ESPN Men's Basketball

Ryan Kelly scored 23 points and grabbed 8 rebounds as No. 3 Duke topped Wake Forest 79-71.

One key player was ruled ineligible. At least one key team likely saw its at-large NCAA tournament hopes snuffed. And once again, it looks as if the ACC regular-season title will come down to the final Duke-North Carolina game, next weekend. This week’s attempt at the ACC power rankings:

1. Duke: The Blue Devils -- who already lost to Miami and Florida State at home this season -- had another close call at Cameron Indoor Stadium, needing overtime to beat Virginia Tech. But their win at FSU last week keeps them right where they want to be: in the hunt for No. 1 seeds in the NCAA and ACC tournaments.

2. North Carolina: ESPN bracketologist Joe Lunardi said last week the Tar Heels would need to win out to make a case for a top seed in the NCAA tournament. That push continues this week with their home finale against Maryland and a trip to Duke. When will point guard Kendall Marshall set the school record for assists in a season? Stay tuned.

3. Florida State: It was a rough week for the Seminoles. First they lost at home to Duke -- and likely lost their chance at the regular-season ACC title. Then they fell at Miami on Sunday. They’ll try to stop their slide at Virginia next.

4. Virginia: Saturday’s loss to the Tar Heels stung -- not just because of the physical game, myriad of whistles against the Cavs’ big guys or forward Mike Scott's ACC season-low six points. But also because Virginia has now lost three of its last five games.

5. Miami: The Hurricanes beat Florida State on Sunday without center Reggie Johnson, who was declared ineligible by the school after an investigation revealed members of his family took impermissible travel benefits from the former coaching staff. The victory enhanced the Hurricanes' NCAA résumé, but they’re going to need Johnson back to make a stronger push (and case).

6. Clemson: Andre Young's game-winning 3-pointer in overtime against NC State means the Tigers are now 2-8 in games decided by five or fewer points this season. They have now won four out of five games and pushed themselves to .500 in league play. But that still hasn’t made much of a dent in their triple-digit RPI.

7. NC State: Saturday’s overtime loss at Clemson was just the latest defeat to rip at the Wolfpack’s NCAA tournament hopes. An ACC tournament title would give them an automatic bid, but that now is probably the only way they get there after four straight defeats (Duke, Florida State, UNC and Clemson).

8. Maryland: After beating Miami at home last week, the Terps went on the road against a struggling Georgia Tech team and promptly lost. Coach Mark Turgeon summed up his team’s performance at Georgia Tech this way: “I thought we were growing up, but today showed we haven’t grown up all the way,” he said, according to The Washington Post. “We weren’t ready to play.”

9. Virginia Tech: “One or two more rolls went different this year, we’d be a whole different team,” senior guard Dorenzo Hudson told The Washington Post on Saturday after the Hokies lost another close one -- this time at Duke. Enough said.

10. Wake Forest: After Duke comes to town on Tuesday, the Deacs will finish the regular season with a winnable game in Atlanta. After prevailing in two of their last three games, they’d like to continue on a high note.

11. Georgia Tech: After managing only 37 points in a loss to Clemson, the Yellow Jackets beat Maryland by a bucket. “We're real happy,’’ guard Mfon Udofia said, according to The Associated Press. “I always tell the guys, 'Something's going to shake.'"

12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost 10 of 11 games. The positive: All of those freshmen will be sophomores next season.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

North Carolina rallied, Miami upset and Virginia and Florida State battled. It was quite a weekend for the ACC, and here’s an attempt at this week’s power rankings:

1. North Carolina: Harrison Barnes can star when hurting. Kendall Marshall can play an extended stretch with four fouls. And the Tar Heels can still rally, as they showed by coming back from a nine-point deficit at Maryland. But they’re going to have to get more production from their bench, as their reserves managed only nine points in two games last week.

2. Florida State: Michael Snaer managed only three field goals against Virginia’s defense, but they all came at timely points in the second half. The Seminoles have now won seven in a row -- including beating the three other ranked teams in the ACC -- and remain in the driver’s seat for the league’s regular-season race.

3. Duke: The Blue Devils’ loss to Miami marked their second ACC loss at home. Coach Mike Krzyzewski summed up the problem like this: “A Duke team should play with energy for 40 minutes – or 45,” he said, according to The (Raleigh) News & Observer. “Go outside and look at the banners. There are quite a few of them up there. They were not won without energy, without hunger, with ... complacency, with[out] people really wanting it.”

4. Virginia: The Cavs recorded a season-high 20 turnovers in their loss to Florida State, which they blamed more on their execution than the Seminoles’ defense. Senior Mike Scott continues to impress, as Virginia’s four losses this season have come by a combined 10 points.

5. Miami: It took three overtime periods -- two versus Maryland, one at Duke -- to extend the Hurricanes’ winning streak to four, and in so doing, they’re pushing their way back into the NCAA conversation. Sunday’s win marked Miami’s first at Cameron Indoor Stadium, and only its second win over the Blue Devils since joining the ACC.

6. NC State: Scott Wood made six 3-pointers in the Pack’s victory against Wake Forest. Most notably, he did it in his home arena, the RBC Center -- although he told The News & Observer he prefers playing on the road. "Anytime you have fans talking trash, it raises your game."

7. Maryland: The Terps gave the Tar Heels all they could handle on Saturday, even leading by as many as nine points in the second half before UNC rallied. Guard Terrell Stoglin continues to lead the ACC in scoring, but Maryland has now lost five of its past six games.

8. Clemson: The Tigers lost both their games last week and also lost forward Milton Jennings, who was suspended for the second time this season, this time for academic reasons. He’s out indefinitely, meaning the Tigers lose an average of 8.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game.

