Boston College Men's Basketball

ACC Men's Basketball Power Rankings, Week 7

Top five remain unchanged this week. Conference play resumes this weekend.

By Brian F. Dec 30, 2014, 1:30pm EST

Fifteen of the finest ACC blogs on the internet get together on a weekly basis to rank the conference's men's basketball teams.

Here are the results for week 7:

SBNATION ACC MEN'S BASKETBALL POWER POLL, WEEK 7

1. Duke Blue Devils, 149 (9 first-place votes)
2. Virginia Cavaliers, 139 (1)
3. Louisville Cardinals, 132
4. North Carolina Tar Heels, 116
5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 114
6. North Carolina State Wolfpack, 86
7. Syracuse Orange, 83
8. Miami Hurricanes, 81
9. Pittsburgh Panthers, 79
10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets, 69
11. Boston College Eagles, 42
12. Clemson Tigers, 41
13. Florida State Seminoles, 30
14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons, 21
15. Virginia Tech Hokies, 18

1. Duke Blue Devils (11-0, 0-0 ACC)

Last week: Idle
This week: Defeated Toledo (86-69), Wofford (12/31), Boston College (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 1 (--)

The Blue Devils had the week off for the holidays. Two more home games on tap this week -- a non-conference game against Wofford followed by the ACC opener against BC.

2. Virginia Cavaliers (11-0, 0-0)

Last week: Idle
This week: Davidson (12/30), @ Miami (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 2 (--)

The Cavaliers also had the week off and return to action on Tuesday as they host Davidson. The ACC season begins on Saturday, when the 'Hoos travel to South Florida to take on Miami.

3. Louisville Cardinals (11-1, 0-0)

Last week: Defeated Cal State-Northridge (80-55), Lost to Kentucky (58-50)
This week: Long Beach State (12/30), @ Wake Forest (1/4)

Last week's ranking: 3 (--)

Top ranked Kentucky bounced Louisville from the ranks of the unbeatens with a 58-50 road victory over the Cards. Louisville will look to regroup this week with games against Long Beach State and at Wake Forest in the ACC opener.

4. North Carolina Tar Heels (9-3, 0-0)

Last week: Defeated UAB (89-58)
This week: William & Mary (12/30), @ Clemson (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 4 (--)

The Heels made quick work of UAB in their only game of the week, downing the Blazers 89-58. Marcus Paige had 16 points and Kennedy Meeks added 14 points for the Heels, who never trailed and led by as many as 36. North Carolina has one more nonconference tune-up game before ACC play starts up as they host William & Mary on Tuesday night. A road game at Clemson will open the ACC portion of the schedule for the Heels on Saturday.

5. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-1, 1-0)

Last week: Defeated NIU (91-66)
This week: Hartford (12/30), Georgia Tech (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 5 (--)

The Irish coasted past NIU in their second-to-last non-conference game. Pat Connaughton had 21 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Irish to a 91-66 victory over the Huskies. Notre Dame's offense is rolling early. For the first time in school history, the Irish have scored 70 or more points in each of their first 13 games. One final non-conference tune-up in Hartford before ACC play resumes with a home game against Georgia Tech.

6. North Carolina State Wolfpack (10-3, 1-0)

Last week: Defeated Louisiana Tech (73-65)
This week: Cincinnati (12/30), Pittsburgh (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 8 (up 2)

Just one game for the Wolfpack last week, which rallied from 18 down to beat Louisiana Tech, 73-65, last Tuesday. Trevor Lacey paced the 'Pack with 20 points, 13 in the second half. N.C. State faces Cincinnati on Tuesday before hosting Pittsburgh on Saturday in the Panthers' ACC opener.

7. Syracuse Orange (8-4, 0-0)

Last week: Defeated Colgate (78-43), Defeated Long Beach State (85-67)
This week: Cornell (12/31), @ Virginia Tech (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 7 (--)

The Orange bounced back from an OT loss to #7 Villanova with a pair of victories over Colgate and Long Beach State. Syracuse will host Cornell in their final non-conference game of the season on Wednesday before traveling to Blacksburg to take on the Hokies in the ACC opener. SU is 8-1 at home this season.

8. Miami Hurricanes (9-3, 0-0)

Last week: Lost to Providence (76-62)
This week: Charleston (12/30), Virginia (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 6 (down 2)

After racing out to a 9-1 start to the year, the Hurricanes have now dropped two straight. The latest setback a 76-62 loss to Providence in Brooklyn. The Canes host Charleston this week before opening up ACC play by hosting the defending conference champions on Saturday.

9. Pittsburgh Panthers (9-3, 0-0)

Last week: Defeated Holy Cross (58-39)
This week: Florida Gulf Coast (12/30), @ N.C. State (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 10 (up 1)

Pitt used runs of 15-0 and 16-2 to rush past Holy Cross, 58-39, in the Panthers lone game of the week. Pitt forward Jamal Artis had 13 points. The Panthers host Dunk City on Tuesday before traveling to Raleigh to take on the 'Pack in the ACC opener.

10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (8-3, 0-0)

Last week: Lost to Dayton (75-61)
This week: Charlotte (12/30), @ Notre Dame (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 9 (down 1)

Brian Gregory's former team proved to be too much for his current team. Senior Jordan Sibert scored a career-high 24 points to pace the Flyers past Gregory and Georgia Tech, 75-61. It was Gregory's first game back at Dayton Arena since departing for Georgia Tech. Gregory ranks third all-time at Dayton with a 172-94 record. One more non-conference game against Charlotte this week before the Jackets open up ACC play in South Bend on Saturday.

11. Boston College Eagles (7-4, 0-0)

Last week: Idle
This week: Defeated Massachusetts Lowell (70-47), @ Duke (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 12 (up 1)

The Eagles had the week off and returned to action on Monday, defeating UMass Lowell 70-47. Aaron Brown had 22 points. BC opens ACC play with a road trip to Cameron Indoor to face the Blue Devils. Ouch.

12. Clemson Tigers (7-4, 0-0)

Last week: Defeated Oakland (70-60)
This week: Robert Morris (12/30), North Carolina (1/3)

Last week's ranking: 11 (down 1)

Clemson's Jaron Blossomgame scored a career-high 26 points to lead the Tigers to a 60-50 win over Oakland last Monday. The 7-4 Tigers have Robert Morris and North Carolina on tap this week.

13. Florida State Seminoles (7-5, 0-1)

Last week: Defeated Stetson (63-59)
This week: Florida (12/30), @ Mississippi State (1/2)

Last week's ranking: 13 (--)

Montay Brandon scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half as Florida State eked out a 63-59 win over Stetson last Monday. The Seminoles host 7-4 Florida Tuesday night before traveling to Starkville to take on Mississippi State in a rare-early January non-conference game.

14. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (7-6, 0-1)

Last week: Defeated Bucknell (60-53), Defeated Richmond (65-63)
This week: Princeton (12/31), Louisville (1/4)

Last week's ranking: 14t (--)

Wake Forest won't receive any style points for a pair of close victories over Bucknell and Richmond, but the Deacons are back above .500 on the year nonetheless. Devin Thomas' tip of a Codi Miller-McIntyre shot at the buzzer helped the Demon Deacons survive a Richmond comeback and notch a 65-63 road victory on Sunday. Wake hosts Princeton on Wednesday before drawing the unfortunate task of hosting Louisville in the Cards' ACC opener.

15. Virginia Tech Hokies (8-4, 0-0)

Last week: Defeated VMI (87-74), Defeated Presbyterian (87-65)
This week: @ West Virginia (12/30), Syracuse (1/3)