ACC (Triangle) Basketball Preview

It's November, which means that it's time for local college basketball teams to begin their seasons. Here in the Triangle, that means that UNC, Duke and NC State fans are all ready for the switch to roundball, since Triangle football hasn't exactly been spectacular this season.

Here's a quick preview of each local ACC team.

North Carolina

The Tar Heels are the defending National Champions. This team, however, is markedly different than the team that cut down the nets last April.

Off to the NBA are Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green (Bobby Frasor is overseas). On the Heels' roster are freshmen John Henson, Leslie McDonald, Dexter Strickland, Travis Wear, and his twin David Wear.

UNC will have depth in the frontcourt that is unmatched. The Wears, along with returnees Ed Davis, Deon Thompson and Tyler Zeller will provide Roy Williams with size that is rare in college basketball.

The questions about UNC will all be in the backcourt. Will a reliable 3 point threat emerge? Will Larry Drew II be able to run the team? If he can't, can one of the freshmen guards step in? Will Marcus Ginyard stay healthy to lead this team?

The answers to these questions will determine whether UNC is "just" an ACC contender or if they will earn another trip to the Final Four.

Duke

The Blue Devils are an interesting team. They are ranked very high in all the preseason polls, and everyone seems to think they are going to be a great team. Here at The Long and Short of Sports, we're not so sure.

Gerald Henderson left early for the NBA, and Elliot Williams transferred to Memphis. Since Williams was expected to step into Henderson's spot, his departure leaves a gaping hole in Duke's roster. The new faces at Duke are Mason Plumlee, Ryan Kelly and Andre Dawkins.

Dawkins took a summer school class to graduate early from high school so that he could join Duke this season. His development will determine whether Duke plays with 2 or 3 guards, barring injuries. The only guards on the team (other than walk-ons) are Dawkins, Nolan Smith and Jon Scheyer. That is a scary lack of depth.

In the frontcourt, Duke has depth, but unlike the rest of America (apparently), I'm not convinced of the quality of that depth. Kyle Singler is a great talent, but he will be forced to spend a lot of time at the 3 this season, which could curtail his effectiveness somewhat. He's a difficult matchup for most power forwards, but many small forwards will be quicker than Singler which should limit his ability to drive to the rim.

Young Plumlee and Kelly are freshmen, and it's rare for freshmen to make huge contributions to Coach K's team. The returning frontcourt players are Greg Zoubek, Lance Thomas, and Old Plumlee (Miles, I think). Thomas and Zoubek were not very impressive last season, and OP barely played. While they could all combine to make a great combination, I think it's a stretch to assume it will happen.

I don't believe Duke has the manpower to make a deep NCAA run. I think there is enough talent in Durham to keep the Devils near the top of the ACC, but ultimately I think they finish the regular season somewhere between 2 and 4 in the league. That's not bad for what will probably end up as a season that Duke fans see as "average".

North Carolina State

The Wolfpack is, to quote Forrest Gump, like a box of chocolates. You really don't know what you're going to get.

Three players who have been stalwarts of the program since Sidney Lowe arrived to coach have departed, and a handful of new faces are on campus. Gone are Ben McCauley, Courtney Fells, and Brandon Costner, along with Trevor Ferguson (transfer) and Simon Harris (graduation). In Raleigh are Deshawn Painter, Richard Howell, Scott Wood, Jordan Vandenburg and Josh Davis.

After three disappointing seasons, Coach Lowe finally seems to have a team with the athleticism he has desired since his arrival. The quicker pace that he has often talked about may finally become a reality this season, as the incoming frontcourt players all seem to be more adept at running the floor than their predecessors.

While no one will ever mistake the Wolfpack for a Paul Westhead-coached team, look for the Wolfpack to try to take advantage of transition opportunities more often.

The reliance on so many freshmen to play big roles means that the Wolfpack's season is likely to be a roller coaster of emotion. The team is likely to show flashes of brilliance this season, but ultimately struggle against more experienced teams who have been through the ringer of ACC pressure.

While the Wolfpack team probably shares the same goals as UNC and Duke, most fans have more tempered expectations. This season, expect the Wolfpack to finish between 5th and 9th in the ACC, and be an NCAA bubble team. That would represent a solid step forward for the program in Coach Lowe's 4th season at the helm, and set the stage for the future as the Pack welcomes a much-heralded recruiting class in '10.

Now, it's time to get things rolling. UNC has already dispatched two cupcakes. NC State opens November 12th against Georgia State, and Duke opens up the following day against UNC-Greensboro.