It's the ultimate #goacc week as Duke and Syracuse suffer embarrassing losses and UNC barely holds on at home against Notre Dame. What does this mean in regards to ACCt seeding? What about this weekend's Duke-Carolina game? And has a Cuse-Duke rubber match lost its allure? All this, plus talk of Bzdelik's future at Wake, on the HOOPS HANGOUT!

Ben and Shane are back, and after Virginia secured the regular season championship with a win over Syracuse, it's time to start looking at which teams are trending up and which are trending down as the ACC Tournament approaches. First, the guys focus on the 'Hoos, and have a vigorous debate about whether Virginia's easier schedule invalidates their title. Then it's on to the Triangle- is UNC a dangerous 4/5 seed? Could Syracuse lose in the first round? Will Duke get a 1-seed in the east, of...

The unbelievable Carolina-State game just ended, and Ben and Shane are on hand to talk it out as best they can. Was the duel between Warren and Paige the best we've ever seen in the ACC? Can two non-State fans possibly understand the heartbreak of that loss for the Wolfpack? And why, why, why, are we talking about the refs again after another close loss? For State, it's another disheartening loss in a season full of them, while Carolina has asked itself another question about its resiliency...

Duke-Cuse Part II is fresh in everybody's mind, and Ben and Shane are no exception. This week, the guys take out the microscope and examine the big win in Cameron, beginning with the end. Was it a charge? Should Boeheim have showed more self-control? Should the refs have let him vent? And what does this game say about both teams? You won't be surprised to know there are some major disagreements. Later, the talk turns to T.J. Warren, UNC destroying Wake, and the State-Carolina dynamic. You...

Ben and Shane are true professionals, and nothing can stop them from delivering the all-important Duke-UNC show to your virtual doorstep. Not even an epic Duke choke-job, or incompetent referees, or the scourge of the bitter anti-court storming movement. They examine the things UNC did well (Leslie McDonald), the things Duke did poorly (are Jabari and Hood chokers?), and we even talk a little Syracuse-BC. At the end, their attention turns to Saturday's big Duke-Syracuse game, and they...

There's no secret about this week's topics. First, State nearly pulled off the upset of the ACC season at the Carrier Dome, and Ben and Shane disagree about whether the referees unduly influenced the outcome. Then it's on to Duke, who squeaked by Maryland in an ACC finale that could have been one of the most disastrous regular season losses ever. Finally, UNC continues to impress with a win over Pitt, which only builds the hype for the big game on Thursday. All that, plus twitter...

It's a Winter Wonderland in Durham...or is it a hellscape? Duke-UNC was postponed, spawning conspiracy theories and mutual disdain, and revealing everything that's great and awful about the rivalry. Shane joins Ben from sunny Hollywood to discuss the aborted snow game and what the new schedule means for both teams. And of course they can't leave before marveling at Tyler Ennis' incredible game-winner against Pittsburgh. Did Syracuse's win permanently destroy Duke's hopes to win a regular...

Is Virginia in the driver's seat for the ACC regular season title? Is the bottom falling out at Pitt? WHO CARES? IT'S DUKE/CAROLINA WEEK! Ben and Shane talk about the best rivalry in college basketball from all angles, including the one where State fans feel like the historical ACC rivalry involves NC State and North Carolina. All this, and the first Hoops Hangout contest winner!

Today, Ben and Shane are putting on their houndstooth coats, donning their deerstalker caps, and holding a magnifying glass to the Big Four's tournament chances. We know Duke's in, but can the Devils fetch a 1-seed? Should we be taking State and Wake's tournament hopes seriously, or are they dead in the stagnant ACC waters? Can UNC rise as high as an 8-seed? Plus, the duo analyzes why Virginia gets no respect, and invents a wonderful new nickname for Marshall Plumlee. If you miss this...

While NC State and North Carolina was largely a snoozefest, Duke and Syracuse put on a show for the ages to welcome the world to the new ACC. Ben and Shane discuss every angle of the game … Is Quinn Cook holding Duke back? Did the referees rob the viewers of an even better finish? Is Duke/Syracuse now the premier matchup in the ACC? All of this and more on the latest Hoops Hangout!

While the former Big East imposes their weather on the Triangle, Ben and Shane talk about how Pitt couldn't out-Big East Duke at the Pete in what was a critical game for both teams. Is it time to start being honest about who's the best player on Duke's roster? And a quick look ahead at the always entertaining NC State/UNC rivalry.

As strange as the season has been so far, Clemson losing in Chapel Hill returns a little normalcy to ACC basketball. Don't look now, but the #GoBig4 is on a 7 game winning streak thanks to a clean sweep over the weekend, although a classic trap game awaits Duke on Monday night as Pitt will try to pull off the shocker of all shockers.

