The ACC, or the Atlantic Coast Conference, is one of the premier college-level basketball conferences in NCAA Division I. From competitive college basketball, great players have emerged over the years, radically changing the direction and reception of the game.
Here are the top 5 teams that fans will be watching come March 2019:
Duke Blue Devils
The Duke Blue Devils represent Duke University in NCAA Division I college basketball, fourth in all-time wins of any NCAA men’s basketball program.
This pre-season, the Blue Devils are a couple of upperclassmen away from being considered for preseason No.1 nationally, but their freshman class is one of the best they have ever assembled. It has been enough to guarantee them a spot atop the preseason ACC ranking.
Duke is the first team to get 1-2-3 of the same recruiting class—RJ Barrett, Zion Williamson, and Cam Reddish—which rarely happens, if at all.
Virginia Cavaliers
Representing the University of Virginia in Division I of the NCAA, the current ACC champions Virginia Cavaliers have played at John Paul Jones Arena since 2006, before 14,593 spectators who have been labelled by ESPN College Gameday as the most responsive and engaged fans in college football.
Considering Virginia’s most recent and dramatic loss, where they fell against UMBC by 20, becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed, the Cavalier fans are now stunned and unsure, but still optimistic. Tony Bennett has been handed the pieces back, and it seems we might still see a top-10 team again, with Kyle Guy and Ty Jerome returning to backcourt and De’Andre Hunter healthy again after missing the NCAA tournament in March.
North Carolina Tar Heels
All the way from the Tar Heel State, the North Carolina Tar Heels men’s basketball team has won the NCAA team national championship six times. This season, though Carolina has plenty of options and heroes-in-the-making, they lack a proven strongman and big guy. With Cameron Johnson recently back from an injury and Luke Maye good enough to be named the nation’s best returning player, North Carolina is certainly going to be more versatile and harder to guard.
The key questions are going to be how quick Coby White is to step in and replace Joel Berry at the running point, and how much of a shakedown can elite recruit Nassir Little cause when the time comes.
Syracuse Orange
Representing the Syracuse University, the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball team hasn’t been looking very lively for the previous three preseasons yet have been able to sneak in the back door and make some noise every time. For the second instance in three seasons, the Oranges have been on the brink of missing out on the tournament. Their performance in the season proper has been nothing worthy of the Final Four, but it was enough to get them through to the Sweet 16 before losing to Duke. This season Tyus Battle returns, along with Oshae Brissett and Frank Howard. They will be supported by newcomers Jalen Carey and Elijah Hughes.
Virginia Tech Hokies
Virginia Tech Hokies represent the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). The men’s basketball team has certainly been something to reckon with in the past, with the 1995 and 1973 NIT tournaments under their belt.
For the past two seasons, Virginia Tech has reached the NCAA tournament but has been pushed back both times in the first round. This season they are expected to go at least a few steps further. Buzz Williams has brought back four of five starters, with Chris Clarke, one of the most underrated all-around players, as the sixth man. This team has all the juice needed to be a second-weekend team come March, with Justin Robinson as an all-conference point guard and Nickeil Alexander-Walker poised for a breakout season.
Want a piece of the pie?
With these star teams in play, it is only natural for the audience to want an active part in the game. The only way they can do that, though, is by either yelling from the stands, cursing and furiously explaining the strategy to bewildered fellow watchers, or by betting on the odds and earning money.
But with a large number of possible results in games with goals, baskets, touchdowns or runs, it becomes increasingly difficult to find good odds for a preferred result. A solution to this is arbitrage betting, where you can bet on a number of different results. If you check out a guide on arbitrage betting explanation, you will find that if in a game like basketball, where there are three possible results—a win by team 1, a win by team 2, or a draw—in arbitrage betting you will need to place three bets on the three possible outcomes. Arbitrage betting with a single sportsbook is never a good idea, though. If two teams show equal potential to win, the bookmaker might set the same odds for all the outcomes, meaning, whatever the result, you are set to lose some money.
Arbitrage betting in ACC basketball is quite popular. If you wish to find some quality betting sites before the start of the season, head to topratedbettingsites.co.uk for a great overview.
