ACC Basketball: Preseason rankings for 2019-20 season

By Brian Rauf | Sep 25, 2019

DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 05: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils drives past Jordan Chatman #25 of the Boston College Eagles during the second half of their game at Cameron Indoor Stadium on February 05, 2019 in Durham, North Carolina. Duke won 80-55. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

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MIAMI, FL – DECEMBER 01: Markell Johnson #11 of the North Carolina State Wolfpack talks with head coach Kevin Keatts against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the HoopHall Miami Invitational at American Airlines Arena on December 1, 2018 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /

442. . Last Year: 24-12 (9-9). . Wolfpack . 4. team

I don’t know if NC State is going to contend with the top three teams on this list for the ACC regular-season title, but I do know they’re going to be good enough to finish in the top third of the league and should make it into the NCAA Tournament with relative ease.

Missing the Big Dance was a major disappointment for the Wolfpack, yet they return six of the top seven scorers from last season’s 24-win team and have a potential star in Markell Johnson, who can be a first-team All-ACC performer if he can consistently play at the high level he has shown flashes of.

Depth certainly won’t be an issue with this group, and head coach Kevin Keatts said at the Raleigh Coaches’ Caravan event they’ve focused on becoming a much better outside-shooting team this offseason.

"“I like our team. I think that we can go two deep for the first time at every position. I think we have a little more scoring than we normally would from behind the 3-point line. “You can make the argument that [Braxton Beverly] was really the only 3-point threat. Markell would certainly make some shots and C.J. Bryce, but as far as people respected us as far as shooting, he was really the only guy. We’ve added Pat, Braxton’s coming back and Markell and then C.J. and [Devon Daniels] getting better in those areas.”"

One area that still figures to be a weak point for the Wolfpack is their size, or their lack thereof. D.J. Funderburk is their only proven frontcourt player, but he has to become much more consistent (and stay out of foul trouble) if NC State is going to compete for an ACC title. Manny Bates and UMKC transfer Danny Dixon are fine, but neither of them can match Funderburk’s skill set on both ends of the court.