Cavaliers Say 'Wahoo!' after Smashing Syracuse, Claiming ACC Title

Two weeks ago, Syracuse was undefeated and No 1 in the country.

But every time you looked at the ACC standings, Virginia was lurking only one game behind in the loss column.

The Orange hit a rough patch last week, and when they came into Charlottesville today, the Cavaliers had shifted over into the driver's seat, needing a win today to clinch the ACC regular season championship.

And win they did, steamrolling Syracuse in the second half on the way to a 75-56 victory.

So it will be Virginia (25-5,16-1) who will be the top seed in the ACC tournament in two weeks. Not Duke, not North Carolina, not Syracuse, and not many people would have thought the Cavaliers would be in this position, especially after an 87-52 late December loss to Tennessee in a non-conference game. Coach Tony Bennett, it his fifth year at Virginia, has turned around the Cavs and will make this year's ACC tournament one not to miss.

The top four seeds in the tournament will be Virginia, Syracuse, Duke, and North Carolina, all of whom can be No 1 or No 2 seeds in the NCAA tournament, never mind the ACC.

Pittsburgh leads the next group of teams, and no one wants to play the Panthers, either in the ACC or in the NCAA tournament. Pitt will make some noise in both brackets this season. Clemson, Florida State, and Maryland can also stake claims in Greensboro in two weeks, while teams like North Carolina State and Miami -- last years' champion -- can only hope to make a run. 

No matter what, it'll be a tough ticket to come by in Greensboro, and if everyone gets their wish of a final four consisting of Virginia, Duke, Syracuse, and North Carolina, those tickets will increase in value and then some.