The NCAA recently released the official RPI standings for the year. Coming as no surprise, the first version of the RPI does not paint Boston College basketball in a flattering light. The Eagles ranked 230th overall, wedged between the Atlantic Sun's Florida Gulf Coast and the West Coast Conference's Pepperdine. And this was prior to factoring in the loss to Rhode Island.
Duke (12-1) led the way for the ACC, ranking second nationally behind only Syracuse, an ACC-in-waiting program.
BC's next opponent, North Carolina (13-2), ranks 12th nationally and second in the conference, followed by Virginia Tech (40), N.C. State (49) and Miami (61).
Surprisingly, 23rd ranked Virginia (13-1) placed just 65th overall in terms of RPI.
Rounding out the conference ranks were 8-5 Florida State (71), 9-5 Wake Forest (85), 9-3 Maryland (103) and 7-6 Georgia Tech (150). The only other ACC program sitting in the 200 range is Clemson, who ranks 213 with an overall record of just 8-6.
BC's January 12 home game against Clemson might very well be the Eagles' last best chance at notching an ACC win this season.
We all knew that it was a down year for the ACC in basketball, but the first cut of the NCAA's RPI rankings does not make the conference look so hot heading into conference play.