The Virginia Conundrum

[moqui]

Virginia is the only 1 loss team in the ACC, putting them all alone in 2nd place. They play at Pitt on Sunday. Normally, I would be hoping for them to get a second loss and open up more space at the top for the first place Orange (or, in the event we drop one of our own two games this week, keep us in first place).

On the other hand, it's Pitt and my sense is they are the more dangerous of the two and I'd like to see them 3 games behind us.

We have one game left against each of them, both on the road.

Who to root for on Sunday?

 

[Lawrinson14]

Virginia is the only 1 loss team in the ACC, putting them all alone in 2nd place. They play at Pitt on Sunday. Normally, I would be hoping for them to get a second loss and open up more space at the top for the first place Orange (or, in the event we drop one of our own two games this week, keep us in first place).

On the other hand, it's Pitt and my sense is they are the more dangerous of the two and I'd like to see them 3 games behind us.

We have one game left against each of them, both on the road.

Who to root for on Sunday?

Just sit back and enjoy. Why do you have to root for someone? Either way, one of em will lose at that will be good for Syracuse.

 

[IthacaMatt]

You called it. We want the gap between us and Pitt. Virginia doesn't scare me.

 

[CorduroyG]

think we gotta root for pitt

 

[Knicks411]

Rooting for Pitt. Want the 2 game lead over both of them.

Fwiw, Pomeroy has them right next to each other in his ratings. I don't think there is much difference between the 2. And I think UVA has an easier closing schedule. The only home game they really have a chance of losing is to us, and they have Va and Georgia Tech on the road, plus Marlyand and Clemson.

 

[pearl31]

Virginia doesn't scare me.

Not really sure how you could say this.
Maybe "scare" is a little strong, but Virginia looks like a much more formidable team than Pitt right now.

 

[OrangeYaGladi]

In these scenarios, normally the team we want to lose will be the team that ends up winning.

There's no way around it. The winning team tends to be better, etc, but you can't know that before the game is played.

 

[Orangemen]

This has quickly become a fascinating week for Pitt.

On Monday afternoon they were a potential 1 seed. By the time the virginia game is over, they could be a potential double digit seed.

I guess this is what happens when you play essentially 1 legit game in the OOC.

 

[Marsh01]

I'm rooting for Pitt. Virgnia's schedule the rest of the way is a joke and we need them with 2 losses.

 

[jncuse]

If the goal is first in Acc, pull for pitt.

 

[General20]

It seems pretty clear to me that four teams are head and shoulders better than the rest of the ACC. Those four teams are, of course, Syracuse, Duke, Pitt, and Virginia.

When you look at those team's schedules you see that Syracuse has by far the most difficult schedule and Virginia probably has the easiest.

Syracuse plays 5 games against the "big 3" with 3 road games.

Duke plays 4 games against the big 3 with 2 road games.

Pitt plays 4 games against the big 3 with 1 road game.

Virginia plays 3 games against the big 3 with 2 road games.

If Virginia beats Pitt, then they have only one loss and only one tough game remaining on their schedule (a home game against Syracuse). While Syracuse still has games at Duke, at Pitt, and at Virginia (and home against Duke) to contend with.

Long story short, Virginia is a bigger threat to Syracuse than Pitt is, although the idea of Pitt getting 23 or so wins and still ending up in the NIT because they have zero quality wins does make me laugh, so I'm not going to be shedding any tears of Pitt loses.

 

[jncuse]

It seems pretty clear to me that four teams are head and shoulders better than the rest of the ACC. Those four teams are, of course, Syracuse, Duke, Pitt, and Virginia.

When you look at those team's schedules you see that Syracuse has by far the most difficult schedule and Virginia probably has the easiest.

Syracuse plays 5 games against the "big 3" with 3 road games.

Duke plays 4 games against the big 3 with 2 road games.

Pitt plays 4 games against the big 3 with 1 road game.

Virginia plays 3 games against the big 3 with 2 road games.

If Virginia beats Pitt, then they have only one loss and only one tough game remaining on their schedule (a home game against Syracuse). While Syracuse still has games at Duke, at Pitt, and at Virginia (and home against Duke) to contend with.

Long story short, Virginia is a bigger threat to Syracuse than Pitt is, although the idea of Pitt getting 23 or so wins and still ending up in the NIT because they have zero quality wins does make me laugh, so I'm not going to be shedding any tears of Pitt loses.

I agree with the analysis. But to further your point, Florida St appears to be the next closest team.

