So raise your glass if you are wrong
In all the right ways, all my underdogs
We will never be, never be anything but loud
And nitty, gritty, dirty, little freaks
Won’t you come on and come on and
Raise your glass!?
Just come on and come on and
Raise your glass!
Raise Your Glass-P!nk
Happy New Year THB Nation! And with the new year comes another set of Power Rankings as the ACC season finally kicked off this week with eight games to kick off the week and eight more scheduled this weekend. Teams that
seemed suspect coming into the conference season will have to prove their record isn’t a fluke, while teams that looked strong will have to avoid the letdowns and trap games.
Obviously with just one round of games in the books, there wont be too much movement in these rankings. So without further ado, here are this week’s ACC Men’s Basketball Power Rankings.
1. North Carolina Tar Heels (13-1, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 79-66 against Florida State
The Tar Heels claim the top spot this week by becoming the first ACC team to 13 wins thanks to their 13 point win over Florida State. North Carolina, who has won seven straight games, held the Seminoles to 35% from the field while also forcing nine turnovers, including seven by leading scorer Robert McCray V. UNC’s next conference game is on the road as they travel to play the Mustangs in their first conference game of the season.
Next Game: at SMU (1/3)
2. Duke Blue Devils (12-1, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 85-79 against Georgia Tech
The Blue Devils came out cold against Georgia Tech on New Year’s Eve and trailed the Yellow Jackets by four at halftime. That is enough to drop Duke a spot in this week’s rankings as Georgia Tech just isn’t that good. The Blue Devils will look to improve to 2-0 in conference play when they travel to Tallahassee to take on the three point shooting Seminoles.
Next Game: at Florida State (1/3)
3. Louisville Cardinals (11-2, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 90-70 against California
The Cardinals maintain the third spot in these ranking after crushing California on Tuesday. Louisville scored at least 90 points for the eighth time this season. The Cardinals will continue to stay on the West Coast this week as they finish their rounds with a Friday night matchup against Stanford.
Next Game: at Stanford (1/2)
4. Virginia Tech Hokies (12-2, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 95-85 against Virginia in 3OT
The Hokies, who were missing three players to injuries, just kept fighting and found a way to eventually win at home in triple overtime against a ranked rival in Virginia. Virginia Tech was led by Ben Hammond, who had 30 points off the bench, and Amani Hansberry, who had a double-double and played 51 minutes. The Hokies will be looking for their seventh straight win when they travel to take on the Demon Deacons this weekend.
Next Game: at Wake Forest (1/3)
5. California Golden Bears (12-2, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against Louisville 90-70
The Golden Bears stay solid at number five this week despite their 20-point home loss to Louisville. It is only California’s second loss of the season and they still have that win against a ranked UCLA team that other teams below them still don’t have. The Golden Bears will look to get back to winning when they welcome in the Fighting Irish on Friday.
Next Game: vs Notre Dame (1/2)
6. Clemson Tigers (11-3, 1-0)
Last Game: won 64-61 against Syracuse
The Tigers move up a spot this week after getting their first road win of the season with their three point victory over Syracuse. Clemson, who was 0-2 on the road this season, will look to make it two in a row away from home when they travel to play the Panthers this weekend.
Next Game: at Pittsburgh (1/3)
7. Virginia Cavaliers (11-2, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against Virginia Tech 95-85 in 3OT
The Cavaliers drop three spots this week after their road loss in triple OT to their instate rivals, Virginia Tech. Virginia fans will have questions for coach Ryan Odom after he left starter Malik Thomas on the bench for all of the first and the first four minutes of the second OT. Thomas, who had a game high 26 points, scored 11 of those in the last six minutes of the overtimes and may have enough to give the Cavaliers the win earlier. Instead Virginia, who will play their second road game to start the conference season on Saturday against the Wolfpack, continues to look questionable following their opening conference loss.
Next Game: at NC State (1/3)
8. Miami Hurricanes (12-2, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 76-69 against Pittsburgh
The Hurricanes won for the twelfth time this season with their comeback victory over Pittsburgh. Miami, who trailed by 10 at halftime, has now won seven straight, which is the total number of games they won last season total, as they continue their huge improvement under new coach Jai Lucas. The Hurricanes will get a week to prepare for their next game when they take on the Demon Deacons on Wednesday.
