2015 ACC Basketball Preview

ACC BASKETBALL PREVIEW

THE COLLEGE BASKETBALL SEASON IS FINALLY UPON US! With it comes months of exhilarating entertainment. Virginia has dominated the ACC for the past two seasons. However, that has not translated into postseason success. Duke, on the other hand, is the NCAA's defending champion, winning the title last season led by a trio of dominating freshman. Unfortunately for Duke, those three freshman left for the NBA, and they now have to retool. There are teams looking to spring to the top of the league after mild success last season: Miami. Teams trying to return to the top of the conference after a disappointing season: North Carolina. Teams trying to patch their rosters after losing important pieces: Notre Dame and Louisville. Teams that experienced a rare mediocre season last season, and will try to return to the NCAA tournament: Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and North Carolina State? Who will survive the gauntlet of the regular, and ACC season with the best chance at postseason glory? The following is an in depth look at each ACC team, examining each position, and their potential outlook this season.

Rank. School. Proj. Conference Record. (Last Year's Conference Record)

Tier 5: The Cellar

15. BOSTON COLLEGE 2-16 (4-14)

Frontcourt:

7'1” senior, Dennis Clifford, received the most minutes, 25.3, last season of any BC returning player. He will look to improve upon his 6.9 scoring average this year. He is the team's returning leader in rebounds, and will also lead the team on defense, in the post. It is imperative that he stays out of foul trouble. He fouled out on six occasions last season. Boston College will often employ a four-guard lineup but, Clifford will be spelled by Idy Diallo. He is a big-bodied center, who missed his freshman season, a year ago, with an injury. Diallo may be leaned on at times if Clifford gets in foul trouble. J.C. Reyes is a 6'9 3* freshman. He gives the Eagles some more size, and could carve out 10 minutes a game for rebounding purposes.

Backcourt:

Boston College graduated the four guards/wing players who played the most minutes last season. There are huge shoes to fill in the backcourt. None bigger, than those of Olivier Hanlan. Hanlan scored 19.5 points/game last season and added 4.2 assists/game.

After Clifford, the leading returning player in minutes is Garland Owens. He played a whopping 16.6 minutes/game a season ago. The 6'5 junior wing will likely be called upon to start this season. He was not an offensive threat a season ago. He averaged only 3.4 points/game, and scored only .2 points/minute he was on the court (for reference, Olivier Hanlan scored .52 points/minute). Owens is not a threat from outside. He shot just 23.1% from 3pt range last season. Despite his low 3pt %, he shot a stellar (for a wing) 51.0% from the field. Owens has a big opportunity to breakout this season, especially as one of the few veteran players on a young team.

Boston College's starting shooting guard this season will be Eli Carter. He is a graduate transfer player from Florida. He is the most likely player to lead Boston College in points this season. Last season with Florida, he scored 8.8 points/game playing 24.3 minutes a game; he also added 2 assists a game. Carter was not great from outside last season, shooting 30.5% from three. This certainly was not for a lack of trying though as he took five 3-pointers/game. Carter will be given every chance to improve those numbers this season though; he will lead the Eagles in minutes played, assuming his past injuries are behind him. Darryl Hicks is technically now a sophomore (according to Boston College's website). He was originally apart of their 2013 freshman class, but tore his ACL back in June of 2013, and has yet to play for the Eagles. He could potentially start at shooting guard, and move Carter to point will he would be a scoring combo guard. The wing players will be spelled by a pair of 3* freshman, AJ Turner, 6'6, and Matt Milon, 6'4. They will be looked upon to contribute right away.

Boston College will hand the ball, and likely the starting PG position to another 3* freshman, 6'3”, Jerome Robinson. He has a couple of skills that should help him in his starting role right way. He has a good head for the game and decision making for a player his age, and he can knock down a 3pt shot. Robinson's play is likely going to dictate how Boston College does this season, as a lot of responsibility rests on his shoulders. Eli Carter is likely the backup PG, but BC would prefer to keep him off the ball. So, there isn't really anyone to take Robinson's place if he struggles.

Newcomers:

Due to the many losses BC suffered from last season, they have a large freshman class. Jerome Robinson will be counted on to start right away. AJ Turner, JC Reyes, and either Matt Milon or Sammy Barnes-Thompkins will be rotation players from the get go. Darryl Hicks is a big x-factor for the Eagles. He has been with the program for a couple years, despite not playing, and could come in and start, which would take some pressure off the true freshman, especially Robinson, but there is very little information out there on Hicks, and his potential spot on this team.

Outlook:

Boston College lost the four players who received the most minutes during the 2014-15 season. Most significantly, they lost star Olivier Hanlan. There is no one near his talent level on this team. Robinson is an interesting addition, and could grow into a key player, but too much is going to be asked of him this year. This is practically a brand new Boston College team from the one that tipped off a year ago. This team will struggle to find an identity, and develop chemistry amongst both the new players, and those who's roles are growing. Boston College finished ACC play with only a 4-14 record a season ago, and that was with Olivier Hanlan. This team will find itself at the bottom of the ACC. Although, there is hope for the future as this big freshman class grows together.

Tier 4: Definitively Bottom Half

14. Clemson 4-14 (8-10)

Frontcourt:

Clemson's frontcourt will be centered by 6'10 Senior Landry Nnoko. Nnoko averaged 24.3 minutes/game last season. He averaged 7.6 points/game, 5.4 rebounds/game. His greatest contribution is on defense; he averaged 2 shot blocks/game last season. Nnoko will have to avoid foul trouble though as he fouled out five times last season, and averaged 3.2 fouls/game. Nnoko will be backed up by junior Sidy Djitte and JUCO transfer Legend Robertin.

Clemson's best player is 6'7 power forward Jaron Blossomgame. Last season his game really blossomed, improving his points per game from 4.9 as a Freshman to 13.1 as a Sophomore. Blossomgale also averaged 8.2 rebounds per game last season. He should be one of the ACC's best forwards and is key to Clemson's success.

Donte Gratham will be the team's starting small forward. He was a 4* recruit in 2014, and has good size, 6'8, for the position. Last season Grahtam averaged 8.8 points and 4.6 rebounds as a freshman, playing nearly 30 minutes/game. He will have to improve upon those numbers this year as he will be relied on more. It is important that Gratham improves his shooting; he shot only 27.9% from three and 37.2% overall.

Clemson has little depth at either forward position. 6'8 senior Josh Smith is the only other forward. He averaged 2.4 points, playing 9.5 minutes/game. Meanwhile, Austin Ajukwa, a 6'6 Junior swingman will likely see as many minutes playing at the 3 as he will at the 2—Ajukwa is now transferring.

Backcourt:

Clemson loses their entire starting backcourt from last season. Stepping in at shooting guard will be Jordan Roper. Roper, a 6'0 Senior, played just under 20 minutes a game last season. He averaged 6.5 points/game, shooting 30.4% from three, and 34% overall. He will need to take a step forward and improve upon those numbers this season. Playing behind Roper will be Austin Ajukwa and Sophomore Gabe DeVoe. Ajukwa averaged 3.1 points last season, while DeVoe averaged 2.3.

Two newcomers with contrasting styles will compete for the starting PG position. Avry Holmes is a 6'2 transfer from San Francisco. Two seasons ago he averaged 12.5 points in 31.7 minutes per game. He will be Clemson's best shooter. He shot 41.9% from three, and 83.7% from the free throw line. His ball handling will need to approve though. Holmes' assist to turnover ratio at San Francisco was 1.5:1.0. Ty Hudson is a true freshman who will battle Holmes for minutes. He is the 95^th best freshman according to Scout.com. They describe him as a quick ball handler, with plus potential on defense. However, he is not a shooter. It is possible Clemson often plays Holmes along with Hudson, because Hudson is the team's best ball handler, and Holmes is their best shooter.

Edit: Just saw that Austin Ajukwa is transferring. That is a huge blow to a team that was already hurting for depth!

Newcomers:

Point guards Ty Hudson and Avry Holmes are the two biggest additions. One of them will start, and the other will be a major contributor. Legend Robertin provides Clemson with depth in the paint.

Outlook:

Clemson finished eleventh in the ACC last season, tied with two other teams at 8-10. However, they lose their entire backcourt from last season. Jaron Blossomgame is their only proven scorer, and they only have one guy, Avry Holmes, who is a real threat from 3pt range. Most importantly, the ACC as a whole has gotten better this season, with most teams improving upon their squads last year, and Clemson has gotten a little worse. They do play good defense, and have good frontcourt size, but ultimately, they find themselves near the bottom of the league this season.

13. Virginia Tech 5-13 (2-16)

Frontcourt:

Virginia Tech is likely to play a three guard lineup this season. At their forward positions, VT will employ a quantity over quality approach. Satchell Pierce received the most minutes last season, among returning frontcourt players. He played 13.8 minutes last season, averaging 3.2 points/game and 2.4 rebounds/game. He gives the team some height, he's 7'0, but will not fill the boxscore, even though his minutes will increase this season. Pierce will split time with 6'11 JUCO transfer Johnny Hamilton. Hamilton averaged nine points, eight rebounds, and four blocks per game last season, playing for Jacksonville College. He could end up wresting most of the minutes away from Pierce at their position.

Virginia Tech has three candidates for the power forward position. Shane Henry, a 6'8 senior, returns from last year's squad. He only played 10.3 minutes/game, while also averaging 2.3 points and 2.7 rebounds. Zach LeDay is a junior transfer from South Florida. Two years ago he averaged 3.5 points, 2.6 rebounds, while playing 15 minutes per game. Finally, Kerry Blackshear is the freshman option. Scout.com's Rob Harrington describes the 6'8, 4*, youngster as a forward who understands how to play inside with toughness. He should be an asset to the team on the defensive boards, and blocking shots. He is also capable of getting out in transition and scoring. Blackshear could grow into one of the ACC's best power forwards in future seasons as he adds strength, and should be one of the team's better assets in the frontcourt this season.

Chris Clarke and Tyrone Outlaw are the only traditional small forwards on the team. Chris Clarke is potentially the team's best freshman—and it's a terrific class. Scout.com lists him as him at 81^st on their class of 2015 rankings. He is only 6'5, but plays bigger due to his athleticism and aggressiveness. He should be one of the first two players off the bench. He will be a high energy player, capable of playing good defense, and scoring in transition. Scout.com's Rob Harrington, describes Clarke's jump shooting as a weakness, and something he will need to improve if he wants to grow offensively. Tyrone Outlaw is another JUCO transfer; he averaged 21.8 points a game last season, and gives the team more depth.

