is head and shoulders above everybody else. Duke has the counters. They've got the magic sauce for what anybody would need. Any way that you would need to give it to you, Duke can give it to you that way.

Starting point is 00:09:17 I think there are only two ways in which Duke can actually lose the ACC tournament. The first way is that you can never account for it, but it could happen, is that someone has a special shooting performance. that you just don't see coming or maybe you do see it coming, but a guy hits 10 or 11 threes in a game, drops 35, 40 points, you're going to have a chance. It gives you hope, even against a team that is much better than you. Someone just goes off for a special shooting performance. We've seen that in the NCAA tournament before.

Starting point is 00:09:51 Jack Gokey comes to mind with Oakland. Oakland was not a better team than Kentucky in the NCAA tournament, but you have a guy that hits 10-3s, and I don't care about the talent disparity at that point. doesn't really matter. So that's one way. I would venture to disagree with you about that team because I warned everybody when that seething drop. I said,

Starting point is 00:10:08 Oakland is a much better team that people are giving them credit for. And Kentucky is much worse than people are believing they are. But I do get where you say. Goki didn't belong on court with some of the boys. I get you. If Goki hits five threes instead of 10 threes, Kentucky wins that game very, very easily. So if it happens, it happens.

Starting point is 00:10:27 That's one way Duke can lose. The other way Duke can lose, and it's trying to sound really silly, and I don't think this is what's going to happen to them is the ACC tournament for them does not matter. One bit. Like they're going to be a one seed in the NCAA tournament, period. They are right now the top overall seed for the NCAA tournament. So do they really care all that much between are you the best team? Are you rated the second best team?

Starting point is 00:10:52 The third best team and the fourth best team? It doesn't really matter. They're going to be a one seed in the NCAA tournament. So is it possible they take their foot off the gas? not just about effort on the floor. It's also about maybe injury management. If a guy is a little bit dinged up, you know you have the big, big tournament coming. So if the guy has a bruise, maybe on their right shoulder or whatever, I'm not speaking into

Starting point is 00:11:16 existence, but let's say this is the case, you may want to hold them out because you got the big thing coming up, the one that really matters for Duke, which is getting another national championship banner, not another ACC tournament batter. So those are the only two ways I can see Duke losing, but I agree with you. I think that this is easily Duke's tournament to lose. That being said, coming up here on Locked-on ACC, Kenton and I will share our thoughts and potential sleepers for the ACC tournament. Who could go far in the conference tournament?

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Starting point is 00:12:52 Jackson also host of Locked On Syracuse. That is Kenton Gives host of Lockedon, NC State Wolfpack. Earlier, we talked about some of the. favorites for the ACC tournament, which is beginning on Tuesday. Again, the top four teams are locked in, Duke, Virginia, Miami, and North Carolina. That being said, Kenton, this is March. And funny things can happen in March Madness. That's why they call it March Madness after all. Who would you consider a sleeper to make it far in the ACC tournament? Not necessarily win the whole thing, but go far. I'm muted again.

Starting point is 00:13:30 I'm muted again. The big Duke lobbyist trying to silence me from talking about the teams that are, you know, contenders here. I don't know a world where even though they've gone through a slump as of late, you don't consider SMU a legitimate contender. When you think about March Madness, when you think about tournament time and what absolutely gets teams home, it's great guard play. It's clutch guard play. What guard?

Starting point is 00:13:54 And Jackson, I'm legitimately challenging you right now. What guard has been more clutch than Boopie Miller all year? What guard do you trust with the ball in his hands? If that game is winding down and you're down two points or the scores even and you need somebody to go get you a bucket, who would you roll a ball out to in the conference other than Boopie in terms of guards? I do have an answer for you. I think there is one guy I would consider here.

Starting point is 00:14:21 Okay. Tell me about it. Seth Trimble? Does that count? Does that count? Here's the thing. Here's the thing. Here's the thing.

Starting point is 00:14:29 See, and I'm trying. I've been trying to be nice. I'm just saying he hit the game winning shot. He hit the game winning shot. He hit a game winning shot. How many has booby hit? How many daggers has booby-in? I understand your point.

