The national narrative surrounding the ACC is that the league could get fewer NCAA Tournament bids than the Mountain West.
As it stands, five teams in the league look like they should be positioned to have an enjoyable Selection Sunday.
No. 3 UNC and No. 9 Duke, the only ACC teams ranked in the AP Top 25 poll, continue to pace the pack, but three squads behind the Tar Heels and Blue Devils continue to improve their NCAA Tournament resumes.
Virginia is the hottest team in the league, Clemson just got a statement win in Chapel Hill and Wake Forest has some big-time games on the horizon. Here’s a look at the latest ACC basketball power rankings.
1. UNC
The Tar Heels remain the favorite in the ACC, but losses in two of their last three games is a cause for concern. UNC can’t afford to rest on the work it did in the first half of league play. There’s still a lot of work left to do.
2. Duke
It’s never a good sign when energy and effort are issues in February. The Blue Devils were better in that department against Notre Dame, so maybe Jon Scheyer’s squad will follow a similar script to last year’s team. The talent is there, but the effort has to match it.