For the first time since the 1982-83 season, when Ralph Sampson patrolled the paint, Virginia basketball is the No. 1 team in America.
Yes, this week’s AP Top 25 poll is out, and Tony Bennett’s Cavaliers are at the top of the heap. Virginia is joined by three other ACC teams. After jumping back into the poll last week — at No. 25 — Miami fell out after a loss to Boston College
- No. 1 Virginia
- No. 11 Clemson
- No. 12 Duke
- No. 14 North Carolina
Quick Thoughts
- According to Synergy Sports, Virginia ranks No. 15 in the nation in offensive efficiency on transition possessions — 1.19 points per possessions, 58.5 percent shooting. De’Andre Hunter and Isaiah Wilkins are a combined 14-of-17 on transition field goal attempts.
- Kyle Guy is scoring 1.82 points per possession on transition attempts from the right wing — which No. 2 in the ACC. Duke’s Gary Trent is tops.
- An advantage of Clemson’s three-guard offense: shooting off the dribble. The Tigers score 0.95 points per possession, which ranks No. 21 in the nation (No. 1 in the ACC), per Synergy — 39.2 percent shooting. Within the ACC, Gabe DeVoe, who has been balling this season, and Marcquise Reed rank inside the top 10 in terms of efficiency on these possessions.
- Marcquise Reed: 37-of-88 FGA, 42 FG%, 1 point per possession
- Gabe DeVoe: 17-of-41 FGA, 41.5 FG%, 1.05 points per possession
- Shelton Mitchell: 17-of-48 FGA, 35.4 FG%, 0.85 points per possession
- Duke ranks 74th in the nation in assist rate, per KenPom; the Blue Devils have assisted on 57.2 percent of their field goals this season. Duke has 10 games this season when they have assisted on 60 percent of more of their field goals — two of which occurred last week. Coach K’s squad is 9-1 in those games; the lone loss came at UNC. Speaking of UNC…
- In North Carolina’s thrilling win at NC State on Saturday, Luke Maye was borderline unstoppable: 33 points (4-of-5 3PA), 17 rebounds and three assists. According to Synergy Sports, Maye was 7-of-10 on attempts after a cut or an offensive rebound.
- The performance was also just the sixth time this season that a Division I player has gone for 30 points, 15 rebounds and at least three assists in a game, per Sports Reference.
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