Thoughts/Analysis on the ACC heading into 2025-26 | Page 5 | The Boneyard

Thoughts/Analysis on the ACC heading into 2025-26

YKCornelius said:
Rooster, great analysis again. Your optimism and excitement for the 'Canes is very apparent.

I will start off by stating that Miami picked up my favorite South Florida Bull - Vittoria Blasigh - from the portal. Blasigh is a beautiful player to watch: superb court vision, crisp, darting passes and a beautiful jump shot that carried the Bulls in over two dozen games in her first two years. Non-stop energy who glides down the court and runs defenders into screens better than almost every non-Huskie player I've seen. IMO, she will be on the Italian National Women's Team in the not-too-distant future. I am disheartened that she left the Bulls, but it was clear that the Bulls were not able to capitalize on or develop her skills. Hopefully, Miami can in both regards.

That said, I think Cullop will be tested on how well she can weave a team of players that don't know each other into a cohesive unit. As you pointed out, last year was eye-brow raising in her inability to get an experienced group to play together, and more importantly, fight for one another. With four 1,000 point scorers on their team, the Hurricanes were a group of individuals without a team identity.

I also think the Miami question marks began well before the VT game. After a cupcake schedule start, the thrashing by Vanderbilt at home in which the 'Canes shot almost 53% from the field with eight steals - but also committed 21 turnovers - was an ominous harbinger of things to come. Overall, last season's conference results were perplexing with a few blowout losses intertwined with a handful of games lost by single digits in the fourth quarter. In their last two games, it seemed like they simply gave up.

If Cullop can get these players to believe in each other then finishing in the top half of the conference is a distinct possibility. To rise up out of the ashes and make it to the Big Dance would be quite an achievement. Regardless, it will be fun watching what strides they can make.
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Really nothing to add here or reply to. I felt your comments/analysis really was spot on in everything you said here. My optimism stems from having watched the "Road to March" episode 1(I assume they'll be more) and other practice clips they've put out which leads me to believe this year's team will not have the problems last year's team had. Since the time I wrote that Talia Goodman over at On3 sports put out her ACC preview power rankings and listed Miami as 7th - which should get them to the tournament if correct (8th and you're on the bubble I think) - also a good analysis of all the ACC teams by her and worth the reading. You were correct in that turnovers were really a very big issue for them last year and kept them from winning many close games. Hopefully they'll be causing turnovers this season rather than committing them.
 
Rooster, I’ve truly enjoyed these previews. Very interesting and informative . I assume you’ll be doing the SEC next? 😅
 
YoDore said:
Rooster, I’ve truly enjoyed these previews. Very interesting and informative . I assume you’ll be doing the SEC next? 😅
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Thank you for the kind words but I think I'll leave that for somebody over in the SEC Forums lol
 
triaddukefan said:
Hey, cut me some slack. I'm getting up there in age... Some days I can't remember what I ate for lunch, or if I even ate lunch.
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Somehow I'm betting you never miss lunch.
 
ACC: Commits in 2026 ESPN NEXT 100 So Far:

Cal, GT, VA, BC, SYR, PITT, MIA, WF - 0

(Duke - 3, ND - 3, Clem - 3, NC - 2, Lou. - 2, NC St. - 2, SMU - 2, FSU - 1, VT - 1, Stan. - 1)
 
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ACC commits in 20266 ESPN NEXT 100 so far:

Duke - 4, ND - 3, Clem - 3, NC - 2, Lou - 2, NC St - 2, SMU - 2, FSU - 1, Stan - 1

CAL, MIA, VA, GT, SYR, PITT, BC, WF - 0

Heck man, my team gotta get 2 or 3 just to keep pace wth?!
 
Rooster C. said:
ACC commits in 20266 ESPN NEXT 100 so far:

Duke - 4, ND - 3, Clem - 3, NC - 2, Lou - 2, NC St - 2, SMU - 2, FSU - 1, Stan - 1

CAL, MIA, VA, GT, SYR, PITT, BC, WF - 0

Heck man, my team gotta get 2 or 3 just to keep pace wth?!
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Wow!!