We still have to play at Florida St which is not an easy game.
Virginia already has 2 games done against Florida St.

One more little thing in favour of Virginia.

As I noted in another thread after this week, we have 3 games left against the Big 4 (all on the road). The other Big 4 are done all their games between each other, with the exception of 1 game against Syracuse (at home).

Given the above, a 2 game cushion would be nice.

 

[CiceroCuse]

I would root for Pitt as tough as that is to say. Virginia looked real good las t night against Notre dame. Granted, not sure if it was the fact ND looked inept, but they sure attacked the zone pretty good although it was more like a tavern league zone as Raftery would say.

 

[moqui]

It seems pretty clear to me that four teams are head and shoulders better than the rest of the ACC. Those four teams are, of course, Syracuse, Duke, Pitt, and Virginia.

When you look at those team's schedules you see that Syracuse has by far the most difficult schedule and Virginia probably has the easiest.

Syracuse plays 5 games against the "big 3" with 3 road games.

Duke plays 4 games against the big 3 with 2 road games.

Pitt plays 4 games against the big 3 with 1 road game.

Virginia plays 3 games against the big 3 with 2 road games.

If Virginia beats Pitt, then they have only one loss and only one tough game remaining on their schedule (a home game against Syracuse). While Syracuse still has games at Duke, at Pitt, and at Virginia (and home against Duke) to contend with.

Long story short, Virginia is a bigger threat to Syracuse than Pitt is, although the idea of Pitt getting 23 or so wins and still ending up in the NIT because they have zero quality wins does make me laugh, so I'm not going to be shedding any tears of Pitt loses.

great breakdown.

forget about the standings for a minute. If Syracuse is going to prove itself to be the team we all think it is, then it needs to win 4 of those 5 "mini-conference" games. Both home games and 2 out of 3 on the road.

 

[General20]

great breakdown.

forget about the standings for a minute. If Syracuse is going to prove itself to be the team we all think it is, then it needs to win 4 of those 5 "mini-conference" games. Both home games and 2 out of 3 on the road.

I'd be happy with 3-2.

 

[jordoo]

Pitt . . . . . I know its hard but buck up moqui.

 

[HarrisonJBounel]

Not really sure how you could say this.
Maybe "scare" is a little strong, but Virginia looks like a much more formidable team than Pitt right now.

Virginia is a serious team. They don't have the best athletes, but Bennett is one heck-uva (pun intended there) coach, and they are getting better with each passing game. Playing them will be like playing the old Princeton teams, but with very good players.

 

[jordoo]

I'd be happy with 3-2.

If we make it through the conference schedule with only 2 losses I would be very happy. I think we area good enough team to win each and every game but the odds are you just aren't going to pull out every game against good competition even if favored. I think Saturdays game is key. If we lose Saturday its a rough start to that group of games we need to get.

 

[edowd26]

I propose syracuse just go undefeated. Talking all other games out of the equation. Or maybe just 1 loss.

 

[Alsacs]

IMO, it will be easier for Syracuse to go into UVA and win than Pitt. UVA has the better team, but they play a similar tempo to Syracuse and if we played equally at Pitt and UVA I would think we would be more likely to win at UVA. UVA has Joe Harris who is a stud, but the UVA team doesn't pass as well as Pitt does. Thus, I will say go Virginia beat Pitt.

 

[Hoo's That]

Drat! You found us! We were hoping to fly under your radar until it was too late on March 1st.

 

[TheRoyalIveyFund]

Just sit back and enjoy. Why do you have to root for someone? Either way, one of em will lose at that will be good for Syracuse.

That's funny because I don't like watching unless I can at least manufacture someone to root for. Uconn football? Just like anything else UCONN, they'll be no rooting. Yet, when they played Lville in football, I watched like I was a UCONN grad knowing if they beat ville, we'd get a share of first.

Pitt has two losse, Virg only one. We only go to UVA, so a Pitt win might be better?? However, UVA has serveral OCC loses and Pitt only one, so maybe UVA is better for us, esp. since Pitt could be an East regional team, while UVA not?

 

[edowd26]

Drat! You found us! We were hoping to fly under your radar until it was too late on March 1st.

We are forever vigilant.

 

[Cusejuicy]

I think Pitt will be tough at home but like we did with the Miami home game, we will weather the storm and come away with the W.
UVA has been rollin and is gathering speed and has perhaps the easiest schedule going forward so I say root for Pitt to take some air out of their tires.

 

[Bornorange]

Pitt to win because they have always have 6 men on the floor.