9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies -- who had had six of their previous eight ACC games decided by four or fewer points -- finally won a close one when it beat Clemson 67-65. But they squandered a 17-point and lead and needed the Tigers to miss a shot at the end to survive.

10. Wake Forest: It was a tough week for the Deacons, who lost to two in-state foes -- UNC and NC State. That extended their losing streak to four.

11. Georgia Tech: Glen Rice Jr. scored three points in the final minute to help his team beat Boston College and snap a six-game losing streak. “Everybody in the locker room right now is going crazy,” Tech guard Mfon Udofia told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the game.

12. Boston College: The Eagles have now lost six in a row -- the last two by a combined nine points -- and things don’t get any easier with Florida State coming to town on Wednesday.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- North Carolina forward Tyler Zeller really does wish he could explain why he’s been so aggressive lately, how he’s been hitting the boards so hard, what he’s changed to set career high after career high in rebounds.

But the 7-footer’s response, after pulling down 18 boards during the offense-plagued Tar Heels’ 68-53 win at Wake Forest on Tuesday night, was familiar.

A shrug. Then a grin.

“I really don’t know. … I’m just going out there and playing,’’ the senior insisted.

And well. Zeller’s newest career high -- following the career-best 17 boards he recorded against NC State last week, which followed the career-best 14 he logged in the loss at Florida State on Jan. 14 -- helped offset an ugly offensive effort during which the Tar Heels shot a season-low 31 percent.

Zeller also led his team with 18 points in a game that saw leading scorer Harrison Barnes (13 points, seven rebounds) leave the court because of a rolled left ankle in the first half and play the second half in pain.

Forward John Henson added 14 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for the Tar Heels.

The Demon Deacons, who have now lost six of their past seven games, shot 29.6 percent.

“It was an ugly game, and sometimes you have to win ugly if you’re going to have a great year,’’ UNC coach Roy Williams said.

Having an invigorated big guy helps, too.

When Zeller opened the game by scoring off his own miss, it was a sign of things to come.

The Tar Heels, who made 10 3-pointers against Georgia Tech on Sunday, struggled to hit just about anything at Joel Coliseum. They connected on only 12 of their 35 shots in the first half, and a third of their points came off second-chance baskets.

“I thought our work in the first half on the backboards was key, and then in the second half we were just a little more fortunate than they were,’’ Williams said.

Sixth-ranked UNC led 36-24 at halftime, but it took almost nine minutes for any Tar Heel but Zeller (who had a field goal and four free throws during that time period) to score in the second half. Eventually, North Carolina pulled away with a 16-1 run that culminated with a layup off an offensive rebound by Zeller that gave the Tar Heels a 60-38 cushion.

“I really didn’t think I had that many rebounds,’’ Zeller said. “In the second half, I was thinking I had eight or nine, so I just kept going for one more, one more.”

And they’re adding up.

In the first 10 games of the season, Zeller recorded only two double-digit rebounding games. In his past 12 outings, he’s posted 10.

Williams has said the “big fella” is getting better positioning in the lane, but teammates have noticed more focus, too.

“It’s just his aggressive nature now -- I think everybody’s noticed that he’s more aggressive,’’ said point guard Kendall Marshall, who scored a season-high 14 points. “It’s not the fact that he wasn’t aggressive before, it’s just that he’s become a leader, vocally and by his actions. Before, he went out there and got the job done. But now he’s really speaking up on and off the court … and getting the job done even better.”

So much better that he grinned (and shrugged, again) when asked if he’ll keep breaking his career highs and eventually pull down 20. He pointed out that he managed only three boards (against Georgia Tech) between his 17- and 18-rebound efforts, “so I had to make up for that.”

He added: “I don’t know what’s changed, but I’ve gotten better at it … and I just want it to continue.”

BRIEFLY: Barnes said he injured his left ankle while was running down the court. “It was a freak accident, and I just rolled it,’’ he said. “It’s a lot of pain, so we’ll go from here.”

Williams said Barnes will get a couple of days to rest the ankle, since UNC doesn’t play again until Saturday at Maryland, “and hopefully he will be ready to play on the weekend.”

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. -- A quick look at No. 6 North Carolina’s 68-53 win at Wake Forest on Tuesday:

What it means: The Tar Heels know how to win ugly. Both teams shot horribly (UNC 31 percent, Wake 29.6 percent), but UNC used a 50-36 rebounding margin to help win its fourth straight game. The Demon Deacons have now lost six of their last seven.

How it happened: UNC led 17-10 early, before Wake put together a 7-0 run to tie it. With star forward Harrison Barnes back in the locker room, having his left ankle re-taped (see below), the Tar Heels put together a 13-4 breakaway to take back the lead.

The Tar Heels led 36-24 at halftime, and although Wake never really threatened, UNC struggled to pull away further. Tyler Zeller was the only Tar Heel to score for the first nine or so minutes of the second half -- until freshman James Michael McAdoo, John Henson and Barnes jump-started a run.

UNC finally took a 20-point lead with 6:32 left on a Kendall Marshall breakaway.

Zeller led the Tar Heels with 18 points and a career-high 18 rebounds, while Marshall (14), Barnes (13) and Henson (14 points, 12 rebounds) also scored in double figures.

C.J. Harris led the Deacs with 19 points.

Number to know: The Tar Heels became the first team to reach 600 ACC regular season wins; they are now 600-240 all-time in league play. Duke entered this week with 551 ACC wins, followed by Maryland (428), NC State (411) and Wake Forest (400).

Injury Report: The Tar Heels got a scare when Barnes left the game, and the court, with about seven minutes left in the first half after rolling his left ankle. He had it re-taped in the locker room, returned to the game with less than two minutes left, and hit a free throw, then a 3-pointer. He had seven points at halftime, and was seen grimacing in the hallway before coming back onto the court before second-half warm-ups. He was back on the floor when the second half started, and finished with seven rebounds to go along with his 13 points.

