Player of the Week
Paolo Banchero, PF, #5 Duke Blue Devils
Nobody in the nation had a better week from a collegiate standpoint or a draft standpoint than Paolo Banchero. He elevated the Blue Devils over the top-ranked team in the country AND showed out against Chet Holmgren, his biggest competition for the top pick this summer.
As if the box score did not do enough to show how dominant Banchero was, the play of the night came when he took Holmgren one-on-one off the bounce and got to the rim and converted a layup, while being fouled, showing how far ahead he is of Holmgren from a physicality standpoint. He also poured in 28 points with 8 rebounds and 6 assists against The Citadel just for good measure this week.
Who’s Hot?
Wendell Moore Jr., SG/SF, #5 Duke Blue Devils
Moore is featured on this list for the second straight week thanks to his improved scoring and playmaking. He was 2 rebounds and 1 assist away from a triple double against The Citadel and finished with 20-6-6 against Gonzaga with 4 steals. The vast improvement we’ve seen already from the 6’5 junior is not just good news for the Blue Devils who are legit national title contenders, but also for Moore who is quickly working his way into the first round in mock drafts.
Louisville Cardinals
The Bahamas Championship tournament was an excellent gauge for where the Cardinals are as a team. Head Coach Chris Mack was suspended for the first six games of the season and his team came out of it 5-1. An early upset loss to Furman was disappointing, but interim coach Mike Pegues got his house in order with 4 straight wins including 2 over Mississippi State and Maryland to claim the Bahamas Championship crown. This team is deep and dangerous even if they don’t have their typical star power and Chris Mack coming back is just another reason to look out for the Cardinals.
Who’s Not?
Pittsburgh Panthers
Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is going wrong to start the season for the Pittsburgh Panthers. It was not too long ago when the Panthers were towards the top of the ACC standings and coming off a huge upset win against Duke. 10 months later, they are 2-4 with losses at home to The Citadel, Vanderbilt and UMBC. Jeff Capel seemed to buy himself a little more time to turn things around after defeating Duke last season, but time is running out after a horrific start to the season.
Storm Murphy, PG, Virginia Tech Hokies
As if losing both games of the NIT Season Tip Off wasn’t bad enough for the Hokies, it seems as if their point guard who transferred in from Wofford can’t find his touch from beyond the arc. Murphy came in as a prolific three-point shooter, but he is shooting just 35% from the perimeter this season and it was a big reason why they went 0-2 against Memphis and Xavier this weekend. He combined for a total of 5 points in these games and if he can’t find his shooting stroke, the Hokies will be scrapping to even reach the NCAA Tournament in March.
Top 5 Lineup (Pre-Conference Play Edition)
There will be another Top 5 list later in the season that lists the best possible starting five of all ACC players, but this edition is what I think is the best lineup BEFORE any of these teams face off against each other.
PG- Michael Devoe, Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Jose Alvarado’s departure opened the door for Devoe to take over as the top guard on the Yellow Jackets, and he is also the top point guard in the conference. He leads the ACC in scoring with 23 points per game and he is shooting 62% from beyond the arc. He played through flu-like symptoms this weekend and if he didn’t the Yellow Jackets would have lost a home matchup with Georgia Southern. This guy is everything you want, tangibly and intangibly, in a point guard.
SG- Buddy Boeheim, Syracuse Orange
Boeheim’s presence on this team is all in the name of the position he is playing: shooting. The senior guard’s prolific March Madness run showcased just how special of a player, and shooter, he is. He is not just Jim Boeheim’s son. He is one of the best shooters in the nation and would have a spot on any team’s starting lineup in the entire country. His shooting percentages are down right now, and he is still the second-leading scorer in the conference. Look out for when he gets hot this season, which will inevitably happen.
SF- Wendell Moore Jr., Duke Blue Devils
Time for the Blue Devils. Coach K has the best frontcourt in the nation, and it all starts with the playmaking guard Wendell Moore. He is establishing himself not just as a scorer with 18 points per game, but also as a passer and rebounder as he is averaging six per game in each category. Moore is a swiss-army knife that needs to be on the court for an All-ACC team.
PF- Paolo Banchero, Duke Blue Devils
No surprises here with arguably the best player in the nation starting at the 4. I can’t say enough about how impressive of a player Banchero is. He can shoot off the dribble, create for himself, play physical on both ends of the floor, but most of all, he just has that “it” factor. He turned it on when he needed it in the biggest came of his career against Chet Holmgren and he will continue to do it as the lights get brighter this season.
C- Mark Williams, Duke Blue Devils
Every college basketball team needs a rim protector, and the Blue Devils have one of the best in Mark Williams. Ever since he started receiving consistent minutes halfway through last season, he has shown just how effective he is in the paint. He grabs every rebound, blocks most shots, and scores with great touch around the rim. With how much he has improved in such a short time, he may just be the best center in the country when all is said and done this year.