Virginia at Florida State, 1 p.m. ACC Network
The Cavaliers (18-3, 5-2 ACC) face a truly tough test Saturday in one of the hottest teams in the ACC, and country, Florida State (15-6, 6-1). Ever since early-season struggles in which it lost to Harvard, Princeton, and Clemson (by 20 points), the Seminoles have been on a tear, winning six straight ACC games including a 33-point blowout of UNC and a road win at Duke.
Florida State is a very physical team which matches up well with UVa, and is also very strong on the defensive end of the court. It gives up 61.6 points per game, about 10 more than UVa, but scores 72.1 points per game, which is about eight points per game more than UVa. FSU plays a faster style of game than UVa, though, so perhaps a better indicator of the 'Noles' prowess on defense is that they allow opponents to shoot just 37 percent from the field, fourth in the nation (UVa is at 38.9 percent, 18th in the nation).
Michael Snaer is the 'Noles leading scorer at 14.1 points per game. Bernard James, an Air Force veteran, is the team's second-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game and Ian Miller is the team's only other player averaging in double figures at 10.1 points per game.
James is 6-foot-10 and very hard to deal with in the post, averaging 8.8 rebounds. He also has a penchant for blocking shots, and records slightly over two per game. Snaer is deadly from 3-point range (40.6 percent) and famously hit the game-winning 3 against Duke. Point guard Luke Loucks, who is averaging over four assists per game and getting better as the season progresses, found Snaer for that dagger. As a team, FSU shoots 34.1 percent from 3. Deividas Dulkys shoots 39 percent from 3 and can get hot, very hot. Just ask UNC. When FSU crushed the Heels, he scored 32 points and made 8 of 10 3s and 12 of 14 field goals overall.
Nothing huge jumps out about the Seminoles, they are a just a very solid team. They shoot just over 70 percent from the free-throw line and have eight players who average at least seven points per game.
Virginia is going to have to play a very good game to win. FSU has just one loss at home this year. UVa has had some shaky performances since they lost Assane Sene to a broken ankle against Georgia Tech but the team has been able to squeak by N.C. State and Clemson (UVa lost to Va. Tech in its first game after losing Sene). And even though the Hoos beat BC by 17 points, the score was tied at 44 with 10 minutes to play.
The Seminoles have also had some poor performances, just less since their most recent winning streak. In their last game, they beat Georgia Tech 68-54 at home Wednesday but struggled. The Yellow Jackets led 25-24 at halftime and the score was 33-32 FSU with 16 minutes left in the game.
If Virginia could win, it would be huge for its NCAA tournament resume. The Cavaliers would be solidly in the tournament right now, but there are a lot of games left and a lot of opportunities for UVa to slide down the pecking order. Virginia still has tough games in the ACC left: FSU twice (counting this game coming up), UNC twice, at Maryland, and at Va. Tech, and no other game should be considered "easy" given UVa's tendency to play close games (the other games are home vs. Maryland and Wake Forest and at Clemson). A win on the Seminoles' floor, where they beat UNC by 33, would be a terrific signature road win for the Hoos. FSU is getting a lot of publicity for its wins over Duke and UNC and has recently entered into the top 25 so a victory over the 'Noles would help with the perception of UVa nationally.
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SUPER BOWL XLVI PREDICTION
Some talking heads are saying that the Giants are entering Sunday's game a bit too cocky and that perhaps the roles are reversed from the last time these two teams played four years ago in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl 42 (screw the Roman numerals), the Patriots, who were 18-0, were famously defeated 17-14 by the wild card Giants and one of Super Bowl history's biggest play in history helped them do it. Eli Manning somehow escaped a for-certain sack and lofted a pass down the middle of the field where David Tyree leapt up and made a terrific catch in traffic and held on to the ball as he fell to the ground by trapping it to the side of his helmet.
Maybe the Giants are a little too confident, but all the X's and O's favor them and they seem to have the Patriots' number. Earlier in the season, New York won at New England 24-20. Ironically, that big win for the Giants started a four-game losing streak, which they got out of by beating the Cowboys 37-34 with an improbable comeback late in the fourth quarter. Since then, they've only lost to the Redskins (whom they lost to twice, go figure). The Giants have an amazing trio of receivers in Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham. They have two capable running backs in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. They have a terrifying pass rush and if not the best QB in the NFL this year, then at least the most clutch in Eli Manning. They are also healthy as they've been all year.
The Patriots have Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, but not a lot else. They have one of the best TEs in the league in Rob Gronkowski, but he has a high ankle sprain and it is tough to know how effective he will be. Don't get me wrong. Belichick and Brady are superb, and Belichick might be able to scheme his way to a win, but the Giants are looking like the better team right now. The Patriots have one of the worst defenses in the league and somehow still got to the Super Bowl. But they did not have to deal with an elite QB in their division this season, or in the playoffs (yeah, Tebow was a nice story, but he's not a good QB right now). And Eli is playing elite right now. He will be able to get lots of yards against this Pats defense with his great receiving corps. I mean, New England has a receiver, Julian Edelman, playing in the defensive secondary sometimes. How are they going to stop the Giants offense? They defense will have to play their best game of the year. And Brady is great, but when he gets pressured, he's just not the same. Who is?
I like the Giants to build a lead and for the Pats to make it close in the end and maybe take the lead. But Manning will drive the Giants to a game-winning score if they are behind. Wouldn't that be crazy? The younger Manning leading the Giants to a win over the older Manning's biggest rival on his field? The bad part is that most people believe Peyton to be the better Manning, but Eli will have two rings.
