Another interesting week has passed around the league with the highlight being the game in Durham, where Duke bounced back from its first ACC loss and got by UVa. So not only do we have a change at the top of our rankings but behind Carolina we've got several teams we aren't sure are real contenders or not.
So, how do we see things stacking up going into this weekend's games? Check out the way we see it in our updated CavsCorner ACC Power Rankings.
Tier I: Awaiting the Rematch
1. Duke Blue Devils (16-2, 5-1 ACC)
Last Week: 2
Duke moves up to the top spot by virtue of its hard-fought win over UVa without the services of Tre Jones. Zion Williamson and R.J. Barrett dominated Saturday’s primetime meeting, scoring 57 of the tema's 72 points, including a few big buckets down the stretch in a tight one. Duke’s strategy against UVa was unorthodox on both ends of the floor, but it led to better results than anyone else has had against the Wahoos this season. People are already talking about Round II between the two teams that will come in a few weeks, but Duke has to take care of business first. And really, that’s what the Blue Devis will be doing, as the schedule is quite forgiving heading into that clash on February 9th. They host Georgia Tech this weekend before traveling to Notre Dame on Monday night before playing a pair of games next week that they should win, against St. Johns and Boston College.
2. Virginia Cavaliers (17-1, 5-1 ACC)
Last Week: 1
There is no shame in going on the road and losing to the No. 1 team in the country by two points. And just because we’ve moved the Hoos down a spot in these rankings doesn’t mean we think any less of their collection of talent or long-term prospects. Virginia got back on track in Tuesday’s rout of Wake Forest and will look to take care of business against another struggling team when the Cavaliers travel to Notre Dame this weekend. Next Tuesday night's game in Raleigh is intriguing but it’s more of a measuring stick game for the Wolfpack than the Wahoos at this point. Despite having two road games coming up, UVa’s schedule is somewhat manageable heading towards the big rematch at JPJ next month.
Tier II: Knocking on the Door
3. North Carolina Tar Heels (15-4, 5-1 ACC)
Last Week: 3
UNC has handled business since its lone ACC loss against Louisville and is currently enjoying a “bye week” of sorts. The Heels throttled a then-Top 10 Virginia Tech team at home on Monday night, winning 103-82 in a game that wasn’t competitive in the second half. UNC has had the last few days off and won’t play this weekend, returning to the court on Tuesday at Georgia Tech. The Heels have a few more losses than the teams in our top tier but they are starting to look more like a team in that group than in the group below. We still need more data on them, especially considering how Louisville manhandled them a few weeks ago on Carolina’s home floor. But UNC looked like the Tar Heels we expected to see this season in Monday’s win over the Hokies, which puts them in their own tier for right now.