Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball: 5 biggest takeaways from Day 1 of 2020-21 season

By Jerran Anderson

Nov 25, 2020; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; The Virginia Cavaliers bench reacts after a basket against the Towson Tigers in the second half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 25, 2020; Uncasville, Connecticut, USA; The Virginia Cavaliers bench reacts after a basket against the Towson Tigers in the second half at Mohegan Sun Arena. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /
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ACC Basketball Sam Hauser  David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

Sam Hauser is already on ACC Player of the Year Watch

ACC Player of the Year encompasses a lot of games but just off the first game, it’s easy to project 6-foot-8 forward Sam Hauser as a candidate. The senior transfer from Marquette has picked up where he left off with the Virginia Cavaliers in his debut game. They made 15 3-pointers as a team and did well to spread the ball around

He posted 19 points (17 in the 1st half), eight rebounds, and three assists while shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 3-of-3 from behind the arc. He’s already proving to be a solid inside-out threat in an offense in dire need of a catalyst. He was one big reason they posted 89 points in their opening game of the season. They didn’t score more than 78 points in 2019-20, so not a bad way to start a new season.

Trey Murphy III is another reason for their surge in offensive output. Murphy is set to be a formidable piece off the bench for the Cavaliers after going for 21 points on 6-of-8 shooting from 3-point range. He also had three rebounds and a steal. Don’t be surprised if he wins the Sixth Man of the Year award when it’s all said and done.