GREENSBORO – N.C. State's victory against Virginia Tech on Thursday assured all three Triangle-area teams will be playing in Friday's ACC Tournament Quarterfinals. Let's take a brief glimpse at the final three ACC quarters in the fashion of SparkNotes, which helped me pass my senior year AP English test on Heart of Darkness. Sorry, Mrs. McAshlan!

NO. 5 N.C. STATE VS. NO. 4 VIRGINIA

Tipoff: 2 p.m.

Plot Overview: The two teams meet in the quarterfinals for the second straight year with the winner advancing to play No. 1 Miami in the semifinals. N.C. State won the game last year, 67-64, and the two teams play the same styles as last season. N.C. State lives off its frontcourt and dynamic point guard, and hopes to create transition baskets with turnovers. Virginia is mostly defense and shooting but its style is overplayed a bit, as the Cavs can fastbreak if they need to. This game will be about tempo. Virginia wants the final score to be in the 50s; N.C. State hasn't won a game this season when it failed to break 60 points.

Context: The Cavaliers desperately need a victory if they're going to make the NCAA Tournament. N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried said Thursday he thinks Virginia is an NCAA Tournament team, but most projections have the Cavaliers outside of the field of 68. The Wolfpack, barring a totally humiliating loss, probably doesn't have anything to worry about in this regard. Making the championship game, however, could move N.C. State from the Wild West eight-nine game – where CBS' Jerry Palm currently has it – to a No. 7 seed, and maybe even a No. 6 if the Wolfpack wins the whole thing.

Analysis of Major Characters: Virginia's Joe Harris and N.C. State's Richard Howell were both First Team All-ACC selections, and both are crucial for their teams. Harris will score his points and Howell will earn rebounds, but whichever player receives more help in his specialty area probably will be playing Saturday.

Themes, Motifs and Symbols: One theme would be to look at the regular season game – a narrow Virginia win – but ignore it in this case. Lorenzo Brown was injured halfway through the first half and C.J. Leslie was so sick that he didn't go through shootaround, though he ultimately played. The environment, the teams, the circumstances – they're all different that they were on the Jan. 29 meeting.

NO. 7 MARYLAND VS. NO. 2 DUKE

Tipoff: 7 p.m.

Plot Overview: Maryland beat Duke once this season, but it was without Blue Devils forward Ryan Kelly. Yet the Terps remain a dangerous team. For starters, center Alex Len figures to be a first round pick in the NBA Draft (if he leaves, and it's believed he will) and forward Dez Wells is one of the most complete players in the league. Add in that Maryland is desperate – it needs a victory against Duke to even be on the bubble – and there is an interesting game.

Context: Duke fans would love for the Blue Devils to make Maryland's final game in the ACC a loss that keeps it from going to the NCAA Tournament. The Terps are moving to the Big Ten next season, but that doesn't mean Duke and Maryland get along all of the sudden. Remember, Maryland fans, who many think are the worst in the country, once chanted “F*** you, J.J.!” at Duke guard J.J. Redick. Sending Maryland home would be a nice send-off for the Blue Devils.

Analysis of Major Characters: Duke guard Seth Curry and Quinn Cook should be able to feast tonight. Maryland is young at guard and heavily reliant on its frontcourt. Curry and Cook have to be able to win their matchups handily for Duke to win easily.

Themes, Motifs and Symbols: How about a good-ole-fashioned motif? Duke is notoriously good in quarterfinals games when they receive a first-round bye. The Blue Devils have won their first game 11 straight times when they skipped the first round.

NO. 6 FLORIDA STATE VS. NO. 3 NORTH CAROLINA

Tipoff: 9 p.m.

Plot Overview: Florida State survived Clemson in the first round to advance to play North Carolina, to which it has lost twice this season. The Seminoles had to sweat to win the contest, which was the only first-round game that came down to the final minute. Since Florida State is the only team playing Friday that had to play a tense game Thursday, will the Seminoles show any signs of fatigue?

Context: Much like N.C. State, North Carolina can improve its NCAA Tournament seed with a pair of victories. North Carolina will earn a third crack at Duke (if seeds hold true), which would be an excellent opportunity to jump a seed or two.