Starting point is 00:14:41 I understand your point. The volume and the total like, hey, you've got a good sample size to work with. He just plays phenomenal ball down the stress. Not to mention from one through about four. They have lineups at SMU where they can drag out one through four, are all hitting threes. All that you have to expand

Starting point is 00:15:01 and check out everybody. And the reality is the deficits that they have in terms of size, the deficits that they have in terms of defense, if you let them get going, they'll run you. They'll speed you up. And next thing you know, you're playing their game now, right? You're a bigger team

Starting point is 00:15:17 trying to play running gun. What does that do? Now your bigs are sucking wins. You go, I mean, coach, we need a second. So now what does that do? Now you've got to take your big out and play a smaller lineup to compensate for the fact that SMU has done a fantastic job of speeding you up. And now you're playing into their hands because that smaller lineup is what SMU did when they were at their most successful this year. And you're trying to match that.

Starting point is 00:15:44 You're trying to produce something as a gimmick that's their default. I think that that team, again, they have their liabilities defensively. They have their problem. That booby, short guy. He's not long. He is not the best defender in the world. But when you look at the totality of a team that could drag out multiple lineups, where at minimum one through three, but definitely, you know, at most,

Starting point is 00:16:09 one through four can all strike from deep. That's your one great shooting night away from, like you said, that shooting night, you could catch a team that's better than you. But you just shot the blood out the ball and they had a tough night shooting. Next thing you know, you're advancing over a team that is a definite lock for the NCAA tournament. All valid points, but they are slipping down the stretch. So I'm going to focus on a team that is not slipping down the stretch. And that is a team that I think we've been sleeping on them all year, quite frankly, because up until this point, it's like, then accumulation for them.

Starting point is 00:16:45 Florida State. Really? Because they started 0 and 5 in the conference. Oh, and 5 in the conference. Florida State was a team that we looked at at that point and said they're probably going to miss the ACC tournament this year. Their first year head coach, not exactly very good over at Florida State. Maybe they need to go in a different direction. Ever since that point, when they were 7 and 11 overall 0 and 5 in the ACC, they have gone on against ACC competition, mind you, of course, 9 and 3 in the last 12. So I look at a team that for the better part of a month, they have been one of the best teams in the ACC. And mind you, they're not just doing this against the bottom feeders of the ACC.

Starting point is 00:17:33 They're actually beating quality teams. If you remember, their run started with a surprising victory at Miami. And we're all kind of looking at that game originally and we're like, huh, that's a weird loss for Miami. I mean, they were doing well. They were having a great year. Jay Lucas is a good. first year head coach. They look like a good formidable team in the conference and they are a good

Starting point is 00:17:54 formidable team in the conference. How did Florida State beat them? And then since that point, it's actually it doesn't look so bad anymore that Miami lost to Florida State because since then close loss at SMU, they beat in Cal who is on the bubble. They had a three point loss at home to Virginia. So I would consider that a pretty competitive loss. They won at Clemson. This is a team that's actually pretty good. And if you're talking about a sleep, a team where you can maybe overlook them in the conference tournament because they started off so poorly. I think of a team like Florida State, who mind you also has pretty good guard play as well. So I'm not sitting here saying that Florida State's going to go to the semifinal or they're going to go to the final or they're going to win it all.

Starting point is 00:18:37 But they are a team that's kind of on the radar now in the ACCC tournament as a team that they've been hot for the better part of a month and they could make a run in the ACC tournament. You know, I a thousand percent get where you're going there and I'm going to tell you something. One thing, Leonard Hamilton may be gone, but one thing that this team did retain a lot of length. They got a lot of length. And so I get what you're saying. I can hear you out on that. Their guard play has been better than I expected and has picked up down the stretch. So I get what you're saying.

Starting point is 00:19:08 I'm still robbing my boys at SMU because they've proven it for so long that like, hey, we can do this at a high level. and we know the slump that has happened. We know what has happened down the stretch. We know. Nobody's going to sit here and be delusional and say, oh, yeah, the Pony Express. They're going to, you know, they expect them in the final. I'm not going to say that,

Starting point is 00:19:27 but I will say, if you had to tell me, put the house on any team outside the top six or seven or so, right? That top third of teams, I think I'm comfortable saying SMU because, again, they're a team that the reality is when I've seen them play at their best, they've given the best of the best headaches. They've given the best of the best the game of their life and all that type of stuff.

Starting point is 00:19:49 So I'm that team there, and I've seen them. Every time I see them play, they make teams play their style of basketball more often than not. Now, granted, if they can't speed you up, if your players can stay deliberate and disciplined and focused then this is our style of basketball, that does present problems. The thing is, how many 18 and 22-year-olds

Starting point is 00:20:09 don't want to get into that running match? How many of them don't feel like, oh, we can witness track me? And then all of a sudden they're, Coach, we can't witness track me. We absolutely had no business giving it that track meet. So I think that that team, again, they presented problems all year long and I'm excited to see it. But I do hear you out on Florida State picking it up down the stretch. I think the one caveat here, and this is something that we won't know until everything shakes out this weekend. When we finally get the official standings, though, is what's the seating look like?

