Duke basketball, Virginia, Miami and UNC have locked up the top four seeds in the 2026 ACC Tournament, which begins March 10 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte.
The top-ranked Blue Devils (28-2, 16-1 ACC), 13th-ranked Cavaliers (26-4, 14-3), 17th-ranked Tar Heels (24-6, 12-5) and 22nd-ranked Hurricanes (24-6, 13-4) have been the conference’s most consistent teams throughout the season.
Advertisement
Georgia Tech (11-19, 2-15) will be among the three squads not participating in the postseason tournament. Pittsburgh (11-19, 4-13) has to beat Syracuse (15-15, 6-11) to avoid the same fate, but Boston College (10-20, 3-14) also appears to be a likely candidate to miss out on the tourney. The Eagles have to beat Notre Dame (13-17, 4-13).
CAMERON CRAZIES: Duke basketball’s sixth man: Colorful tradition of the Cameron Crazies
TRIMBLE’S JOURNEY: Seth Trimble UNC basketball commitment is rare, commendable in transfer portal era
Here’s a breakdown of the final ACC power rankings ahead of the conference tournament.
Advertisement
ACC basketball power rankings
Here are the final power rankings of the 2025-26 college basketball season.
The Blue Devils have dominated opponents since their last-second loss at UNC. Now, they get their shot at revenge in the regular-season finale. The ACC championship and one of the favorites to cut down the nets in Indy, Duke is playing its best ball at the right time.
2. Miami
Former Duke assistant Jai Lucas took over a Miami program that lost 24 games and turned the Hurricanes into a top-25 team. Lucas didn’t get a shot at the Blue Devils in the regular season, but Duke and Miami could meet at the ACC Tournament in Charlotte.
Advertisement
3. UNC
The Tar Heels have played half of their games without at least one of their top three scorers, including the last six without freshman standout Caleb Wilson. It’s unclear if Wilson will play at Duke, but UNC has endured his absence with a 5-1 record.
4. Virginia
The Cavaliers had a shot to make some national noise at Duke and got blown out before an uninspiring win against Wake Forest. Virginia closes the season with Virginia Tech, but there will be questions moving forward about the squad’s ability to beat high-profile teams. The Hoos were 1-2 against Duke, UNC and Miami.
5. Clemson
The Tigers ended their four-game losing streak with a win against Louisville and almost took down UNC at the Smith Center, but failed to make the necessary plays to get to the finish line. Clemson could get another shot at the Tar Heels in Charlotte.
Advertisement
6. Louisville
With losses in three of their last five games, the Cardinals are trending in the wrong direction entering the most important part of the season. A win against Miami in the regular-season finale could give them some renewed momentum in March.
7. Florida State
The Seminoles have won eight of their last 10 games and look like a team capable of making some noise in Charlotte because of their ability to string together 3-pointers. A win against SMU in the finale would give them three straight wins to cap the regular season.
8. Cal
Following consecutive losses in early February, the Golden Bears have won four of their last five games to remain in the bubble conversation for the NCAA Tournament. They need to beat Wake Forest and have a run in Charlotte.
Advertisement
9. Stanford
The Cardinal carry a three-game winning streak to Raleigh. Stanford has won five of its last seven games with a chance to make another statement at N.C. State.
10. NC State
The Wolfpack has lost five of its last six games, including three in a row since its win against UNC. N.C. State desperately needs a good performance against Stanford at Lenovo Center before recalibrating for two postseason tournaments.
11. SMU
The Mustangs once looked like a lock for the NCAA Tournament. Now, they’ll carry a three-game losing streak into the finale. SMU needs a strong finish to feel comfortable on Selection Sunday.
Advertisement
12. Virginia Tech
The Hokies haven’t been able to stack wins for a solid NCAA Tournament resume, but they can get back in the conversation with a win at Virginia.
13. Syracuse
The Orange has lost four straight and look like a program ready for a new coach.
14. Wake Forest
The Demon Deacons have lost three of their last four games, including a mind-boggling loss at Boston College.
15. Pitt
The Panthers have split their last four games to remain in contention for a spot in the ACC Tournament.
16. Notre Dame
The Irish earned an overtime win against N.C. State to keep its postseason hopes alive.
17. Boston College
The Eagles have lost 10 of their last 11 games and look likely to miss the ACC Tournament.
Advertisement
18. Georgia Tech
The Yellow Jackets have lost 11 games in a row and have been eliminated from postseason play.
Rodd Baxley covers North Carolina Tar Heels athletics for The Fayetteville Observer as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow his ACC coverage on X/Twitter or Bluesky: @RoddBaxley. Got questions regarding UNC? Send them to rbaxley@usatodayco.com.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: ACC basketball power rankings: Duke enters ACC Tournament as top team
