Second-best Acc Team Behind Duke Becoming Clear

The Duke hoops programme has intelligibly established itself arsenic nan squad to hit retired of nan Atlantic Coast Conference erstwhile again, but nan roadworthy to a 2nd consecutive ACC regular play and Tournament title won't beryllium arsenic easy arsenic it was a twelvemonth ago. The Blue Devils cruised done a mediocre ACC to a 19-1 convention grounds successful 2024-25.

Not only is nan convention arsenic a full successful a overmuch amended spot successful 2025-26 than it has been successful immoderate of nan past 5 seasons, but location are a fewer morganatic Final Four contenders too Duke. After a caller consequence connected Tuesday night, it's becoming clear which squad is apt nan biggest threat to nan Blue Devils.

No. 16 Virginia (15-2, 4-1 ACC) picked up its 4th triumph successful a statement connected nan roadworthy astatine No. 20 Louisville (12-5, 2-3 ACC), 79-70. The Cavaliers person now moved up to No. 14 astatine KenPom and look for illustration nan astir complete squad successful nan ACC too Duke.

Virginia Lights It Up From nan Perimeter

Virginia went 14-of-34 (41%) from beyond nan arc against nan Cardinals, and arsenic a squad pinch 1 of nan highest three-point changeable tendencies successful assemblage basketball, nan consistency pinch which it knocks them down is scary. UVA's triumph complete Louisville marked nan eighth crippled retired of its first 17 pinch astatine slightest 12 threes made.

Any squad that tin sound measurement threes down consistently has a existent chance to make a heavy tally successful March. The Cavaliers boast six rotation players shooting 36% aliases amended from nan perimeter.

Virginia now ranks 14th successful adjusted violative ratio and 19th successful adjusted protect efficiency, according to KenPom. The Cavaliers are deep, tin sprout nan 3 astatine an businesslike clip (35th astatine KenPom astatine 37%), and person magnitude that tin lucifer astir teams astir nan land.

Louisville was nan statement prime to beryllium nan Blue Devils' apical threat successful nan preseason, but pinch 5-star defender Mikel Brown Jr. missing extended clip owed to injury, nan Cardinals person deed a rut and now could autumn retired of nan AP Top 25 altogether.

Virginia now sits astatine No. 16 successful nan NCAA NET Rankings with a 3-1 grounds successful Quadrant 1. Ryan Odom's nine does ain a Quad 2 nonaccomplishment to Butler connected a neutral floor.

Duke Will Be Challenged

At this constituent of nan 2024-25 season, Duke was truthful acold and distant nan champion squad successful nan ACC that it didn't moreover consciousness for illustration existent title for nan Blue Devils. However, UVA, successful summation to a fewer different programs, is now proving to beryllium a existent threat to nan Blue Devils' repetition hopes.

Duke will return connected Virginia astatine Cameron Indoor Stadium connected Feb. 28.

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