Backcourt:

The Hokies return three players who averaged 30 or more minutes a game last season (as long as you round Justin Bibb's 29.8 min/game and Ahmed Hill's 29.6 min/game up). They also add a transfer junior who played thirty minutes a game for Maryland two years ago. Justin Bibb is the team's leading scorer among returning players. He averaged 11.4 points a game his freshman season. He is very good from outside, shooting 41.3% from three. He should lead the team in points this season. Maryland transfer, Seth Allen, should also start. Two seasons ago, he averaged 13.4 points/game, shooting 38% from three, and adding three assists. He will likely play shooting guard, though he is capable of spelling at point when needed. Ahmed Hill will compete with Allen for a starting position. Last season, Hill was a top-100 recruit. He scored 8.7 points/game, shooting 38.6% from three, although he only shot 39.9% from the field overall. He also added 3.7 rebounds/game though. He has good size for a shooting guard, he is 6'4. Boston College can turn to Hill when they want his size along with Justin Bibb, who is 6'5, and use Allen when they want better ball handling on the floor.

Jalen Hudson will back up the wings, along with the aforementioned Clarke and Outlaw. Hudson is another big shooting guard at 6'5. He averaged 6.9 points per game in only 16.7 minutes. Hudson is not a great perimeter shooter, 3pt percentage was just 28.3%, however his field goal percentage was 47.9% overall.

Devin Wilson led the team in minutes last season, as the team's starting point guard. He is pass first player; he averaged 4.2 assists/game, with an assist to turnover ratio of 2:0. Wilson only averaged 6.5 points/game, and shot just 29.6% from three. Devin Wilson gives the team a consistent, veteran ball handler. Behind Wilson, is 4* freshman, #63 in the nation according to Scout.com, Justin Robinson. Robinson is another true PG, with an advanced IQ for a freshman. He, like Wilson is not a great three point shooter. However, he gives the team another reliable ball handler, and has some nice upside.

Newcomers:

Virginia Tech added five players last season, and they add another five this season. The three freshmen, Kerry Blackshear, Justin Robinson, and Chris Clarke could all be stars in the next couple years for the Hokies, and will be important role players this year. The JUCO additions, Tyrone Outlaw and Johnny Hamilton provide depth, and Hamilton could end up with the lion's share of minutes at center.

Outlook:

Virginia Tech finished last in the ACC last season with a 2-16 record. They will improve upon that mark this season. However, it will probably be another season before they can make a push back towards the middle of the conference.. Virginia Tech's accumulated a good, young roster after two successful recruiting classes. They will be an intriguing team, and will likely surprise some good teams this year. However, they could really struggle in the frontcourt, and need to improve there.

12. Georgia Tech 5-13 (3-15)

Frontcourt:

The Yellow Jackets' best player is 6'5 small forward, Sr. Marcus Georges-Hunt. Last season Marcus led the team in points scored, averaging 13.6. He also chipped in 5.5 rebounds per game. Marcus did not shoot well from the three point arc, shooting 28.8% from there. However, he did shoot in the mid to low 30s his first two seasons. Despite his three point shooting percentage dipping, Georges-Hunt's field goal percentage grew to a career high 43.1%. Georges-Hunt is the star of this team, even though he is a little undersized at small forward.

Charles Mitchell is also a lock to start in the frontcourt. The 6'8, 269 lb Sr. is a traditional bang in the low post power forward. He averaged 9.8 points and 7.0 rebounds per game a season ago, those numbers are very impressive considering he averaged only 22.1 minutes per game. Mitchell's numbers should rise this season as he takes a larger, starring role on this team in DeMarco Cox's absence. It also helps that he shoots 52.1% from the field. Mitchell is an absolute beast getting offensive rebounds. No returning ACC player grabbed more offensive boards than Mitchell.

Starting alongside Mitchell will likely be Alabama transfer, senior Nick Jacobs. Jacobs, like Mitchell, is a big bodied, 6'8 260 lb, power forward. Prior to transferring, Jacobs averaged 8.4 points and 3.5 rebounds for Alabama while playing 20 minutes a game. He, also like Mitchell, shoots above 50% from the field, 52%.

Georgia Tech has two players on their roster capable of serving as a traditional center. First is Ben Lammers, a 6'10 sophomore. Lammers played only 5.9 minutes a game last season though. The other is the team's only true freshman, 3* recruit Sylvester Ogbonda. They will give the Yellow Jackets a couple options if they want to play taller. Taller, not necessarily “bigger,” both Mitchell and Jacobs have heavier listed weights than Lammers and Ogbonda.

Quinton Stephens gives GT an experienced forward off the bench. The 6'9 junior played 18.9 minutes per game last season. He averaged 6.0 points, and 2.9 rebounds per game. He could serve as a backup at either forward position.

Backcourt:

Georgia Tech's backcourt is headlined by former Virginia Tech Hokie, Adam Smith. Despite playing for the Hokies just last season, Smith is eligible to play this season. Smith led the ACC in three point shooting last season, putting in 42.4% of his shots from three. He averaged 13.4 points a game in just under 30 minutes a game. Smith will start at two guard for Georgia Tech, and compete with Georges-Hunt for the team's scoring title. Backing Smith up will be former 4* recruit, Tadric Jackson. The sophomore had a disappointing freshman season. He averaged only 5.4 points/game while shooting 27.4% from the field, and 17.8% from three. Jackson has a lot of potential, and will be key for Georgia Tech's future. However, he needs to improve his shooting if he wants to receive more time on the court.

Georgia Tech's point guard is redshirt sophomore Travis Jorgenson. Jorgenson started last season, after an injury kept him out his first year. He played 21.7 minutes/game, but only averaged 3.7 points. Jorgenson shot just 31.1% from the field, and 30% from three. Jorgensen averaged 3.3 assists, while giving up 1.8. The Yellow Jackets have options at PG. Junior Josh Heath played almost as many minutes as Jorgenson last season, 19.5. He averaged 4.3 points/game, 2.7 assits/game, and 1.3 turnovers/game. So, for those of you paying attention, Heath scored more points, in less time, with a better assist to turnover ratio than Jorgenson. He also shot better from the field 41.2%, although worse from three, 23.1%. GT also has Jr. Corey Heyward who played 11.8 minutes/game last season, but he shot even worse than Jorgenson and Heath, which doesn't seem possible. His field goal percentage was 30.8%, and he shot 18.2% from three. No matter which of them wins the most minutes, the PG position will not be an area of strength for the team.

Newcomers:

The biggest addition to the team is shooting guard, Aaron Smith, a grad transfer from Virginia Tech. He will immediately start at shooting guard, and could lead the team in points this season. He gives the team something they lacked last season, an elite outside shooter. Another transfer, Nick Jacobs, will also likely start. Georgia Tech has one freshman, Sylvester Ogbonda, who gives the team a little more size. Finally, a third transfer, James White, is another 6'8 forward who gives the team additional depth in the frontcourt.

Outlook:

Georgia Tech has a great 1-2-3 in big man, Charles Mitchell, swingman, Marcus Georges-Hunt, and shooting guard, Adam Smith. Each of those player's could be starters on a team capable of making a tournament run. However, there is little to like on this team outside of that group. The team will struggle at point guard, and although the team has a lot of frontcourt depth, they lack elite athletes, and could struggle on defense with their lack of length. Georgia Tech's big three, the GTBT, are all senior's with experience playing in the ACC. They will guide the team to a better record this season, even with the loss of key cog, DeMarco Cox, and a poor freshman class.

Tier 3: Battling for a Berth

11. Wake Forest 8-10 (5-13)

Frontcourt:

Wake Forest returns three forwards who played more than 20 minutes a game last season, and only lose one frontcourt player who played more than fifteen minutes a game, Darius Leonard.

Devin Thomas will once again lead the unit. The 6'9 255lb senior is a stereotypical, old school power forward. He averaged 12.0 points and 8.8 rebounds per game, while shooting 49.5% from the floor. He has been very consistent through his first three seasons, both scoring and rebounding, and has improved his points per game each year. Thomas will be one of the ACC's best power forwards, and could averaged a double-double this season.

Dinos Mitoglou was a pleasant surprise for Wake Forest last season. As a freshman Mitoglou averaged just under 10 points per game, while shooting 38.5% from three. He is a great asset to the Demon Deacons as a stretch four, opening up the inside for Devin Thomas. Mitoglou could see time at either forward position this season. Wake Forest will have the luxury of either starting three forwards, or playing big by moving Mitoglou to the three in favor of centers, Doral Moore or Andre Washington.

The final forward to play more than 20 minutes last season is Cornelius Hudson. Hudson, a 6'6 sophomore, averaged 7.5 points and 3.1 rebounds in 21.9 minutes a game last season. He is a shooter, but only shot 31.9% from three, and 35.8% overall. He will need to improve those numbers if he wants to increase his role this season. Hudson may be best utilized coming off the bench, where he could be inserted to play at either wing position. .

George McClinton, a long 6'7 sophomore, is another option at small forward. He is not the scorer that Hudson is, scoring only 3.4 points a game last season, albeit playing only 14.6 minutes a game, and does not shoot from outside. He does rebound at a higher clip though, and contributes more on the defensive end. McClinton gives the team a little more grit at the three.

The best option for Wake Forest may be, as previously alluded to, allowing Devin Thomas to play as a natural PF, moving Mitoglou to SF, and inserting 7' freshman Doral Moore into the middle. Scout.com assesses him as a 4* recruit, landing just outside their top 100. They say he can be a top shot blocker due to his size and long arms, and also say he has a nice skill set on offense with the ability to score inside and can knock down a mid range jumper. His body is not ready to bang in the post yet, but he could be a real asset on defense. He could also contribute on the offensive end as Mitoglou draws defenders outside, and Devin Thomas draws additional defenders in the post.

Senior Andre Washington will also get some minutes as a traditional center, but he only played 4.9 minutes a game last season. He will receive more playing time if it is determined Moore is too raw for the ACC, but if that is the case, expect Wake to go smaller with their lineup rather than giving Washington a significantly larger role.