Starting point is 00:20:40 Right. Because you do not want to be 8-9. If you are 8-9, that means if you win that game, congratulations, you get to lose to Duke. So therefore, you are not actually a sleeper. Right now, Florida State, and this is going to discredit everything that I said, they are in the 8-9 game. So that's not good. It might actually benefit Florida State to lose, have SMU win and potentially get there,

Starting point is 00:21:06 or someone else to jump up, whatever scenario tie break is out there. it might behoove them to actually lose instead of being in the second round or third round, whatever it is in the ACC tournament and having to play Duke right off the bat. I think if Florida State can avoid Duke that early in the tournament, they can compete with almost any other team in the ACC

Starting point is 00:21:27 because I look at them and I say, they are not a tournament team because of their resume, but they are playing like a tournament team. And that is what's dangerous about them. because you can't really look at their first half of the season and say, that's Florida State. You got to look at what they've done over these past 12 games because I think that's more of an indication of what this Florida State team truly is. So if they can avoid that eight, nine game and having to play Duke,

Starting point is 00:21:56 I think they are a team that could go far in the ACC tournament. But those are just some sleepers. Those are teams in that middle third of the conference who could potentially go far in the conference tournament. But as we saw a couple of years ago in the ACC tournament, there was a team. Kenton actually reps that team. That was a Cinderella story. So coming up here on Locked-on ACC, we will give our thoughts on who could be a Cinderella. Is there even a Cinderella? Find out next on Locked-on ACC. The biggest stretch of the college basketball season is almost here. You got buzzer-beaters, bracket-busters, and those unforgettable moments that everyone's talking.

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Starting point is 00:23:57 five-hour energy.com or Amazon. Locked on ACC. I'm Jackson Holzer. That is Kenting Gibbs. A years ago in 2024, there was a team in the ACC that was about to fire their head coach. And then they proceeded to win five games in five days and then went all the way to the final four. And that team that I am referring to is NC State. So Kenton, we talked about the favorites. We've talked about some of the sleepers. Is there a Cinderella that you could see emerging in the eight? ACC. This Cinderella, this young man is going to go on to make a lot of money. And when I say a lot of money,

Starting point is 00:24:47 either via NIL or the NBA, you're not going to believe me. You're going to look at me like I'm crazy. The Stanford Cardinal have the opportunity to do something absolutely insane. And let me tell you why the Stanford Cardinal had the opportunity to do something absolutely insane. The biggest thing that held Stanford back. Once everybody figured out that Abuca Okeree couldn't shoot, it was it. That was it. It was over.

Starting point is 00:25:18 All the games were over. They started off the season, playing pretty well, and then everybody figured out he couldn't shoot, and everybody started packing the pain in and all that. And let me tell you this stretch of games that they went on where, you know, it was a little bit dicey for them, okay? These are his

Starting point is 00:25:34 shooting splits from deep in those games. All right? We're going to start January 10th against UVA. 0 for 6, 3 of 5, 1 of 5, 0 of 9, 1 of 5. Now, here's the thing. All of those losses, all bunched up in there, right? Now here's what happened immediately following that stretch, okay? You got two losses by a total of 10 points, and then you go on, win, win, loss, loss,

Starting point is 00:26:05 and three wins in a row right now. Why is that important? Why are the timing of those losses important in wins and all that? Here's his shooting splits after that game on January 10th. Three of five from deep. One of five, one of five, one of five, one of five. Three of seven, two of three of three, three of six, three of six, three of six, three of six. Three of six, three of six, one of two, three of six.

Starting point is 00:26:27 Here's his point totals from that period. Fourteen, nineteen, twenty-six, eighteen, eighteen, forty, twenty-two, 26, seventeen, thirty-four, twenty-two, twenty-two, twenty-six, seven. that young man is not only primetime TV. He is a good enough score to go absolutely nuclear, give you a couple 40-point games, and all of a sudden, wait, what is this polar bear doing in Dallas in terms of your final eight? I don't see them making it to the ACC tournament final four.

Starting point is 00:27:01 But in terms of them being like, hey, they're one of the last eight teams left. How did they do this? look up and say, oh, man, they caught absolute fire. He caught absolute fire and, you know, potentially prepared Stanford to a very, very good showing that would not be indicative of their season overall so far. I hear you. All valid points.