What’s next: The Tar Heels travels to Maryland to play the Terrapins on Saturday. The Demon Deacons also go on the road Saturday, to N.C. State.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

This week's attempt at ranking the surprisingly tight-at-the-top ACC:

1. North Carolina: No Dexter Strickland? No problem. Not only did the Tar Heels give their best defensive effort of the season in a 74-55 win against NC State on Thursday that wasn’t as close as its final 19-point margin, they finally started connecting from 3-point land against Georgia Tech -- something they had struggled with during ACC play -- for a 93-81 victory Sunday. That 33-point loss at Florida State on Jan. 14 still stings, but it’s looking more and more like a much-needed slap in the face to a team that is the best in the conference when it competes with focus and passion.

2. Florida State: The Seminoles remain the hottest team in the conference, beating Wake Forest 75-52 in their only game this past week to extend their winning streak to five. FSU has now scored at least 75 points in four straight games -- a good sign for a team that struggled to reach 50 a couple of times earlier in the season.

3. Duke: When is a win not a win? When coach Mike Krzyzewski says it feels more like a loss. That was his sentiment after the Blue Devils’ seven-point victory over St. John’s on Saturday, during which Duke allowed a 22-point second-half lead to dwindle because of a lackadaisical defensive effort. In a surprisingly tight ACC race, that’s enough to drop Duke from the top of these power rankings this week.

4. Virginia: The Cavaliers continue to get it done with defense. After holding Boston College to 49 points (the ninth time this season they’ve held a foe to fewer than 50), Jontel Evans and Sammy Zeglinski cut off NC State guard Lorenzo Brown's penetration to the basket in the final seconds of Saturday's game, forcing a 3-pointer that missed -- and securing a 61-60 road victory.

5. NC State: Although State did a solid job of rallying after its blowout loss at UNC, Brown's potential game-winning 3-pointer fell short against Virginia. The Tar Heels and Cavs did a good job of slowing down Scott Wood, as State’s leading scorer was held to 7-for-23 shooting in the two losses.

6. Maryland: The Terps broke a three-game losing streak -- including a 74-61 loss to Duke -- by beating Virginia Tech 73-69 at home over the weekend. Terrell Stoglin scored 21 of his 28 points in the second half to lead the effort, and he continues to lead the ACC in scoring with 21.3 points per game.

7. Miami: The Canes followed a 64-49 win at Georgia Tech with a 76-54 victory at Boston College, pulling away from the Eagles with a 27-5 game-ending run. Junior forward Kenny Kadji continues to impress, averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks during those two games.

8. Clemson: When Andre Young shoots 40 percent or better, Clemson is 3-0 in ACC play. When Young shoots below 40 percent, Clemson is 0-3 in ACC play. He did the former against Wake Forest, scoring 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting during his team’s win over the Demon Deacons.

9. Virginia Tech: The Hokies lost by two points to BYU, before falling by four points in Maryland. The only Tech game this month that hasn’t been decided by four or fewer points was its double-digit loss to UNC. The Hokies are now 1-6 during that stretch, and it’s going to get more difficult to dig out of the ACC basement.

10. Wake Forest: C.J. Harris has now scored in double figures for 20 straight games -- the first Deacon to do so since Jeff Teague -- but it wasn’t enough to contend with Florida State at home, or Clemson on the road, this past week. Wake has now lost five of its past six games.

11. Georgia Tech: The Jackets managed to score a few more points in the first half against UNC on Sunday (32) than they had in their previous four losses (19.3, on average). But leading scorer Glen Rice Jr.'s sore big toe, injured in practice this past week, isn’t helping matters.

12. Boston College: The young Eagles have now lost four straight since beating Clemson and Virginia Tech earlier this month. Those two victories are looking more and more like anomalies in an otherwise miserable season in Chestnut Hill.

Follow Robbi Pickeral on Twitter at @bylinerp.

Editor's Note: Former Maryland head coach Gary Williams is overwhelmed with emotion about tonight's court-naming ceremony and talked with Andy Katz about it in today's Daily Word. In the same piece, you'll also find former coach Lefty Driesell's reaction -- let's just say he's not quite as thrilled.

The Maryland Terrapins are probably a year or two away from being good enough to compete for the ACC title again, but there will still be plenty to play for in tonight’s home game against Duke.

“We have to play for Coach [Gary] Williams,” guard Sean Mosley told reporters. “We don’t want to let him down on this big night.”

Less than a year after he resigned, Maryland is naming the Comcast Center court after the former coach. The move will become official during a pregame ceremony that’s scheduled to begin approximately 20 minutes before the 9 p.m. ET tip.

“We all know how Gary got up for the Duke game,” said Williams’ successor, Mark Turgeon, “so it’s an appropriate night for us to unveil his name on the floor.”

Williams coached Maryland from 1989-2011. The Terps went 461-252 in his 22 seasons, winning the NCAA title in 2002. Williams resigned after a 19-14 finish last season.

“It was great to have the opportunity to play for him,” forward James Padgett told assembled media. “It’s great to play in the game that they’re honoring his name.”

Revved up as the Comcast Center crowd may be, beating Duke certainly won’t be easy. Maryland is just 12-6 overall and 2-2 in ACC play. The Terps enter the game on a two-game losing streak and have lost nine of their past 10 against the Blue Devils, who fell to No. 6 in this week’s poll following Saturday’s home loss to Florida State.

Still, Turgeon told reporters there is no opponent more appropriate than Duke for tonight’s game.

