NCAAW: Virginia Tech Hokies appear like they may very well be finest crew in ACC

With the season now in full swing, the ACC has began to take type. Regardless of not many in-conference video games having been performed, the contending groups have already separated themselves from the pack. Some have impressed, others have disenchanted, but, for many, questions nonetheless stay. Right here is the place each Prime 25 crew within the ACC stands to begin the month of December.

After coasting via the primary two weeks of the season taking part in comparatively weak competitors, the Tar Heels had been examined final weekend throughout the Phil Knight Invitational Championship after they confronted two Prime 25 opponents in Oregon and Iowa State. North Carolina defeated Iowa State final week regardless of trying twice as much less 3-pointers. Regardless of the discrepancy, they managed to maintain the three-point differential shut. The Tar Heels completed 7-of-16 whereas the Cyclones went 9-of-35.

Deja Kelly, who ranks fifth within the ACC in factors per sport, led all scorers with 29 factors. She can also be attending to the free throw line greater than some other participant within the ACC (8.6 makes an attempt per sport). The story of North Carolina’s season to date has been that the scoring has been by committee. Of their six wins this season, the Tar Heels have had 5 totally different main scorers. Though Kelly is appeared to because the No. 1 choice on this crew, the Tar Heels are greater than able to getting contributions from many others.

UNC, regardless of not taking pictures notably properly from the free throw line to begin this season, has managed to tug collectively shut wins towards a few of the finest groups within the nation. The explanation for this has been retaining the turnovers low. In keeping with Her Hoop Stats, the Tar Heels have the bottom turnover fee within the ACC at 13.6 p.c. They play very quick and rank second within the convention in free throw makes an attempt per sport with 24. They solely make 65 p.c p.c of their free throws, which is regarding. Enchancment in that division is essential, however credit score the Tar Heels for exceeding expectations to begin the 12 months.

Notre Dame has posted the very best offense within the ACC they usually’ve performed so with their completely blazing effectivity. The Irish are probably the most environment friendly 3-point taking pictures crew within the convention at 36.8 p.c. In addition they rank third in rebounds in all of school basketball.

The Irish are main the complete NCAA in free throw makes an attempt per sport at slightly below 32 a sport. One has to surprise how sustainable that is, however that hasn’t mattered as far as they’re making them at 73 p.c. An absence of free throws appeared to have considerably of an affect on Thursday’s sport towards Maryland. Notre Dame misplaced to the Terrapins due to a Diamond Miller buzzer-beater in a sport the place the Irish solely tried 15 free throws and made 10 of them.

If we’re basing the rankings on which crew has performed probably the most dominant basketball within the ACC, the Hokies would completely get my vote. Though they’ve but to be severely challenged very similar to Notre Dame has, the Hokies have posted the very best internet score in the complete convention by a large margin, outscoring groups by 50 factors per 100 possessions. For context, the following finest crew within the ACC is outscoring groups by 35 factors per 100.

The Hokies are led by Elizabeth Kitley, who’s averaging virtually 20 factors, is second within the convention in scoring effectivity and has been a double-double machine. In Virginia Tech’s win towards Longwood, Kitley recorded 23 factors and 14 rebounds in solely 25 minutes. The Hokies are beating groups by a margin of victory of 37 factors per sport, which is second in all of school basketball.

After Virginia Tech’s win towards Longwood, head coach Kenny Brooks had nothing but great things to say in regards to the crew’s efficiency.

“I believed our protection was actually good, we communicated the best way we had been purported to, and executed the sport plan … we have now a giant stretch developing and this was a great way to enter that stretch.”

Until groups forward of them endure some losses, it’s seemingly that the Hokies will keep put within the rankings till they face some ranked opponents; nevertheless, if Virginia Tech continues to win in dominant trend, it is going to be onerous to go away them out of conversations about being the very best crew in basketball.

Very like the Hokies, North Carolina State has been dominating its opponents to begin the 12 months. Bear in mind after I talked about that there was a crew simply behind the Hokies that had a internet score of 35? That will be the Wolfpack.

NC State is taking pictures virtually 40 p.c from three to begin the season. The effectivity with which NC State’s offense operates has been lovely to look at, and the protection has additionally been outstanding. Very like Virginia Tech, they haven’t been severely challenged exterior of Connecticut, which gave the Wolfpack their solely lack of the season to date. The Wolfpack did safe an enormous win street win towards No. 10 Iowa final week that appears to have silenced any doubters pondering the UConn sport was regarding.

It’s been a tough begin to the season for the Cardinals, who entered this season with championship aspirations in thoughts. They’ve misplaced three video games, two of them to unranked opponents. The commonality in all three losses was merely unhealthy offense.

Maybe it was a matter of exhaustion, as Louisville principally performed a seven-woman rotation, however Ohio State completely ran it out of the gymnasium within the fourth quarter on Wednesday. The Buckeyes ran a full-court press the complete sport and Louisville dealt with it simply wonderful till the fourth. Within the half court docket, Ohio State shrunk the ground on Hailey Van Lith and put her in troublesome scoring positions.

Van Lith is main the ACC in minutes per sport at 37.5. It feels as if she is being requested to do an excessive amount of proper now. She’s actually greater than able to rising to the event, however it’s regarding that she is being requested to take action a lot for the Cardinals this early into the season. The schedule does get simpler for them within the month of December, however given the best way they’ve performed recently, it’s doable that lots of the video games find yourself being tight battles down the stretch.