Analysis of Major Characters: If this is a one-possession game in the closing seconds, North Carolina might be wise to put all five defenders on Florida State guard Michael Snaer. The senior has hit FIVE game-winning buzzer beaters in the past two seasons. Of course, Florida State has to get that far first against a team that by 21 fewer than two weeks ago.

Themes, Motifs and Symbols: P.J. Hairston, if he has a good game and North Carolina earns a place in the semifinals, is the symbol of the Tar Heels' change. UNC is 6-2 since moving Hairston into the starting lineup, and both losses are to Duke. North Carolina has functioned better with its small lineup, and its offense flourishes at times with an extra ball handler. Florida State doesn't match up very well with the small lineup, and the Tar Heels have a big edge on paper.

GREENSBORO – Kentucky coach John Calipari has a saying he has used in the past about defending a star player. He said that if you can force a star to take as many shots as he scores points, the star might actually be hurting his team.

Virginia Tech guard Erick Green is the prototypical type for this modem – an elite scorer on a bad team – but he's not a chucker by any means.

When Green has more field goal attempts than points, the Hokies are winless – but he has only done it twice.

The 2013 ACC Player of the Year is leading the country with 25.4 points per game, and even though his supporting cast isn't very good, Green doesn't often get forced into any type of desperation. He's shooting 44 percent and he's complete: He's the only ACC player that ranks in the league's top 10 in point, field goal percentage, assists and steals.

Green, even against the best teams, earns his points.

The key for N.C. State will have nothing to do with Green. The Wolfpack has to worry about creating a high number of easy baskets.

N.C. State will win this game if its talented frontcourt of Richard Howell, C.J. Leslie and T.J. Warren dominate the game. It has a big advantage against the Hokies' front line, and it must use it.

Here's the number you ought to worry about: Field goal percentage.

When it shoots the same or better than its oppoennt, N.C. State is 21-3.

Virginia Tech is 0-15 when it shoots a lower percentage than its opponent.

With P.J. Hairston in the starting lineup, North Carolina has been better. Anyone with eyes or ears or a very sharp sense of smell knows that.

But why?

To the eye, the offense has looked more composed. It looks as if North Carolina is obtaining better shots, especially in half-court settings.

If you're using your ears, you've heard UNC players saY the team’s spacing with Hairston is better than it had been with Desmond Hubert, and that’s probably the case, especially for forward James Michael McAdoo, who regularly is being matched up with fives, against whom he has a noticeable speed and skill advantage.

The offensive numbers should reflect all of that … except they don’t. North Carolina’s numbers actually have gone down since moving Hairston into the starting five; The Tar Heels were shooting 44.5 percent before him, and are shooting 43.9 with him. They were scoring 78.3 points per game with him off the bench, and are averaging 76.1 with him starting.

So if it’s not offense, it has to be defense, right?

Not exactly. North Carolina was allowing 69.3 points per game before Hairston, and a flat 66 with him – and that number is skewed favorably by two games against anemic Clemson and Florida State, both of which failed to break 60 against UNC.

That three points isn't a notable change.

So, it’s the schedule?

That would be far-fetched, too. North Carolina has beaten the current Nos. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 10 in the ACC with Hairston starting, including road wins in notoriously tough environments at Maryland (particularly) and Clemson.

And the Tar Heels have won against many contrasting styles, from Virginia’s defense-and-shooting method to Clemson’s slow-down to Maryland’s forward-heavy attack to N.C. State’s complete offense.

That the Tar Heels have won six of their seven games since Hairston was inserted in the starting lineup has something to do with assets that can’t be quantified. Hairston brings a confidence to the Tar Heels, and he’s the toughest player on the squad. That helps.

The biggest part of the winning streak, however, actually comes from an underrated part of Hairston's game: His ball-handling. Since the sophomore guard was put in the starting lineup, North Carolina's turnovers are down three per game to a very manageable average of 10.

And the Tar Heels more frequently are hitting their magic number: 19 assists. When North Carolina reaches 19, they're 14-1, the lone exception being a high-scoring loss to N.C. State in which it lost the game in the first 15 minutes.