WAKE FOREST WON A ROAD GAME UNDER JEFF BZDELIK!!! As if that news wasn't enough for one show, NC STATE WON A GAME WITHOUT TJ WARREN. Plus, Ben and Shane deal with the backlash of their strong stance about Mark Gottfried's job security, UNC is still struggling to put wins together, and Duke might just very well be back.

The morning after a historic beat down in Cameron, there's plenty of reason to believe we've seen what we can expect for the rest of the season for both Duke and NC State. Is there even a light at the end of the tunnel for the Wolfpack, or can the "guess the next coach" discussion begin? UNC gets their much-needed win against Boston College, but can the Heels create some momentum, or will the lack of a shooter make UNC the team with the best resume in the history of the NIT? Plus, a couple of...

HE WALKED! Or wait, maybe he didn't. Either way, Wake and NC State put on a show for the ages in Winston-Salem and Ben and Shane have IMMEDIATE reaction post-Codi-Miller-McIntyre (all of the dashes). Bonus reaction from Duke's stunning win against Virginia, and Shane tries to pollute the show with talk of Pitt and Syracuse.

It was the best of times and the worst of times on Tobacco Road this weekend ...  well, it was only the best of times for Shane who somehow found enjoyment in watching all four North Carolina ACC schools lose on the same day for the first time in world history. It's panic time in the Tar Heel State, and Ben says it's time to put aside our differences and join together to reclaim what's rightfully ours.

Eternal question - does a win still count as a win when it comes as a result of a letdown? The "Duke Hangover" is for real, but that doesn't mean NC State isn't for real too, and Ben and Shane think people should relax and not getting so worked up over sports. KIDDING! We love it when you're crazy about sports, especially when you get worked up over the distribution of free throws during the course of a game. State! Wake! Duke! UNC! No letdown here, people!

What a weekend!  Duke loses at Notre Dame, Virginia rolls Florida State at home, Pitt runs all over NC State and Miami takes Syracuse to the brink. What a memorable opening weekend for the new-look ACC, and a quick look ahead at UNC and Wake Forest (who couldn't coordinate their schedules to get the game in before we recorded). Should Coach K have benched Jabari? Did the ACC media not give enough credit to the "goons from up north"? All of this and more as we remind you that it's not a true...

Happy New Year! Not just for 2014, but for the new look ACC as conference play really heats up this weekend with 14 of 15 teams in action. Who will emerge as the number one seed in Greensboro? Shane reads witch-doctor stats and predictions from Ken Pomeroy while Ben goes with the rationale approach using proven science like "Bzdelik never wins on the road". Enjoy!

Today, Ben's in Atlanta gallavanting about the town, so Shane's throwing it around the ACC horn to get the hottest takes from the best minds the triangle media has to offer. It starts with Ben, who spares ten minutes to talk Duke basketball, moves from there to Fox Sports Carolina's Lauren Brownlow, expert on all things UNC, and finishes with known podcast rogue James Curle, N.C. State aficionado. So many personalities, and so many opinions on the state of the Tobacco Road triumvirate. Not to...

Celebrate the holidays with Ben and Shane as they recap their Christmas mornings and look ahead at the exciting weekend in ACC basketball. But wait, there's more! The guys tackle important Twitter questions, and if you download now, you'll get their rant on the concern trolling about "true road games" absolutely free!  Sponsored by Smithfield's Chicken 'N Bar-B-Q; get more gametime news and listen to other podcasts at RealTailgate.com!

Ben and Shane celebrate the holiday season by arguing over suspensions to PJ Hairston and Jerian Grant, two of the ACC's most talented players. Plus, Duke has their best half of the season against UCLA, UNC continues to underwhelm (unless they're playing a top 10 team), and State and Wake keep on rolling as Gottfried and Bzdelik battle for the ACC coach of the year award. Seriously.

Ben and Shane try their best to avoid talking about Pitt's loss to Cincinnati in what may have been the ugliest game since the invention of the shot clock, but sometimes you just have to talk through things to find some positives. Some light is shed on the PJ Hairston and Leslie McDonald situation, Rasheed Sulaimon is still getting Todd Zafirovski minutes, and Triangle area basketball fans are the best (and occasionally the worst). Oh, and Wake Forest fans, please don't be mad at us after...

UNC beating Kentucky means so much more than a key win for the Tar Heels, it also means that Shane gets to gloat about being right about Carolina. Does Calipari deserve the "overrated" tag that Roy's had to deal with over the last few years? Are the feel-good Heels making things seem worse in Durham? And is it ok for Wake fans to be optimistic yet? Ben and Shane have all of the answers to these questions, and also provide bonus advice to ex-ACC players renting houses from their former coaches...

Should Notre Dame panic? Ben and Shane think so after yet another disappointing non-conference result for an ACC power. Then it's ACC draft time as the guys build a roster of ACC teams for a season-long contest. Where did your favorite team get picked? Spoiler alert - they're sharing Boston College.