2024 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament Preview
By Andrew Della Piana | @dellie_5
No. 3 Syracuse
When Felisha Legette Jack returned to her former school in 2022, it had a decimated roster and had recently finished one of its worst seasons in more than ten years. Two years later, FLJ is the ACC Coach of the Year.
Coach Legette-Jack has guided the Orange to one of their most successful campaigns in history, tying program records for regular season (23) and conference wins (13). She could not have done it without Dyaisha Fair, who she brought in over from Buffalo and won All-ACC First Team honors for the second consecutive season.
With 3,328 career points, Fair moved up to fifth place all-time in NCAA Division I women’s basketball scoring. In terms of 3-point field goals per game and 3-point field goal percentage, she was the best in the ACC this season.
Here is the Orange’s projected path (assuming top seeds advance) in search of their first ACC Championship.
Quarterfinals: No. 6 Florida State
The Seminoles were ranked No. 15 when Syracuse defeated Florida State in that 18-point comeback in the middle of January, but they haven’t been as strong since.
However, with Ta’Niya Latson and Makayla Timpson on the All-ACC First Team, you can’t write FSU out.
Even though Latson is in her sophomore year, she had some incredible years, tying the ACC lead with a remarkable six 30-point games. Her standout stretch of the season was three straight 30-point performances against Georgia Tech, Wake Forest, and NC State early in conference play. She was also selected to the All-ACC First Team as a rookie last year.
Florida State will take on either No. 11 seed Virginia or No. 14 seed Wake Forest in the ACC Second Round.
Semifinals: No. 2 NC State
Who wouldn’t like a rematch of the dramatic overtime thriller from last Thursday? NC State gutted out an overtime win and defeated Syracuse in the Orange’s regular season finale.
This season, the Wolfpack were the sleeper team in the ACC and the NCAA, with preseason polls predicting them to finish 10th in the conference. However, NC State defeated then-No. 2 UCONN in its first game of the season and has carried that momentum to seven top-25 wins this year.
Under the direction of Wes Moore, one of the best head coaches in the nation, the Wolfpack won three conference straight titles from 2020 to 2022, winning two of those championships when seeded No. 2.
Final: No. 1 Virginia Tech
If you want to be the best, you must defeat the best. Virginia Tech is the defending ACC champions, anchored by the powerful duo of Elizabeth Kitley and Georgia Amoore. Kitley was named ACC Player of the Year for the third time in a row yesterday, following another outstanding season in which he averaged 22.8 points per contest.
Amoore was honored to the All-ACC First Team after leading the conference in assists, averaging 7.3 per game.
When I spoke with head coach Kenny Brooks earlier this season, he said, “Kitley and Amoore have transcended the program.” Last year, those two led the program to its first ACC title and Final Four appearance. It’s a dangerous team with experience and talent that has aspirations of going back-to-back.
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aedellap@syr.edu | @dellie_5
