The ACC continues its season of improvement a year after getting an all time low four bids into the NCAA tournament. Better conference teams mean more opportunities for quality wins (just ask the SEC last year, who got a record 14 teams in including a subpar Oklahoma team). So as teams continue to jockey for position, a lot is riding on the final two weeks of the season, including nine teams fighting for the last three double byes in the conference tournament. Duke is guaranteed a top four finish
even if they go 0-3 to finish the season, and six teams could currently mathematically miss the ACC tournament completely (even with the ACC going to 18 teams last season, they still only allow 15 to play in the tournament).
So without further ado, here are this week’s ACC Men’s Basketball Power Rankings.
1. Duke Blue Devils (26-2, 14-1)
Last Game: won 100-56 against Notre Dame
In their first game ranked number one coming off their big win over Michigan, the Blue Devils took the Fighting Irish outside and whooped them behind the shed. Duke will look to lock up a second consecutive ACC regular season championship when they take on the Cavaliers this Saturday.
Next Game: vs Virginia (2/28)
2. Virginia Cavaliers (25-3, 13-2)
Last Game: won 90-61 against NC State
The Cavaliers drew one step closer to locking up a double bye (I am not sure how tie breakers would fall, exactly, depending on who is tied with who) with their walloping of the Wolfpack. Virginia can not only lock up a double bye this weekend with a win over the Blue Devils but would also be in the pole position to win the ACC regular season title for the first time since 2021.
Next Game: at Duke (2/28)
3. Miami Hurricanes (22-6, 11-4)
Last Game: won 83-73 against Florida State
The Hurricanes continued their magical turnaround season by avenging an earlier season loss to the Seminoles. Miami, who has seven wins in their past nine games, will look to keep their double bye chances alive when they welcome in the Eagles on Saturday.
Next Game: vs Boston College (2/28)
4. North Carolina Tar Heels (22-6, 10-5)
Last Game: won 77-74 against Louisville
What a difference a week makes. After losing by 20 at NC State, the Tar Heels responded with wins against Syracuse and the Cardinals. The win against Louisville was their fifth against a team ranked in the top 25 at the time of the contest, as well as their sixth quad 1 win this season (the road win against Syracuse is currently a quad 2). The Tar Heels will be looking to stay undefeated at home, as well as keep their double bye hopes alive, this weekend when they welcome in the Hokies.
Next Game: vs Virginia Tech (2/28)
5. SMU Mustangs (19-8, 8-6)
Last Game: won 94-70 against Boston College
The Mustangs continued their climb toward the right side of the bubble with their home win against the Eagles. SMU’s next challenge is the dreaded West Coast road trip that starts with the Golden Bears on Wednesday.
Next Game: at California (2/25)
6. Louisville Cardinals (20-8, 9-6)
Last Game: lost against North Carolina 77-74
The Cardinals started and finished their road loss against North Carolina strong, it was the 10 plus minutes in which they scored four points and only made one field goal that did them in. Louisville will look to bounce back this Saturday when they travel to take on a Tigers team that hasn’t won since the first weekend in February.
Next Game: at Clemson (2/28)
7. NC State Wolfpack (19-9, 10-5)
Last Game: lost against Virginia 90-61
The Wolfpack followed up their big win against North Carolina with a demoralizing loss to the Cavaliers. At the end of the first half, Virginia had more blocks than NC State had made baskets and if not for a late three by Paul McNeil Jr, the Wolfpack would’ve had as many points in the game as the Cavaliers did in the second half. NC State, who has now lost three of their past four and put their chances at a double bye in jeopardy, will look to get back to winning when they travel to take on the Fighting Irish this weekend.
Next Game: at Notre Dame (2/28)
8. Florida State Seminoles (14-14, 7-8)
Last Game: lost against Miami 83-73
The Seminoles saw their current three-game winning streak come to an end in their home loss to the Hurricanes. Florida State, who had won seven of their past nine before this game, will look to stay hot against a Yellow Jackets team in desperate need of a win this weekend.