“I don’t think there’s any question that Duke, in our fans’ minds, in our players’ minds, has been the rivalry game that we need to play well and be ready to play,” Turgeon said. “It will be our first game that’s sold out. From Day 1, getting out in the community, people talk about Duke.”

No one more so than Williams.

“I’m sure we’ll get a fist pump [Wednesday],” Turgeon said.

Prediction: Duke 75, Maryland 68 -- The atmosphere should be incredible tonight in College Park, but the Terrapins aren’t quite good enough -- at least not yet -- to capitalize. Duke will be looking to bounce back from Saturday’s home loss to Florida State. Austin Rivers is averaging 19.5 points in his last two games.

Some more picks for tonight's games:


Missouri at Oklahoma State -- The Cowboys have lost five of their last seven games, so it will be interesting to see what kind of crowd shows up at the normally raucous Gallagher-Iba Arena for tonight’s showdown with second-ranked Missouri. The Tigers are coming off a huge road win at Baylor. On a neutral court, this would be a mismatch.

Prediction: Missouri 80, Oklahoma State 64

Minnesota at Michigan State -- The Gophers are on a three-game winning streak with wins against Northwestern, Penn State and Indiana, the latter two of which occurred on the road. Playing Michigan State in East Lansing, however, is a different beast. Minnesota will have trouble stopping Draymond Green, Branden Dawson, Adreian Payne, Derrick Nix and the rest of the physical Spartans in the paint.

Prediction: Michigan State 70, Minnesota 56

BYU at Virginia Tech -- This is a rather strange game to be playing in the middle of the conference season, but that doesn’t make it any less intriguing. Virginia Tech was regarded as one of the worst teams in the ACC before it shocked Virginia on Sunday. The win should provide a huge momentum boost to the Hokies entering tonight’s game. BYU has won six of its last seven contests, but all against weak competition.

Prediction: BYU 70, Virginia Tech 63

LSU at Mississippi State -- The Bulldogs need to make sure this doesn’t turn into a trap game. Mississippi State plays at Florida on Saturday, so there’s a danger that Rick Stansbury’s squad could be looking ahead. There’s absolutely no way MSU and its vaunted trio of Dee Bost, Arnett Moultrie and Renardo Sidney should lose to LSU at home. The Tigers have dropped three of their last four games.

Prediction: Mississippi State 78, LSU 67

Villanova at Louisville -- With wins in its last two games, Villanova is finally tasting some success after a rough first half of the season. But like any team, the Wildcats will be hard-pressed to beat Louisville at the KFC Yum! Center. The Cardinals have a little bit of momentum again after winning at Pittsburgh over the weekend.

Prediction: Louisville 62, Villanova 54

Florida State at Wake Forest -- The Seminoles have thrust themselves into the national spotlight with victories over North Carolina and Duke. The question is whether they can stay there. In past years, big victories have often been followed by shocking defeats. A loss to the Demon Deacons would certainly qualify as that.

Prediction: Florida State 78, Wake Forest 64

Providence at Pittsburgh -- The Panthers’ free fall has been shocking. One year after winning the Big East regular-season title, Jamie Dixon’s squad is 0-7 in the league standings, the only team without a conference win. Things will hit an all-time low if Pittsburgh can’t beat Providence (1-6) at home.

Prediction: Pittsburgh 68, Providence 60

West Virginia at St. John’s -- If West Virginia wants to be a serious player for the Big East title -- and the Mountaineers certainly have a chance -- it can’t afford to lose road games to inferior opponents. That certainly describes the youthful Red Storm, who have lost six of their last seven games, including five by double digits.

Prediction: West Virginia 82, St. John’s 65

Central Florida at Tulsa -- With a 5-1 league record, UCF has a half-game lead over Southern Miss, Marshall and Memphis (all 4-1) in the Conference USA standings. Tulsa (4-2) isn’t far behind. Winning on the road is never easy, but Donnie Jones’ squad surely realizes the importance of tonight’s game. Forward Keith Clanton (15.4 ppg, 9.1 rpg) needs to play well for the Knights.

Prediction: Central Florida 61, Tulsa 58

Notre Dame at Seton Hall -- Notre Dame is fresh off a victory against then-No. 1 Syracuse. Seton Hall, meanwhile, wasted the momentum gained from victories over West Virginia and Connecticut by losing to South Florida and Villanova. Can Herb Pope, Jordan Theodore and the rest of the Pirates rediscover their groove at home?

Prediction: Seton Hall 68, Notre Dame 65

Saint Louis at Xavier -- The Musketeers had won four straight games before Saturday’s 15-point loss at Dayton. Home wins are imperative if Chris Mack’s squad wants to stay in the hunt for the Atlantic 10 title, which is why I think Xavier will beat the Billikens tonight. Mark Lyons has passed Tu Holloway as X’s scoring leader by the way.

Prediction: Xavier 71, Saint Louis 67

What’s more debatable: How to rank the first two ACC teams, Nos. 3-4, or the jumble of the following seven? Only one thing’s certain: Boston College is at the bottom of the bunch.

1. North Carolina
2. Duke

I wrote earlier this week that polls -- and in this case, power rankings -- should be about what teams have done, and not necessarily what they have the potential to do. So at first, I had Duke in the top spot. And a strong case could be made for the Blue Devils, considering their league-high RPI and lone loss.

But that loss was in ugly fashion at Ohio State. Plus, the Devils only beat Belmont at home by a point in their season opener. And Wednesday, they still looked like they were trying to bounce back from the thumping they took from the Buckeyes.

UNC, meanwhile, crisscrossed the nation twice before playing like one of the top three teams in the country during a one-point loss at Kentucky. The Tar Heels’ 10-point defeat to then-unranked UNLV in Las Vegas makes for a rub -- but that’s the only rub. Carolina is playing better right now.

