Fansided

College Basketball ACC Power Rankings: Week 17

By Charlie Maikis

Feb 27, 2017; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard London Perrantes (32) dribbles the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) chases in the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers won 53-43. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 27, 2017; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Virginia Cavaliers guard London Perrantes (32) dribbles the ball as North Carolina Tar Heels guard Joel Berry II (2) chases in the second half at John Paul Jones Arena. The Cavaliers won 53-43. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 8
Next
Feb 25, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Jamel Artis (1) defense North Carolina Tar Heels forward Theo Pinson (top) during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 25, 2017; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Panthers forward Jamel Artis (1) defense North Carolina Tar Heels forward Theo Pinson (top) during the first half at the Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /
13

Clemson Tigers

Last week: 14-14, 4-12 ACC
Last rank: 13

Falling to .500 overall was not something the Tigers could have envisioned when ACC play started. Yet another close loss, this one by two to Florida State, dropped them to 4-12 in conference after a 10-2 non-conference performance. Yet again in the 13th slot in these rankings, Clemson manages to stay above a team that has lost 12 in a row and another that fired their coach midseason for not living up to expectations. That’s not exactly a positive. They haven’t gotten that win that pushed them into the next tier all season, and it finally doomed their tournament hopes. Their only games left are against the teams below them, NC State and Boston College. The best they can do is win both to stay above them, but they still would lack any good wins.

12

Pittsburgh Panthers

Last week: 15-14, 4-12 ACC
Last rank: 11

The second team on this page to lose their NCAA Tournament hopes this week comes in a spot ahead of their counterpart. Keeping above .500 –barely — overall will do that. Back-to-back losses to Wake Forest and UNC sunk Pitt, who likely would have needed both to stay on the bubble. Instead the Panthers will push on and try to stay ahead of the trio at the bottom, but no more. With upcoming games against Georgia Tech and Virginia, that would be tougher than anticipated. Georgia Tech will be desperately fighting for their playoff lives while Virginia is an elite team in the top 25. Losing both is possible, and earlier losses to NC State and Clemson leave them without a tiebreaker. As new coach Kevin Stallings has certainly learned, such is life in the ACC.