ACC College Basketball Preview

Predicted Order of Finish

With the majority of a team that was a second-half fade away from a Final Four appearance back, North Carolina clearly remains the team to be in this conference. Beyond that, Duke and NC State look to be the only real viable contenders to the throne, but a notch below the Tar Heels. The next tier consists of a group of six or seven schools who will be competing for perhaps three spots in the Big Dance. I give the nod to Maryland, Virginia and Clemson there, but it certainly wouldn’t surprise me if somebody like Boston College gutted one out and snuck in, or if Jack McClinton led Miami to the dance.

1. North Carolina
2. Duke
3. NC State
4. Maryland
5. Virginia
6. Clemson
7. Miami
8. Boston College
9. Virginia Tech
10. Georgia Tech
11. Florida St
12. Wake Forest

Preseason All-Conference
First Team
F Tyler Hansbrough Jr UNC
G Jack McClinton Jr Miami
G Sean Singletary Sr Virginia
F Brandon Costner So NC St
G DeMarcus Nelson Sr Duke

Second Team
G Tywon Lawson So UNC
F Deron Washington Sr Va Tech
F James Mays Sr Clemson
G Tyrese Rice Jr BC
F James Gist Sr Maryland

All Freshman Team
F Kyle Singler Duke
G Taylor King Duke
G Jeff Jones Virginia
F JJ Hickson NC St
C Solomon Alabi Florida St

Top 5 Out of Conference Games
11/17 Virginia @ Arizona
11/28 UNC @ Ohio St
11/28 NC State @ Michigan St
12/20 Duke @ Pitt
1/1 Clemson @ Alabama

Top 5 In-Conference Games
2/6 Duke @ UNC
2/20 UNC @ NC State
3/2 Clemson @ Maryland
3/5 Duke @ Virginia
3/8 UNC @ Duke

Predicted NCAA Tournament Invites (6)
UNC
Duke
NC St
Maryland
Virginia
Clemson