Sam Bass gives his ACC basketball power rankings for week 10 of the 2022-23 college basketball season.
Matchup of the week: Miami vs. Duke
Sneaky good matchup of the week: NC State vs. North Carolina
All games listed are EST.
1) Clemson Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 3 (+2)
Record: 15-3 (7-0)
Last week: Louisville (W) 83-70, #24 Duke (W) 72-64
Next week: @ Wake Forest (Jan. 17 – 9 p.m.), Virginia Tech (Jan. 21 – 6 p.m.)
Best wins: Duke, Penn State, NC State, @ Pittsburgh
Worst losses: Loyola Chicago, South Carolina
Clemson is the team to beat right now in the ACC, mainly because no one has beaten them yet. The Tigers beat Duke this week to officially solidify themselves as legitimate ACC contenders and a team that should be discussed in the national conversation. Brad Brownell picked up his 400th career win this week as well, congrats Coach!
2) Virginia Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 13-3 (5-2)
Last week: North Carolina (W) 65-58, @ Florida State (W) 67-58
Next week: Virginia Tech (Jan. 18 – 7 p.m.), @ Wake Forest (Jan. 21 – 2 p.m.)
Best wins: Baylor, Illinois, @ Michigan, North Carolina
Worst losses: @ Pittsburgh
Virginia was able to escape UNC in Charlottesville, as Armando Bacot had to leave the game in the first half with an ankle injury. Ben Vander Plas has averaged 16 points per game this week and made his way into the starting lineup on Saturday. More importantly for Virginia, Reece Beekman looks to be moving quicker as he continues to rehab a strained hamstring.
3) Miami Hurricanes
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-2)
Record: 14-3 (5-2)
Last week: Boston College (W) 88-72, @ NC State (L) 81-83
Next week: Syracuse (Jan. 16 – 7 p.m.), @ #24 Duke (Jan. 21 – Noon)
Best wins: Virginia, Providence, Rutgers, NC State, @ UCF
Worst losses: @ Georgia Tech
Miami could not go 2-0 against NC State this season, falling to the Wolfpack by two after beating them in Coral Gables. Miami travels to Cameron Indoor this weekend to face off with a struggling Duke squad, but any win at Duke is resume-worthy.
4) North Carolina State Wolfpack
Last week’s ranking: 7 (+3)
Record: 14-4 (4-3)
Last week: #12 Miami (W) 83-81
Next week: @ Georgia Tech (Jan. 17 – 7 p.m.), @ North Carolina (Jan. 21 – 5 p.m.)
Best wins: Miami (Fla), Duke, Dayton
Worst Losses: N/A
NC State picked up a very nice win against Miami and is red-hot. It seems like things are starting to click in Raleigh, which is a bad sign for the rest of the league. A classic in-state rivalry game is in store for NC State as they travel to Chapel Hill Friday and try to keep rolling.
5) Pittsburgh Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-1)
Record: 12-6 (5-2)
Last week: @ #24 Duke (L) 69-77, @ Georgia Tech (W) 71-60
Next week: @ Louisville (Jan. 18 – 7 p.m.), Florida State (Jan. 21 – 3 p.m.)
Best wins: Virginia, @ NC State, North Carolina, @ Northwestern
Worst losses: @ Vanderbilt, VCU
Pitt was in control in the first half against Duke but could not pull out the road win and resume boost. However, they turned around and handled Georgia Tech on the road. Next week, Pitt has two of the easier games they will play this season, and should continue to rack up wins.
6) Duke Blue Devils
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-1)
Record: 13-5 (4-3)
Last week: Pittsburgh (W) 77-69, @ Clemson (L) 64-72
Next week: #15 Miami (Jan. 21 – Noon)
Best wins: Xavier, Ohio State, Iowa, Pittsburgh
Worst losses: @ Wake Forest
Duke is struggling big time. The Blue Devils fell behind early to Pitt at home, but got hot from the field and squeaked out the win. They then traveled to Clemson and lost handily. Duke is running out of chances to get quality ACC wins, but they have an opportunity this weekend when they host Miami.
7) North Carolina Tar Heels
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-1)
Record: 12-6 (4-3)
Last week: @ #11 Virginia (L) 58-65, @ Louisville (W) 80-59
Next week: Boston College (Jan. 17 – 7 p.m.), NC State (Jan. 21 – 5 p.m.)
Best wins: Ohio State, Charleston, Michigan
Worst losses: @ Pitt
North Carolina lost to Virginia without Armando Bacot for most of the game but then bounced back by smacking Louisville over the weekend. Bacot tortured Virginia last year, so had he not gone down, the game could have ended much differently. Nonetheless, UNC remains a middle-of-the-pack ACC basketball team until proven otherwise, well below their expectations for the season.
8) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+1)
Record: 13-5 (5-2)
Last week: Florida State (W) 90-75, @ Boston College (W) 85-63
Next week: Clemson (Jan. 17 – 9 p.m.), #13 Virginia (Jan. 21 – 2 p.m.)
Best wins: Duke, @ Wisconsin, Georgia
Worst losses: Loyola Marymount
Wake had a nice 2-0 week with two double-digit victories. Aside from a nice win over Duke though, Wake has yet to be tested, until this week when they face two teams who will more than likely be in the top 25 in Clemson and Virginia.
9) Syracuse Orange
Last week’s ranking: 11 (+2)
Record: 12-6 (5-2)
Last week: Virginia Tech (W) 82-72, Notre Dame (W) 78-73
Next week: @ #16 Miami (Jan. 16 – 7 p.m.), @ Georgia Tech (Jan. 21 – Noon)
Best wins: Virginia Tech, Notre Dame (x2), Georgetown
Worst losses: Colgate, Bryant
Syracuse was another ACC team with a 2-0 week, beating two struggling teams at home. Although those games seem like guarantees, any win comes with a sigh of relief for Syracuse fans, and two wins in a week is plenty to celebrate for the Orange. After two home tilts this week, Cuse faces off with Miami and Georgia Tech this week, both on the road, which will be a test for the young squad.
10) Virginia Tech Hokies
Last week’s ranking: 8 (-2)
Record: 11-6 (1-5)
Last week: @ Syracuse (L) 72-82
Next week: @ #13 Virginia (Jan. 18 – 7 p.m.), @ Clemson (Jan. 21 – 6 p.m.)
Best wins: North Carolina, Penn State, Oklahoma State, Dayton
Worst losses: @ Boston College, @ Syracuse
It really went 100 to 0 for Virginia Tech. After starting the non-conference schedule scorching hot, Virginia Tech has crashed and burned, going to 1-5 in conference play. Furthermore, VT has to face the ACC’s top two teams in Virginia and Clemson, which both will be tough to pull out wins in.
11) Florida State Seminoles
Last week’s ranking: 12 (+1)
Record: 5-13 (3-4)
Last week: @ Wake Forest (L) 75-90, #13 Virginia (L) 58-67
Next week: @ Notre Dame (Jan. 17 – 7 p.m.), @ Pittsburgh (Jan. 21 – 3 p.m.)
Best wins: Mercer, Louisville, SC Upstate
Worst losses: Stetson, Troy, Siena
FSU fell to two teams who are trending in the right direction, and the Noles were not expected to win either of them. It still seems like Florida State’s only shot at a bid in March is an ACCT championship, as the five wins they have are not nearly enough for an at-large bid, and no win streak can really propel them to the bubble.
12) Boston College Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 13 (+1)
Record: 8-10 (2-5)
Last week: @ #12 Miami (L) 72-88, Wake Forest (L) 63-85
Next week: @ North Carolina (Jan. 17 – 7 p.m.), @ Notre Dame (Jan. 21 – 2 p.m.)
Best wins: Virginia Tech, Notre Dame, Wyoming
Worst losses: Maine, Tarleton, New Hampshire, Wake Forest
Boston College lost two games by double-digits this week to solidify themselves as a bottom-tier ACC basketball team. Two more road tilts this week could very well set the Eagles back to 2-7 in conference play.
13) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+1)
Record: 9-9 (1-6)
Last week: Georgia Tech (W) 73-72, @ Syracuse (L) 73-78
Next week: Florida State (Jan. 17 – 7 p.m.), Boston College (Jan. 21 – 2 p.m.)
Best wins: Michigan State, Georgia Tech, Lipscomb
Worst losses: St. Bonaventure, Florida State, @ Boston College
The Irish got their first ACC win by beating Georgia Tech in overtime but still sit at .500 overall. The rest of this season seems to be solely for Mike Brey’s job, as postseason hopes in South Bend are dwindling.
14) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-4)
Record: 8-9 (1-6)
Last week: @ Notre Dame (L) 72-73, Pittsburgh (L) 60-71
Next week: NC State (Jan. 17 – 7 p.m.), Syracuse (Jan. 21 – Noon)
Best wins: Miami (Fla), Georgia, Georgia State
Worst losses: @ Florida State, Notre Dame
Georgia Tech fell below .500 this week with losses to Notre Dame and Pitt. Another bottom of the league team, GT hosts two games this week against teams who have recently been in the win column.
15) Louisville Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 15 (-)
Record: 2-16 (0-7)
Last week: @ Clemson (L) 70-83, North Carolina (L) 59-80
Next week: Pittsburgh (Jan. 18 – 7 p.m.)
Best wins: Western Kentucky, Florida A&M
Worst losses: Bellarmine, Wright State, App State, Lipscomb
There’s not much about Louisville to say that has not been said already. They have yet to win an ACC basketball game, and host Pitt this week, which should be their eighth conference loss.