ACC Basketball is off to an interesting start with the ACC/Big Ten Challenge approaching. Here’s a look at the first edition of this year’s power rankings.
ACC Basketball hasn’t started interconference play just yet but with non-conference schedules underway, the results have produced some interesting results. Preseason predictions haven’t quite come to fruition for some teams, as upsets have happened all over the conference.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish lost to the Radford Highlanders, 63-60, in the third game of the season, at home. The Syracuse Orange dropped a game, 83-76, to the UConn Huskies and first-year coach Dan Hurley in Madison Square Garden.
The highly-ranked Duke Blue Devils took their first loss in the Maui Invitational ever in the finals against the Gonzaga Bulldogs last Wednesday. The North Carolina Tar Heels took their first loss of the season as well against the Texas Longhorns.
Six of 15 teams remain unbeaten in the Florida State Seminoles, Virginia Cavaliers, Virginia Tech Hokies, Pittsburgh Panthers, Miami Hurricanes and NC State Wolfpack. Syracuse and the Louisville Cardinals both have two losses.
With youth movements in progress for the top programs, the ones who remain undefeated are seeing their upperclassmen take center stage. With the ACC/Big Ten Challenge around the corner, conference pride will be on the line as the ACC looks to win its third straight challenge. Here’s a look at the first edition of the ACC power rankings.