Ask the average college basketball fan for the strongest conference in college basketball, and the ACC is likely to pick up plenty of votes every year.
But CBS Sports writer Matt Norlander wrote that the conference hasn’t played quite as well in advanced metrics.
That could make conference play an absolute grind — even more so than usual — and add to the “any night, any team has a chance” narrative. But what truly makes the ACC powerful is the fact that the league could, once again, boast four legitimate contenders for not just the league crown, but for Final Four spots as well. CBS Sports ranked those four teams, and the rest of the conference, in its breakdown of the league.
Georgia Tech probably have been in for a tough season before the NCAA’s bludgeoning, but after the postseason ban and scholarship reductions it’s an especially tough row to hoe. Can Josh Pastner survive with the possibility that the Yellow Jackets won’t make it to the postseason until 2022?
Had Boston College returned superstar Ky Bowman, the Eagles might have been a popular pick to reach the NCAA Tournament. Instead, BC will be largely starting over at guard — counting Winston Tabbs’ injury — which won’t help Nik Popovic reach his ceiling.
Aamir Simms has ability, if not a ton of proven production, and transfer Tevin Mack has looked like a star at various points in his previous stops, though him transferring twice is certainly a warning sign. If the Mack who scored 14.8 points per game and shot 39.1 percent from three in his sophomore year at Texas shows up, he could be a steal. Otherwise, Clemson could struggle to get out of the league’s cellar.
Chris Lykes is all kinds of fun as one of the most explosive sub-6-footers — he’s *listed* at 5-foot-7 and 157 pounds — in the nation. But will he have enough help to steer the Hurricanes to the postseason? Keep an eye on Oklahoma transfer Kameron McGusty, who was among the Big 12’s best isolation scorers as a freshman.
Notre Dame was a bit shorthanded a year ago as the Fighting Irish went 14-19, but with five returning starters — and Rex Pflueger coming back after last year’s knee injury — Mike Brey’s team looks more loaded for bear this year. John Mooney and T.J. Gibbs have looked like stars at times and Prentiss Hubb could join them.
NC State was a pretty consistent pick for around this range; of CBS Sports’ five experts, two picked NC State, two picked Notre Dame and one picked Florida State in fifth, while the three who didn’t pick the Wolfpack at No. 5 picked them one spot lower at No. 6. If backcourts carry the load come March, NC State has plenty of candidates, led by Markell Johnson and buoyed by C.J. Bryce and Braxton Beverly. Together, the trio should give NC State the best backcourt on the court against nearly every opponent. There’s plenty of depth as well, though whether NC State does any damage once the Wolfpack reaches the postseason depends on how well the forecourt manages to come together around those guards.
Tony Bennett went from second and third-guessed as the Cavaliers were bounced in the first round to a genius in a year’s time as last year’s Virginia team cut down the nets. So many of those key pieces are gone, with just two starters from the March run — forward Mamadi Diakite and emerging sophomore guard Kihei Clark returning. But the cupboard is hardly bare; Braxton Key could slide into De’Andre Hunter’s shoes and Jay Huff is likely ready for more time as well, and a strong recruiting class brings in an instant-impact JUCO guard in shooter Tomas Woldetensae and talented freshman guard Casey Morsell. One thing that isn’t up for debate—Bennett’s team should once again play lock-down defense after ranking in KenPom’s top five in adjusted defensive efficiency in five of the last six years. The down year? Virginia was seventh nationally.
So many new faces, and yet the Tar Heels helped ease the pain by bringing in two of the nation’s top recruits and two proven college players. Garrison Brooks is the lone returning starter from last year’s 29-win team, and he’ll be expected to break out in his junior year. But most of the reasons for optimism revolve around Cole Anthony, the top-ranked combo guard in the 247Sports Composite, who looks ready to take over for Coby White and even build further onto White’s successes at point guard. He’s going to score. A lot. Another 247Sports Composite five-star player in Armando Bacot is a more likely multi-year contributor who can help own the paint, while graduate transfers Christian Keeling and Justin Pierce fill out the wing group. Keep an eye on sophomore Leaky Black, one of the ACC’s more unique talents.
Few teams in the country can boast Louisville’s kind of depth. Jordan Nwora was CBS Sports’ pick as ACC Player of the Year, while coach Chris Mack was the preseason pick for ACC Coach of the Year. Simply put: Louisville logged some nice performances last year, but fell apart at times late, losing several close games. Whether that was talent, fatigue or inexperience, all three issues should be fixed this year. Lamarr Kimble gives the Cardinals an experienced point guard after transferring from Saint Joseph’s, while Dwayne Sutton, Malik Williams and Steven Enoch are all key returnees. And a deep, talented recruiting class that ranked 12th in the 247Sports Composite added a potential NBA wing in Samuell Williamson and even more depth down low in Aidan Igiehon.
Those who love the Blue Devils will note that Duke adds another elite recruiting class and has what appears to be one of the most dynamic frontcourt duos in the ACC, along with a potential All-American returning at point guard. Those who aren’t so sure will note that this year’s crop of freshmen — Duke could start four of them alongside sophomore guard Tre Jones — isn’t as talented as last year’s group, and shooting could be a major concern. Keep in mind; Duke is still going to be a really good (great?) team this year. But outside shooting could continue to be a concern, with only 247Sports Composite five-star power forward Matthew Hurt possessing a strong 3-point shooting pedigree among the projected starters. Could Duke use that to slide someone like Alex O’Connell into the starting lineup instead of either freshman wing, Wendell Moore or Cassius Stanley? It’s a possibility, though Moore’s all-round talent and Stanley’s athleticism bring plenty of pop. Center Vernon Carey was the highest-ranked recruit in Duke’s class, and he could lead the Blue Devils in scoring, with most college players unequipped to deal with his size and skill level.