This is going to be a weekly article, where I seed the ACC teams and where I think they’d should be placed if the tournament started the same day as my posting.
In my ranking system, any RPI top (100) win is a good win and any RPI top (50) obviously worth more. Any losses outside the RPI top (100) is considered a bad loss, and outside the RPI (150) are even more damaging. I’m not counting future results only if I think a team would make the NCAA’s if selections were made the day of the post.
Teams get a “*” for top 50 good wins or “*” greater than 150 losses.
My RPI rankings come from, CBSSportsline.com.
Locks
(3) Virginia (15-1) (4-0) Projected Seed 1
Last 10 – (9-1)
Good Wins – * (15) Rhode Island, (78) Boston College, (99) VCU, * (7) UNC, * (28) Syracuse, (75) Virginia Tech
Bad Losses – None
Notes – If you haven’t bought into how good Tony Bennett’s team is yet, then you need to start. They’ve earned a #1 seed this week.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/14 – NC State
1/18 – @Georgia Tech
(1) Duke (14-2) (2-2) Projected Seed 2
Last 10 – (8-2)
Good Wins – * (20) Michigan State, (87) Evansville, * (46) Texas, (71) Utah Valley, * (35) Florida, * (48) Florida State, (61) Elon, (85) Portland State
Bad Losses – (116) NC State
Notes – Duke still struggles with defensive with consistency and took a surprising loss at NC State. Of course playing Pitt helps everything and, Duke won by 35 there. They’ll need to sweep their games this week to move back to the 1 line.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – Wake Forest
1/15 – @Miami
(7) North Carolina (13-4) (2-2) Projected Seed 4
Last 10 – (7-3)
Good Wins – * (26) Arkansas, * (45) Michigan,* (14) Tennessee, * (22) Ohio State, (99) Tulane (78) Boston College
Bad Losses – (126) Wofford
Notes – The Heels are just an average 3-3 over their last 6 games. They are a NCAA team, but are they a top 4 seed team?
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – @Notre Dame
1/16 – Clemson
(5) Clemson (14-2) (3-1) Projected Seed 5
Last 10 – (9-1)
Good Wins – * (22) Ohio State, * (35) Florida, (69) South Carolina, (95) Louisiana, * (23) Louisville (78) Boston College, (79) NC State, (84) Hofstra
Bad Losses – None
Notes – You see that 1/16 game at UNC? This year’s team has a chance to break the storied losing streak at North Carolina.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – Miami
1/16 – @UNC
(21) Miami (13-2) (2-1) Projected Seed 5
Last 10 – (8-2)
Good Wins – (74) Minnesota, * (29) Middle Tennessee, * (48) Florida State
Bad Losses – (156) Georgia Tech
Notes – A split would be great for Miami this week. Clemson and Duke won’t be easy.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – @Clemson
1/15 – Duke
(39) Notre Dame (13-4) (3-1) Projected Seed 7
Last 10 – (7-3)
Good Wins – * (18) Wichita State, * (28) Syracuse, (57) LSU, (79) NC State
Bad Losses – (106) Indiana, * (156) Georgia Tech
Notes – Notre Dame is trying to hold things together with the loss of Bonzi Colson. A couple of big home games are this week.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – North Carolina
1/16 – Louisville
(48) Florida State (12-4) (1-3) Projected Seed 8
Last 10 – (6-4)
Good Wins – * (35) Florida, (98) Tulane, * (7) UNC
Bad Losses – None
Notes – Florida State is trending in the wrong direction. A sweep would be advisable this week.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – Syracuse
1/15 – @Boston College
(23) Louisville (12-4) (2-1) Projected Seed 9
Last 10 – (8-2)
Good Wins – (48) Florida State
Bad Losses – None
Notes – Where did that win at Florida State come from? That was massive, and could change the outlook on Louisville’s season.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – Virginia Tech
1/16 – @Notre Dame
Bubble But In
(79) NC State (12-5) (2-2) Projected Seed 11
Last 10 – (7-3)
Good Wins – * (24) Arizona, * (1) Duke, * (5) Clemson
Bad Losses – (105) UNC-Greensboro, (147) Northern Iowa
Notes – NC State just beat Duke and Clemson in back to back games. That gets NC State back on the bubble. A split this week will keep them in the field.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/14 – @UVA
1/18 – Wake Forest
(75) Virginia Tech (13-4) (2-2) Projected Seed 12
Last 10 – (7-3)
Good Wins – * (41) Washington, (91) Radford
Bad Losses – * (198) St. Louis
Notes – Virginia Tech is barely in the field this week. They need to get some more quality wins.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – @Louisville
Bubble But Out
(28) Syracuse (12-5) (1-3)
Last 10 – (6-4)
Good Wins – * (30) Buffalo, * (50) Maryland, (75) Virginia Tech
Bad Losses – (130) Wake Forest
Notes – Syracuse has lost 3 games in row. They need to get things back on track.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – @FSU
1/16 – Pittsburgh
(78) Boston College (11-6) (2-3)
Last 10 – (6-4)
Good Wins – * (1) Duke
Bad Losses – None
Notes – That Duke win only going to carry BC so far. This is an important week to win both games.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – Dartmouth
1/15 – Florida State
Only if they win the ACC Tournament
(130) Wake Forest (8-8) (1-3)
Last 10 – (6-4)
Good Wins – (28) Syracuse
Bad Losses – * (236) Liberty, (141) Drake, (129) Georgia Southern
Notes – Wake Forest is likely to fall to 1-5 in the ACC after this week. The season outlook is not looking good for Danny Manning’s bunch.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – @Duke
1/18 – @NC State
(144) Pittsburgh (8-9) (0-4)
Last 10 – (5-5)
Good Wins – (92) Santa Barbara
Bad Losses – * (204) Navy, (122) Penn State, (142) Montanta
Notes – Anyone have any faith Kevin Stallings can start turning Pitt around? I didn’t think so.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – Georgia Tech
1/16 – @Syracuse
(156) Georgia Tech (9-7) (2-1)
Last 10 – (5-5)
Good Wins – (88) Northwestern, (21) Miami, (39) Notre Dame
Bad Losses – * (298) Grambling, (128) Wofford
Notes – Georgia Tech has suddenly won three games in a row. Oh if they get sweep this week, that’s the bubble in the distance.
This Week’s Upcoming Games.
1/13 – @Pitt
1/18 – Virginia