| Atlantic Coast Conference Finals Preview | |||
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Preview by Michael Protos No. 1 Duke vs. No. 6 Maryland This match up may seem surprising based on the seedings, but anyone who follows the ACC this season knows that any team can win against any other. Maryland proved that this week with wins against No. 3 Wake Forest and No. 2 NC State. The Terrapins will look to finish the countdown to an ACC championship by beating No. 1 Duke. But the Blue Devils are no easy opponent and are by far the most challenging opponent that Maryland will face in this tournament. Duke has won the previous five ACC tournaments and is closing in on number six. The Blue Devils beat No. 8 Virginia in the quarterfinals and easily handled No. 4 Georgia Tech in the semifinals. Maryland will need to improve on the team’s performance against Duke. The Terrapins lost both games this season, including a 23-point debacle at Cameron Indoor Stadium in the last game. But the Terrapins appear to be a more mature and determined team than they were at that time. The key to this game will be in the paint. Maryland must slow down Duke’s Shelden Williams to have a good chance of winning. Therefore, Maryland’s senior forward Jamar Smith will have to carry the load. On the other end, Duke must take John Gilchrist out of the game. Chris Duhon is an excellent defender for Duke and is equally capable of accomplishing that task. Maryland probably needs to win both of these individual battles to beat Duke. The Blue Devils, on the other hand, likely need to only accomplish one out of two to have the advantage. Prediction: Duke 77, Maryland 70
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