Busting Brackets
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ACC Basketball power rankings: Florida State takes top spot as Duke tumbles

By Michael Walton

SUNRISE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the Florida State Seminoles looks on against the South Florida Bulls during the second half of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at BB&T Center on December 21, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
SUNRISE, FLORIDA - DECEMBER 21: Head coach Leonard Hamilton of the Florida State Seminoles looks on against the South Florida Bulls during the second half of the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic at BB&T Center on December 21, 2019 in Sunrise, Florida. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images) /
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 24: Trey Jemison #55 of the Clemson Tigers (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – NOVEMBER 24: Trey Jemison #55 of the Clemson Tigers (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) /

Tigers . 7. team. 432. . 9-8 (3-4).

Talk about a meteoric rise. In our last ACC Power Rankings, the Tigers were at the very bottom. They have risen firmly into the top-10 in our rankings after an amazing three-game winning streak that included wins over NC State, North Carolina, and Duke. Clemson head coach Brad Brownell has led the Tigers to their first win in Chapel Hill in program history, as well as their first back-to-back wins over North Carolina and Duke since the 1990 season.

Junior forward Aamir Simms has had a lot to do with the Tigers’ success. He went for a career-high 25 points against Duke, showing off the ability to be a real matchup problem for lumbering bigs. Sims can step out and hit the 3-point shot (40% from 3-point range on the season) and he is averaging a career-high in assists (2.5), showing off a willingness to make the extra pass. Simms is a great leader for Clemson and has almost the perfect running mate in the energetic Tevin Mack.

The 6-foot-6 Mack is the Tigers’ second-leading scorer and rebounder, and he has brought his “A” game in the marquee matchups. Mack went for 14 points in the win over NC State, 17 in the OT win at North Carolina, and 22 in the big-time win over Duke. Mack finally cooled off in Clemson’s loss in a rematch with NC State on Saturday, in which he went 0-for-7 from the 3-point line. Clemson is right below that second tier of teams in the ACC with a chance to really make some noise with a matchup at Lousiville on January 25.