Just looking at this when it’s all said and done Clemson & ND could be at 4 and FSU could end up with 3!!!
 
HuskyFan1125 said:
Wow!!

Just looking at this when it’s all said and done Clemson & ND could be at 4 and FSU could end up with 3!!!
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The ACC is having a good year overall. I expect Stanford to land 1 more also. Miami is still in the mix for 3 but realistically will probably get 1 which is okay since they got 4 last year. The gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" is going to grow larger every year unless college sports figures something out - and that goes for every conference and every sport.
 
Rooster C. said:
The ACC is having a good year overall. I expect Stanford to land 1 more also. Miami is still in the mix for 3 but realistically will probably get 1 which is okay since they got 4 last year. The gap between the "haves" and "have-nots" is going to grow larger every year unless college sports figures something out - and that goes for every conference and every sport.
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Wouldn't be so sure about that with what we're seeing in football. This was an interesting article talking about how it seems like parity is starting to emerge. Considering some of the upsets this season, he may have a point.
 
cancontent said:


Wouldn't be so sure about that with what we're seeing in football. This was an interesting article talking about how it seems like parity is starting to emerge. Considering some of the upsets this season, he may have a point.
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I personally believe this parity is short-term while the new Bluebloods are establishing themselves, but ultimately will end up in a new list of 'haves' and 'have nots'. The Bluebloods will no longer be those teams with the tradition/championship legacy, but the universities who have the donors with the deepest pockets...
 
cancontent said:
Wouldn't be so sure about that with what we're seeing in football. This was an interesting article talking about how it seems like parity is starting to emerge. Considering some of the upsets this season, he may have a point.
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Although he makes some valid points overall he's making too much out of too little. The "blue-bloods" will rise to the top as always. The $$$ is there. The transfer portal and NIL will make quick corrections and programs will adjust from developing young talent to assembling proven talent through the portal every year. Which coaches can master that will be the ones the big programs will hire away from lesser programs. It will take a few years for those adjustments to happen but it will happen. If Tennessee decides down the road that Sweet 16 finishes aren't good enough they'll come a-callin to the doorstep of Kara Lawson. Will Penn State go after Indiana's head football coach at the end of the season? There will always be some outliers every year but only over the next few years will we see anything resembling parity. Even now programs like Boston College,Rutgers,Purdue,Wisconsin,etc. are falling further and further behind across the board. Enjoy it while it lasts. I know I will but ultimately look at which programs are in the playoff and tournaments every year and which are in the Final Four and championship game. In this country sports is like everything else - we do have a King and it's name is MONEY.
 
Rooster C. said:
Although he makes some valid points overall he's making too much out of too little. The "blue-bloods" will rise to the top as always. The $$$ is there. The transfer portal and NIL will make quick corrections and programs will adjust from developing young talent to assembling proven talent through the portal every year. Which coaches can master that will be the ones the big programs will hire away from lesser programs. It will take a few years for those adjustments to happen but it will happen. If Tennessee decides down the road that Sweet 16 finishes aren't good enough they'll come a-callin to the doorstep of Kara Lawson. Will Penn State go after Indiana's head football coach at the end of the season? There will always be some outliers every year but only over the next few years will we see anything resembling parity. Even now programs like Boston College,Rutgers,Purdue,Wisconsin,etc. are falling further and further behind across the board. Enjoy it while it lasts. I know I will but ultimately look at which programs are in the playoff and tournaments every year and which are in the Final Four and championship game. In this country sports is like everything else - we do have a King and it's name is MONEY.
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Time will tell, however it's interesting to see what has played out so far as in my opinion. With respect to the question in bold, highly doubt it as Indiana just signed Crane to a significant extension.
 

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