Finally, John Collins is a 3* freshman forward. He will get some playing time this season, like Washington, and will be especially valuable if Moore isn't ready.

Backcourt:

Wake Forest returns a solid backcourt, led by star point guard, Codi Miller-McIntyre. The 6'3 senior, averaged 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game last season. Those numbers are comparable to those of NC State's, Trevor Lacey, who was an All-ACC second teamer last season (Miller-McIntyre was himself an honorable mention). Miller-McIntyre is not an elite shooter, he shot just 28.4% from three, but excels at putting the ball on the floor, and finishing on the drive.

Sophomore Mitchell Wilbekin will start opposite Miller-McIntyre. Wilbekin is a combo guard, who is capable of handling the ball when needed. He was Wake's best 3pt shooter last season at 38.6%. However, his field goal percentage was lower than that at 36.3%. Wilbekin needs to be more assertive offensively this season; he only took 6.2 shots a game last season, and averaged 7.2 points.

Both Miller-McIntyre and Mitchell Wilbekin will be spelled by freshman Bryant Crawford. Crawford is listed as Scout.com's 77^th best freshman. They describe him as a scoring point guard who uses his speed and athleticism to create opportunities on the offensive end. However, he needs to improve his jump shot. Crawford will get significant playing time this season as the main guard off the bench. Cornelius Hudson should also see some time at the two.

Newcomers:

This is a good freshman class for Wake Forest. They have two four star recruits: Crawford, who will get significant minutes off the bench, and Doral Moore, who has a very high upside, and could be a difference maker. John Collins is another nice addition, and gives the team additional size.

Outlook:

This is a better Wake Forest team than last season's. They have no significant loses, and have added a couple really nice pieces. They have a very solid core led by two above average and potential All-ACC performers in Devin Thomas and Cody Miller-McIntyre, and another two players, Mitoglou and Wilbekin who could become ACC average or better starters in their second year. Doral Moore is the x-factor for this team. If he comes into the league schedule ready to play significant minutes, he could be a difference maker for this team. They are set up nicely on offense with Miller-McIntyre driving inside, and Devin Thomas drawing players inside, allowing Mitoglou and Wilbekin to shoot. However, the Demon Deacons' defense will be a big question mark. The team finished last season as one of the worst teams defensively. If they can shore up their defense, they could be in position to be one of the ACC's biggest surprises.

10. North Carolina State 8-10 (10-8)

Frontcourt:

Last season, NC State utilized a forward by committee system. No forward on the team averaged even 20 minutes per game...which means, no forward played even half the game on average throughout the season. They return their top six forwards from a season ago. So, it will be interesting to see how minutes are distributed this year.

The forward who received the most minutes last season was 6'9 power forward Lennard Freeman. The junior averaged 3.6 points and 5.6 rebounds playing 19.5 minutes a game. Freeman shot 44.7% from the floor, and only scored .18 points/minute played. This does not indicate a large uptick in scoring for this coming season. Freeman is however, a proficient rebounder.

Next in minutes was 6'9 BeeJay Anya who averaged 19.4 minutes a game. Anya scored 4.5 points and 4.3 rebounds a game. Most importantly though, Anya led the ACC in blocked shots; he averaged 2.5 a game, and again, he did that while playing only 19.4 minutes a game. Anya also shot an impressive 61% from the floor, although he did so while taking less than three shots a game. So, do not expect him to suddenly become a double digit scorer either.

Splitting time at the top two forward spots with Freeman and Anya will be Abdul-Malik Abu. The 6'8 sophomore has more potential on offense than either Anya or Freeman, and could be poised to break out this season. Last year, Abu averaged 6.4 points and 4.8 rebounds in just 19.1 minutes a game. His minutes should increase this season, in fact, there is a good chance he plays more than Anya or Freeman. He has a good mid range jumper, and will receive more opportunities to score this season.

There are several options for the Wolfpack at small forward. The carryovers are twin sophomores Caleb and Cody Martin. Caleb Martin was the slightly higher touted recruit a year ago, Scout.com ranked him 66^th, while they ranked Cody 67^th. Caleb also received five more minutes than Cody their freshman season. So, he [Caleb] is the favorite to start to begin the season. Caleb Martin averaged 4.8 points with 2.9 rebounds per game, in 16.6 minutes last season. He is also the better 3pt shooter of the brothers. He shot 30.5% from three last season, but his reputation suggests that number will improve with more playing time. Cody Martin is a little more of an interior player, and does not shoot from outside. Last season he averaged 3.4 points and 2 rebounds per game. They're both limited to the small forward position due to their height, 6'6, and Caleb could even find minutes at the two if NC State wants to play big.

The dark horse in the battle for minutes at the three is reclassified freshman Maverick Rowan. Rowan is ranked 37^th among freshman according to Scout.com. Scout.com's Rob Harrington lists Rowan's jump shot as his primary strength, saying he “possesses outstanding range with a quick release.” Harrington also says Rowan is a “fine handler and passer who punishes defenders who close out to aggressively.” Rowan's weakness will be on the defensive end, because although he has great length for a wing, he lacks great athleticism. Rowan will play at both wing positions, and will play plenty alongside either Martin brother.

Backcourt: North Carolina State lost star guard Trevor Lacey this offseason. Lacey leaves a big void at shooting guard. He averaged 15.7 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game last season, forming one of the nation's best backcourts alongside Anthony “Cat” Barber. The Wolfpack also lose another 12.8 points from former guard Ralston Turner.

Filling in for Lacey will be West Virginia transfer Terry Henderson. Henderson averaged 11.7 points per game two seasons ago, and shot a solid 37.6% from three. In addition to serving as the starting shooting guard, Henderson will also back up the point guard due to NC State's lack of guard depth.

Anthony “Cat” Barber inherits the starring role from Lacey. Last season, Cat averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per game. He is capable of scoring from anywhere, and shot 38% from 3pt range. Barber's numbers will increase this season, being the focal point of the offense, and will be one of the ACC's best players. This Wolfpack team rests squarely on Barber's shoulders, and will go as far as he is able to take them.

Newcomers:

The Wolfpack's two biggest additions are transfer Terry Henderson, and 4* freshman, Maverick Rowan. Henderson will start at shooting guard, and will be expected to score alongside Barber. Rowan will be a big part of the rotation and will get minutes at both shooting guard and small forward. His ability to shoot will be valuable this season, and if he catches fire he could really elevate this team on offense. Shaun Kirk is a 3* freshman forward. He should see minutes this season as an athletic forward who can run the court, and make things happen in transition.

Outlook:

Make no mistake, NC State will not be as good as they were last season. Lacey and Turner are big loses, and NC State's replacements for them, namely Henderson, will not make up for their absence. However, Cat Barber is a star, and capable of taking over games. NC State could also be more dangerous from three with the arrival of Rowan and Henderson, and Caleb Martin receiving more minutes. There will also be more emphasis on the frontcourt, and Abu will be needed to step up offensively. This team is long, and should be good on the defensive end as well. NC State's biggest weakness will be a lack of offensive difference makers in the low post, and depth at guard. Small forwards Maverick Rowan and Caleb Martin are likely to be the primary backups in the backcourt, with Henderson shifting to point guard on the rare occasion Cat Barber heads to the bench.

9. Pittsburgh 9-9 (8-10)

Frontcourt:

Pitt played without a true center most of last season. However, this year they have added three players who will compete for minutes at the center position. Rafael Maia is one of two graduate transfer centers; he comes by way of Brown where he led the Ivy League in rebounds. In 30.1 minutes, Maia averaged 9.9 points and 8.7 rebounds per game, shooting 53.8% from the field. Maia is nursing an injured thumb, and may start the season slow, but will be a necessary contributor down low. The other graduate transfer center is Alonzo Nelson-Ododa. Nelson-Ododa is not the same scoring threat that Maia is down low, last season he averaged 6.6 points per game, while finishing the season with a 45.2% field goal percentage. Nelson-Ododa's greatest contribution to the team will instead be on the defensive end. He will be the team's best rim protector, and averaged 1.7 blocks a game last season. Both Maia and Nelson-Ododa are only 6-9, and are not “true centers.” However, the presence of either will allow Michael Young and Jamel Artis to shift down to their natural positions. Rozelle Nix is listed at 6'11 and 300 lbs, and ESPN lists him at 300 lbs. He is a big guy, who could be a useful asset on the inside. However, his conditioning is going to determine how many minutes he plays this season.

Michael Young is one of two frontcourt stars for the Panthers. He is a 6'9 235lb junior who saw most of his minutes at the five position last season, but should play more at power forward this year. Playing 31.7 minutes he averaged 13.4 points, and 7.3 rebounds a game last season. He shot an excellent 53% from the field, and was an All-ACC honorable mention. Young should be freed up this season since the Panthers will have more of an interior presence. Young can hit a shot from outside as well, but not consistently, he shot only 29.4% from three last season.

The other frontcourt star is 6'7 junior Jamel Artis. Like Young, Artis had to play out of position as an undersized stretch four, and should benefit from playing his more natural small forward position more often this season. Artis is a true inside-out player. He shot 39.4% from three point range, and his field goal percentage overall was 46.9%. Artis played 31.8 minutes a game last season, scoring 13.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game. Artis is a complete player and can be an All-ACC performer, especially if he is able to play a majority of his minutes at small forward, where he can use his physicality to dominate opponents.

When Jamel Artis sits or is forced up to power forward he will be backed up by 6'8 jr. Sheldon Jeter and 6'7 redshirt freshman, Cameron Johnson. Jeter averaged 14.3 minutes a game last season, but played much more often down the stretch. He played 22 minutes a game in Pitt's last eleven games. Jeter is an inconsistent scorer. He averaged only 4.7 points per game throughout the season, although that number increased to over eight points a game during the final eleven game stretch. Jeter's 3pt and field goal percentages are good. He shoots 37% from three, and 47.5% overall. So, it is possible Jeter is primed for a breakout season. Cameron Johnson played in Pittsburgh's first eight games before getting injured, and missing the remainder of the season. Johnson was actually utilized more than Jeter during that time. He played 14.4 minutes a games, averaging 4.5 points. He, like Jeter, is capable of knocking down a 3pt shot as well, he was 37% from beyond the arc last season.

