ACC Basketball: How does Brian Bowen’s loss affect the conference?

Louisville was expecting to use Brian Bowen as a replacement for Donavan Mitchell. How will these predicaments affect the ACC power structure?

The past week was surreal for college basketball fans. The first reaction was shock at the totality of the scandal. Next came fear that their respective school would be the next to be named. I know I refreshed my Twitter feed hoping that my favorite schools weren’t involved, and somewhat hoping those I disdained were.

Now the next few days will start a season-long guessing game of what’s going to happen next. Who will stay, who will get fired, who’s ineligible to play, and who’s going to jail. While we might not have all the facts and probably won’t for a while, there are some assumptions we can make.

In terms of the Louisville situation with Brian Bowen, it’s safe to say that we won’t be seeing him play in a Cardinal uniform. While he wasn’t identified in the report as the person per say, the world’s easiest guessing game could conclude he was the athlete receiving $100,000 to play for Rick Pitino. You can’t blame the kid for taking the money, but his path to the NBA just got more difficult.

As far as how it affects both the team and the ACC conference as a whole, it’s all but a nail in the coffin to the team’s chances. First off, we’re not sure whether Pitino’s the coach to start the season. But let’s say he is, and nothing else of consequence happens to the team.

This scandal will still hang over the team all year. While the team is filled with veterans, the distractions of possible severe punishments severely hurt the team morale and chemistry. Bowen was expected to be instant offense and a guy to offset the loss of Mitchell, a now lottery pick for the Jazz.

Earlier in the week, I had the Cardinals No. 1, ahead of Duke in the ACC Power Rankings for the 2017-18 season. Bowen was a big reason for the decision to place the team at the top, but after yesterday’s bombshell announcement things must change.

With Bowen likely gone and uncertainty surrounding the program, a top-four finish is incredibly unlikely. Louisville now falls in the 5-8 range, with a possibility of missing the tournament altogether. Of course, that’s if either the NCAA doesn’t come down on them first or if the school doesn’t do another self-imposing postseason ban themselves.

Next: Everything we know about the FBI investigation so far

With these new circumstances, the Duke Blue Devils now become the clear favorite the win the ACC. The Miami Hurricanes involvement as well could make things interesting for the bubble teams in the league. With two of the top teams in the ACC involved in a serious investigation, other schools will benefit — unless, of course, the skeletons in their closet come out too.