The ACC media released their preseason conference predictions on Wednesday,
and the Hokies are projected to finish in the middle of the pack this season.
UNC and Duke are on top, as usual.
With 57 first place votes out of 59 total voters, North Carolina is the clear
favorite to win the ACC this year.
| ACC Preseason Predictions |
||
| Place | Team (1st place votes) |
Points |
| 1 | UNC (57) | 706 |
| 2 | Duke (2) | 649 |
| 3 | Florida State | 560 |
| 4 | Virginia | 463 |
| 5 | Miami | 455 |
| 6 | Virginia Tech | 411 |
| 7 | Clemson | 403 |
| 8 | NC State | 316 |
| 9 | Maryland | 264 |
| 10 | Georgia Tech | 176 |
| 11 | Wake Forest | 109 |
| 12 | Boston College | 90 |
Three Tar Heels were named to the Preseason All-ACC team: Harrison Barnes, John
Henson and Tyler Zeller. Those three players received more votes than any other
player in the league. Joining them on the All-ACC team are Malcolm Grant
(Miami), Mike Scott (UVA) and Seth Curry (20). Scott and Curry tied with 20
votes each, while Harrison Barnes was the only unanimous selection. Barnes was
also named Preseason ACC Player of the Year, and Duke’s Austin Rivers was named
Preseason Rookie of the Year.
Virginia Tech lost three starters off last year’s team: Malcolm Delaney,
Terrell Bell and Jeff Allen. Delaney and Allen were two of the most productive
players in school history, and two of the best players in the ACC over the last
four seasons. Bell was a very underrated small forward and an excellent defender
and rebounder.
Tech has two returning starters from last season. Erick Green is a rising
junior who averaged 11.6 points per game from the point guard position, while
senior forward Victor Davila averaged 7.4 points and 5.1 rebounds per game.
Green is expected to be the team leader in 2011-12, and Davila must respond by
improving his scoring and rebounding to help lessen the loss of Jeff Allen.
The Hokies do return the services of two r-seniors who missed last season
with injuries. Dorenzo Hudson was Third Team All-ACC as a junior two years ago,
and he will start in the backcourt next to Erick Green. Power forward J.T.
Thompson also returns after missing last season, and he has been Virginia Tech’s
best and most active player off the bench for his entire career.
The Hokies will begin their season on Saturday, November 12 at 2pm when the
host East Tennessee State in Cassell Coliseum. The game can be seen online on
ESPN3.
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