3. Virginia: What a difference a fifth year makes. Forward Mike Scott, back for an extra extra season of eligibility, has led the Cavs to their first 8-1 start since 2004, averaging 15.3 points and 9.1 rebounds. They get the nod over FSU because of their double-digit win over Michigan.

4. Florida State: What does it say about the ACC that its fourth-best team managed only 41 points, and missed its first 15 shots, in a loss to Harvard? Yikes. But FSU still ranks among the national leaders in field goal percentage defense and blocked shots.

5. NC State: Three days after the Pack let a seven-point lead against Indiana evaporate, they allowed Stanford to come back from a dozen-point deficit. With C.J. Leslie consistently scoring in double figures, new coach Mark Gottfried boasts a team with a bunch of potential. But it must learn to finish.

6. Virginia Tech: Seth Greenberg had to have a toughness talk with his team after it lost its second straight, to Kansas State, earlier this week. It seemed to kick in during the Hokies’ victory at Rhode Island, where Erick Green scored 24 points.

7. Maryland: Point guard Terrell Stoglin continues to lead the Terps -- and the ACC -- in scoring (22.5 ppg), but he could use the addition of center Alex Len, who becomes eligible later this month, and the (hopefully) post-holiday return of guard Pe'Shon Howard from a broken left foot.

8. Miami: It’s hard to come up big when your big men are in street clothes. With senior forward Julian Gamble out after tearing his ACL over the summer, and junior center Reggie Johnson not expected back until next month because of knee surgery, the Hurricanes have had to make do with a lineup that includes three transfers. It didn’t work against Memphis, its best test yet this season.

9. Wake Forest: Deacs coach Jeff Bzdelik thought his team took a step in the right direction when C.J. Harris buried a game-winner to upset Nebraska on the road Nov. 20. Then, three days later, Wake fell behind by as many as 23 points and lost to Richmond at home. It’s going to be that sort of year in Winston-Salem.

10. Clemson: The Tigers have lost by three points or less to Charleston, Coastal Carolina and South Carolina. Sure, they’ve had to replace last year’s veteran leaders, Demontez Stitt and Jerai Grant. But with two seniors and two juniors in the starting lineup, it has been a disappointing beginning -- even for a team that was only projected to finish seventh in the preseason.

11. Georgia Tech: With no seniors on the roster except for a couple of former walk-ons, the Yellow Jackets have had to count on Glen Rice Jr., who was suspended the first three games of the season for violating team rules. He leads the team in scoring with 14.3 ppg.

12. Boston College: Only one player, junior Oregon transfer Matt Humphrey, has started each of the Eagles’ first eight games. Before Thursday, the difference between two wins and being winless? Seven points.

Myron Medcalf previews the field at the Old Spice Classic, which begins Thanksgiving afternoon in Orlando. To read Medcalf's written preview of the event, click here.

I recently caught up with all 12 of the ACC head coaches at their media day. Here are their thoughts on some of their incoming freshmen:

Boston College coach Steve Donahue
Ryan Anderson: "He's a very skilled player who can really pass the ball. He needs to learn that he must work harder than he ever did before. Great kid with a good understanding of the game."

Clemson coach Brad Brownell
K.J. McDaniels: "Makes athletic plays above the rim, such as offensive tip-dunks and blocks ... things you can't coach."

Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski
Alex Murphy: "He can be a key player for us. At 6-8, he is a heck of an athlete who can defend on the perimeter."

Austin Rivers: "I'm very impressed with his willingness to learn, for someone who was a dominating scorer in high school. He needs to learn what it means to score at this level; along with his defense and rebounding."

Marshall Plumlee: "He added 20 ponds of muscle over the summer."

To read the complete Insider piece by Biancardi, click here.

Before we get to the Blue Ribbon team-by-team previews for the ACC, here is Eamonn Brennan's wind sprint through the league:



Blue Ribbon's in-depth previews of all 12 ACC teams:

Boston College
Clemson
Duke
Florida State
Georgia Tech
Maryland
Miami
North Carolina
NC State
Virginia
Virginia Tech
Wake Forest

More ACC content:

-- Andy Katz empties his notebook with thorough coverage of ACC Media Day.
-- Dana O'Neil with Five Things I Can't Wait To See in the ACC.
-- Jay Bilas examines five burning questions in the league.
-- Katz with 14 things he learned at ACC Media Day.
-- Katz's ACC podcast with Jay Williams and Dino Gaudio.
-- Check out the chat that all 12 ACC coaches had with ESPN.com readers.
-- More video: Katz with Florida State forward Michael Snaer, Duke forward Miles Plumlee and Virginia Tech coach Seth Greenberg.
-- Katz takes a team-by-team look at the league's nonconference schedules.
-- Katz with a look at the future of the ACC and whether a move to 16 schools is inevitable.
-- Paul Biancardi with a look at the recruiting picture in the conference.
-- New Faces, New Places: Katz on Maryland's Mark Turgeon and Miami's Jim Larranaga. O'Neil on Georgia Tech's Brian Gregory and North Carolina State's Mark Gottfried.
-- Summer Buzz series: Eamonn Brennan takes an in-depth look at North Carolina and Duke.
-- For more coverage of the ACC in the Nation blog, click here.

CHARLOTTE -- Some observations from ACC Media Day ...

1. North Carolina sophomore forward and potential national-player-of-the-year Harrison Barnes continues to be as stoic and focused as he was a year ago. A season ago, Barnes came off a bit aloof. But he has come out of his shell without losing that aura. He simply carries himself like a professional.

2. UNC coach Roy Williams is locked in on managing his star-laden team, making sure that Kendall Marshall is as hungry as he was a season ago when he had to earn the starting point guard position over Larry Drew II.

3. Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski continues to be one of the more adaptable coaches in the game. He’s not a few victories shy of being the all-time wins leader by having everything go his way. He changes with his personnel. Krzyzewski is not stubborn. This season, the Blue Devils will be taller than they’ve ever been, and they will look to get the post players involved much more on every possession.

4. Duke’s Seth Curry wasn’t ready for primetime a year ago after transferring from Liberty. But now Krzyzewski fully embraces Curry and his ability to be the star on the Blue Devils. Coach K talked more about Curry than highly touted freshman guard Austin Rivers.

5. Boston College coach Steve Donahue is starting over. He doesn’t have one player left from the Al Skinner era, and that was two seasons ago. Yet, Donahue showed no fear with a team that might struggle to win one ACC game due in large part to its youth, inexperience and lack of star talent. Freshman Ryan Anderson has a shot to become the next hidden gem for the Eagles, but he’s not close to breaking through yet.

6. The question of whether or not Clemson could make the transition from Oliver Purnell’s up-tempo style to a more defensive-halfcourt set under Brad Brownell is completely moot. The Tigers get Brownell and have quickly transformed themselves into a much more defensive-oriented team. I’m not sure a team has taken on its new coach’s personality as quickly as Clemson did last season.

7. Florida State learned how to play without Chris Singleton last season, reaching the Sweet 16. You could tell how much that has carried over to this season. Michael Snaer exudes confidence. FSU coach Leonard Hamilton is extremely high on Luke Loucks, Deividas Dulkys, Ian Miller, Jeff Peterson and of course Bernard James, so much so that the Seminoles are convinced they will be a top-three ACC team.

8. Georgia Tech will split games in Philips Arena and suburban Duluth, Ga., this season while its home court gets renovated. The Yellow Jackets will have floor-level locker rooms instead of heading up an elevator. Once again, this is a classic example of the new coach being the beneficiary of something previous staffs longed for -- better digs.

9. Maryland coach Mark Turgeon is embracing replacing Gary Williams. Turgeon said he is more like Williams than maybe people imagined when he got the job. The two are intense, love defense and can’t wait for a challenge. Turgeon has one on his hands. And Sean Mosley said Turgeon has already been irked at practice and doesn’t hide his displeasure. Williams will have the Comcast Center court named after him against Duke on Jan. 25.

10. The Miami guards, Durand Scott and Malcolm Grant, truly believe the Hurricanes will challenge for an NCAA berth even without Reggie Johnson (knee) for half the season. Grant said he’s convinced Johnson will be back in time to make a difference. He added that the transition to Jim Larranaga from Frank Haith has been smooth and the players are on board without hesitation, especially defensively.

11. NC State coach Mark Gottfried is giving C.J. Leslie a clean slate. The highly touted forward hasn’t been a consistent player. He must be for the Wolfpack to be a player this season. Gottfried also said Belgium freshman forward Thomas de Thaey will be a hidden gem by season’s end because of his face-up shooting.

12. Virginia coach Tony Bennett loves “Modern Family.” If you didn’t like Bennett and his ability to maximize talent, then you have to get on board for his choice in appointment television. There isn’t a better comedic show on mainstream broadcast television than the ABC hit, although I’m much more “Phil" (according to my wife) than Bennett would be in his household. Bennett is finding more balance than his dad, Dick, who burned out at Wisconsin but is now playing golf to avoid the stress of coaching.

13. Virginia Tech’s Dorenzo Hudson said he felt coach Seth Greenberg’s pain of being unable to get the Hokies to the NCAA tournament last season. There is a connection with the Hokies, a shared feeling that this program has to find a way to get to the NCAAs.

14. Wake Forest coach Jeff Bzdelik doesn’t seem bothered by the fact that the Demon Deacons continue to get beaten down by off-court issues. But he doesn’t seem to mind that J.T. Terrell is gone, the same with Melvin Tabb, Ari Stewart and for the first nine games Ty Walker. Why? Bzdelik has an NBA mentality in terms of high maintenance. Of course he wants the talent on the roster, but he doesn’t seem like a typical coach who wants to cut corners to keep troubled players on the court. He seems like he’d rather take his lumps with less than deal with a mess.

Players from Wake Forest, Virginia and Florida State try their hand at the Teammate Challenge.

Starting at 9 a.m. ET, you will get a chance to chat with all 12 coaches in the ACC. Be sure to send in your questions now and over the next couple of hours. Here is the lineup (all times ET):

9:00 -- Jeff Bzdelik (Wake Forest)
9:10 -- Brian Gregory (Georgia Tech)
9:30 -- Steve Donahue (Boston College)
9:45 -- Brad Brownell (Clemson)
10:00 -- Mike Krzyzewski (Duke)
10:10 -- Mike Gottfried (NC State)
10:25 -- Leonard Hamilton (Florida State)
10:35 -- Jim Larranaga (Miami)
10:45 -- Tony Bennett (Virginia)
10:55 -- Mark Turgeon (Maryland)
11:05 -- Seth Greenberg (Virginia Tech)
11:20 -- Roy Williams (North Carolina)

For the rest of the week, ESPN.com will be breaking down the nonconference schedules of each and every team in a dozen leagues. Let's begin with the ACC ...