Giants 27, Patriots 23
The Cavaliers (18-3, 5-2 ACC) face a truly tough test Saturday in one of the hottest teams in the ACC, and country, Florida State (15-6, 6-1). Ever since early-season struggles in which it lost to Harvard, Princeton, and Clemson (by 20 points), the Seminoles have been on a tear, winning six straight ACC games including a 33-point blowout of UNC and a road win at Duke.
Florida State is a very physical team which matches up well with UVa, and is also very strong on the defensive end of the court. It gives up 61.6 points per game, about 10 more than UVa, but scores 72.1 points per game, which is about eight points per game more than UVa. FSU plays a faster style of game than UVa, though, so perhaps a better indicator of the 'Noles' prowess on defense is that they allow opponents to shoot just 37 percent from the field, fourth in the nation (UVa is at 38.9 percent, 18th in the nation).
Michael Snaer is the 'Noles leading scorer at 14.1 points per game. Bernard James, an Air Force veteran, is the team's second-leading scorer at 10.5 points per game and Ian Miller is the team's only other player averaging in double figures at 10.1 points per game.
James is 6-foot-10 and very hard to deal with in the post, averaging 8.8 rebounds. He also has a penchant for blocking shots, and records slightly over two per game. Snaer is deadly from 3-point range (40.6 percent) and famously hit the game-winning 3 against Duke. Point guard Luke Loucks, who is averaging over four assists per game and getting better as the season progresses, found Snaer for that dagger. As a team, FSU shoots 34.1 percent from 3. Deividas Dulkys shoots 39 percent from 3 and can get hot, very hot. Just ask UNC. When FSU crushed the Heels, he scored 32 points and made 8 of 10 3s and 12 of 14 field goals overall.
Nothing huge jumps out about the Seminoles, they are a just a very solid team. They shoot just over 70 percent from the free-throw line and have eight players who average at least seven points per game.
Virginia is going to have to play a very good game to win. FSU has just one loss at home this year. UVa has had some shaky performances since they lost Assane Sene to a broken ankle against Georgia Tech but the team has been able to squeak by N.C. State and Clemson (UVa lost to Va. Tech in its first game after losing Sene). And even though the Hoos beat BC by 17 points, the score was tied at 44 with 10 minutes to play.
The Seminoles have also had some poor performances, just less since their most recent winning streak. In their last game, they beat Georgia Tech 68-54 at home Wednesday but struggled. The Yellow Jackets led 25-24 at halftime and the score was 33-32 FSU with 16 minutes left in the game.
If Virginia could win, it would be huge for its NCAA tournament resume. The Cavaliers would be solidly in the tournament right now, but there are a lot of games left and a lot of opportunities for UVa to slide down the pecking order. Virginia still has tough games in the ACC left: FSU twice (counting this game coming up), UNC twice, at Maryland, and at Va. Tech, and no other game should be considered "easy" given UVa's tendency to play close games (the other games are home vs. Maryland and Wake Forest and at Clemson). A win on the Seminoles' floor, where they beat UNC by 33, would be a terrific signature road win for the Hoos. FSU is getting a lot of publicity for its wins over Duke and UNC and has recently entered into the top 25 so a victory over the 'Noles would help with the perception of UVa nationally.
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SUPER BOWL XLVI PREDICTION
Some talking heads are saying that the Giants are entering Sunday's game a bit too cocky and that perhaps the roles are reversed from the last time these two teams played four years ago in the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl 42 (screw the Roman numerals), the Patriots, who were 18-0, were famously defeated 17-14 by the wild card Giants and one of Super Bowl history's biggest play in history helped them do it. Eli Manning somehow escaped a for-certain sack and lofted a pass down the middle of the field where David Tyree leapt up and made a terrific catch in traffic and held on to the ball as he fell to the ground by trapping it to the side of his helmet.
Maybe the Giants are a little too confident, but all the X's and O's favor them and they seem to have the Patriots' number. Earlier in the season, New York won at New England 24-20. Ironically, that big win for the Giants started a four-game losing streak, which they got out of by beating the Cowboys 37-34 with an improbable comeback late in the fourth quarter. Since then, they've only lost to the Redskins (whom they lost to twice, go figure). The Giants have an amazing trio of receivers in Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, and Mario Manningham. They have two capable running backs in Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs. They have a terrifying pass rush and if not the best QB in the NFL this year, then at least the most clutch in Eli Manning. They are also healthy as they've been all year.The Patriots have Bill Belichick and Tom Brady, but not a lot else. They have one of the best TEs in the league in Rob Gronkowski, but he has a high ankle sprain and it is tough to know how effective he will be. Don't get me wrong. Belichick and Brady are superb, and Belichick might be able to scheme his way to a win, but the Giants are looking like the better team right now. The Patriots have one of the worst defenses in the league and somehow still got to the Super Bowl. But they did not have to deal with an elite QB in their division this season, or in the playoffs (yeah, Tebow was a nice story, but he's not a good QB right now). And Eli is playing elite right now. He will be able to get lots of yards against this Pats defense with his great receiving corps. I mean, New England has a receiver, Julian Edelman, playing in the defensive secondary sometimes. How are they going to stop the Giants offense? They defense will have to play their best game of the year. And Brady is great, but when he gets pressured, he's just not the same. Who is?
I like the Giants to build a lead and for the Pats to make it close in the end and maybe take the lead. But Manning will drive the Giants to a game-winning score if they are behind. Wouldn't that be crazy? The younger Manning leading the Giants to a win over the older Manning's biggest rival on his field? The bad part is that most people believe Peyton to be the better Manning, but Eli will have two rings.
Giants 27, Patriots 23
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