Post Christmas Means ACC WBB Conference Play heats up -- MONDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

 CONFERENCE PLAY RAMPS UP AFTER CHRISTMAS

The ACC WBB teams and schools are enjoying a brief Christmas break before the conference opponent play gets into full gear. 14 of the 15 schools have actually started play already (UNC being the exception) and there is a six-way logjam at the top of the conference with teams at 1-0. Louisville shares the top spot currently with NCST, Duke, FSU, Syracuse and Notre Dame. These teams haven't looked too bad at all out-of-conference, either, with a combined record of 64-13.

Two of these unblemished ACC squads will fall from the conference undefeated ranks on Dec 29th, when Syracuse travels to Louisville and NC State hosts Duke

Four ACC WBB squads are in the D1 top 10 poll, with Notre Dane at #5, UNC at #6, NC State at #7 and Virginia Tech at #8.

The Hokies are one of three schools at 1-1, along with Virginia and Boston College. Four schools are 0-1 (Ga.Tech, Clemson, Miami and Pitt) while Wake Forest is 0-2. 

Does it seem like every ACC squad is better this year? Or, is it just too early to start separating the contenders from the pretenders. 

Louisville and Syracuse should be an intriguing match this Thursday. Chrislyn "C.C." Carr will be facing her old school for the first time since leaving during the "Q" shake up. Felicia Leggett-Jack has rebuilt the Orange from those days, 80% of the roster left after Q was investigated among numerous allegations. 

Be sure to check Jared's scout and observations on the Orange later this week

It's no longer a three-team WBB conference with UofL, NC State and Georgia Tech.  Walz and other coaches have said publicly that there were 6-10 teams that might be in the hunt or even could win the ACC. I'll state that there are eight squads, the six that are currently undefeated plus Va. Tech and Ga.Tech

In addition to the games mentioned on Thursday, Pitt goes to Wake, VA Tech heads to Clemson, Georgia Tech travels to Virginia, Notre Dame is at Miami and FSU visits UNC. Two or three losses in-conference just might not totally eliminate a team from contending for the title.

Pitt and Wake appear to be destined and slated for the bottom half of the conference. Still, shaking my head over Jen Hoover being let go at Wake, but, did you see her on the UK bench as an assistant when the Cards and Cats tangled in Rupp earlier this month? Kyra Elzy got a great one in adding her to the staff. She still hasn't figured out how to beat Louisville, though. 

It looks to be a topsy-turvy ACC WBB Conference this 2022-23 season, as they break from the gate and charge down the stretch the first time.  We'll keep you updated and notified on it as we always do here at Cardinal Couple. 

paulie