Backcourt:

Pittsburgh returns senior point guard James Robinson. Robinson has played more than 30 minutes in each of the last two season. Last year, in 33.9 minutes, he averaged 8.9 points and 5.1 assists. He is a very steady ball handler, his assist to turnover ratio last season was a little above 3:1, which is a great number. Robinson is not a good shooter. He only shot 36.7% from the field, and 29.6% from three. He does however, shoot well from the free throw line, 83.3%. Robinson has nice size for a college point guard, 6'3, and contributes on the glass; he averaged 3.6 rebounds a game last season.

Pittsburgh will not have to use a backup point guard too often this season, but 4* freshman Damon Wilson will be groomed to take over next season. He is big for a PG, 6'5, and is also a good ball handler. Scout.com writes, he needs to work on shooting to become a more complete offensive player.

The only major loss Pittsburgh suffers from last season is that of starting shooting guard Cam Wright. The Panthers will have two options to replace him. The first is redshirt junior Chris Jones. The 6'6 swingman played starter's minutes last season, averaging 27.4 a game—he started at small forward behind Young and Artis—and as a result is the favorite to claim the job. He averaged 8.5 points per game, but only managed a FG% of 43.1%. He is alright from 3pt range, shooting 35.7% last season. Jones will compete with graduate transfer Sterling Smith. The 6'4 shooting guard played the last three years at Coppin St. Last year he scored 13.9 points per game and added 4.9 rebounds in 30.1 minutes. Obviously, Smith's numbers are a inflated due to the level of competition he faced. However, Smith is the better pure shooter on the team. Last season he shot 41.8% from three point range. Both Jones and Smith will play significant minutes. Jones has ACC experience, and started for the team much of last season. Smith, however, could be a potent scorer with his ability to shoot the three.

Newcomers:

Pittsburgh brings in several players to a team that only lost one major contributor to a year ago. Grad transfer Sterling Smith will have the biggest impact on the team this season as a valuable three point shooter. However, it could be fellow graduate transfer, big man Rafael Maia who starts for the team. A third grad transfer, Alonzo Nelson-Ododa and JUCO transfer Rozelle Nix will provide the team with depth in the low post. Meanwhile, freshman PG Damon Wilson will be an important piece for the future of this team, and will learn from, and backup James Robinson this year.

Outlook:

This is a better team than the one booted from the NIT's first round a season ago. Last year, Pittsburgh had to play small and stretch out defenses with three or four shooters, all of whom are 6'7 or shorter. The team was also one of the worst Pittsburgh team's defensively in recently memory. That is not how Pittsburgh wants to play. They want to play big and physical; they are an old school Big East team at heart. This season, they will be able to play bigger, shifting Young and Artis back down to their natural positions. They also have added depth in the frontcourt, and a couple quality forwards in Jeter and Cameron Johnson who have shown glimpses. The backcourt is essentially the same as last season. Pittsburgh has replaced Cam Wright with Chris Jones and Sterling Smith. That is a fair trade. Pittsburgh is better, and will be competing for an NCAA berth.

8. Syracuse 9-9 (9-9)

Frontcourt:

Syracuse loses it's two best frontcourt players, and possibly their two best players—period, from last season: Rakeem Christmas and Chris McCullough. Christmas played nearly 35 minutes per game, scoring a team high 17.5 points, 9.1 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Christmas' season is in the conversation of the best statistical season of any Syracuse big man in the program's history history. He was an All-ACC first team player. McCullough was injured early in league play, and afterwards decided to leave for the NBA this summer. While he was on the floor he played 28 minutes a game, averaging 9.3 points, 6.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks. Between Christmas and McCullough, Syracuse has lost a lot of production down low, which will be difficult to replace.

Syracuse's season will be in the hands...sorry, not hands—knees of 6'9 forward DaJuan Coleman, who was, once upon a time, the 19^th best freshman in the 2012 recruiting class. Coleman, coming off of knee surgery, will be counted on to start for Syracuse in the middle of their zone. If Coleman is healthy, he can be an enforcer in the low post, using his size, and strength to power his way to the basket on offense. He could also be one of the ACC's best rebounders. One of the biggest knocks on Coleman is his ability to defend the middle of Syracuse's zone. He is not a stereotypical Syracuse big, with long arms, and great rim protecting abilities. However, he is what they have. Coleman could be a surprise player in the ACC this season, averaging double digit points and eight or nine rebounds per game. However, if he goes down, or if he is limited to 20-25 minutes per game Syracuse will struggle in the middle.

Backing up Coleman will be 6'9 junior Chinoso Obokoh. Obokoh looks like a typical Syracuse center, long and lean. However, he has little experience, averaging just 6.8 minutes a game last season. Obokoh is a defense only player; he scored less than a point per game last year. Despite being a defense only player, Obokoh is not a specialist like Syracuse has had in year's past, think Baye Moussa-Keita, or Jeremy McNeil. So, the less he ends up playing, the better off Syracuse will be.

The best returning frontcourt player for Syracuse is junior Tyler Roberson. The 6'8 forward started alongside McCullough and Christmas early last season, before moving to power forward when McCullough went down. He will return to the power forward position this season. Last year, Roberson played 28.7 minutes per game, averaging 8.3 points and 7.6 rebounds. Roberson is an athletic forward, and is very good on the offensive boards. He will benefit from an increased role in the offense, and will become a go-to player. He has a better chance than Coleman to average a double-double this season.

Playing behind Roberson will be 6'9 freshman, Tyler Lydon. Lydon will play an important reserve role this season because Moustapha Diagne, an athletic forward who was supposed to come to Syracuse this season, was denied eligibility by the NCAA. Lydon, considered by scout.com as the 69^th best freshman, is a stretch four. Scout.com describes him as a good distance shooter, who will also be an asset in transition. His body is not ready to guard ACC bigs, but then again, Syracuse uses a zone. Lydon's length will be an asset on the wing, pressuring shooters, and creating traps along the baseline. Lydon is an interesting prospect for Syracuse due to his size and shooting ability, 3pt shooting was an area of weakness last season.

Finally, Malachai Richardson got the start at small forward in Syracuse's first exhibition game. He could also start on the bench, sliding Michael Gbinije to small forward. However, Syracuse's best starting lineup will be the one with the 6'6 freshman wing. Richardson is scout.com's 29^th best freshman entering this season. Scout.com describes Richardson's outside shot as “silky smooth,” and “effortless.” He is an all around scorer, who can also use his athleticism to drive to the basket when defenders try to cheat on the 3pt shot. Richardson's also an asset on defense, where his length and athleticism will help in the zone. He is also capable of moving to shooting guard, where he could pair with Michael Gbinije at the top of Syracuse's zone. It would be extremely difficult for opposing guards to get by that pairing.

Backcourt:

Syracuse will be led by two fifth-year senior guards. Trevor Cooney played 37.3 minutes per game last season. Due to his excessive usage, Cooney managed to score 13.4 points per game. However, he did not shoot well. His FG% was only 35.9%, and his 3pt percentage was only 30.9%, while taking more than 7.0 three pointers a game. Cooney needs to be a more efficient scorer this season. He has the potential to be one of the league's leading scorers if he does. Cooney is a good defender as well. Although, one of Syracuse's smaller guards, he's 6'4, he has active hands at the top of the zone, averaging 1.8 steals per game last season.

Michael Gbinije is going to be Syracuse's most important player this season. He is a 6'7 wing who will spend most of his minutes at point guard this season. Gbinije played 35.0 minutes a game last season, with 12.7 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game. Gbinije needs to cut down his turnovers now that he will be the team's primary ball carrier, he averaged 2.1 a game his junior season. The silent G-man could become Syracuse's leading scorer this season due to his ability to drive to the basket, and shoot from outside. His 39.2 3pt % led the team a season ago. It will also help that Syracuse has more players capable of shooting from outside this season, giving him more space to drive. Gbinije, like Cooney is a good defender. He will defend both on the wing, and up top. Either way his long arms, and quick hands will help him create steals. Last season, he averaged 1.9 a game.

Sophomore Kaleb Joseph is the only true point guard on the roster. He will likely have a reduced role coming off the bench this season than he did a year ago, when he played 27.3 minutes a game. Joseph scored 5.9 points, and averaged 2.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game, but he also turned the ball over 2.3 times a game. Jospeh was not a good shooter last season, his field goal percentage was just 37.6% last season, shooting only 20% from 3pt range. Joseph does have a lot of potential as a driving point guard, though; he was a top-50 recruit just a season ago. Syracuse hopes a season on the bench will help him grow, or motivate him to make the most of his minutes. It is also likely that Kaleb Jospeh joins a popular club of Syracuse guards who are quickly pulled from games after a single mistake, and spend the remainder of the game seated beside Jim Boeheim.

Franklin Howard will be the other backup guard. The 6'5 freshman is capable of playing both guard positions. He is a third top-100 recruit for Syracuse this season, ranked 86^th by scout.com. They list his passing, versatility, and basketball IQ as strengths. He is also capable of hitting an outside shot, although he is not as great of a shooter as Richardson and Lydon.

Newcomers:

Syracuse will require significant contributions from their three freshman, as they lost their best player Christmas, a talented forward McCullough, and also two transferring role players: forward, BJ Johnson, and guard, Ron Patterson. Malachai Richardson will start for Syracuse this season. He could make an immediate impact on offense and defense, and could be a double digit scorer thanks to his shooting ability. Tyler Lydon will spell both forwards, while Howard will see some minutes behind Trevor Cooney.

Outlook:

This is a very different Syracuse team than the one that went .500 in the ACC last season. It is difficult to say that it is better or worse. Last season's team relied heavily it's big men. That production down low will not be duplicated this season. Instead, the focus of this team will be the backcourt. Cooney and Gbinije give the team two veteran guards who could score fifteen or more points a night. Syracuse will shoot much better from 3pt range as well. They have added shooters in freshman Malachai Richardson and Tyler Lydon, who will stretch opposing defenses. Syracuse will also rebound the ball well, and have two good forwards, who could also be double digits scorers, in DaJuan Coleman and Tyler Roberson. The biggest question for this team will be defending in the low post; they lack a true rim protector like they have relied on in recent years. They also lack frontcourt depth. There are very few players on the roster capable of defending in the paint, and they will have to play small at times, with 6'8 Roberson moving into the middle. This is an interesting Syracuse team, even if not a great one. They should finish league play around .500 again, and compete for a trip back to the NCAA tournament.

