1. Virginia (25-5 overall, 16-1 ACC)
No question about this one: the No. 5 Cavaliers cemented their spot atop the ACC with a 19-point win over Syracuse on Saturday in Charlottesville, their 13th in a row. We already know that the Cavs will be the top seed in next week’s ACC Tournament. Now the question is, can they do enough to get a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament?
2. Duke (23-6 overall, 12-4 ACC)
It’s tough to pick a team out of the Blue Devils, Syracuse and UNC-Chapel Hill for the second spot, but I truly think Duke is the best team out of those three. No doubt Duke fans have Saturday’s rematch with the Tar Heels circled on their calendars, but the Devils still have to play at Wake Forest on Wednesday and can’t look past that game.
3. UNC-Chapel Hill (23-7 overall, 13-4 ACC)
If it weren’t for Virginia, the Tar Heels would be the hottest team in the country. UNC won its 11th straight game Saturday, albeit slimly, at Virginia Tech and is guaranteed a double bye in Greensboro next week. Their game at Duke will likely determine who gets the No. 3 seed in the tournament.
4. Syracuse (26-3 overall, 13-3 ACC)
The Orange has lost three of its last four games after a 25-0 start to the season. While two of Syracuse’s losses at Duke and UVa are understandable, the Orange has struggled mightily in recent weeks, barely escaping a sputtering Maryland team by two points in College Park, Md. This is still a team that can make noise at the NCAA Tournament, but the Orange needs to immediately find a remedy to its recent offensive woes.
5. Pittsburgh (22-8 overall, 10-7 ACC)
The drop-off between the top four and the rest of the conference is fairly steep, but as it stands now, the Panthers are on the wrong side of the bubble after a loss at home to N.C. State. Pitt needs a win at Clemson on Sunday and a solid appearance at the ACC Tournament to make things academic.
6. Clemson (18-10 overall, 9-7 ACC)
The Tigers kept their ever-so-slim tournament hopes alive with a double-overtime win against Maryland on Sunday. Even if it does win out, Clemson will need a deep run in Greensboro to make a decent case for an at-large bid. The Tigers’ quest continues Tuesday at home against Miami.
7. Florida State (17-11, 8-8 ACC)
Like Clemson, FSU is almost certainly on the outside looking in at this point. Unlike the Tigers, the Seminoles have a strong nonconference schedule to help them out. Syracuse visits Tallahassee, Fla. on Sunday in a game that could help the ‘Noles tremendously, but if they trip up Tuesday at Boston College, then it’s game over.
8. Miami (15-14 overall, 6-10 ACC)
The Hurricanes have won three of their last four games, with the only loss coming from Virginia on Wednesday. Head coach Jim Larranaga’s team, usually built on defense, put on an amazing offensive display in Raleigh on Saturday, shooting 58 percent from the field and scoring 85 points, both season-high marks.
9. N.C. State (18-12 overall, 8-9 ACC)
Any hopes the Wolfpack had of an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament vanished this past week with a heart-breaking overtime loss to UNC-Chapel Hill on Wednesday, followed by a disappointing defeat to Miami on Saturday, both at home. A massive away win over Pittsburgh will do wonders for the Pack’s confidence, but State will likely host a game or two in the NIT unless it can pull off a miracle in Greensboro.
10. Maryland (15-14 overall, 7-9 ACC)
The Terrapins’ final season in the ACC has been a disappointing one, and Sunday’s double-overtime loss at Clemson was yet another close-but-no-cigar loss. The Terps can salvage a .500 conference record in their last two games of the season, at home against both Virginia Tech on Tuesday and UVa on Sunday. The Tech matchup seems fairly probable, but the clash with a streaking UVa — not so much.
11. Notre Dame (15-16 overall, 6-12 ACC)
The Irish pushed Pitt to the wire Sunday and very nearly put a huge dent in the Panthers’ NCAA dreams, but fell just short like it has in so many games this season. Monday’s (WIN/LOSS) against UNC was the last regular-season game for the Irish, which will get more than a week to rest and prepare for the ACC Tournament.
12. Wake Forest (15-14 overall, 5-11 ACC)
The Demon Deacons finally got back into the win column last Tuesday by beating Clemson, but followed that up with a home loss to Boston College over the weekend. Wednesday’s clash with Duke could well be fourth-year head coach Jeff Bzdelik’s last in Winston-Salem.
13. Boston College (8-21 overall, 4-12 ACC)
BC head coach Steve Donahue, also in his fourth year, could possibly join Bzdelik on the job-hunting trail this spring. The Eagles picked up their fourth conference win against Wake, but Eagles fans haven’t had much to celebrate other than BC’s upset over then-No. 1 Syracuse two weeks ago.
14. Georgia Tech (13-16 overall, 4-12 ACC)
Mired in a four-game losing streak, a trip to Syracuse to face an angry Orange team is likely not what the doctor ordered for the Yellow Jackets. Georgia Tech hasn’t beaten an ACC team in the top 10 of the conference standings this season, and things will likely stay that way. Head coach Brian Gregory’s seat will be fairly warm heading into next season.
15. Virginia Tech (9-19 overall, 2-14 ACC)
Almost nothing has gone right for the Hokies this season. The Hokies lost do-everything former point guard Erick Green from last year’s team, which finished in last place in the conference standings, and Tech has missed his offensive production dearly. Young talent like freshman point guard Devin Wilson and sophomore center Joey Van Zegeren make the future somewhat bright in Blacksburg, Va.
