Like some of Duke's early-season nonconference games, the ACC regular-season race seems almost hopelessly stacked in favor of the Blue Devils.
The No. 1-ranked Blue Devils open their conference schedule tonight with a home game against Miami (7:45 p.m., FSCR) and is the only ACC team ranked in the top 25.
While every other team in the ACC has at least two losses, Duke remains undefeated (12-0). You could also argue that Duke has the most favorable schedule in the ACC - because it's the only team that doesn't have to face Duke.
Yet the Blue Devils don't appear overconfident.
"Our main focus coming into the ACC is, what is our defense like?" senior guard Nolan Smith said Wednesday. "How are we going to stop the great players in our conference?"
Duke certainly is not invincible. The long-term loss of dynamic freshman point guard Kyrie Irving to a toe injury with an uncertain timetable for recovery has cost the Blue Devils one of their best players.
Coach Mike Krzyzewski still is tinkering with his lineup to figure out the best combinations for Duke without Irving.
"I think we're getting more comfortable as we continue to practice and get better," said sophomore forward Ryan Kelly, who has been in and out of the starting lineup, "but there is so much room for improvement."
Here are the contenders, dark horses and pretenders bidding to unseat Duke in the ACC race as conference play hits full speed this week:
Contenders
North Carolina (9-4): Underclassmen Dexter Strickland and Harrison Barnes are improving, as expected, with experience. Tyler Zeller gives the Tar Heels a dominating presence in the low post, and forward John Henson makes a lot of plays with his athletic ability. UNC has the talent to earn a decent seed in the NCAA tournament but would have to seriously cut down on turnovers to challenge Duke.
Florida State (11-3): There's not a better defensive team in the ACC, and versatile forward Chris Singleton gives the Seminoles star power. But Florida State shoots just 43.8 percent from the field and doesn't have a player other than Singleton averaging more than 10 points per game. Coach Leonard Hamilton's team doesn't appear to score enough points to climb to the top of the ACC.
Maryland (9-4): The genius of Gary Williams' coaching is the primary reason the Terrapins are a threat to unseat Duke after tying the Blue Devils for first place in the ACC last season. In sophomore Jordan Williams, Maryland has the ACC's best big man. But the Terrapins need more production out of Adrian Bowie and other supporting players to take a serious run at Duke.
Miami (11-3): Underrated Malcolm Grant and Durand Scott are the ACC's best backcourt duo now that Duke's Irving is injured. Sophomore Reggie Johnson adds a powerful presence on the boards, but the Hurricanes don't force enough turnovers. They are averaging two more turnovers per game than their opponents, and that shouldn't happen with a backcourt that's so talented.
Boston College (11-3): The Eagles opened ACC play with an impressive win at Maryland, and first-year coach Steve Donahue is getting a lot out of his returning talent. Reggie Jackson is emerging as one of the ACC's best guards, but Boston College probably doesn't rebound well enough to win the ACC.
Dark horses
Virginia Tech (8-4): Losing guard Dorenzo Hudson for the season with a foot injury is devastating. ACC scoring leader Malcolm Delaney will continue delivering tons of points, and forward Jeff Allen remains a huge physical presence. But their supporting cast is weak without Hudson.
N.C. State (9-4): Perhaps forward Tracy Smith's return from knee surgery will spark a dramatic turnaround for the Wolfpack. Without Smith, N.C. State did not look like anything close to an NCAA tournament contender. The Wolfpack has the second-worst defensive rebounding percentage in the ACC, and opponents are turning their second-chance opportunities into points.
Clemson (10-4): The Tigers still appear to be struggling with first-year coach Brad Brownell's system. Senior center Jerai Grant looks to be improving, but Clemson suffers from a serious lack of depth on the wings.
Virginia (8-5): Although the Cavaliers delivered one of the ACC's best nonconference wins at Minnesota, scoring is a huge problem for this team, which averages just 62.8 points per game. Some of that is due to coach Tony Bennett's deliberate pace, but Virginia is shooting just 41.6 percent from the field.
Pretenders
Georgia Tech (7-5): The cancellation of its Dec. 27 game with Fordham because of travel difficulties was the best thing to happen for Georgia Tech fans this season. The Yellow Jackets continue to exert defensive pressure and lead the ACC in steals, but their 3-point shooting is abysmal, and they lack muscle in the low post.
Wake Forest (6-7): First-year coach Jeff Bzdelik knew he was in for a challenge. Freshmen J.T. Terrell and Travis McKie have demonstrated scoring ability that give this team hope for future seasons, but the Deacons are woefully inept defensively.