Tier 2: Definitely Dancing

7. Louisville 10-8 (12-6)

Frontcourt:

Chinanu Onuaku and Mangok Mathiang combined to start 35 games last season, but both failed to average 20 minutes a game. Both will have an increased role as they try to fill the void left by Montrezl Harrell. Onuaku and Mathiang put up similar numbers a year ago; they scored 3.0 and 2.6 points per game, 4.6 and 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 and 1.4 blocks per game, respectively. Neither are going to light up the scoreboard this season, but they are good low post defenders, and rebounders. They have enough size, they're both a long 6'10, and athleticism to play the five and four together.

Onuaku and Mathiang will be backed up at the center position by 7'0 sophomores, Matz Stockman and Anas Mahmoud. Meanwhile, 6'9 sophomore Jaylen Johnson and top-50 recruit Raymond Spalding will come off the bench to play power forward. Stockman and Johnson were 4* recruits a season ago, but both averaged five minutes or less last year. Spalding has a ton of potential, but is still very raw, and he will likely play sparingly this season.

The small forward position will be occupied by 6'6 Drexler graduate transfer, Damion Lee. Last season, Lee finished fourth in points scored in Div. 1 basketball, averaging 21.4 points. He can score from anywhere, shooting 38.5% from three, but also driving to the basket, and getting to the free throw line. He averaged more than seven free throws a game, and shot 88.7% from there. Lee will be Louisville's leading scorer, and should see the lion's share of minutes at the three, occasionally sliding down to shooting guard.

Incoming freshman, 6'7 Deng Adel, will spell Damion Lee. He is ranked by scout.com as the 23^rd best freshman this season. They describe him as both a great shooter, capable of knocking down threes, and a great athlete, who uses his athleticism to get to the rim as well. His size and athleticism also make him a good rebounder, and he has the tools to play good defense as well. His toolset will make it difficult for Louisville to keep him off the court.

Backcourt:

Quentin Snider returns at point guard, he took the position over last year when Chris Jones was dismissed. Snider is Lousiville's returning leading scorer, averaging—an impressive, 4.1—points. However, upon entering the starting lineup, Snider scored double figures in five of Louisville's final eight games. Snider is not a shooter; his 3pt % was only 28.4%, with an overall field goal % of 34.9%. He will also need to be a steadier ball handler; his assist to turnover ratio was below 1.5:1. Snider will need to grow this season, because there is not a natural point guard behind him.

Two newcomers will fill in at shooting guard. The first is Cleveland State graduate transfer Trey Lewis. Lewis is an exceptional shooter. He shot 42.3% from three a season ago, and it is likely he starts for the team due to his experience and ability to score. Lewis will likely slide over to PG when Snider heads to the bench.

Although he may not be the starter, freshman Donovan Mitchell will have a significant role with the team. Mitchell is scout.com's 17^th best freshman coming into the season. They write, he likes to drive the ball straight to the rim utilizing his strength and athleticism. Also, he has improved his jump shot, making him a threat from outside as well. Mitchell is also capable of being a very good defender, thanks to his size and athleticism. He is an exciting two-way prospect who should aid the team right away.

Newcomers:

Lousiville will likely start two graduate transfers: Damion Lee and Trey Lewis, and the duo could lead Louisville in points this season. They will rely heavily on 5* freshmen Donovan Mitchell and Deng Adel. Two more freshman, 4* PF Raymond Spalding, and 3* SG Ryan McMahon should receive minutes, and Spalding has huge potential, but they will not be consistent rotation players.

Outlook:

This is a changed team from the one that nearly advanced to the Final Four a season ago. They have lost four players who played more than 30 minutes a game, and those same four players all scored in double figures. That is an enormous amount of production to lose. In fact, no team, but Duke, lost more than Louisville did this summer. Still, Louisville has reloaded with a fantastic recruiting class, which includes three top-50 players, and two graduate transfers with the ability to start right away. Louisville will play good defense, with a frontcourt loaded with size and athletes. Mathiang and Onuaku are both good rim protectors as well. Louisville will also be aided by a couple of really good 3pt shooters this season. Louisville will also start three players with limited offensive potential, however, Mathiang, Onuaku, and Snider.

6. Miami 11-7 (10-8)

Frontcourt:

Miami has one of the best returning big men in the ACC, 7'0 senior, Tonye Jekiri. Jekiri, who was second only to Rakeem Christmas in last year's Most Improved Player voting, can be a force on offense and defense. He scored 8.6 points a game last year, with a FG% of 50%. He was also the ACC's leading rebounder, averaging 9.9 a game, and he blocked 1.4 shots a game just for good measure. At the end of the season, Jekiri was voted to the ACC's All-Defense Team. Jekiri is a good all-around big man, who could lead the ACC in double-doubles this year. Jekiri averaged more than 30 minutes a game last season, but when he does have to sit he will be backed up by 3* freshman Ebuka Izundu.

Senior Ivan Cruz Uceda, and transfer jr. Kamari Murphy will compete for minutes at power forward. Uceda started six games for Miami a season ago. He is a stretch four, two thirds of his shots were 3 pointers last year, and he shot 33.9% from behind the arc. He averaged 17.1 minutes/game, 5.2 points/game, and 3.5 rebounds/game. He has good size at 6'10, and could shift up to defend centers when necessary, in addition to playing either forward position. Kamari Murphy is a more traditional power forward despite being smaller than Uceda, he is 6'8. Two seasons ago, playing for Oklahoma State, Murphy averaged 6.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 25.9 minutes a game. He also shot 53.6% from the field, and did not take a 3pt shot all season. The presence of Murphy and Uceda will allow Miami to tinker with their lineup up front. Murphy could get the start due to his rebounding, and reliable low post scoring, while Uceda comes off the bench where his versatility will be an asset.

6'6 junior guard, Davon Reed, will occupy the three position for Miami this season, but when they decide to play big they can turn to either Uceda or 3* freshman Anthony Lawrence.

Backcourt:

Miami's best player will once again be 6'5 senior, Sheldon McClellan. McClellan was an All-ACC honorable mention last year, averaging 33.6 minutes, 14.5 points, and 4.7 rebounds per game. He is a threat to lead the ACC in points scored this season; he finished eleventh a year ago, but only one of the players ahead of him also returns this season. McClellan is best driving to the basket, using his size and athleticism, but he can also hit a 3pt shot when needed. He shot 35.8% from three last season, and his overall field goal percentage was 48.4%. Sheldon also shoots well from the free throw line, 82.4%, and gets there often due to his aggressive offensive game.

Miami will be guided by their senior point guard, Angel Rodriguez. Rodriguez was Miami's second leading scorer last season; he averaged 11.9 points a game. Despite this, Rodriguez only shot 33.7% from the field, and 30.4% from three. He also received a lot of his points from the free throw line, taking almost five shots there each game. Rodriguez averaged 3.9 assists a game, but also turned the ball over 2.3 times a game. Rodriguez is undersized, 5'11, which may hurt him defensively, but he did average more steals per game than any other returning ACC player. Rodriguez is a solid point guard, but his scoring numbers from a year ago may be a little inflated. He is a good compliment to McClellan though.

Davon Reed is a 6'6 swingman who will play the three position for Miami this season. He is listed by both ESPN and the Huricanes website as a guard, so he is included in this preview as a backcourt player. Reed averaged 8.2 points a game last season, adding 4.0 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Despite averaging less than double digit points a game, the junior is an efficient scorer; he shot 45.7% from three last season and 47.0% overall. Reed improved a lot between his freshman and sophomore season, he shot 10% better both from three and overall, and he will be looking to take the next step this season.

Two sophomores, and former 4* recruits, will serve as the backup guards. Both Ja'Quan Newton and James Palmer played less than 15 minutes a game last season (13.5 and 13.3 respectively), averaging less than 5 points. However, both should see more playing time with DeAndre Burnett and Manu Lecomte gone from last year's bench.

Newcomers:

The biggest addition to the team is graduate transfer forward Kamari Murphy. He is a solid addition to the frontcourt. Miami only has two freshman, Ebuka Izundu and Anthony Lawrence, who will also provide depth up front.

Outlook:

Miami is looking to take the next step towards the top of the ACC, after finishing above .500 last season. They return all the key members of last year's team, and added a nice piece in Kamari Murphy. Miami has a nice, balanced team. Sheldon McClellan will lead the team on offense, and the backcourt could feature two other double digit scorers in Angel Rodriguez and Davon Reed. The frontcourt will benefit from one of the league's best defenders and rebounders, Tony Jekiri, who will be joined this season by Murphy who will add toughness, and versatile forward, Uceda. Depth could be a problem for this team, as two unproven sophomores will need to play important minutes in the backcourt, and they have limited bodies down low. This team should once again finish above .500 in the league, but will not break into the ACC's top echelon.

5. Notre Dame 11-7 (14-4)

Frontcourt:

Notre Dame will lean heavily on tournament stand out Zach Auguste. The 6'10 senior should lead the team in points this year. He averaged 12.9 a game last season despite playing just 24.4 minutes, adding 6.5 rebounds. Auguste shot a phenomenal 61.9% from the field last season. So, with an increase in minutes and usage, Auguste should be one of the top scoring big men in the country.

Replacing All-ACC third teamer, Pat Connaughton, will be 6'5 sophomore Bonzie Colson. Colson is a 6'5, 225 lb forward. Although short for a forward, Colson plays with toughness, and is a good rebounder. He shot an impressive 59.5% from the field last season, playing just over 12 minutes a game. He will not be much of a threat to shoot from three though, as he took only seven shots from deep a season ago, making one of them.

VJ Beachem is a 6'8 sophomore, and will get the start at the three for the Fighting Irish. Beachem is a very good shooter, his 3pt % last season was just a touch under 42%, which will help him improve upon his 5.6 scoring average from a season ago. His combination of size and shooting ability make him a breakout candidate.

