ACC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2021-22 season

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA - MARCH 11: A detail of the ACC logo on the court during the first half of the quarterfinals game between the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets and the Miami Hurricanes in the ACC Men's Basketball Tournament at Greensboro Coliseum on March 11, 2021 in Greensboro, North Carolina. (Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images) /

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ACC Basketball Virginia Cavaliers guard Kihei Clark Michael Thomas Shroyer-USA TODAY Sports /

Cavaliers . 8. team. 446. . .

The Virginia Cavaliers were the ACC Regular Season champions in 2020-21, but returning there in 2021-22 could be a long, uphill battle for them.

The departures of Sam Hauser, Trey Murphy and Jay Huff leave a lot of holes in the returning production for the Cavaliers. The trio accounted for 59 percent of the Virginia scoring offense a year ago, which ranked 11th in ACC basketball.

What should help are the acquisitions of Armaan Franklin (Indiana) and Jayden Gardner (East Carolina) on the transfer market.

Franklin went for 11.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 steals per contest in the Hoosiers backcourt in 2020-21. His presence in the Cavaliers’ rotation will certainly boost the offensive scoring attack.

Gardner should make quite the impact in the frontcourt. He put up 18.0 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game while shooting 50.1 percent across the past three seasons while at East Carolina. He should be quite the paint presence in 2021-22.

Another intriguing name is the lone signee in their 2021 recruiting class: New Zealand native Taine Murray. He held offers from California, Colorado, Creighton, Maryland, Purdue, and Stanford before choosing the Cavaliers. He’s a 6-foot-4 shooting guard to keep an eye on on the perimeter.

Kihei Clark and Reece Beekman will certainly have their hands full in the backcourt in 2021-22, that’s for sure. For now, Virginia enters the preseason ranks at the third spot.