With Hairston, the Tar Heels are reaching 19 more often; They've done it four times in the past seven games (57 percent) compared to 11 in 25 with him on the bench (44 percent).

North Carolina has all but locked up a spot in the NCAA Tournament in the aforementioned stretch, even if it loses its next two games.

As UNC coach Roy Williams said earlier in the season, North Carolina wasn't going to be a good team until it learned to play together. Hairston might just be the catalyst in all of this. He is credited for being a good scorer and a good shooter, but credit the Tar Heels' positive change to another of Hairston's traits: He's a good sharer, even if his assist numbers aren't spectacular.

Whether it's because of Hairston or the threat of him, North Carolina moves the ball better when he's out there.

DURHAM – After losing at Virginia, No. 3 Duke has the country's fifth-ranked team 44 hours later.

How will the short turnaround affect Duke?

On paper, it would make sense to say that little rest would harm the Blue Devils, who aren't very deep, are trying to nurse to two starters and are coming off a loss.

But despite all those factors, Duke is 8-1 this season when playing 72 hours or fewer after a game.

It doesn't make sense. Seth Curry hardly ever can practice because of a nagging shin injury. Ryan Kelly hasn't played since Jan. 8 as Duke tries to hurry him back without aggravating his foot ailment. Further, the Blue Devils have three true freshmen – Rasheed Sulaimon, Amile Jefferson and Alex Murphy – playing an average of 51 minutes per game, and usually players in their first year of college ball begin to wear down with a 30-plus game schedule.

Probably the biggest reason for Duke's success on short rest is its reliance on starters and shooting. Duke's five starters average 68 points per game – second highest in the country – and the Blue Devils shoot 41 percent from the 3-point line and nearly 73 percent from the line. That means a lot of relatively low-stress points.

That said, Duke's only game on fewer than 48 hours of rest came against Elon, a potential NCAA Tournament team but nowhere near as skilled as Miami.

The Hurricanes clobbered the Blue Devils, 90-63, in the meeting in Coral Gables, Fla. earlier this season, and not just because Kelly was out. Miami is a bad matchup for Duke. The Hurricanes are huge; With five legitimate big men to rotate on Mason Plumlee, Duke's only consistent low post scorer, the Blue Devils must rely on jump shots.

So if you're rooting for Duke, don't be worried about the rest. Be worried about the Hurricanes. Duke must shoot its way into forcing Miami to play a small(er) lineup. If Duke does that, its odds are great. If it makes it a low-post game – like 2012's game at Cameron, a Miami win – it's in trouble.

CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina comes into today's game (Noon, WRAL) in desperate need of a victory. The Tar Heels (16-8, 6-5 Atlantic Coast Conference) are running out of time to change their course and secure an NCAA Tournament berth.

Starting with today, North Carolina has at least six more games, though it didn't pick the best time to have a must-win.

The Cavaliers, who have won their past three games and seven of their past nine, have the second-best defense in the country, allowing just more than 52 points per game.

Guard Joe Harris has been on a hot streak. He's averaging nearly 22 points per game in his past five games, though his efficiency is the story. Harris ranks first in the conference in 3-point shooting (a torrid 48.4 percent), fifth in field goal percentage (49 percent – impressive for a primarily jump shooting guard) and has made more than 76 percent of his free throws.

The Tar Heels played well in their loss to Duke on Wednesday, finally showing potential of the team they should be. North Carolina played with passion and energy against the Blue Devils, a big part of the reason the Tar Heels made No.2 Duke sweat the entire night.

That said, North Carolina's effort has not been consistently good this season. North Carolina has made a habit of starting games poorly, and Virginia isn't the right squad against which to continue that trend.

Virginia has held eight opponents (two in the ACC) to fewer than 20 points in a half this season. The Cavaliers aren't the type team that allows 35 points in a half – it would be foolish to expect North Carolina to blow the doors off of the Cavaliers, so falling behind by double digits can be a death sentence.

North Carolina can play at Virginia's slug-like pace – pay attention to the other end. The Tar Heels will win or lose on defense, which was excellent in the first half against Duke.

