There are several different methods available to decide which conference is the best in college basketball. One way is to treat every game equally, and we rely on computers for that, utilizing such tools as the outdated RPI or the tempo-based models like the Pomeroy ratings. A popular conventional wisdom-based practice is to judge leagues based on their relative strength at the top — for example, the number of ranked teams in the weekly polls or high seeds in the NCAA Tournament. But regardless of how we choose to judge the different conferences, the performance of a league against the best of the rest goes a long way toward establishing the perceived pecking order.
Tom Crean’s ranked Indiana team will face three ACC schools in non-conference play. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
Today we review the 2o best scheduled non-conference games involving ACC squads in the upcoming season. We chose that number of games because that’s how many times an ACC school will face a team ranked in the Top 25 of one of the two national preseason polls. This includes one game with an indeterminate opponent — Syracuse’s second game of the Battle 4 Atlantis will be against a ranked team regardless of whether the Orange win or lose their first contest in the Bahamas. In addition to those 20 guaranteed meetings with ranked opponents, seven ACC schools could see another ranked team in an early season tournament depending on how their brackets play out.
- Miami – Puerto Rico Tip-Off (Utah, Butler)
- Duke – 2K Classic (Wisconsin)
- N.C. State – Legends Classic (LSU)
- Wake Forest – Maui Invitational (Vanderbilt, Kansas)
- Georgia Tech – Preseason NIT (Villanova)
- Boston College – Wooden Legacy (Arizona)
- Notre Dame – AdvoCare Invitational (Wichita State)
It’s worth mentioning that computer-based non-conference strength of schedule ratings will be determined by how good opponents turn out to be over the course of the entire season. There will always be wins that look good in November and December that don’t seem so great after reality sets in later in the season. Likewise, losing to an unranked team early in the year may not appear so bad in March when that same opponent turned out to be a legitimate team.
Here are some other interesting facts about the ACC’s non-conference slate this year.
Jamie Dixon is not known for playing a rigorous non-conference schedule, but Pittsburgh will battle two preseason ranked teams this season. (Matt Freed/Post-Gazette)
- Befitting their high expectations, Duke and Virginia share the most meetings (three) with ranked non-conference opponents.
- With three meetings against ACC schools, Indiana is the non-conference school in the preseason polls most often faced.
- Four ACC teams have zero scheduled non-conference meetings with ranked teams — Clemson, Florida State, Georgia Tech, and Miami. However, two of those schools (Miami & Georgia Tech) have a chance to meet ranked squads in subsequent tournament action.
- The Big Ten has six preseason ranked teams, the most of any league, giving the ACC a great opportunity for several impressive wins in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge this December. Note that five of the six games featuring ranked Big Ten schools will be played in ACC arenas.
Here is the list of the top 20 ACC non-conference games, in chronological order:
Friday, November 13
- Pittsburgh vs. Gonzaga (Armed Forces Classic – Okinawa, Japan) – ESPN, 7:00 ET
Tuesday, November 17
- Duke vs. Kentucky (Champions Classic – Chicago) – ESPN, 7:30 ET
Monday, November 23
- Wake Forest vs. Indiana (Maui Invitational – Hawaii) – ESPN2, 5:00 ET
Thursday, November 26
- Syracuse vs. Connecticut/Michigan (Battle 4 Atlantis) – ESPN/AXS, 3:30/9:30 ET
- Boston College vs. Michigan State (Wooden Legacy – Fullerton, CA) – ESPN2, 6:30 ET
Friday, November 27
- Virginia Tech vs. Iowa State (Emerald Coast Classic – Niceville, FL) – CBSSN, 7:00 ET
Tuesday, December 1
- Michigan at N.C. State (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) – ESPN2, 7:00 ET
- Purdue at Pittsburgh (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) – ESPN2, 9:00 ET
- Maryland at North Carolina (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) – ESPN, 9:30 ET
Wednesday, December 2
- Louisville at Michigan State (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) – ESPN, 7:15 ET
- Wisconsin at Syracuse (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) – ESPN2, 7:15 ET
- Indiana at Duke (ACC/Big Ten Challenge) – ESPN, 9:15 ET
Tuesday, December 8
- Virginia vs. West Virginia (Jimmy V Classic – New York) – ESPN, 7:00 ET
Saturday, December 19
- Duke vs. Utah (MSG – New York) – ESPN, Noon ET
- Villanova at Virginia – ESPN2, Noon ET
- Notre Dame vs. Indiana (Crossroads Classic – Indianapolis) – ESPN2, 2:00 ET
Tuesday, December 22
- California at Virginia – ESPN2, 9:00 ET
Saturday, December 26
- Louisville at Kentucky – CBS, Noon ET
Tuesday, December 29
- Wake Forest at LSU – SECN, 8:00 ET
Wednesday, December 30
- West Virginia at Virginia Tech – ESPNU, Noon ET