Starting point is 00:27:27 But I do not see a Cinderella team coming up. If I had to say, if no Cinderella was not sure. I gave me the caveat. Do you see a Cinderella? You don't have to give a team. Did you see? Did you see NC State coming a few years ago? Did you see? I was going to bring up NC State and I'm going to tell you why that it is different. The ACC was not as good a couple of years ago. They were not as deep as what they are now. The conference is significantly better. There are more good teams. And therefore, because there are more good teams, it makes it even harder for a Cinderella to emerge. I look back at the 2024 ACC. And then we're,

Starting point is 00:28:05 were only a few teams that were actually formidable. Duke wasn't even the best team in the conference that year. It was actually North Carolina, which is not really that surprising, but you get the point. North Carolina was really good, but Duke was not quite on its A game. I know that Clemson went really far in the NCAA tournament, but they were not that good in the ACC that season. And so there was opportunity for a Cinderella to potentially emerge. And not that we saw that it was going to be NC State, but it could have been another team if not NC State. Right.

Starting point is 00:28:39 This year I look at the conference and I say, there are too many traps. There are too many landmines for there to be a team like a Stanford to potentially emerge and not just, you know, go far in the tournament, but actually win the ACC tournament. I can't see it. Duke is maybe the best team in the nation. If you avoid Duke, you're going to have to play North Carolina.

Starting point is 00:29:01 If you avoid North Carolina, congratulations. You're going to have to play Miami and Louisville to potentially get to the ACC championship or win the ACC outright. So while Cinderella's are a great story and you don't typically see them coming, I don't think that this is going to be a year where we look at the conference tournament and say, my goodness, that team is a true Cinderella. Let me tell you this, Jackson. You're right.

Starting point is 00:29:27 A majority of years you wouldn't see a Cinderella. Correct. But to say that it's. state came from a weak ACC or an ACC that was not that good. Let's talk about the teams that they beat because I think that that Louisville team where, I mean, obviously it was the Kenny Payne error, not the Kenny Payne era. That was about the only team that they played that you would look at and say, they're God awful.

Starting point is 00:29:52 Not that they were not, I'm not saying that that Syracuse team that they beat after them was good. That's what I'm saying. I didn't say that. I said that's the only team they played that was God awful. After they beat Louisville, every team they played was at minimum serviceable, if not better. They played Syracuse, who you would say was all right that year, right? Not great, not terrible, just like, they're all right, right.

Starting point is 00:30:18 All right. Okay, who did they play after Syracuse? Who did they play after Syracuse? Oh, yeah, they beat Duke twice. I remember that. Who did they play after Duke? Virginia. But Virginia was a first.

Starting point is 00:30:31 14. Okay. Who'd they play after, who'd they play after? And that went to the final? Who'd they play in the final? Who'd they play in the final? I'm asking you. You tell me. You just said they were the best team in the ACC and now you don't forgot about. North Carolina. North Carolina with 12th year Armando Baycock with RJ Love and company. So you're, it's, it's, you can't just sit here and tell me that, you know, RJ Davis, not Caleb. I mean, not not love. I don't know why I think those two players in the one. But you're telling me that, oh, that team played a much worse ACC.

Starting point is 00:31:07 They went through one of the hardest paths you could have imagined for a team that's playing in five days in general. They went through all of the top dogs. Every single team. And here's the very interesting thing about that. Every single team that they played had won an ACC championship in the past in terms of the ACC tournament. Every single one of them. Louisville, Syracuse, Duke, Virginia, UNZ, seat.

Starting point is 00:31:30 I mean, I get your point, but Syracuse has never won the ACC. But I get your point. They won a conference tournament in the last 10 years or so, right? Like that's a thing. It's been a while. It's been a while, unfortunately. This is not the same Syracuse program, unfortunately. Every single team that they beat had won a conference tournament in the recent history, right?

Starting point is 00:31:52 Like that's just a fact about all those teams. So I'm not saying that that NC State team was, you know, They played the gauntlet, they played the 85 bears of basketball. I'm not saying that. What I am saying is they went through an extremely hard path. And if you see a potentially easier path, even with this ACC being as tough as it is, there are ways to run into an easier path. If they play, let's say whoever they play first round, we'll go ahead, knock that out the way.

Starting point is 00:32:22 You get NC State in the second round. That's a tournament team that cannot guard the perimeter to save their lives. And you're telling me that Okere can't give them 40, We've seen players that have never scored 40 against Division 2 team. But that NC State team that you would be playing in round two is better than the Syracuse team that NC State had to play in 2020. Right. But they have a deficiency.

