BOSTON COLLEGE
With the inside-outside ability of senior center Quinten Post, the Eagles could be a tough out in the tournament. Post embodies the team’s bruising, physical mentality. Guard Jaeden Zackery is a gritty and capable floor general and guards Claudell Harris Jr. and Mason Madsen join Post in giving BC outside pop.
EAGLES
ACC TEAM STRENGTHS
Boston College
Clemson
Duke
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Louisville
Miami
NC State
North Carolina
Notre Dame
Syracuse
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest
Pitt
Boston College
This is one of Brad Brownell’s best teams at Clemson, with scoring capabilities in the paint and outside on the perimeter. Center PJ Hall is one of the league’s best players and his skill-set is complimented by the guard play of Chase Hunter and Syracuse transfer Joe Girard, who has proved to be a perfect fit for the Tigers.
TIGERS
CLEMSON
Clemson
This year’s Blue Devils aren’t just talented. They’re experienced, too. A core of returners that includes Kyle Filipowski, Jeremy Roach, Mark Mitchell and Tyrese Proctor have allowed freshman Jared McCain and Caleb Foster to develop as the year’s gone on. No team in the ACC has won its games by a bigger margin than Duke has.
BLUE DEVILS
DUKE
Duke
VCU transfer Jamir Watkins hasn’t just been the Seminoles’ leading scorer. He’s been FSU’s best all-around player. Florida State’s biggest issues have been on the defensive end, but having the 6-foot-11 Baba Miller as a rim protector makes it capable there. The team won five straight ACC contests to open January.
SeminoleS
FLORIDA STATE
Florida State
The Yellow Jackets’ first season under coach Damon Stoudamire has been an up-and-down affair, but wins over Duke, North Carolina, Clemson and Mississippi State show how dangerous they can be. Freshmen Baye Ndongo and Naithan George give Georgia Tech an exciting young duo to play along with star Miles Kelly.
yellow jackets
GEORGIA TECH
Georgia Tech
It’s been a long year for the Cardinals and coach Kenny Payne. They’ve struggled to stop people defensively since the opening game, which they won 94-93 over UMBC. The good news is Louisville can score. It has four starters averaging in double figures, led by transfer guard Skyy Clark.
CARDINALS
LOUISVILLE
Louisville
The Hurricanes might have had one of the ACC’s best starting lineups, when they were healthy. Unfortunately, that wasn’t often this season. Still, the addition of Florida State transfer Matt Cleveland to Norchad Omier, Wooga Poplar and Nijel Pack has certainly made Miami one of the league’s most potent scoring teams.
HURRICANES
MIAMI
Miami
The Wolfpack have been inconsistent this season, but wins over Clemson, Virginia and Wake Forest show they’re capable. DJ Horne has developed into an elite scorer and DJ Burns Jr. is a tough matchup in the paint with his size and passing skills. State’s defense is aggressive and produces turnovers.
WOLFPACK
NC State
NC State
The Tar Heels wasted little time establishing themselves as national title contenders, scoring 100 points in a November win over Tennessee. With RJ Davis, the ACC’s leading scorer, and Armando Bacot – who averages a double-double – leading the way, Carolina has excelled at both ends of the court. Transfers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan have helped make UNC the class of the league.
TAR HEELS
North Carolina
North Carolina
Micah Shrewsberry’s first season in South Bend, Indiana has been one of resilience. The Irish endured a seven-game conference losing streak, then bounced back by winning three straight. Guard Markus Burton has emerged as a star, leading Notre Dame in scoring, assists and steals. The problem has been finding scoring from anyone beyond Burton and Braeden Shrewsberry.
FIGHTING IRISH
NOTRE DAME
Notre Dame
Blake Hinson is a bona fide star, and freshman point guard Carlton Carrington has developed into a perfect complement. The Panthers got off to a slow start, losing four of the first five ACC games. But an upset victory at Duke signaled that they had turned things around. Since then, Pittsburgh has been of the best teams in the league.
PANTHERS
PITT
Pitt
Adrian Autry’s first season leading the Orange has been an adjustment. But with the dynamic abilities of guard Judah Mintz and the continued development of Notre Dame transfer JJ Starling, Syracuse can score enough to compete with anyone in the ACC. Chris Bell and Maliq Brown give them offense and defense in the front court.
ORANGE
SYRACUSE
Syracuse
Maddeningly inconsistent, Virginia has played some of the best defense in the nation for stretches, and also had some of the worst offensive droughts. Reece Beekman and Ryan Dunn make the Cavaliers’ tough to score on, while Beekman and sharp-shooting guard Isaac McKneely can make them effective with the ball.
CavalierS
VIRGINIA
Virginia
Another slow start in league play – the Hokies lost four of their first six ACC games – left this team behind the eight ball early on. Hunter Cattoor and Sean Pedulla give Virginia Tech an explosive but inconsistent backcourt, and the emergence of center Lynn Kidd has given it a viable inside option, too.
Hokies
VIRGINIA TECH
Virginia Tech
The Demon Deacons became a more complete team with transfer Efton Reid received his NCAA waiver in December. The 7-foot center brought a defensive presence to a team that already had a potent offense, led by fellow former Gonzaga player Hunter Sallis and dynamic point guard Kevin Miller. Wake has also been the league’s best free-throw shooting team all year.
Demon Deacons
WAKE FOREST
Wake Forest