ACC Basketball power rankings: Florida State takes top spot, Duke slides

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

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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DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA – DECEMBER 31: Tre Jones #3 of the Duke Blue Devils forces a turnover by Jay Heath #5 of the Boston College Eagles (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

431. . 9-9 (3-4). . Eagles . 13. team

Boston College took a big loss to Duke to end 2019, and again, there is no shame in that. Especially when you bounce back with a solid win over Virginia. In the win over Virginia, neither team shot especially well, especially from the 3-point line. But Jay Heath had 17 points, including 3-for-5 shooting from the 3-point line to put Boston College over the top. The win registers as a top-50 KenPom win for the Eagles. But unfortunately, they could not keep the momentum rolling.

The Eagles followed up their win over the Cavaliers with a highly disappointing 19-point loss to the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Heath played terribly in this one (9 points, 20% shooting) and overall Boston College shot 29% from the field, a ghastly offensive performance. The Eagles need to find an offensive spark and fast. They are 168th in offensive efficiency via KenPom and he eye test backs it up, as in their very next game following the Georgia Tech loss, Boston College put 50 points in a loss to Syracuse.

In the loss to the Orange, Boston College scored a paltry 13-points in the first half. The Eagles are in danger of slipping quickly in the standings. Their 80-62 loss to Wak Forest at least came on the road but it nonetheless drops them below .500 in ACC play.

They have a tough road game at Pittsburgh on January 22 and things don’t get easier after that. Being at home is nice but having to face Virginia Tech and Louisville in back-to-back games as the Eagles have to is definitely not nice. Looking ahead further, their February 1 matchup at North Carolina could come against a team getting Cole Anthony back.