13 ACC Basketball teams out of 18 played on opening night of the 2026-27 season. Only one team (Miami) lost but since it was to the preseason No. 1 team (Florida), that’s perfectly acceptable. All in all, the other 12 did win and there was no embarrassing result, which is what the league needs.
Still, there were plenty to take away from the ACC based on what occurred on Monday.
1. Miami’s solid effort against the best
Miami was competitive for all 40 minutes against national favorite Florida, falling 77-67. Villanova transfer Acaden Lewis went for 24 points, while Somto Cyril had 13 inside. But no one else was in double figures, with Shelton Henderson, Malik Reneau and Caleb Gaskins combining for 16 points on 4/23 FG shooting. The fact that they were within range is a testament to their potential but it’s clear that Florida’s frontcourt proved to be too much for them.
2. Matt Able’s return welcomed, UNC still struggles
North Carolina had an inconsistent preseason to say the least and that carried over on Monday, trailing Western Carolina at home late in the game. They ultimately went on a run to win 80-72, led by 18 points from Matt Able. The rest of the cast struggled a bit, including Terrence Brown going for 14 points on 3/11 FG shooting. The concerns with the Tar Heels continue.
3. Freshmen stands out throughout the ACC
There were a number of quality individual outings in the conference, including several first-year players standing out.
- Chase Foster scored the most points by a Pittsburgh freshman in their first game, dropping 23 points in their 96-57 win over Rider.
- International forward Jakub Szumert led SMU with 27 points and seven rebounds, leading them to an 85-72 victory over Southern.
- The Placide brothers (Gavin with 20) and Gallagher (13) continued their strong preseason campaign as Wake Forest coasts to an 83-62 victory over Maryland Eastern Shore.
- Julius Price led Stanford in scoring, dropping 17 points in the team’s 74-65 victory over Eastern Washington.
Add us as a preferred source on Google