Next Game: at Georgia Tech (2/28)
9. Clemson Tigers (20-8, 10-5)
Last Game: lost against Florida State 70-65
The Tigers lost their fourth straight game this past weekend with their home loss to the Seminoles. Clemson, who looked like a shoo-in for a double bye just three weeks ago, will get the week off before facing the Cardinals at home this weekend, with the loser probably seeing their double bye chances hit life support.
Next Game: vs Louisville (2/28)
10. Virginia Tech Hokies (18-10, 7-8)
Last Game: won 82-63 against Wake Forest
The Hokies ended a two-game skid with their win over the Demon Deacons. Virginia Tech, who had also lost four of their past five games before that win, will look to make it two in a row against North Carolina schools when they travel to play a Tar Heel team that is 16-0 at home this season. [Editor’s note: Nobody worry, I went ahead and knocked on wood after reading this.]
Next Game: at North Carolina (2/28)
11. California Golden Bears (19-8, 7-7)
Last Game: won 72-66 against Stanford
The Golden Bears completed their sweep of the Cardinal with their six-point win this past weekend. California, who has a couple of nice wins on the season, will look to add to their resume when they take on the Mustangs this weekend.
Next Game: vs SMU (2/25)
12. Syracuse Orange (15-13, 6-9)
Last Game: lost against North Carolina 77-64
The Orange are the only team on this list who can neither get a double bye nor miss the tournament entirely. Syracuse does still have a shot at the single bye, but that would require them to win out while getting some help, and that starts Saturday with their road contest against the Demon Deacons.
Next Game: at Wake Forest (2/28)
13. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (14-13, 5-9)
Last Game: lost against Virginia Tech 82-63
The Demon Deacons’ loss to the Hokies ended a three-game winning streak that saw them crawl out of the bottom and get above .500 for the first time since late January. Wake Forest can guarantee themselves a spot in the ACC tournament with a road win against the Eagles on Wednesday. Lose that one, however, and things get a little more dicey for the Demon Deacons, who will finish the season with three games against teams currently ahead of them in these rankings.
Next Game: at Boston College (2/25)
14. Stanford Cardinal (16-11, 5-9)
Last Game: lost against California 72-66
The loss against the Golden Bears was the Cardinal’s seventh in their past nine games. It also probably popped their bubble, barring a 4-0 run to end the season. Much like Wake Forest, Stanford can guarantee their spot in the ACC tournament with a home win against the Panthers on Wednesday.
Next Game: vs Pittsburgh (2/25)
15. Pittsburgh Panthers (10-17, 3-11)
Last Game: won 73-68 against Notre Dame
The Panthers’ win over the Fighting Irish might be the difference between them making or missing the ACC Tournament, as they now hold the tie breaker for the final spot. Pittsburgh, who had lost 11 of their past 13 games before that win, will look to make it two wins in a row for the first time this season when they travel to take on the Cardinal in the first game of their own West Coast road trip.
Next Game: at Stanford (2/25)
16. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-16, 3-12)
Last Game: lost against Duke 100-56
The Fighting Irish followed up their loss to Pittsburgh with an absolute beat down at the hands of the Blue Devils. Notre Dame will look to avoid missing the ACC tournament for the first time this season when they welcome in a State team coming off a blowout loss themselves.
Next Game: vs NC State (2/28)
17. Boston College Eagles (9-18, 2-12)
Last Game: lost against SMU 94-70
The Eagles loss against the Mustangs was their eighth straight, as they are staring down becoming the first team to miss the ACC tournament two years in a row (before last season, no team had ever missed the tournament except for suspension). Boston College will look to keep their ACC Tournament hopes alive when they welcome in a Demon Deacons team in desperate need of a win to avoid missing the tournament themselves.
Next Game: vs Wake Forest (2/25)
18. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (11-17, 2-13)
Last Game: lost against Louisville 87-70
The Yellow Jackets lost their ninth straight game with their road loss to the Cardinals this past weekend. Georgia Tech, who is very close to missing the ACC tournament for the first time ever, will have the week off before welcoming in a smoking hot Seminoles team this weekend.
Next Game: vs Florida State (2/28)
