This week, the NCAA released its official RPI ratings, scientifically proving that the ACC is having another down year in shootyhoops. Just four teams crack the top 50 -- Duke, Miami, N.C. State and North Carolina. Half the conference is currently outside the top 100 with BC coming in at a respectable 140. Respectable in the sense that we are no longer last.

Here are the current RPI numbers for each ACC team, with Pomeroy Rating in parentheses (with thanks to BTP).

1. Duke Blue Devils (3)
8. Miami Hurricanes (22)
15. N.C. State Wolfpack (36)
42. North Carolina Tar Heels (39)
67. Maryland Terrapins (50)
72. Florida St. Seminoles (70)
123. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (72)
133. Virginia Cavaliers (27)
140. Boston College Eagles (153)
144. Virginia Tech Hokies (148)
158. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (156)
204. Clemson Tigers (83)

It's looking as if BC is going to have one of the more difficult conference schedules this season. The Eagles get two games this year against all three teams currently in the top 15 of the RPI -- Duke (1), Miami (8) and N.C. State (15). Add in two with Maryland and that's got to be one of the more challenging ACC slates in the league. That's both good and bad. Offers plenty of opportunities to challenge this young team. At the same time, improvement in the form of wins and losses just might not be there this year with a more difficult slate of games, which sucks.

The toughest team BC has faced -- other than N.C. State -- so far this season has been #35 Baylor. Dayton (82), Harvard (88) and Charleston (89) are the other Eagles' opponents ranked in the top 100.

Also it's not like the conference is getting any easier in men's basketball going forward.

9. Louisville Cardinals (4)
14. Syracuse Orange (6)
37. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (20)
71. Pittsburgh Panthers (11)