Sam Bass gives his ACC basketball power rankings heading into week 9 of the 2024-25 season.
Matchup of the week: Duke vs. SMU (Jan 4 – 2:15 p.m.)
Sneaky good matchup of the week: Stanford vs. Pitt (Jan 4 – 6:30 p.m.)
All games in EST.
1) Duke Blue Devils
Last week’s ranking: 1 (-)
Record: 10-2 (2-0)
Last week: No games
Next week: vs. Virginia Tech (Dec. 31 – 4 p.m.), at SMU (Jan. 1 – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Arizona, Auburn
Bad losses: None
Duke continues to blow away the rest of the ACC despite not playing last week. The Blue Devils are clearly the best team in the conference and have a large gap between them and the rest of the league. Duke faces SMU on the road this week in their lone game, which is a chance to pick up a win against one of the league’s better-performing teams.
2) Pittsburgh Panthers
Last week’s ranking: 2 (-)
Record: 10-2 (1-0)
Last week: No games
Next week: vs. Cal (Jan. 1. – 2 p.m.), vs. Stanford (Jan. 4 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: LSU, at Ohio State
Bad losses: None
Pitt is coming off an off week as well, still sitting at 10-2 and one of the best starts in the league this year. Ishmael Leggett looks like a first-team player and Jeff Capel has fully put his stamp on this squad. Pitt will host Cal and Stanford this week, looking to stay undefeated in conference play.
3) SMU Mustangs
Last week’s ranking: 8 (+5)
Record: 11-2 (2-0)
Last week: W vs. Longwood (98-82)
Next week: vs. Duke (Jan. 4. – 2:15 p.m.)
Quality wins: Washington State, Virginia, LSU
Bad losses: None
SMU has been a nice surprise, winning their lone contest last week to improve to 11-2. Their SOS has not been the best, but the Mustangs have played the cards they were dealt well. They host Duke this week with a real chance to make a huge statement in their first season and create serious discussion of them being a force in the ACC.
4) Clemson Tigers
Last week’s ranking: 4 (-)
Record: 10-3 (2-0)
Last week: No games
Next week: vs. Stanford (Jan. 1. – 4 p.m.), vs. Cal (Jan. 4 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: San Francisco, Penn State, Kentucky, at Miami (Fla)
Bad losses: None
Clemson had an off week after losing two of their last three, but there is not too much cause for concern for the Tigers. Two overtime losses knocked them out of the top 25, but Clemson still should feel good about how the non-conference went. They host two California teams in Stanford and Cal this week, which should lead to a 4-0 start in ACC basketball play.
5) North Carolina Tar Heels
Last week’s ranking: 3 (-2)
Record: 8-5 (1-0)
Last week: W vs. Campbell (97-81)
Next week: at Louisville (Jan. 1 – 6 p.m.), at Notre Dame (Jan. 4 – Noon)
Quality wins: Dayton, UCLA
Bad losses: None
North Carolina has been somewhat of a disappointment this year, only being 8-5 after a loaded non conference schedule. The Tar Heels only have wins over Dayton and UCLA to improve their resume, with their five losses coming at the hands of big name programs. Nonetheless, UNC is still a favorite to finish in second place in the ACC behind Duke. UNC has two road test this week to hopefully improve to 3-0 in ACC play.
6) Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Last week’s ranking: 5 (-1)
Record: 9-4 (1-1)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Syracuse (Dec. 31 – 2 p.m.), vs. NC State (Jan. 4 – Noon)
Quality wins: Michigan, Minnesota
Bad losses: None
Wake still sits on the border of middle of the pack team and upper tier. It is hard to make something out of this team, as they are not as successful thus far as even SMU or Pitt, but have not fallen behind like UVA. Wake will likely fight for a double bye when the season winds down, but whether or not they are primed to fight for an at large bid depends heavily on conference play, and in a very weak conference, they cannot afford to lose many.
7) Stanford Cardinal
Last week’s ranking: 9 (+2)
Record: 9-3 (1-0)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Clemson (Jan. 1 – 4 p.m.), at Pittsburgh (Jan 4 – 6:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Santa Clara, at Cal
Bad losses: Grand Canyon, Cal Poly
Stanford did not have a busy December. The Cardinal played just four games this month, but still sit at 9-3 and won their only conference game. It will be a tough test for the West Coast teams, as they have their first East Coast road trip of the season, so it will be interesting to see how Stanford comes out after an extended period off and a long flight to the other side of the country.
8) NC State Wolfpack
Last week’s ranking: 6 (-2)
Record: 8-4 (1-0)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Virginia (Dec. 31. – Noon), at Wake Forest (Jan. 4 – Noon)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: None
NC State had an off week this week after ending conference play with a win over Rider. The Wolfpack had a subpar non-conference, finishing 7-4 outside the ACC but not losing any bad games. With the state of the league, not losing a bad game seems to be the benchmark to a good non-conference, so good job, Wolfpack. NC State will square off with Virginia on the road and then head to Wake for two tough tests.
9) Louisville Cardinals
Last week’s ranking: 7 (-2)
Record: 8-5 (1-1)
Last week: W vs. Eastern Kentucky (78-76)
Next week: vs. North Carolina (Jan. 1 – 6 p.m.), at Virginia (Jan. 4 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: Indiana, West Virginia, at Florida State
Bad losses: None
Louisville continues to make an unbelievable turnaround from last season, although they are still far away from climbing the mountain. The Cardinals sit at 8-5, a respectable mark, entering conference play. Louisville is coming off a narrow win in their last game, one that Pat Kelsey will likely try and forget. They now have two tough contests, hosting UNC and traveling to Virginia, both games that can propel Louisville even further away from where they were a season ago.