Notre Dame has several players between 6'6 and 6'9 coming off the bench. Martinas Geben is the biggest of that group. He is listed at 6'9 255lbs. The sophomore played less than 10 minutes a game last season, but will receive more minutes this year as an important role player in the low post. Austin Burgett is a 6'9 senior. He also averaged less than 10 minutes a game last season, but will be used this year when Notre Dame wants to play bigger. Junior Austin Torres shot 68.6% from the field, but took only 35 shots all season. He can fill in at the three or four.

Two freshman forwards also join the fold. Matt Ryan is a 6'7 small forward who fits the Notre Dame mold—he can shoot the three (and yes, he's white, but you guessed that already). Ryan is the highest rated freshman on the team; Scout.com lists him as their 92^nd best recuit. Elijah Burns is a 6'9 power forward who may have a hard time finding consistent playing time behind the upperclassman this season. He could be a nice piece, capable of playing physical basketball in the future.

Backcourt:

With the graduation of Jerian Grant, Demetrius Jackson is poised to become the star of this Notre Dame team. Jackson has all the tools desired of a top flight point guard with great athleticism and polished shooting. He could prove to be the very best point guard in the ACC this year. Last season, Jackson averaged 12.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game. His point and assist totals should grow this season now that he takes Grant's role—Jerian Grant averaged 16.5 points and 6.1 assists. Jackson is also an efficient scorer. His field goal percentage was 50.8%, and he shot 42.9% from 3pt range. Jackson only turned the ball over 1.5 times while playing 34.7 minutes a game last season, but that may increase a little since he will be Notre Dame's primary ball handler whenever on th court now.

Notre Dame returns another great player from last season's elite eight team, 6'5 junior, Steve Vasturia. Vasturia is a typical Notre Dame wing—yeah, that term again. He is a great shooter, making 41.1% of his 3pt attempts last year, shooting 49.1% from the field, and also making 86.4% of his free throws. Vasturia averaged 10.1 points a game last season, but he will have a chance to score more now that Connaughton is gone.

Vasturia will be backed up by 4* freshman, Rex Plfueger. The 6'6 wing is yet another shooter, who will also be an asset on defense. Plfueger will not be limited to backing up Vasturia, as Notre Dame could choose to play them alongside each other at the two and three positions.

Finally, Matt Farrell, not to be confused with Notre Dame and Charlotte Bobcat great, Matt Carroll, will play limited minutes backing up Jackson. The sophomore played less than five minutes a game last season.

Newcomers:

Notre Dame has a deceptively good recruiting class this year. Although they do not have a stand out star coming onto the roster, they add three good pieces who could all contribute this season, and two of which should have important roles. 4* wings Matt Ryan and Rex Plfueger add to Notre Dame's collection of shooters, and Ryan's presence will allow them to stretch defenses even further than usual. Elijah Burns may need some time, but he could be an important inside player when Zach Auguste leaves at the end of the season.

Outlook:

There is no denying that this Notre Dame team is worse off entering the season after losing their two best players: Jerian Grant and Pat Connaughton. However, Notre Dame is better prepared than most teams to deal with their losses. They have three players who were very good last season, and are now ready to become stars, and the leaders of this team. Demetrius Jackson, Zach Auguste, and Steve Vasturia all played great in the NCAA tournament, and averaged double digit points during the season. Notre Dame also will be the best shooting team in the ACC. In addition to Jackson and Vasturia, great 3pt shooters in their own right, Notre Dame has VJ Beachem, who shot above 40% from three. As well as two freshman, Matt Ryan and Rex Plfueger, who are also great shooters. At any time Notre Dame can play four guys who shoot above 40% from three. No other team in the country, let alone the ACC, will have that luxury. The problem for Notre Dame will be depth. They have a lot of players who can be thrown into the frontcourt, but they played limited minutes last season, and have a lot to prove. Notre Dame should finish the season comfortably in the top half of the ACC, because they have three dynamic players, but will be a little behind the league's very best teams.

4. Florida State 12-6 (8-10)

Frontcourt:

Florida State has a stable of big men above 7'0 to compete for minutes at center. None have separated themselves from the others, so they should all rotate in. Michael Ojo, a 7'1 senior, started 21 games last season, but still only played 8.8 minutes/game. He averaged only 2.2 points and 2.4 rebounds per game. 7'3 Boris Bojanovsky is another senior. He played more minutes per game than Ojo, 16.4, averaging 5.1 points and 3.4 rebounds. He also blocked 1.3 shots. At that rate, if Bojanovsky had played 32 minutes a game, he would have led the ACC with 2.6 blocks per game. Florida State also added a 3* freshman center, Jean Marc Koumadje, who is the tallest of them all, standing at 7'4. He will probably need a year to get his body ready for regular playing time, but his size makes him an intriguing prospect.

6'8 sophomore, Phil Cofer, and 6'9 junior, Jarquez Smith, will split minutes at power forward. Last season, Cofer and Smith combined to score 13.1 points, and 7.4 rebounds a game. Cofer was a little more productive, and played more, 22.3 minutes per game. Jarquez Smith was a more highly touted recruit, 4* in 2013, and is bigger than Cofer, he played 17.8 minutes a game last season, and shot better from the field 50.3%, compared to Cofer's 45.6%. Smith is also one of the team's best shot blockers, averaging 1.1 blocks per game. Together, Cofer and Smith form a pretty reliable tandem at power forward.

Florida State has several tall, and athletic wings who could be classified as either guards or forwards, and will see time at the three this season. Montay Brandon, a 6'8 senior, will start at the hybrid position. He is a big player, 6'8 and 225 lbs, who plays like a guard, and likes the ball in his hands. Last season he played 34.6 minutes a game, scoring 11.8 points, and also adding 5.5 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Brandon is not an outside shooter, 23.8% from outside last year, but shoots 54.1% from the field, and should be bigger than most of the players trying to guard him. Behind Brandon is 6'7 freshman swingman Dwayne Bacon. Scout.com lists Bacon as their 19^th best freshman this season. He is the best athlete in the freshman class, and his strength and explosiveness will make him extremely hard to contain when he is attacking. Bacon can also keep defenses honest by dropping a shot from outside on occasion. Due to his length and athletic ability Bacon could become a phenomenal defender as well. Bacon may not start, but he will be a dynamic player off the bench, and he gives the team the option of playing small with him, Brandon, Bookert, and Rathan-Mayes all on the floor at the same time.

Backcourt:

Florida State will be led by the ACC's leading scorer (among returning players), redshirt sophomore, Xavier Rathan-Mayes. He played 34.7 minutes a game last season, averaging 14.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game. Rathan-Mayes can do a little bit of everything for Florida State, and is a special player on offense. However, there are some concerns. Rathan-Mayes took 5.3 3pt shots per game last season, but was only 28.1% from that range. As a result his overall field goal percentage was just 41.6%. Rathan-Mayes had a high assist total, tied for sixth in the ACC last season, but also turned the ball over 3.4 times a game. He will have to work on his ball handling, and decision making this season.

Devin Bookert will start alongside Rathan-Mayes. Bookert is capable of playing the point for Florida State, but will defer to Rathan-Mayes when they are on the court together. Bookert, a 6'3 senior, is Florida State's best shooter, and their only consistent threat from deep. He shot 39.3% from three last season, while shooting just 37.4% from the field (so, he shot better from three than he did inside the arc). Bookert is also a good free throw shooter, shooting just above 80% from the line. Playing 35.1 minutes last season, Bookert scored 10.1 points per game, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists.

Rathan-Mayes and Bookert have several options behind them. Sophomore Robbie Berwick only played 10.9 minutes a game last season, but is one of the teams' few players capable of shooting from outside. JUCO transfer, Benji Bell can play either guard position, and was a NJCAA Div I All-American last season. More intriguingly, Florida State will have two 4* freshman coming off the bench. Malik Beasley is a 6'4 shooting guard who Scout.com ranks as their 57^th best freshman. He is an athletic guard who likes to use his physical gifts to get to the basket and attack. He is not however, a shooter at this stage of his career. Terance Mann is the other 4* freshman, he is 6'5, and another great athlete. Scout.com describes him as a “power swingman” with great ability on the defensive end, and grabbing rebounds.

Newcomers:

Florida State boasts one of the best recruiting classes this season, which should give them a big boost this season. Dwayne Bacon is the gem of the class. He's a top-20 recruit, with elite level athleticism. Malik Beasley and Terrance Mann should also find time this season as good athletes with contrasting strengths. Florida State also brings in 7'4 center Koumadje, who could see more playing time next season when the 7'0 seniors clear out, and JUCO guard Benji Bell, who provides additional depth.

Outlook:

Florida State could be one of the biggest movers in the ACC this season. They disappointedly finished below .500 a year ago, but should surge this season, returning three players who averaged 35 minutes last season. Florida State also adds three great freshman who will make an impact immediately. Especially Dwayne Bacon, who could challenge for Freshman of the Year, if he receives enough minutes. The team could struggle shooting from outside, and they could also struggle on the defensive end with a lot of unproven defenders. However, there is enough size, and athleticism on this team to be a great defensive team as well. There is a possibility that this is an all-or-nothing season for Florida State. There is a lot of explosiveness on this team, but both Xavier Rathan-Mayes, and Dwayne Bacon could leave for the NBA at the season's end. They will also lose starting guards Bookert and Brandon, and centers Ojo and Bojanovsky to graduation. So, there is a lot of pressure on this team to succeed right now. Florida State could be one of the big surprises of the season; they have the ability to take off on teams, with the depth to never let off the gas pedal. They will be one of the most exciting teams in the conference, and will finish near the top.

3. Virginia 13-5 (16-2)

Frontcourt:

Mike Tobey, a 7'0 senior, will step into the starting lineup this season after averaging 17.1 minutes a game last season. In those limited minutes, Tobey scored 6.9 points per game with a field goal percentage of 51.4%. He scored .4 points per minute, and at that rate would score double figures if he played only 25 minutes. Tobey also added 5.1 rebounds a game.

Virginia's most important frontcourt player will be senior, and a third team All-ACC performer last season, Anthony Gill. The 6'8 forward played 25.3 minutes a game last season. He averaged 11.6 points last year, adding 6.5 rebounds. He shot 58.2% from the floor. Gill was leaned on last season when Justin Anderson was injured, and that will be the case again this year now that he is gone. Luckily, Gill responded well with the opportunity last year.

