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NCAA basketball: 5 bold ACC basketball for 2020-2021

By Cody Williams

Feb 29, 2020; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Jay Huff (30) celebrates while leaving the court after the CavaliersÕ game against the Duke Blue Devils at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 29, 2020; Charlottesville, Virginia, USA; Virginia Cavaliers forward Jay Huff (30) celebrates while leaving the court after the CavaliersÕ game against the Duke Blue Devils at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports /
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ACC basketball predictions
Duke Blue Devils Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /

ACC basketball predicted order of finish

  1. Virginia Cavaliers
  2. Duke Blue Devils
  3. North Carolina Tar Heels 
  4. Florida State Seminoles
  5. Miami Hurricanes
  6. Louisville Cardinals
  7. Syracuse Orange
  8. Clemson Tigers
  9. NC State Wolfpack
  10. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
  11. Virginia Tech Hokies
  12. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
  13. Pittsburgh Panthers
  14. Boston College Eagles
  15. Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Based on what we know, the race for the ACC crown is likely going to come down to which team performs better between Duke and Virginia. But based on the roster turnover for the Blue Devils and the inconsistency the team has shown since adopting a one-and-done mantra, Tony Bennett and the Cavaliers get the nod as the predicted winner of the conference.

If there’s one team that could insert themselves into the conversation with those two programs, it’s North Carolina. Coming off of the worse season under Roy Williams in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels appear primed to bounce back. Anything worse than a fourth-place finish should feel like another down year for this program but newcomer Caleb Love starring right away could allow them to challenge for the ACC crown.

After the mid-tier group of Miami, Florida State, Louisville and Syracuse, there is a decided dropoff in talent and seemingly a homogenous blend of uninspiring teams. There might be a team in that group that unexpectedly makes a slight run and cracks the top half of the conference in the standings but it’s basically a dart throw trying to predict which team could accomplish that.