But the D in Chapel Hill, like most of the season, has been hit-and-miss. North Carolina has allowed 70 or more points in the four times in the past six games, when it has gone 3-3.

If the Cavaliers break 70, North Carolina stands almost no chance of winning this game.

Virginia is perfect when scoring 70-plus, and 9-0 when shooting greater than 50 percent.

1. How will the Blue Devils guard Dez Wells? Maryland's combo guard-forward is 6-foot-5 and a strong 215 pounds, and presents a matchup problem with his ability to shoot (50.4 percent from the field) or pass (8 assists in the Terrapins' last game), or even space the floor for his teammates. Wells is the only Maryland player for whom Duke doesn't have a natural matchup. Wells is too strong for Rasheed Sulaimon and likely has a quickness advantage against Amile Jefferson, but Duke doesn't have much of a choice with Ryan Kelly out. The Blue Devils have an advantage at any other position, and Maryland likely will need 20-plus points from Wells to win this game. His scoring will be key to helping Maryland's over-matched guards.

2. This, one way or another, is a statement game for Duke. Conference favorite North Carolina went through a similar situation last season when they were embarrassed on the road by an the upstart ACC team on national TV, though the outing didn't derail their season as they still went on to win the regular season title. After its loss to Miami, the Blue Devils can't afford another loss. The ACC champion almost never makes it through all 16 games without a loss, and the Hurricanes still have yet to play N.C. State or the return trip to Duke. By no means are the Blue Devils out of the race, but a cheap loss – today or otherwise – will give them three conference losses and a tough circumstance to winning the ACC.

1. Hypothetically, this is the same type of game that Duke played against Wake Forest. Clemson has 13 players – two seniors and no juniors. Like the Demon Deacons, the Tigers still are a young squad that has to prove it can win tough road games in its ACC schedule. But in reality, the Tigers are much further along than the Demon Deacons and present a much tougher challenge for Duke. The Tigers run 6-foot-6, 6-foot-8 and 6-foot-9 across the frontcourt and have decent length to pair against the Blue Devils. Clemson is among the top defensive teams in the country (allowing 56 points per game) and has been outstanding with handling the basketball – especially for a young team – with a plus-3.5 turnover margin. The Tigers haven't seen a team of Duke's caliber, but they play the type of game that can keep them in contention. That is, provided they aren't overwhelmed by the environment.

2. Can Clemson's bench hold the margin? The Tigers don't need their bench players to take over the game, but they need them to be competitive and not allow Duke's reserves to run away with the game. Two Clemson bench players, Adonis Filer and Jordan Roper, are fourth and fifth, respectively, on the team in scoring, accounting for 15 of the team's nearly 67 points per game. Their contributions on the offensive end will be a huge factor in whether the Tigers can be in the game into the second half. Duke has eight players who have scored double-digits in a game this season. To keep up, even in a low scoring game, Clemson probably needs to win bench points.

Time: 7 p.m.

TV: ESPNU

Odds: Duke by 18.

Duke's season-opening win against Georgia State didn't lend much of an indication of whether the No. 9 Blue Devils will be playing on a Monday night in early April, but that's a long way away.

What Duke's game against Georgia State can tell us is how it might fare against Kentucky, the defending national champion which looks nothing like it did seven months ago but is ranked No. 3 regardless.

Here were the take-aways from Duke's opener:

1. The Blue Devils spaced the floor pretty well. That's a good sign for an opener. Spacing tends to progress as players gain more game experience and familiarity playing with their teammates, and Duke showed an excellent base – the Blue Devils consistently were solid with off-ball movement and creating good shots. Georgia State played a 2-3 match-up zone for most of the game, a system that intends to create then take away passing lanes, in turn causing turnovers. Duke had nine turnovers in the first half, though in the second half it began successfully entering the middle of the zone, which created stressed rotations and good looks. Duke hit 11 three-pointers; the final margin was 23.

