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ACC basketball power rankings after opening weekend

By Mike Rutherford
Jim Dedmon-USA TODAY Sports

Combined record of the conference after three days of play: 17-2

1. North Carolina (2-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Temple (91-67); Defeated Fairfield (92-65)
This Week: vs. Wofford (Wednesday); at Northern Iowa (Saturday)

The top-ranked Tar Heels gave one of the more impressive performances of the opening weekend when they hammered Temple 91-67 on a neutral floor in Annapolis. Without Marcus Paige, UNC dominated inside thanks in large part to big man Kennedy Meeks, who tied a career-high with 25 points and 11 rebounds in 28 minutes.

The game was mired, slightly, by a late skirmish that resulted in Nate Britt being ejected for leaving the bench.

North Carolina should have little issue with Wofford before heading to Cedar Falls on Saturday for a solid test against Northern Iowa.

2. Duke (2-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Siena (92-74); Defeated Bryant (113-75)
This Week: vs. No. 2 Kentucky (Tuesday); vs. VCU (Friday)

The Blue Devils did what they were supposed to do in their two tune-ups before Tuesday night's showdown with Kentucky. Grayson Allen proved that his performance in the national championship game wasn't a fluke, even if Dino Gaudio thinks he's a douche.

3. Virginia (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Morgan State (86-48)
This Week: At George Washington (Monday); vs. Bradley (Thursday)

UVA did what it does against Morgan State, hammering the Bears despite missing 12 of their first 13 shots. They'll get their first test of the season at area rival George Washington on Monday night in the opener of the 2015 tip-off marathon. The Colonials have not beaten UVA since 1974.

4.  Notre Dame (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Saint Francis (Pa.) (87-56)
This Week: vs. Milwaukee (Tuesday); vs. UMass Lowell (Saturday)

Demetrius Jackson backed up the widely-held belief that he's poised for a monster season by dropping a career-high 27 points on Saint Francis (Pa.) in the season-opener for both teams.

He's got bunnies.

The Irish should roll through the first month of their season.

5. Louisville (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Samford (86-45)
This Week: vs. Hartford (Tuesday); vs. North Florida (Saturday)

You saw the game, we really don't need to talk about it. The Cards should get a solid test from reigning A-Sun champion North Florida on Saturday. The Ospreys (OSPREYS!) hammered Illinois, 93-81, on Friday night (it wasn't that close), and should be 3-0 when they arrive at the Yum Center.

6. Florida State (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Nicholls State (109-62)
This Week: vs. Jacksonville (Tuesday); vs. Hofstra (Friday)

FSU hit triple digits in a season-opener for the first time since 1993. The 'Noles hit 40 of their 61 field goal attempts and got 23 points and 8 rebounds from freshman star Dwayne Bacon. Xavier-Rathan Mayes added 11 points and 11 assists.

7. Miami (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Texas Rio Grande Valley (86-59)
This Week: vs. Louisiana Lafayette (Monday); vs. Mississippi State (Thursday)

The 'Canes have an extremely dangerous second week of the season ahead, starting with Shawn Long and Sun Belt favorite Louisiana Lafayette on Monday. The 'Canes then head to Puerto Rico for a Puerto Rico Tip-Off run which begins with Malik Newman and Mississippi State on Thursday. A victory there could set up a semifinal showdown with Utah on Friday night.

8. Pittsburgh (0-0)

Opening Weekend: vs. Gonzaga (Game canceled after first half)
This Week: vs. St. Joseph's (In.) (Tuesday); vs. Detroit (Friday)

The Panthers were robbed of a shot at notching a signature non-conference victory when their Armed Forces Classic game against Gonzaga in Japan was called because of a slippery floor. Pitt was clinging to a 2-point lead at the break, but the move was one which had to be made.

The bad news for Jamie Dixon's team is that they don't have an especially loaded non-conference schedule, which means their ACC/Big 10 tilt against No. 23 Purdue is now way more crucial than it was a week ago.

9. Syracuse (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Lehigh (57-47)
This Week: vs. Saint Bonaventure (Tuesday); vs. Elon (Saturday)

They did not look glowing against Lehigh, but whatever, there's a big drop-off here.

10. Wake Forest (2-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated UMBC (78-73); Defeated Bucknell (90-82)
This Week: vs. Richmond (Wednesday)

Give me the Deacs here solely because they had the stones to play at Bucknell and pull out a solid victory over a good mid-major program. Richmond, my surprise pick to win the A-10 back in the summer, should give them all they want on Wednesday.

11. Clemson (2-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated North Carolina Central (74-40); Defeated Texas-San Antonio (78-45)
This Week: vs. Texas Southern (Thursday)

Clemson made 17 of its 26 first-half shots against UTSA on Sunday, good for 48 points and a field goal percentage of 65.4 percent, both of which broke records during the Brad Brownell era. They'll take it easy this week before heading to Vegas over the weekend.

12. Georgia Tech (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Cornell (116-81)
This Week: vs. Tennessee (Monday); vs. Green Bay (Thursday); vs. East Tennessee State (Sunday)

Brian Gregory's out here trying to save his job by dropping 116 on people and then playing three games the next week.

13. Boston College (1-0)

Opening Weekend: Defeated Saint Francis of Brooklyn (75-49)
This Week: vs. Central Connecticut State (Thursday); vs. Harvard (Sunday)

Graduate transfer Eli Carter, who previously played at Rutgers and Florida, is going to be huge for a BC team that includes eight freshman this season. He showed how important he is right out of the gate by scoring a game-high 23 in the Eagles' season-opener.

14. NC State (1-1)

Opening Weekend: Lost to William & Mary (85-68); Defeated South Alabama (88-70)
This Week: vs. IUPUI (Wednesday)

Are they the next-to-worst team in the conference? No, but we can't just let a 17-point home loss to Bill and Mary slide.

15. Virginia Tech (0-1)

Opening Weekend: Lost to Alabama State (85-82)
This Week: vs. Jacksonville State (Wednesday); vs. VMI (Saturday)

NC State's win over South Alabama Sunday night leaves Buzz Williams' Virginia Tech Hokies as the ACC's lone winless team heading into the first full week of the 2015-16 season. That's thanks to a stunning home loss to Alabama State in what was Tech's first ever loss to a team from the SWAC.

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