ACC Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2024-25 season

Mar 9, 2024; Durham, North Carolina, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard RJ Davis (4) controls the ball in front of Duke Blue Devils guard Tyrese Proctor (5) during the first half at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images / Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

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7. NC State Wolfpack

Speaking of breakthroughs and coaches getting off the hot seat, no one’s fortunes changed more during “Championship Week” last March than Coach Kevin Keatts and NC State, going from an 11-seed in the ACC Tournament to earning the auto-bid and making the run to the Final Four. The two stars of that run (DJ Burns and DJ Horne) have moved on, along with double-digit scoring guard Casey Morsell.

Among the key returning pieces includes point guard Michael O’Connell, Jayden Taylor (11.2 ppg), and Dennis Parker, who started 12 games for them. Ben Middlebrooks, a standout frontcourt player in March, is due for a larger role as a senior. Joining him in the frontcourt is Georgetown transfer Dontrez Styles, as well as Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, who averaged 12.9 ppg and 8.4 rpg at Louisville.

Another former Cardinal NC State picked up was Michael James, who averaged 12.6 ppg last season. The other perimeter player to watch is Marcus Hill, who went for 20 ppg at Bowling Green. Freshmen Treymayne Parker and Paul McNeil Jr. will vie for spots in the rotation.

NC State wasn’t a top-half team for 95% of ACC play last season, so this ranking could be generous. But if the program can continue the momentum from last March, the Wolfpack could continue being a problem for the rest of the league.

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