2. Can Duke protect the rim? Georgia State didn't provide much in the way of top-tier athletes, but Kentucky sure will. Duke's best lineup, at least as of today, looks to be Tyler Thornton, Seth Curry, Rasheed Sulaimon, Ryan Kelly and Mason Plumlee. Kelly's a power forward … kind of. In his heart, he's a perimeter player, which means that set has four players that aren't playing much interior D. Kentucky is going to attack the goal. Forwards Nerlens Noel and Alex Poythress are athletic wings whom the Blue Devils don't match up with particularly well, especially considering Kentucky could play both with Kyle Wiltjer, who is 6-foot-10 and can shoot from deep. If Kentucky can create quality shots by exploiting those match-ups, Duke's in for a long night.

3. How far Duke goes will ultimately rest with Mason Plumlee. He has excellent feet and nice touch around the paint, but he's too often gone into a shell when playing bigger, talented players. When Plumlee is playing well – as he did against Georgia State with 19 points on 8-for-12 shooting, 14 boards and four blocks – Duke's offense is lethal. Plumlee is a smart passer, so when teams double him or cheat with help, he'll create an open three-pointer for Curry, Kelly or whoever is playing point guard. When a big man can take Plumlee out of the game (like Miami's Reggie Johnson, who ate Plumlee's lunch on Super Bowl Sunday), lanes close for scorers and shooters don't have many open looks, and Duke scores in the 50s and 60s instead of the 70s and 80s.

4. Coach Mike Krzyzewski is counting on the two true freshmen for big minutes. Rasheed Sulaimon and Amile Jefferson played a combined 43 minutes in the opener, though tonight against the Wildcats will give us more of an indication how the two Cameron newbies will handle the merciless ACC slate, which is fewer than two months away. Both took good shots and didn't assume this level was high school extended, which can be an issue for a highly-touted prep player. Sulaimon, in particular, appears to be finding a niche with Curry on the floor. The two pull the defense apart with their ability to shoot, and both can drive. Both earned several wide-open shots.

Duke takes on Florida International at 7 p.m. The game is available on espn3.com.

1. How will Duke's offense fare with so much movement? Duke already was thin at wide receiver before Blair Holliday's accident on July 4, but now the Blue Devils have moved running back Desmond Scott to wide receiver. Scott was Duke's best back in 2011, averaging 5.1 yards per carry, so it will be interesting to see if Duke simply plugged one hole by creating another. The Blue Devils averaged 94 yards per game on the ground last season, which was the worst mark in the Atlantic Coast Conference. FIU was 22nd in the country against the run a season ago, meaning Duke will be tested running the football.

2. Will the urgency be there? Make no mistake, this is a must-win game for Duke. The Blue Devils' goal is to qualify for a bowl game for the first time since the 1994 season, though their schedule isn't favorable for the six victories they'll need. In addition to Duke's five ACC Coastal Division foes – which includes trips to Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech – the Blue Devils also drew Florida State and Clemson from the Atlantic Division, which are ranked No. 7 and No. 14, respectively. Duke has to beat FIU to have a prayer of getting to six victories.

In Duke's opener last season, it was utterly flat and uninspiring in a 23-21 loss to FCS opponent Richmond. There can be no such letdown tonight.

3. How will FIU succeed in the absence of its departed star? Golden Panther receiver T.Y. Hilton (72 catches, 7 touchdowns) was the focal point of FIU's offense in 2011, but it's unlikely the Indianapolis Colts will let Hilton come back and play for old times' sake. The Golden Panthers found every way to get the ball to Hilton in 2011 and relied on his ability in key situations. Who will emerge as the Panthers' playmaker?

Style: Creighton is an offensive juggernaut. The Blue Jays are the best shooting team in the country at 50.7 percent, they're ranked second in assists per game and they shoot the 3-pointer better than everybody except for two teams. Sophomore Doug McDermott is ranked third in the country in points per game (23), but shoots nearly 61 percent from the floor. Creighton shoots 42.5 percent from 3-point-range as a team. North Carolina doesn't have a single player shooting higher than 40 percent.

Matchup: Creighton and North Carolina are certainly different in how each team scores. The Blue Jays prefer half-court offense, good movement and finding open shooters. The Tar Heels aren't as adept in half-court sets – sometimes they're downright uncomfortable in them – but very few teams run as North Carolina does. Pace will be a big deal, but defense will decide the winner. Creighton does not matchup well with North Carolina on defense, but North Carolina doesn't matchup well with Creighton, either.