Starting point is 00:32:42 You mentioned was not the same Duke team. But they have a deficiency that is so bad in terms of their perimeter defense. They let guys who have never, Melvin Council played legitimate division two opponents and never scored as much as he did in any of those games as he did against him. Council also lit up Syracuse for what it's worth. But he didn't light him up for as much as he did against NC State. Set a career high. A career high.

Starting point is 00:33:08 So I'm not saying that, you know, this ACC is the same as that ACC. I'm not saying that. What I'm saying is the essence of a Cinderella ain't just created by better, tougher competition. They can end up running an easier path than that NC State team did to get to the last four left in the ACC. They could definitely do that. It's possible. Fair enough.

Starting point is 00:33:33 I mean, I just think that it also, it's a product of the conference sometimes. And I look at maybe the Big East this year when it only has a few teams and say, it's more likely maybe a Cinderella team can emerge from there because there's just not as many good teams in the Big East. So your path to eventually playing the top dogs is a little bit easier. You can go up against easier teams and then you run up against the Yukons

Starting point is 00:33:55 and the St. John's and the Villanovas. But at first, you can beat up on the other team. like the DePaul's of the world or any other team that you can think of from the Big East. I just think with the ACC this year, it is so difficult and is the strength of, that's a good thing for the ACC I may have. It's never going to be easy. It's not supposed to be easy for Cinderella. It was hard enough for NC State to do it in 2024.

Starting point is 00:34:19 I just think that this year it's even harder for a team to do it this year. He's taking the cop out everybody. He's taking the cop out everybody. I'm not taking the cop out. There's never a year. Cinderella. But I'm not saying that there's definitely a Cinderella. If somebody told me, Ken, would you bet on Stanford to end up in a final four? Absolutely not. But for the thought exercise of, is there a, that's not really fair. It's more so of a name a because the reality is, every year we had to say, is there a Cinderella or is there not? More often than not, it's not going to happen. The field, the better teams more often than not, they've proven it, right? Like there's a reason that they are where they are and you got to. play on day one. There's a reason, but I'm just saying, if we're going with the thought exercise of, hey, there has to be one, that's the team that I will believe is playing on day

Starting point is 00:35:07 one. They got a shot because they got a young man that give you 30. Easy. And you just said, what takes teams that aren't that good and helps them beat teams that are good? Yes, if you can get some. A guy go off. If he can become Campbell Walker 2011, maybe Stanford could. He can. I think he can. I think. And here's the funny part. undersized guard who's like outside shooting is not his the strokes of his game. Unranked team heading into the conference tournament. The funny thing about that Yukon team was they ended up being a three seat in the NCAA tournament that year. So so much for them being such a Cinderella, it turns out they were actually pretty good and actually won a national championship.

Starting point is 00:35:44 But I think Stanford may be the cutoff line. If you want to, if you want to look at it and say, is there a cutoff line for any potential team to win the ACC, they may be. be the cutoff line. They may be the last team that you could see potentially, even in some Cinderella world, winning it because below them, I mean, do you think Wake Forest is going to go very far? I don't, I don't even think that the cutoff line is that low. I think the cutoff line stops behind maybe, maybe. I don't, maybe. Because after Stanford is Syracuse. And I will tell you right now, Syracuse is no chance. But Jackson, this is what I'm saying. if I'm going off what's realistic and who I would say, if somebody said,

Starting point is 00:36:27 Ken, where is the cutoff line where you feel comfortable to say you can virtually guarantee that the winner is somewhere in here, I'm not dropping behind Louisville, maybe NC State, maybe. And I'm an NC State grad and I don't feel good about that. I think it's just tough because SMU is currently 8 and 9, and I think they're better than 8 and 9, but they may be underseated. So you may have to kind of shift. around the cutoff line.

