ESPN offers grim a outlook for ACC women's basketball come tournament time

ACC play is kicking into high gear for the Virginia Tech women's basketball and the rest of the conference. In the recent Women's Bracketology, ESPN's Charlie Creme had nine ACC teams scattered throughout his bracket. The Hokies were a four-seed, which would be a good number for them come March as it would mean they get the first and second-round games at Cassell Coliseum in Blacksburg.

ESPN did a midseason predictions piece and Creme had a grim prediction and outlook for the ACC come March.

Charlie Creme of ESPN gives a grim prediction for the ACC

Creme, who has been high on the conference with 9-10 teams in his bracketology, thinks the ACC will get nine teams in the NCAA Tournament, but doesn't think the conference will fare well once they get there.

"The ACC will lead the country with nine teams in the NCAA tournament, but only three will reach the Sweet 16 -- and none will make the Final Four. With the exception of NC State and Virginia Tech, the ACC looks to be a deep collection of very-good-but-not-great teams. It will make a compelling regular-season race and a potentially fascinating ACC tournament, but not a national champion. Of course, Louisville will make the Elite Eight for the sixth consecutive year because, somehow, Jeff Walz always finds a way."

- Charlie Creme

Of course, Virginia Tech is coming off a run to the Final Four last March to Dallas where they lost to LSU in the semifinals, but considering how deep the conference is each year, it's hard to think that the ACC will be eliminated and struggle early in the tournament. What the ACC has over the other conferences is that each game is going to be battle for all teams. There is no such thing as an "easy game''.

Only having three ACC teams reach the Sweet 16 is a bold prediction from the ACC and in the end, he may be right, but it's still a grim prediction for one of the top women's college basketball conferences year in and year out.