ACC BlogBy: Tyler Ingle

By Tyler Ingle

Player of the Week

Not too many people were talking about Boston College coming into the season, but Reggie Jackson is doing his best to put the Eagles back in the ACC picture. Over his last three games, Jackson has averaged 23.3 points, 5 rebounds and 4.7 assists. The athletic combo guard is a dynamic scorer, capable of putting up bunches of points in a hurry. Prior to this season, he wasn’t known as an efficient player, but so far this season he’s shooting 51% from the field, 48% from three and 81% from the stripe. Though he’s not a "pure" point guard, he’s more than adequate at setting his teammates up for easy shots and he boasts an impressive 2.5 A/TO ratio. On top of his offensive game, Jackson is a capable defender. He forces a good amount of steals and is active enough to disrupt his opponent in one-on-one situations. Jackson and the Eagles have been impressive, but obviously a 6-2 record isn’t anything to flip over (especially considering their competition). Let’s see if they can keep it up.

Hot

Roy Williams has been itching for a "Hot" player for quite some time now. Over the past week, Tyler Zeller has been filling that role to the tune of 22.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and 3.5 blocks a game. Zeller scores his points in a variety of ways. He has impressive range for a legit 7-footer, being able to knock down shots consistently out to about 18-20 feet. His footwork in the post is much improved, utilizing drop-steps and spin moves effortlessly to complement his great touch around the basket. He also runs the floor like a deer, often being the first Tar Heel down the court on offense. This leads to easy fast break opportunities, or at the very least, deep post position. He seemed to have added some muscle this offseason as well, which has clearly helped his finishing ability. If Zeller continues playing this well (and Barnes shapes up), then alas, the Tar Heels might just be an ACC contender after all.

Cold

Virginia Tech

Uh-oh… Perhaps the Hokies’ plan of playing a tougher non-conference schedule is back firing just a little bit. With a humdrum record of 4-4, Virginia Tech is tied with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets for the worst overall record in the ACC. Most of us know the story: in each of the last few seasons, the Hokies finished conference play on the bubble. Due to their poor RPI rating, their playoff dreams have been repeatedly crushed by the mighty hand of the selection committee. So this season, they wished for a harder schedule. Voila! Kansas State, Purdue, UNLV, Virginia… The perfect plan. Right? Hmmm… Don’t give up hope Hokie fans. Malcolm Delaney is no slouch, and the rest of the team’s offense can’t get any worse. They’ll have a chance to end their three-game losing streak this Sunday against Penn State.

Top 5 Freshmen in the ACC

1. Kyrie Irving – This little piggy went to the market. This little piggy stayed home. This little piggy had roast beef. This little piggy had none. And this little piggy went, "ARRGGGGHHHHH!!!" and cost Duke a chance at a national championship. No, no. I jest, I jest. Irving will be missed by coach Mike Krzyzewski and the rest of the Duke Blue Devils, as he is out indefinitely with an injured toe. His scoring, shooting, passing and defensive abilities are all way ahead of the curve compared to the other NCAA frosh. You’ve gotta hope he’ll be back soon.

2. Harrison Barnes – Maybe he’s earned this spot, maybe he hasn’t; but there is no way I can put him any lower on this list. I’ll continue to preach patience. If you watch Harrison Barnes in a game, then there is no doubt whatsoever that he is an NBA player. His shots just aren’t falling. Now you can blame that on his aggressiveness, his confidence or Roy Williams’ funky rotations; but there is no reason to believe that he won’t find his way out of this slump. When I watch him play, I see a future NBA All-Star. And I’ll say that on the record.

3. Travis McKie – One of the only reasons that Wake Forest is still respectable is Travis McKie. The freshman forward is averaging 14 points and 8 rebounds so far this season. Right now McKie is both potential and production. He’s not Aminu, but he’s still a beacon of hope for the Demon Deacons. (Yup, I’m rhyming.)

4. JT Terrell – Speaking of impressive freshman from Wake Forest, JT Terrell has quickly become one of the most electric guards in the conference. He’s still trying to find his consistency, but when he’s hot, he’s hot (26 points against Stetson, 32 against Iowa). He’s far from a finished product, but the Demon Deacons are more than willing to watch him develop with McKie.

5. Terrell Stoglin – As much as I wanted to put the white underdog (Joe Harris) or the potential-laden forward (CJ Leslie), I have to give the final spot on this list to the fiery point guard in Maryland. Terrell Stoglin has been scoring prolifically in very limited minutes, averaging 10.7 points per game in only 16.4 minutes. His current role as a scoring punch off the bench suits him well, but he’s still a long way from an NBA prospect.

Notes:

Heading into Friday, Virginia forward Mike Scott has had five consecutive double-doubles. In that span, the Cavaliers have had two impressive wins against Minnesota and Virginia Tech… Tyler Zeller was the hero for North Carolina in their win last week against Kentucky, but give some credit to John Henson for his outstanding defense on Terrence Jones… Speaking of Super Noodle Boy, John Henson is shooting a baffling 35% from the free throw line. Tsk, tsk… Jordan Williams, center from Maryland, is continuing his dominance, averaging 20 and 12 this past week… Boston College plays Maryland and Clemson plays Florida State this Sunday in some lovely ACC action. Don’t miss it…