Pittsburgh at No. 14 Virginia highlights ACC play

Updated Feb. 5, 2021 2:37 a.m. ET

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A look at the upcoming week around the ACC:

GAME OF THE WEEKEND

No. 14 Virginia (12-3, 8-1) hosts Pittsburgh (9-5, 5-4) in a game that forced the Panthers to go on the road. Pitt had been scheduled to host No. 20 Florida State on Saturday, but after a positive COVID-19 test in the Seminoles program, the Panthers will head to John Paul Jones Arena, where they have not won in three trips. The Cavaliers are coming off a 64-57 win over North Carolina State on Wednesday night, their first action since losing their only conference game of the season to then-No. 20 Virginia Tech. The Panthers are coming off a very big win — 83-72 over the now-No. 16 Hokies — that snapped a three-game slide. It marks the first time in two years the Panthers have beaten a ranked team and now they get the chance to do it again.

LOOKING AHEAD

North Carolina (11-6, 6-4) is at Duke (7-6, 5-4) on Saturday in a most unusual meeting because both teams are unranked in the AP poll. They haven't played each other as unranked teams since Feb. 27, 1960. The Tar Heels are in better shape despite coming off a 13-point loss at Clemson that snapped their three-game winning streak. UNC hosts Miami on Monday night. The Blue Devils, who can't afford to squander any more chances at wins after losing 77-75 at Miami, host Notre Dame on Tuesday night.

PLAYER TO WATCH

ACC scoring leader Justin Champagnie of Pittsburgh was double-teamed by Virginia Tech but still had 13 rebounds and 10 points for his eighth double-double. He's one of three players nationally averaging better than 20 points and 10 rebounds per game and ranks fifth in the NCAA in rebounding (12.1).

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

At mid-week, Virginia ranked first nationally in turnovers per game (8.8), was second in personal fouls per game (12.7) and free throw percentage (81.7), and seventh in assist-to-turnover ratio (1.61) and scoring defense (59.7).

ON THE WOMEN’S SIDE

Who has the ACC's top women's program is up for grabs after No. 4 North Carolina State beat No. 1 Louisville on the road Monday night. It was the Wolfpack's second win this season against the top-ranked team in the nation — they defeated then-No. 1 South Carolina on the road in December — and it came after N.C. State had lost to Virginia Tech in overtime without Elissa Cunane to fall from No. 2. Cunane was out with COVID-19 for that one but returned to play for the first time in nearly a month and scored 16 points to help key the 74-60 victory over the Cardinals. The Wolfpack are at rival North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. UNC has beaten N.C. State at least once in each of the past two seasons. Louisville bounced back by beating Boston College on Thursday night and hosts Notre Dame on Sunday.

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More AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25

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Justin Champagnie

North Carolina State Wolfpack

Pittsburgh Panthers

Virginia Cavaliers