Next Game: at Wake Forest (1/7)
9. SMU Mustangs (11-2, 0-0)
Last Game: Won 110-63 against Cal State Fullerton
The Mustangs stay at spot 9 this week with their blowout win over the Titans. SMU, who was one of two teams to have the week off from ACC play (not completely sure why the conference is only playing eight games instead of nine), will get their conference season started at home when they welcome in the Tar Heels this weekend.
Next Game: vs North Carolina (1/3)
10. NC State Wolfpack (10-4, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 70-57 against Wake Forest
The Wolfpack drop a couple spots this week after their 13 point win against Wake Forest. The win is NC State’s second straight against a Power 4 school and maybe their most impressive of the season, even if their coach doesn’t ever seem to be happy about anything (check out his rant after his team won by 36). The Wolfpack will look to make it three in a row and their first over a ranked team on Saturday when they welcome in a Cavalier’s team coming off a tough triple OT loss.
Next Game: vs Virginia (1/3)
11. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10-4, 1-0)
Last Game: Won 47-40 against Stanford
The Fighting Irish move up four spots this week by going on the road and beating Stanford. The 47 points was the lowest offensive output by Notre Dame this season topping their previous low of 61 in a loss to Kansas. The Irish will play the second leg of their West Coast double header when they take on the Golden Bears on Friday.
Next Game: at California (1/2)
12. Syracuse Orange (9-5, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against Clemson 64-61
The Orange fall a couple spots this week after a home loss to Clemson. Syracuse led the Tigers by one at the half despite a goose egg from star forward Donnie Freeman but couldn’t hold on and despite a late rally, fell short in the final three and half minutes. The Orange will get a little time to regroup as they don’t play again until Tuesday night against the Yellow Jackets.
Next Game: at Georgia Tech (1/6)
13. Stanford Cardinal (11-3, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against Notre Dame 47-40
The Cardinal come in at “lucky” number 13 for a second straight week after a 400-point showing, with a 17-point first half, in a loss to Notre Dame. Stanford is one of those teams whose record was built on a weak schedule and it showed in the home loss to the Irish. The Cardinal will have a color show down with the Cardinals on Friday night with the loser really seeing red this time around.
Next Game: vs Louisville (1/2)
14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (9-5, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against NC State 70-57
The Demon Deacons tumble two spots this week after losing by 13 on the road to NC State. Wake Forest has now lost two straight games to Power 4 squads by double digits and is now 1-5 against P5 schools for the season with their only win being a nine-point win against West Viriginia. The Deacs will look to end that streak this weekend when they welcome in an injured and probably pretty tired Hokies team coming off a triple OT win.
Next Game: vs Virginia Tech (1/3)
15. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (9-5, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against Duke 85-79
The Yellow Jackets went up to Durham and gave Duke more than it wanted in the first half taking a 43-39 lead into the break. However, they just couldn’t overcome the Blue Devils in the end as they fell short by six. Georgia Tech will look to even up their ACC record as they return home to face an Eagles squad playing their first ACC contest on Saturday.
Next Game: vs Boston College (1/3)
16. Florida State Seminoles (7-7, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against North Carolina 79-66
The Seminoles came out shooting threes against North Carolina and didn’t stop until the final buzzer, literally their last shot at the buzzer was a three. Florida State shot a whopping 40 threes against the Tar Heels (their season average is 36.5), but only connected on 30% of them (their season average is 31.3%). The Seminoles, who take threes on 54% of their shot attempts, will look to hit a little higher clip when they welcome in the Blue Devils on Saturday.
Next Game: vs Duke (1/3)
17. Pittsburgh Panthers (7-7, 0-1)
Last Game: Lost against Miami 76-69
The Panthers went down to South Florida and gave the Hurricanes all they could handle in the first half leading by ten. However, that lead slowly evaporated in the second half and despite Pittsburgh having a four-point lead with just eight minutes to go, Miami took a 62-60 lead with just under six minutes and never trailed again. It was a valiant effort that just came up short as the Panthers will look to rebound quick when the welcome in the Tigers this weekend.
Next Game: vs Clemson (1/3)
18. Boston College Eagles (7-6, 0-0)
Last Game: Won 72-64 against Le Moyne
The Eagles remain in last place this week despite their eight point win against the Dolphins of Le Moyne, because it was an eight-point win against a five win team from the Northeast Conference, a conference Boston College has now played four times this season and are 3-1 against with an average victory margin of 7.5. In other words, the Eagles are the bottom team on this list. Boston College got the week off and will start conference play on Saturday when they travel to Atlanta to play the Yellow Jackets.
Next Game: at Georgia Tech (1/3)