BOSTON COLLEGE

Toughest: 76 Classic (Nov. 24-27), Harvard (Dec. 29)
Next-toughest: UMass (Nov. 21), Boston University (Dec. 3), Stony Brook (Dec. 11), Rhode Island (Jan. 2)
The rest: New Hampshire (Nov. 14), at Holy Cross (Nov. 18), Penn State (Nov. 30), Bryant (Dec. 18), at Providence (Dec. 8), Sacred Heart (Dec. 21)
Toughness scale (1-10): 3 -- Steve Donahue can be forgiven for a less-than-overwhelming schedule, with all five of his top scorers gone. But the facts are the facts. There are some nice mid-majors here -- Boston U. and Stony Brook could potentially win in Chestnut Hill -- but hanging your hat on the top team in the Ivy League isn’t going to turn a lot of heads. Yes, there are Big Ten and Big East foes but retooling Penn State and Providence don’t exactly move the needle. Out in Anaheim at the 76 Classic, BC will likely open as an underdog to Saint Louis and will play either Villanova or UC Riverside in the second game.

CLEMSON

Toughest: at Arizona (Dec. 10), Diamond Head Classic (Dec. 22-25)
Next-toughest: Charleston (Nov. 19), at Iowa (Nov. 29), South Carolina (Dec. 4)
The rest: Gardner-Webb (Nov. 11), at The Citadel (Nov. 16), Coastal Carolina (Nov. 22), Furman (Nov. 25), Winthrop (Dec. 17), Alabama State (Dec. 19), East Tennessee State (Jan. 1)
Toughness scale (1-10): 5 -- Kudos to Brad Brownell for taking his Tigers to Arizona for a road game, but after that not a whole lot of excitement. If Clemson advances in the Diamond Head Classic (the Tigers open against rebuilding UTEP), Kansas State likely awaits in the second round and either Xavier or Long Beach State await as possibilities in the title game.

DUKE

Toughest: vs. Michigan State in NYC (Nov. 15), Maui Invitational (Nov. 21-23), at Ohio State (Nov. 29), vs. Washington in NYC (Dec. 10), at Temple (Jan. 4)
Next-toughest: Belmont (Nov. 11), Western Michigan (Dec. 30), Colorado State (Dec. 7), St. John’s (Jan. 28)
The rest: Presbyterian (Nov. 12), Davidson (Nov. 18), UNC Greensboro (Dec. 19), Pennsylvania (Jan. 1)
Toughness scale (1-10): 9 -- The Blue Devils are not only dancing with the best of the blue bloods, but they're tangoing with some of the better mid-majors. Count Belmont, Western Michigan and even Davidson among the Cinderella sleepers this season. Bonus points to Duke for playing tough games away from Cameron -- in New York and Philadelphia and, most impressively, in Columbus (although that's part of the ACC/Big Ten Challenge, so we'll give the Blue Devils half-credit). The real kick here, of course, comes from the loaded Maui field, in which Duke opens with rebuilding Tennessee but then faces the Memphis/Michigan winner and potentially Kansas or UCLA in the championship game.

FLORIDA STATE

Toughest: Battle 4 Atlantis (Nov. 24-26), at Michigan State (Nov. 30), at Florida (Dec. 22)
Next-toughest: UCF (Nov. 14), Princeton (Dec. 30)
The rest: Jacksonville (Nov. 11), Stetson (Nov. 16), South Alabama (Nov. 20), Charleston Southern (Dec. 5), UNC Greensboro (Dec. 11), Loyola Marymount Dec. 18), Auburn (Jan. 4)
Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- A lot of eyes will be watching the Seminoles this season, seeing whether the preseason excitement is warranted after the surprise Sweet 16 run. This schedule will help clear the issue. Two tough road games -- in East Lansing and Gainesville -- will be stiff tests obviously. The rest of the schedule, on the surface, looks just OK. But Florida State, after opening with UMass down in the Bahamas, will potentially face Harvard and UConn in its next two games. That would be quite a one-two punch in back-to-back games.

GEORGIA TECH

Toughest: Charleston Classic (Nov. 17-20), Northwestern (Nov. 29), Alabama (Jan. 3)
Next-toughest: at Georgia (Dec. 7)
The rest: Florida A&M (Nov. 11), Delaware State (Nov. 14), Siena (Nov. 23), at Tulane (Dec. 3), at Savannah State (Dec. 10), Alabama A&M (Dec. 19), Mercer (Dec. 22), at Fordham (Dec. 29)
Toughness scale (1-10): 4 -- This is a good schedule to allow Brian Gregory to ease into things in Atlanta. Plenty of winnable games to pad the record and grow the confidence. A fairly difficult draw in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge with Northwestern helps add a boost, as does a date with an Alabama team expected to make some noise in the SEC. The Charleston Classic isn't as strong as in the past. St. Joe’s will be tricky in the opener and either VCU or Seton Hall awaits in the second game. And keep this in mind: The Jackets will be sort of nomads this season. Alexander Memorial Coliseum is undergoing massive renovations, so Tech will play its home games in nearby Gwinnett and at the Hawks' Philips Arena.

MARYLAND

Toughest: Puerto Rico Tip-Off (Nov. 17-20), Illinois (Nov. 29), at Temple (Jan. 21)
Next-toughest: vs. Notre Dame in Washington, D.C. (Dec. 4)
The rest: UNC Wilmington (Nov. 13), Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 25), Mount St. Mary’s (Dec. 7), FIU (Dec. 14), Radford (Dec. 23), Albany (Dec 28), Samford (Dec. 31), Cornell (Jan. 3)
Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- Not a bad slate for the Terps’ new boss, Mark Turgeon. Maryland gets a tough opening draw (Alabama) in the Puerto Rico Tip-Off and will face either Wichita State or Colorado on the second day. Purdue, Temple, Iona and Western Michigan are on the other side of the bracket. All offer some potential bonus strength of schedule points. Even without, Illinois will be a top-half of the Big Ten team and Temple will battle Xavier for the A-10 title.