Overrated Factor: North Carolina's size. The Tar Heels have one of the biggest frontcourts in the country, but Creighton is good rebounding team. Both squads rank in the top 25 in the country in rebounding margin, and it's not as if the Blue Jays haven't seen big teams before. They're 4-0 against teams from BCS conferences this season.

Underrated Factor: Ability to maximize possessions. Creighton's propensity to nail the 3-pointer allows it to beat teams even when it isn't shooting a higher percentage. If North Carolina scores on five out of every 10 possessions, but Creighton hits a 3-pointer on three of its ten possessions, that would mean North Carolina is up one even though it is shooting 20 percentage points higher. If the Tar Heels play as sluggishly as they did at times against Vermont, they're in trouble against a Creighton team that is never out of a game.

Game-Changer: Forward Ethan Wragge. If you buy into the Tar Heels' comparison of Creighton to Duke, than Wragge is Ryan Kelly. He's big, he's skilled, he can space the floor and he can hit the 3-pointer. A bench player, Wragge shoots better than 41 percent from behind the arc in his career. His 12-or-so minutes in tonight's game could be a huge advantage for Creighton.

What decides the game: Turnovers. While the Blue Jays are powerful offensively, they do not take very good care of the ball. Creighton has a negative turnover margin (-1.7), which is uncharacteristic for a team that scores as much as it does. North Carolina is the wrong team against to play sloppy against, as it lives off forcing turnovers and scoring fast break baskets. If the Blue Jays can keep the fast break points close, they stand a good chance.

Series History: UNC leads, 2-0.

Last meeting: 1970.

Prediction: North Carolina 76, Creighton 69

Style: Vermont plays very disciplined, fundamental basketball. They're not particularly imaginative on the offensive end, but they play excellent defense and they take care of the ball. The Catamounts allow just over 60 points per game, and have allowed 80 once (to Long Island, who also made the tournament). Vermont turned the ball over five times in its play-in game against Lamar, and its type of basketball bodes well in March. They're tough to frustrate and tougher yet to force into a track meet.

Matchup: They're polar opposites of North Carolina, which runs at every opportunity. The Catamounts will try their best to lessen possessions, eliminate fast breaks and use as much of the shot clock as they can. Vermont doesn't have the size or athleticism North Carolina does, so its style fits pretty well given its significant disadvantages. The down side for the Catamounts: North Carolina saw a better version of Vermont in Virginia, and won handily.

Overrated Factor: While the venue is “neutral site,” North Carolina fans have about an hour-long drive to Greensboro, whereas Vermont fans have a nearly-15-hour trek. Homecourt advantage is exaggerated in the NCAA Tournament, though. Tickets are sold by sessions (two early games or two late games per ticket), meaning there are fans for four teams present. With the crowd split into fourths, any advantage is negligible. The non-partisan fans usually root for the underdog, anyway. Further, Vermont is tied with Murray State for most road wins in the country (33) in the past three years.

Underrated Factor: The Catamounts are not an adept 3-point shooting team, and being able to hit the 3 is imperative for the mid-major upset in the tournament. Vermont averages 5.4 3-pointers per game, which won't be enough against the Tar Heels. Vermont is going to lose the fast-break points battle, and it needs to find ways to keep up with UNC. Making 3s are a great way of staying involved with a team that has superior talent.

Game-Changer: Vermont guard Four McGlynn. He shoots more 3-pointers than any other Vermont player, and his shooting off the bench can keep the Catamounts in the game. He scored 18 points against Lamar in the play-in game, and splashed six 3-pointers in one game earlier this season. In these should-be-one-sided games, confidence is a must for the underdog, and McGlynn is the Catamounts' energy man.

What decides the game: North Carolina's size. Only two Vermont players are taller than 6-foot-9, and neither of them plays more than 12 minutes per game. Even without Jon Henson, Tyler Zeller should have a great game.

Series History: UNC leads, 3-0.

Last meeting: 2004

Prediction: North Carolina 84, Vermont 59