It has admittedly been a down year for the ACC thus far. As we inch closer and closer to the NCAA Tournament, only three teams feel like surefire locks to be a part of the field on Selection Sunday. While Clemson is a part of that trio, Duke and North Carolina have been head and shoulders above the rest of the conference this season.
So who can win this thing? In an exclusive sit-down, college basketball insider and analyst Jeff Goodman told SportsGrid that he thinks Duke could run away with this thing.
“I know I picked Carolina, and I’m already changing my mind after a couple of days because I saw Tyrese Proctor for Duke as he came back from that injury,” said Goodman. “He has played well, he’s got high upside, and he’s got something that nobody else has, which is a big 6’5″ frame with NBA moves. He makes people better.”
Proctor has been an X-factor for the Blue Devils all season long. Duke is 6-0 when the sophomore reaches double-digits and just 4-3 when he falls short of that mark. His success is the difference for the team so far this year, and it’s a crucial point from Goodman. But others have also been able to step up when he was sidelined due to injury.
“While Proctor was out, freshman guard Jared McCain has really been terrific,” said Goodman. “He can score from all three levels. You’ve got Filipowski down low. You’ve got Jeremy Roach, who’s just kind of that veteran.”
This Duke roster is oozing talent. There are scorers and playmakers all over the court, and the roster feels more complete than North Carolina’s. The difference in talent has Goodman siding with the Blue Devils to finish this campaign out strong.
“When it’s close like this, I’m going with a team with pros and NBA guys, and I think both Proctor and Kyle Filipowski are those kinds of players.”
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