ACC Basketball: Way-too-early power rankings for 2023-24 season

CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 25: Leaky Black #1, Armando Bacot #5, R.J. Davis #4 and Caleb Love #2 of the North Carolina Tar Heels walk away from the camera during a game against the Virginia Cavaliers on February 25, 2023 at the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina won 71-63. (Photo by Peyton Williams/UNC/Getty Images) /

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ACC Basketball Tony Bennett of the Virginia Cavaliers (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /

7. Virginia

Virginia has set the standard in the ACC over the last decade in terms of regular-season play. Their postseason results haven’t been quite as consistent, though.

In 2018, they lost to UMBC, becoming the first No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed. In 2019, they won the national championship. In 2020, the tournament was canceled. In 2021, they lost to 13-seed Ohio. In 2022, they missed the NCAA Tournament. This season, they lost to 13-seed Furman.

The Hoos are losing three starters in Kihei Clark, Jayden Gardner, and Ben Vander Plas, all of whom are out of eligibility. Kadin Shedrick, Francisco Caffaro, and promising freshman Isaac Traudt have all entered the transfer portal. Blake Buchanan, a 6-9 center and the No. 78 recruit in the 247Sports Composite, is Virginia’s only frontcourt player on the roster at the moment.

With Reece Beekman and Isaac McKneely expected to return, Virginia’s backcourt situation looks more promising. Dante Harris has also transferred in from Georgetown and will slide in as UVA’s new point guard. Harris started 50 games in two seasons at Georgetown and sparked the Hoyas’ run to the NCAA Tournament in 2021, winning Big East Tournament MOP.

Armaan Franklin still has his COVID year, but his status is TBD. If he returns, Virginia’s four-man backcourt rotation of Franklin, Beekman, Harris, and McKneely would be one of the strongest in the ACC.