The ACC at a glance

Boston College

• Last season's record: 22-12 (9-7 ACC, tied 5th)

• Coach: Al Skinner (232-149 in 12 seasons at Boston College, 370-275 in 21 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, lost to Southern California 69-55 in first round.

• Strengths: F Joe Trapani (13.4 ppg), G/F Rakim Sanders (12.9 ppg) and F Corey Raji (9.9 ppg) give the Eagles scoring balance. C Joe Southern, the other returning starter, contributes solid post defense and rebounding.

• Weaknesses: BC was wildly inconsistent last season, as shown by its loss to Harvard followed shortly by a win over North Carolina, the eventual national champion. With reserve forward Tyler Roche the only senior, and with the loss of star PG Tyrese Rice, the Eagles are likely to be erratic again.

• Best returning players: F Joe Trapani, G/F Rakim Sanders, F Corey Raji

• Best newcomers: None

• Key loss: PG Tyrese Rice

• Key to the season: Who will replace Rice, who left as the No. 5 scorer and No. 3 assists man in school history? Sophomore Reggie Jackson and junior Biko Paris will probably share time at point guard. Each has shown flashes of ability, but one or both will have to improve significantly to make up for losing Rice.

• Big games: vs. Miami (Dec. 6); vs. South Carolina (Dec. 30); at Georgia Tech (Feb. 27)

• Reasonable expectation: Losing Rice will hurt in several ways, but the Eagles were not a one-man show last season and are at least decent in most aspects. A middle-of-the-pack ACC finish and possible NCAA berth are possible, but a trip to the NIT seems more likely.

• Outside possibility: Rice's departure could open the door for others. If Trapani, Sanders and Raji continue to improve, the Eagles will have multiple threats on offense and present matchup problems. The development of Jackson and/or Paris at point guard could mean that Boston College will prove dangerous come March.
-- Bryant Galbaugh

Clemson

• Last season's record: 23-9 (9-7 ACC, tied 5th)

• Coach: Oliver Purnell (117-77 in six seasons at Clemson, 373-268 in 21 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, lost to Michigan 62-59 in first round.

• Strengths: The Tigers will be led by 6-7 senior Trevor Booker, one of the ACC's top returning players. He led the team in scoring (15.3), rebounding (9.7) and blocks (63) and shot 57 percent from the field last season. The Tigers return 11 lettermen, including six who played at least 400 minutes in the 32 games. Expect Purnell to go to his bench early and often and continue to use an uptempo style. Junior guard Demontez Stitt is the only other returning starter (8.7 ppg, team-high 121 assists).

• Weaknesses: Other than Stitt, the Tigers don't have much backcourt experience. K.C. Rivers (14.2) and Terrence Oglesby (13.2) were the No. 2 and 3 scorers. Rivers finished No. 7 in program history with 1,684 points; Oglesby left early to play professionally in Europe.

• Best returning players: F Trevor Booker, PG Demontez Stitt

• Best newcomers: F Milton Jennings, G Noel Johnson, G Donte Hill, F Devin Booker

• Key losses: G K.C. Rivers, G Terrence Oglesby, G Raymond Sykes

• Keys to the season: Booker must have an All-America-caliber season, and Stitt needs to cut down on turnovers (81 last season). Jennings and Johnson should contend for playing time, if not break into the starting lineup. Jennings was ranked the 17th best high-school senior in the nation, and Johnson was 30th. Devin Booker, the brother of Trevor Booker, appears to be at least a year away from significant playing time.

• Big games: UNC (Jan 13); Duke (Jan. 23)

• Reasonable expectation: Although it's unlikely that Clemson will surpass last season's 23 wins, including the first 16 games, the Tigers should hold their own in the ACC and return to the NCAA Tournament, where they have lost four in a row and haven't won since 1997. One bright spot about the schedule is that Clemson doesn't have to play at North Carolina, where it has never won. The high point last season was a 74-47 win against Duke. No one should expect another 27-point win against the Blue Devils.

• Outside possibility: Even if everything clicks, Clemson will have a difficult time finishing ahead of Duke or North Carolina in the ACC. The best the Tigers can hope for is to beat out Georgia Tech and Maryland for third place. The Tigers would almost certainly be satisfied to end their NCAA losing streak, but two postseason wins aren't out of the question.

-- Doug Mead

Duke

• Last season's record: 30-7 (11-5 ACC, tied 2nd)

• Coach: Mike Krzyzewski (760-215 in 29 seasons at Duke, 833-274 in 34 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, lost to Villanova 77-54 in East Regional semifinals.

• Strengths: Veterans abound. Four starters are back. This team could be the tallest that Krzyzewski has coached at Duke.

• Weakness: Backcourt depth is minimal.

• Best returning players: F Kyle Singler, G Jon Scheyer, G Nolan Smith, F Lance Thomas, C Brian Zoubek

• Best newcomers: F Ryan Kelly, F Mason Plumlee, G Andre Dawkins

• Key loss: G Gerald Henderson

• Keys to the season: Duke will have to adapt its customary pressure defense to accommodate tall players. It won't be able to apply fullcourt pressure in its normal fashion. The guards have to stay healthy.

• Big games: at Wisconsin (Dec. 2); Clemson (Jan. 3); at Georgia Tech (Jan. 9); at Clemson (Jan. 23); at North Carolina (Feb. 10); North Carolina (March 6)

• Reasonable expectation: Duke can win the ACC regular-season title and the ACC Tournament championship.