Starting point is 00:36:56 So that just means you may have to come up with a list of teams instead of looking solely at the standings. But if you're saying who has what it takes to win it, I think the SMU has what it takes to go deep. I think they have what it takes to give some teams some scares. I don't think they have what it takes to win it. I think they're either going to run into a massive Virginia squad, a massive North Carolina squad, or a massive Duke squad that's like, hey, you put up a great run, you got yourself

Starting point is 00:37:24 and upset in there. You secured your place in the NCAA tournament. Congratulations. The big boys are here now. Almost. It's important for them because actually, I mean, we'll end off with this. I mean, there are some teams in the ACCC that are right now on the bubble. Right now SMU is on the bubble, but they're at the top end of the bubble. Joe Lenardi has them last four buys and he is the top team. So I guess they're, I don't know how to call it. They're the best team of the last four to get a buy. So SMU is probably in, but they can't be, they can't lose the next two games. They can't lose their final regular season game. They cannot lose the first round of the ACC tournament because if they do, they could fall out of the bracket entirely. But then you also

Starting point is 00:38:03 have a team like Virginia Tech who is first four out and you have Cal who is a next four out team. So Virginia Tech and Cal, maybe those are the Cinderella teams at the end of the day because those are the teams that definitely need to go far. They need to do something in the ACC tournament. They can't lose early if they want to make March Madness. So maybe it's the urgency factor. If you want to say that those teams could potentially be Cinderella's, but I don't even know if they're really true Cinderella. When I think of a true Cinderella, I think of a team like NC State where you truly see them coming out of nowhere to winning the conference tournament. Cal is a team that could get hot. They're a great three-point shooting team. Maybe they can get hot and actually win the thing.

Starting point is 00:38:42 So a true Cinderella, I don't think we're going to see it in the ACC this year. I think if you want to see a Cinderella, I think you've got to go to the Big East because the Big East is not very good. and so therefore there are not as many landmines for any team that is bad to potentially win that that cop out, Mr. Hold. Fine. You can say it's a cop out all your walk, Kenton, but any last ball? Please. My last thoughts will be this is going to be a great ACC tournament, even if it is rather chalky.

Starting point is 00:39:08 I predict that it won't be, though. I think that we'll see a good amount of upsets. I think that we'll see a good amount of teams that were rated place, X, Y, and Z losing the teams that are below them because there are some teams that are fairly down below right now that are trending in right direction. As Jackson mentioned with Florida State, as I mentioned, with Stanford, who's currently on a three-game winning streak, there are multiple teams that have struggled throughout the season that are in those, they're going to be playing on day one games, that, you know, they could shock some teams. And we've seen it. We've seen how teams react

Starting point is 00:39:40 to having virtually a week off where everything looks good until it doesn't. And basketball is so different in nature than football, but even with football, we've seen that teams who get that week one by in terms of the college football playoff. They have not been successful by and large, with the exception of Indiana, who was the national champs last year. So I think that this could be a situation where we are seeing some of those upsets and whatnot happen. I even though we have a very good ACC this year just goes,

Starting point is 00:40:10 and I will say it goes to show how deep and how good the ACC is, not, oh, we're dog water like everybody thought a year ago, and that's why all these bad teams can come up with some wins. Well, well said, Kenton. Everything here was well said. My last thought is, this has been all great. Duke's going to win the ACC tournament. So great exercise.

Starting point is 00:40:30 I'm surprised you didn't say, Altrey, need to be fired as your last thought. I'm shocked by that. I don't need to say that. That's all we already know that that's going to happen. That is a done deal. I mean, it should have happened last year. It should have happened weeks ago,

Starting point is 00:40:42 but, you know, they're just biding their time. I will say this. If Syracuse isn't going to win the ACC tournament, please lose as soon as possible. I don't need the, I just just did it over with. Get the coach of search started right away is what I'm, what I'm here from.

Starting point is 00:40:55 I think the coaching search on now. Now, right now. Like, actually, it should have already started. It should have started. He said, don't you know you have 30, yes, 30 minutes, Audrey, clean your locker, clean your office. Autry's had months. Autry's had a whole year to clean his locker.

Starting point is 00:41:12 That's the reality because everyone with a brain, anyone with, maybe has to rephrase, everyone with half a brain could have seen this coming with Syracuse. Actually, Kenton, I kind of blame you for this season. You thought Syracuse would be top four in the conference. It's your fault, Kenton, your fault. I can't believe you thought they were going to be top four in the conference, but Adrian Autry is their head. I've been wrong before. I've been wrong before. I'll be wrong. Very, very wrong, sir. I'll be wrong again. I reserve that right to be wrong. I reserve that right.

Starting point is 00:41:41 All right. Well, folks, thank you all so much for watching. And hey, if you never miss an episode of Locked on ACC, the Everydayer Club may be for you, you can find the link in the description below. You get ad three episodes and members only discord access. For now, ladies and gentlemen, Jacksonals are locked on Syracuse, Kenton Gibbs, host of locked on NC State Wolfpack. Thank you all so much for watching. Hit that like button, hit that subscribe button. Dono should be back for next episode. We will see you all again soon.

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