The biggest question mark on this Virginia team is going to be who will replace Justin Anderson. The most likely answer is 6'8 senior Evan Nolte, who became the starter when Anderson was injured last year. Nolte, who averaged 17.9 minutes played, scored only 3.1 points per game last season. He also only shot 35.4% from the field, and 27.6% from three, while taking 76 threes. Nolte does give the team added size, and they are a defensive minded team, but he offers little upside offensively.

Virginia has plenty of depth at both the center and power forward positions. Sophomore Isaiah Wilkins is an undersized, 6'7, power forward, who only played 9.4 minutes a game last season. He was a 4* recruit last year though, and should see more playing time this season. Redshirt freshman Jack Salt gives the team more size behind Tobey, and true freshman, Jarred Rueter, is a 6'8 power forward.

The most interesting player on Virginia’s bench is potentially 6'9 freshman, Mamadi Diakite. Diakite just committed to Virginia in August, and was initially apart of the 2016 recruiting class. However, he has since enrolled, and will be a part of the team this season. Diakite, now reclassified, is listed by Scout.com as the nation's 46^th best freshman. Diakite is a good athlete for his size, who can rebound, and block shots. He has the ability to defend all three frontcourt positions. Diakite will likely need time to develop his offensive game, and build mass on his slender body—he is listed at 6'9, and 195 lbs. However, Diakite has huge potential, and will be able to help out defensively right away.

Backcourt:

The backcourt is the strength of this Virginia team. Senior Malcolm Brogdon is the only returning member of last year's All-ACC First Team. The 6'5 shooting guard played 32.5 minutes a game last season, he scored a team high 14.0 points per game, and added 3.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists. Brogdon will have an even bigger load on his shoulders this season now that Virginia's second leading scorer, Justin Anderson is gone. Brogdon is a prolific scorer, but could stand to improve his efficiency. He shot only 42.2% from the field, and 34.4% from three. He is however, great from the free throw line, 87.9%. Brogdon is an elite defender, and was the only guard to be named to the All-ACC Defensive Team last season.

Virgina's starting point guard will again be junior, London Perrantes. He will be the key to the Caveliers' season. Perrantes has proven to be one of the most reliable ball handlers in the conference. Last season he averaged 4.6 assists per game, and only turned the ball over 1.5 times a game. His 3.0 assist to turnover ratio was third in the conference, behind James Robinson (Pitt) and Jerian Grant (ND). Perrantes has not been a good scorer for Virgnia though. He averaged only 6.4 points per game, despite playing over 33 minutes on average. He shot only 35.4% from the field, and 31.6% from three. He needs to become a more assertive player on offense this season.

6'5 sophomore wing, Marial Shayok, should be the first player off the bench for Virgina. He can play at either shooting guard or small forward, and will likely find most of his minutes spelling Evan Nolte this year. Shayok is one of the few decent 3pt shooters on this team; he shot 38% from deep last season. As a result, he will be given the opportunity to improve upon the 3.8 points per game he posted last season.

The point guard position will be spelled by sophomore, Devon Hall, who played just over 10.6 minutes a game last season, and Tennessee transfer, Darius Thompson.

Newcomers:

Virginia has three freshman this year, all 6'8 and above. Mamadi Diakite is the highest touted freshman. He has huge potential, but just reclassified, and will need time to develop his offense. Jarred Reuter and Jack Salt, who redshirted last season, provide added depth down low. Darius Thompson sat last year after transferring. He will provide depth behind Perrantes and Hall.

Outlook:

Virginia has won the ACC regular season each of the last two seasons. That streak will however, come to an end this year. Presumably, Virginia is a team that is more about the system than any individual player, and they return Malcolm Brogdon, one of the best players in the ACC. Virginia will also once again be a very good defensive team, but there are a lot of questions on this team as well. But, Justin Anderson leaves a huge hole at small forward. Not only did Anderson score 12.2 points per game, he also was an outstanding 3pt shooter. He shot 45.2% from three. No one on this team is even close to his level as a shooter. Anderson was also a great, and versatile defender. He was the glue that made Virginia so great, and even though they survived for a time without him last season, they will miss him all season this year. The replacements for Anderson will be Evan Nolte, and Marial Shayok, which will make the small forward position a position of weakness this year. Virginia will still be a good team, but others in the ACC will move past them this season.

Tier 1: Challenging for a Championship

2. Duke 14-4 (15-3)

Frontcourt:

Duke has four big men who will rotate at the four and five this season; Duke could also choose to play small, and play one big man surrounding by four wings. Interestingly, in each of Duke's last two exhibition games, senior Marshall Plumlee has started at center, and played at least 20 minutes. Plumlee played only 9.6 minutes a game last season, averaging only 2.3 points and 2.4 rebounds. He is the tallest player on the team, and a co-captain. Plumlee took only 42 shots total last season, averaging just 1.1 shot per game, so his exceptional 76.2 FG% is inflated by a small sample size. Still, Plumlee is a big target in the post, and could rack up points and rebounds if he plays enough his season. Since, Duke is extremely deep at center and power forward, even if Plumlee gets the start, he will unlikely average 20 minutes played per game, especially with the other players all possessing much higher upside.

Amile Jefferson is one of two players who averaged more than 20 minutes a game last season. Jefferson is a great contributor, and team player, who often defers to others to make the team better. Last season, he averaged only 6.4 points, while averaging 5.7 rebounds, but is capable of more. His field goal percentage was 63.1% (he took three times more shots than Plumlee, so his field goal % I more predictive, even though it is lower). Jefferson will need to be more assertive on offense this season now that Jahlil Okafor, an exceptional low post scorer, is gone. Jefferson is a good offensive rebounder, defender, and is Duke's other co-captain. Duke will benefit from giving Jefferson more minutes this season.

Along with seniors Jefferson and Plumlee, Duke brings two newcomers into the fold. Sean Obi is a big, 6'9 270 lbs, transfer sophomore. He averaged 11.4 points and 9.3 rebounds a game two seasons, while playing for Rice. His field goal % was 59.1. Sean Obi, in addition to his physical presence and size, brings proven scoring in the low post, and rebounding. He could prove to be an underrated addition.

Duke has a six man freshman class, which includes four top-25 players. Chase Jeter is a 6'10 big man who can play either center or power forward. Jeter is listed by Scout.com as the 15^th best freshman in the country. It would be ridiculous to ask Jeter to make up the production lost when Okafor left for the NBA. He is not nearly as polished on the offensive end, and his body is far from NBA ready. He will need to fill out, and add strength to his frame before he can become a physically imposing player in the pot. However, Jeter does a lot of things well, can rebound, and will be solid on defense. Jeter also possesses a higher upside than any of the other three players he will compete for minutes with.

Duke's best player this season will be a freshman once again this season. Brandon Ingram, a 6'9 wing-forward. Scout.com lists as their third best recruit, surged up recruiting lists this past summer after dominating exhibition games like the McDonald's All-American game. Ingram has a diverse offensive game. He can hit a jumper, and use his size to finish inside. He is also an asset on defense due to his length. Ingram will be a mismatch against anyone guarding him. Duke could choose to play him at the four this season, like they did with Winslow last year. Ingram is rail thin, and needs to put on a lot of weight, but has the highest upside of any player in the conference. Duke will go as far as he takes them this season.

Freshmen Anonio Vrankovic and Justin Robinson will have a tough time cracking the rotation this season due to the quality of talent ahead of them, and one or both could redshirt.

Backcourt:

Grayson Allen, who broke out during the NCAA Championship game last season, will be one of the focal points of the team this year. He is the only remaining member of Duke's 2014 recruiting class, as Okafor, Justice Winslow, and Tyus Jones all left for the NBA following the title run. Despite only playing 9.2 minutes/game last season, Allen was highly touted coming into his freshman year, as a top-25 recruit. Allen has a lot of offensive tools. He is a fine shooter, though not great, shooting 34.6% from three last season, and 42.5% overall. However, he is a good athlete and ball handler, which allows him to aggressively attack the basket. Allen will battle Ingram to be Duke's leading scorer this year.

Duke's other starting guard could be one of three players, two of which, are incoming 5* freshman. Luke Kennard has long been apart of Duke's 2015 class. He is a shooting guard in the Duke mold—a three point sharpshooter, with good ball handling, and good basketball instincts (oh yeah, and he's white, but don't need me to tell you that). Kennard is an elite level shooter, capable of scoring in bunches. He is also a good ball handler, enough so that Duke may not start a natural point guard, allowing Kennard, and Grayson to share that responsibility. The other 5* freshman is a true point guard. Derryk Thornton was initially going to be a part of the 2016 class, but was convinced to reclassify once Tyus Jones left for the NBA. Thornton was initially thought to become the starting point guard, but he has started neither of the last two exhibition games. Scout.com lists Thornton as their 11^th best freshman. They note that his biggest strengths are his basketball IQ, decision making, and they say he is one of the nation's best defenders. That is not to say that he isn't capable of scoring. He is a good mid range shooter, who can also get to the basket, and will occasionally knock down a shot from deep. Duke's best lineup could feature Thornton, Kennard, and Allen, with Ingram slotting beside only one big man.

Junior Matt Jones was a big part of Duke's team last season; in fact, he became a starter. He played 21.5 minutes per game, or more than twice as much as Grayson Allen. However, he could see his minutes reduced with Allen's emergence, as well as a deep freshman class. That said, Jones could also retain his starting position, due to a solid all-around game. He can shoot, making 37.6% of his threes last season, scoring 6.0 points/game, and also plays good defense.

Newcomers:

Forced with the task to replace four starters from a National Championship winning team, Duke brings in an enormous class. Jeter, Kennard, Ingram, and Thorton are all 5* freshman who will be essential to a repeat effort. All have immense potential, and it will be interesting to see how Coach K utilizes them. They also have Sean Obi who is proven low post defender, and two more freshman who will have to wait their turn.

Outlook:

Duke lost more from a season ago than any other team in the conference. However, they also bring in a freshman class that rivals the best of Kentucky's recruiting classes. Duke will once again be a highly talented team, with potential star players at every position. However, it will take some time for them to find their place in this team, and for the coaching staff to discover the best lineup. Duke's season will also be dependent upon the development of both Chase Jeter, and Brandon Ingram, especially Ingram. Neither of whom are as polished as their counterpart from a season ago, Jahlil Okafor and Justice Winslow. Ingram could be the best player in the ACC this season, or he could struggle to find success due to his undeveloped game, and thin frame. Duke is the deepest team in the ACC, and even if Ingram and/or others struggle, they will challenge for the ACC title.