MIAMI

Toughest: at Purdue (Nov. 29), Memphis (Dec. 6), at West Virginia (Dec. 10)
Next-toughest: at Ole Miss (Nov. 25), Appalachian State (Dec. 30)
The rest: Tennessee Tech (Nov. 11), Rutgers (Nov. 15), North Florida (Nov. 19), Florida Gulf Coast (Nov. 22), UMass (Dec. 3), vs. Florida Atlantic in Sunrise, Fla. (Dec. 17), at Charlotte (Dec. 22), vs. UNC Greensboro (Jan. 2)
Toughness scale (1-10): 6 -- If the Hurricanes are a bubble team, this schedule is decent enough to give them an argument come Selection Sunday. But since plenty of the teams involved could be bubble-dwellers themselves, Miami is going to need to win more than it loses. Memphis is obviously the highlight here and if Robbie Hummel is Robbie Hummel for Purdue, that could be a pretty valuable road game.

NORTH CAROLINA

Toughest: vs. Michigan State in San Diego (Nov. 11), Wisconsin (Nov. 30), at Kentucky (Dec. 3)
Next-toughest: at UNC Asheville (Nov. 13), Las Vegas Invitational (Nov. 25-26), Long Beach State (Dec. 10), Appalachian State (Dec. 17), Texas (Dec. 21)
The rest: Mississippi Valley State (Nov. 20), Tennessee State (Nov. 22), Evansville (Dec. 6), Nicholls State (Dec. 19), Elon (Dec. 29), Monmouth (Jan. 1)
Toughness scale (1-10): 8 -- The title favorite starts things out in style with a game on the USS Carl Vinson against Michigan State. Then there's the ACC/Big Ten Challenge matchup against Wisconsin, and folks already are wondering if the game in Lexington isn’t a preview of the national championship game. Texas is a bit of an unknown with all of its freshmen, but Asheville and Appalachian State are considered favorites in their leagues. Out in Vegas, assuming they dispatch of South Carolina, the Heels will likely face off with UNLV in its home city (the Rebels play USC).

NC STATE

Toughest: Legends Classic (Nov. 19, 21), Syracuse (Dec. 17)
Next-toughest: UNC Asheville (Nov. 11), Princeton (Nov. 16), Indiana (Nov. 30), at Stanford (Dec. 4), vs. St. Bonaventure in Rochester, N.Y. (Dec. 20)
The rest: Morehead State (Nov. 13), Elon (Nov. 25), NC Central (Dec. 11), Northeastern (Dec. 22), Campbell (Dec. 29), Western Carolina (Dec. 31), Delaware State (Jan. 4)
Toughness scale (1-10): 8 -- Good thing Mark Gottfried has decent players to work with. He’s going to need them. Syracuse and Vanderbilt are guaranteed preseason top-10 teams. The Pack host the Orange and face off with the Dores in East Rutherford, N.J., where they'll play either Texas or Oregon State the next day. Indiana and St. Bonaventure are gunning for their best seasons in years and Johnny Dawkins finally has a decent roster at Stanford.

VIRGINIA

Toughest: Michigan (Nov. 29), George Mason (Dec. 6), at Oregon (Dec. 18)
Next-toughest: Paradise Jam (Nov. 18-21), at LSU (Jan. 2)
The rest: South Carolina State (Nov. 13), Winthrop (Nov. 15), Green Bay (Nov. 25), Longwood (Dec. 3), at Seattle (Dec. 21), Maryland-Eastern Shore (Dec. 27), Towson (Dec. 30)
Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- This may not be the toughest nonconference schedule out there, but it’s good enough to give the Cavaliers a boost come March should they be in consideration for a bid. Big bonus points to Tony Bennett for taking his team cross-country for a game against Oregon. Truth be told, hardly anyone does that anymore. The Cavs open with TCU at the Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands and Drexel and Marquette offer good potential matchups there.

VIRGINIA TECH

Toughest: NIT Season Tip-Off (Nov. 14-25), at Minnesota (Nov. 30), at Oklahoma State (Dec. 31)
Next-toughest: St. Bonaventure (Nov. 27), Kansas State (Dec. 4), BYU (Jan. 25)
The rest: East Tennessee State (Nov. 12), Monmouth (Nov. 14), at Rhode Island (Dec. 7), Norfolk State (Dec. 11), Campbell (Dec. 17), North Florida (Dec. 19), Eastern Michigan (Dec. 22)
Toughness scale (1-10): 7 -- This is a tough one to judge because so much could happen in the NIT Tip-Off. Presuming the Hokies get past Monmouth, they would likely face George Mason and down the road, Syracuse at Madison Square Garden. On the surface, this is certainly an improvement for Seth Greenberg's program. Road games at Minnesota and Oklahoma State are no easy chore in those arenas, and while Kansas State and BYU might be slightly rebuilding, those are still two commendable home games. Bottom line: If the Hokies again fail to make the NCAA tourney, the schedule itself shouldn't be the reason.

WAKE FOREST

Toughest: Old Spice Classic (Nov. 24-27), Richmond (Dec. 3)
Next-toughest: at Nebraska (Nov. 30), at Seton Hall (Dec. 10)
The rest: Loyola-Md. (Nov. 11), Georgia Southern (Nov. 16), North Carolina Central (Nov. 20), at High Point (Dec. 7), Gardner-Webb (Dec. 18), UNC Wilmington (Dec. 21), Yale (Dec. 29), Wofford (Jan. 2)
Toughness scale (1-10): 3 -- Jeff Bzdelik is trying to build the Demon Deacons from the bottom up, so he’s understandably building the schedule in similar increments. This isn’t an NCAA tournament schedule but neither is Wake an NCAA tournament team. There’s not a whole lot of bump with the Old Spice trip to Orlando. Wake opens with Dayton and will face either Fairfield or Arizona State in the second game. Potential third-game opponents are Texas Tech, Indiana State, Minnesota and DePaul.