10) Virginia Cavaliers
Last week’s ranking: 10 (-)
Record: 7-5 (0-1)
Last week: No games
Next week: vs. NC State (Dec. 31. – Noon), vs. Louisville (Jan. 4 – 4 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: None
Virginia has been very disappointing this season, probably mostly due to the fact that Tony Bennett retired. Especially now, it is apparent how great Bennett was at transforming a roster of players with clear flaws into perennial contenders, because Ron Sanchez, who is an excellent coach in his own right, cannot seem to come close to that with this team.
11) Cal Golden Bears
Last week’s ranking: 12 (+1)
Record: 7-5 (0-1)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Pittsburgh (Jan. 1 – 2 p.m.), at Clemson (Jan. 4 – 8:30 p.m.)
Quality wins: at USC
Bad losses: Cornell
Cal was trending in the right direction but just does not have the talent to surprise the league like SMU does. For a team picked to finish as low as Cal was, maybe this season has been good, but the bar was so low to start. Cal, like Stanford, has their first east coast roadtrip, so adjustments and fatigue are something to monitor for the Golden Bears.
12) Florida State Seminoles
Last week’s ranking: 13 (+1)
Record: 9-4 (0-2)
Last week: No games
Next week: vs. Syracuse (Jan. 4 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: at Rice
Bad losses: None
Florida State is off to about the start they were expected to get off to. No great wins, no awful losses, but still more needed to be seen. The Seminoles do not have any sort of wow factor and have not been competitive against worthy teams, making it seem like it will be another year without a tournament bid. They host Syracuse on Saturday, hoping to get on the board in conference play after an 0-2 start.
13) Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Last week’s ranking: 14 (+1)
Record: 7-5 (1-0)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Georgia Tech (Dec. 31 – 2 p.m.), vs. North Carolina (Jan. 4 – Noon)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: Elon
Notre Dame has quietly been steady in the win column after a tough loss to Elon. They competed against good teams in their preseason tournaments and have not dropped a bad game since that loss. Still, they sit at 7-5, a bad non-conference mark given their strength of schedule. They have a lot of opportunity this week, going on the road for GT and then hosting UNC to hopefully start to turn the tide of their season.
14) Syracuse Orange
Last week’s ranking: 15 (+1)
Record: 6-6 (0-1)
Last week: W vs. Bucknell (75-63)
Next week: vs. Wake Forest (Dec. 31. – 2 p.m.), at Florida State (Jan. 4 – 6 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: Notre Dame
It has been more than underwhelming to watch Syracuse play this season. The Orange needed a home game against Bucknell to get over the .500 mark, and entering conference play, it is hard to envision the Orange staying above that the rest of the season. They play host to Wake Forest before going to Florida State, and it is tough to think Syracuse can win both of those contests, let alone one of them.
15) Boston College Eagles
Last week’s ranking: 16 (+1)
Record: 8-5 (0-2)
Last week: W vs. FDU (78-70)
Next week: vs. Miami (Jan. 1. – Noon), at Georgia Tech (Jan. 4 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: Boise State
Bad losses: Dartmouth
BC escaped FDU despite Ahmed Barba-Bey scoring 31, improving them to 8-5. BC is fighting for an ACC tournament birth at this point, and the good news is that the conference is so weak this year that they might just sneak in. However, that is about all it looks like the Eagles will be able to do this year. Chalk it up as another rebuilding year in Chestnut Hill.
16) Miami Hurricanes
Last week’s ranking: 11 (-5)
Record: 4-8 (0-1)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Boston College (Jan. 1. – 12 p.m.), at Virginia Tech (Jan. 4 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: Drake, Charleston Southern, Mount St. Mary’s
It has been an incredibly rough start for Miami, who is 4-8 after projected third place in the preseason polls, as well as losing their head coach. Jim Larranagga had a great career, and honestly, jumped ship at the right time. This team has been a complete dumpster fire and perhaps one of the worst-predicted teams in the history of ACC basketball.
17) Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
Last week’s ranking: 17 (-)
Record: 6-7 (0-2)
Last week: W vs. Alabama A&M (92-49)
Next week: vs. Notre Dame (Dec. 31. – 2 p.m.), vs. Boston College (Jan. 4 – 12 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: North Florida
GT got a nice win to inch closer to .500 entering conference play. Like BC, the Yellow Jackets are fighting for an ACC Tournament birth, and right now they are on the outside looking in. However, with wins over two lesser opponents this week, GT might set the stage for a bid.
18) Virginia Tech Hokies
Last week’s ranking: 18 (-)
Record: 5-7 (0-1)
Last week: No games
Next week: at Duke (Dec. 31. – 4:30 p.m.), vs. Miami (Jan. 4 – 2 p.m.)
Quality wins: None
Bad losses: Jacksonville
Virginia Tech recently picked up a decent win over Navy before an off week, but this team has still been beyond disappointing. There is not much to look forward to for BC, especially staring at Cameron Indoor as the next game on the schedule. Duke should handle the team easily, sending VT further down the loss column. However, the Hokies get Miami at home next, and Mike Young hopes he can take advantage of a struggling team in Cassell.