1. North Carolina 14-4 (11-7)

Frontcourt:

North Carolina has an army of versatile forwards who can be slotted at multiple positions. Kennedy Meeks will serve as the man in the middle for the Tarheels. The 6'9, 265 lb junior could be the second best “center” in the conference, behind Notre Dame's Zach Auguste. Last season, Meeks averaged 11.4 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks, playing only 23.3 minutes per game. He scored .489 points/minute, which is an extremely high rate, only teammate Brice Johnson had a higher rate among conference starters last season. Meeks has good size, and can block shots, but he still needs to improve his defense.

Brice Johnson, a 6'9 senior, is going to be one of the leaders of this team, especially with Marcus Paige missing time early. He was the team's second leading scorer, behind Paige, last season with 12.9 points a game. He shoots a high rate with a field goal percentage of 56.6% each of the last two years, but is not a threat to step outside and shoot. He has not taken a 3pt shot in his collegiate career. Johnson also averaged 7.8 rebounds, which led the team, and added 1.1 blocks a game. Like Meeks, Johnson could still stand to improve on defense, and needs to avoid getting in foul trouble. He averaged 2.9 fouls/game last season. Johnson's playing time will be dependent upon his ability to stay out of foul trouble; North Carolina would benefit from Johnson seeing 30 minutes or more a game. Last season, Brice Johnson was a Third Team All-ACC performer last year, but this year will be one of the conference's best players.

JP Tokoto's surprise decision to leave North Carolina for the NBA, he was ultimately taken with late in the second round, leaves a hole at small forward. That position will likely be filled by 6'6 sophomore, Theo Pinson. Pinson was a top-20 recruit just a year ago, and could be the ACC's most improved player. Pinson missed fourteen games last year after breaking his foot. So, he played only 12.5 minutes a game, while averaging 2.8 points, 3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. He did not shoot well; he was 26.9% from three, and 36.8% from the field. Pinson is potentially a very good defender, which was an area of weakness for North Carolina last season. Instead of starting, North Carolina could choose to play smaller, and have Pinson come off the bench. He would still see a big increase in minutes this season. Despite the poor freshman campaign, Pinson was a top-20 recruit last season, and seems poised for a breakout. He has played starter's minutes, and shot well in exhibition games this season. Pinson has a very good chance to be the ACC's most improved player—although Duke's Grayson Allen will compete with him for that honor.

Justin Jackson, is a 6'8 sophomore swingman, he started at the two position last season, and will likely start there again, although he could shift up to small forward. Regardless of where he plays, Jackson will be discussed in the frontcourt section of this preview, which means North Carolina is likely to start four forwards this season. Jackson is the highest rated recruit from last season to stay in college. So, justifiably, he is the best sophomore in the nation. Jackson averaged 10.7 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game last season in 26.7 minutes. He was a fair shooter overall last year. His field goal percentage was 47.7%, but he shot just 30.4% from three. If he can be a more consistent shooter from deep this year, then he could be an unstoppable scorer due to his length, and all around offensive game, as he is a threat to drive, and pass the ball as well.

Isaiah Hicks is an underrated junior despite being a top-20 recruit just two seasons ago. He played only 14.8 minutes per game last year, but should see an increase to those this year as he can fill in at several positions due to his length and athleticism. Hicks is an explosive player, capable of scoring in spurts coming off the bench. His field goal percentage was 54.4% last season, while averaging 6.6 points/game. Hicks will have to control himself on defense. He accumulated 2.5 fouls/game, while playing less than fifteen minutes. So, he fouls someone every six minutes played.

Joel James is a big, 6'10 and 280 lbs, senior who will provide interior grit down low. He played only 10.1 minutes a game last season, and he does not provide much upside off the bench. However, he is a necessary member of the rotation because of Meeks and Johnson's propensity of getting into foul trouble.

North Carolina adds two freshman this season, one of whom is 6'7 3* forward, Luke Maye. Maye is an undersized power forward, who will have a hard time finding playing time this season with all of North Carolina's depth.

Backcourt:

It may seem North Carolina's “backcourt” players are less relevant since this preview has allocated four starting positions to their frontcourt, and only one to it's backcourt. However, the lone starting guard is North Carolina's leader, and still best player, Marcus Paige. Yes, the 6'1 senior is going to miss at least a month with a hand injury. However, he should be back by the time conference play begins, at the latest. Paige isn't just North Carolina's best player, but he is one of the best players in the conference. He was the only player to average above 30 minutes, 33.2, for North Carolina last season. He averaged 14.1 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. Paige is a good ball handler, and passer. He turned the ball over only 1.9 times a game, despite being North Carolina's primary ball handler, making his assist to turnover ratio above 2.5:1. Paige is also a great shooter. He has increased his 3pt % each of his first three seasons with the Tarheels, and last season he shot 39.5% from that range.

Filling in for Paige while he is out will be junior, Nate Britt, and sophomore, Joel Berry. Britt received a couple more minutes than Berry last season. He averaged 15.3 minutes, 5.5 points, and 1.5 assists per game. Britt improved his 3pt shot, shooting 36.6% from behind the arc last season. Berry was another member of North Carolina's incredible 2014 recruiting class; he was a top-50 recruit last year. Berry played 13.2 minutes/game, averaging 4.2 points and 1.5 assists. Berry also shot 35.4% from three. While playing on the court together, it was Berry who more regularly played the point guard position, and it would seem he is the heir apparent once Marcus Paige graduates. It is unclear which of the two will get the starting nod early in the season. They both played in North Carolina's most recent exhibition game, because Justin Jackson also missed the game. Whomever starts, both will receive ample playing time.

North Carolina's second freshman is 4* shooting guard, Kenny Williams. Williams is a talented 3pt shooter, and should find playing this time this season as one of the Tarheels' best scorers off the bench.

Newcomers:

Kenny Williams gives North Carolina another 3pt shooter, which fills a hole for them. Maye likely will not play much this season. However, he could develop into a nice role player.

Outlook:

North Carolina is one of the early favorites to become NCAA champion this season, and will begin the season ranked #1. North Carolina returns everyone, but JP Tokoto, from last years team, and there is a lot room for growth for the sophomore class, specifically Justin Jackson and Theo Pinson. Meeks and Johnson, meanwhile, form the most formidable scoring tandem in the low post, and Marcus Paige is one of the league's best players. Yes, Paige is injured, and will be out some time, but this may be a blessing in disguise. Paige's injury will force young players like Theo Pinson, Joel Berry, and Kenny Williams to receive more playing time early in the season, which will pay dividends later on. Plus, Paige isn't going to miss any ACC games. Will there be early season struggles? Probably, but it doesn't matter. There are a couple of question marks, to be sure. The team needs to improve on defense, and the big men need to stay out of foul trouble. However, North Carolina has huge potential on defense due to their size and athleticism; the young players just need to mature. They also have a lot of unproven perimeter shooters. JP Tokoto was their second best 3pt shooter last season, while players, like Justin Jackson disappointed from outside. This could be a struggle for North Carolina, but again, there is a lot of offensive potential, and newcomer Kenny Williams shoots well from three. This North Carolina team will never struggle to score.

 Conference Summary:

The ACC should be more competitive this season than last. The teams that finished 1-4 in the conference last season, Virginia, Duke, Notre Dame, and Louisville, have all lost significant pieces to their roster, and are likely worse than they were a year ago. Meanwhile, many teams in the middle of the conference have gotten better, Miami, Florida State, Pittsburgh, and potentially Syracuse. So, the conference should be less top heavy, and more balanced this coming season, which makes for some very exciting basketball. The basement of the conference, Boston College, is really bad. However, some of last year's bottom feeders are much improved, and could make steady gains this season: Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, and Wake Forest. Clemson and North Carolina State will end the season extremely disappointed after performing well last year. Florida State [though it pains me to admit it] will be one of the most improved teams, not just in the conference, but in the country. They will legitimately challenge Duke, North Carolina, and Virginia for a conference title. At the top of the league, Duke and North Carolina are two of the five best teams in the country. It will be extremely interesting to see those two battle throughout the season. North Carolina will not benefit from a big recruiting class, but instead will be led by a core of sophomores who chose to stay in school. They also have enough veteran presences to solidify the team, both in the frontcourt, Brice Johnson, and backcourt, Marcus Paige. Duke instead will once again rely on their freshman. After loosing their three best players, all freshman, from a championship team, they bring in a huge recruiting class with four top-25 players. So, they too have the talent to win another championship. The ACC is a more balanced league this year, however the teams at the top are still just as potent as ever.

All-ACC First Team:

F Zach Auguste ND

G Marcus Paige UNC

G Sheldon McClellan MIA

G Anthony “Cat” Barber NCS

G Demetrius Jackson ND

All-ACC Second Team:

F Kennedy Meeks UNC

F Brandon Ingram Duke

F Brice Johnson UNC

G Malcolm Brogdon UVA

G Grayson Allen Duke

All-ACC Third Team:

F Devin Thomas Wake

F Anthony Gill UVA

F Justin Jackson UNC

G Michael Gbinije SU

G Xavier Rathan-Mayes FSU

All-ACC Honorable Mention:

F Jaron Blossomgame Clem

F Montay Brandon FSU

G Devin Bookert FSU

F Marcus Georges-Hunt GT

C Tonye Jekiri MIA

F Michael Young Pitt

F Jamel Artis Pitt

F Tyler Roberson SU

G London Perrantes UVA

G Codi Miller-McIntyre Wake

All-ACC Freshman First Team:

C Chase Jeter Duke

F Brandon Ingram Duke

F Malachai Richardson SU

G Luke Kennard Duke

G Donovan Mitchell L'ville

All-ACC Freshman Second Team:

F Dwayne Bacon FSU

F Deng Adel L'ville

F Chris Clarke VT

G Maverick Rowan NCS

G Derryk Thornton Duke

Thanks to ESPN.com for statistics, and Scout.com, specifically Evan Daniels and Rob Harrington, for basketball recruiting and freshman scouting reports. They do a great job there.