• Outside possibility: NCAA Final Four.

-- Bill Cole

Florida State

• Last season's record: 25-10 (10-6 ACC, 4th)

• Coach: Leonard Hamilton (131-96 in eight seasons at FSU, 331-306 in 21 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, lost to Wisconsin 61-59 in first round.

• Strengths: FSU should be athletic with a strong presence from C Solomon Alabi (8.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg) and should be able to build on last season's success after losing to Duke in the ACC Tournament final.

• Weaknesses: Will have to fill the void created by the departure of Toney Douglas, an All-America guard who led the ACC in scoring (21.5 ppg) and was the ACC's defensive player of the year.

• Best returning players: C Solomon Alabi, F Chris Singleton, G Derwin Kitchen, F Ryan Reid

• Best newcomers: G Michael Snaer, F Terrance Shannon

• Key losses: G Toney Douglas, F Uche Echefu

• Keys to the season: The Seminoles have inside presence with 7-1 Alabi, 6-11 Xavier Gibson, 6-9 Chris Singleton and 6-8 Terrance Shannon, and they'll need to dominate smaller teams. Freshman Michael Snaer needs to fill the hole left by Douglas. Snaer, from Moreno Valley, Calif., was a McDonald's All-American and was rated the No. 7 senior in the nation last season by Rivals.com.

• Big games: at Florida (Nov. 24); at Ohio State (Dec. 2); Auburn (Dec. 17); at Georgia Tech (Dec. 20); at N.C. State (Jan. 12); Georgia Tech (Jan. 24); at Duke (Jan. 27); at North Carolina (Feb. 24); Wake Forest (March 3)

• Reasonable expectation: FSU was picked sixth in the preseason poll and should finish in the No. 4 to No. 7 range in the ACC. If the frontcourt plays well, it could be closer to fourth.

• Outside possibility: A 21-win season (10 ACC wins) isn't out of the question. The first two ACC games, at Georgia Tech and Maryland, will be important. After that, FSU has three straight at home, against N.C. State, Virginia Tech and Georgia Tech, and could be 4-1 or 5-0 heading into a late January game at Duke.

-- Jay Spivey

Georgia Tech

• Last season's record: 12-19 (2-14 ACC, 12th)

• Coach: Paul Hewitt (154-131 in nine seasons at Tech, 220-158 in 12 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007, lost to UNLV 67-63 in first round.

• Strengths: Gani Lawal, a 6-9 forward who averaged 15.1 points and 9.5 rebounds, is back after pulling out of the NBA Draft. His return should give Tech one of the top frontcourts in the ACC. Tech is much more experienced with four starters back, and Hewitt added a top recruiting class.

• Weakness: Closing out. The Yellow Jackets played in 19 games last season that were decided by 10 points or fewer but won only six.

• Best returning players: F Gani Lawal, G Maurice Miller, F Zachery Peacock, G Iman Shumpert, G D'Andre Bell

• Best newcomers: F Derrick Favors, F Kammeon Holsey, C Daniel Miller, F Brian Oliver, G Glen Rice Jr., G Mfon Udofia

• Key losses: G Lewis Clinch, F Alade Aminu

• Keys to the season: The newfound depth should give Tech a chance to play a pressing defense and, in turn, a transition offense. The Yellow Jackets also should be much more talented than they were last season. The recruiting class includes 6-10 forward Derrick Favors of Atlanta, regarded by many publications as the top high-school player in America last season.

• Big games: Southern California (Dec. 5); Florida State (Dec. 20); Winston-Salem State (Dec. 29); Duke (Jan. 9); at North Carolina (Jan. 16); at Wake Forest (Feb. 13); Virginia Tech (March 6)

• Reasonable expectation: 20-10 (9-7 ACC). The Yellow Jackets were picked fourth in the ACC's preseason poll and are ranked No. 22 in the AP preseason poll. If the young players step up and provide depth that was sorely missing last season, Tech has a chance to be among the ACC's top four or five.

• Outside possibility: If the ACC's top three teams falter, and Georgia Tech stays cohesive, 23 wins in the regular season and 10 in the ACC seem possible.

-- Jay Spivey

Maryland

• Last season's record: 21-14 (7-9 ACC, tied 7th)

• Coach: Gary Williams (418-229 in 20 seasons at Maryland, 625-357 in 31 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, lost to Memphis 89-70 in second round.

• Strengths: Point guard Greivis Vasquez is one of the most complete players in the conference, especially when he's hitting his outside shot. The Terps lost only one key player -- forward David Neal -- and that leaves Williams with a very experienced team.

• Weaknesses: A few more outside shooters would help, and a steady inside presence would take the pressure off Vasquez, who tested his NBA prospects but chose to return to school.

• Best returning players: PG Greivis Vasquez, F Landon Milbourne, G Eric Hayes, G Adrian Bowie

• Best newcomers: F James Padgett, C Jordan Williams

• Key loss: F David Neal

• Keys to the season: Keeping Vasquez healthy is the biggest key, but getting others to play well down the stretch of games is important. Vasquez wore down at times late in the season, especially on the road.

• Big games: vs. Villanova (Dec. 6); at Wake Forest (Jan. 12); vs. North Carolina (Feb. 7)

• Reasonable expectation: 21-8 (10-6 ACC). Breaking into the top 25 -- Maryland missed No. 25 by a point in the AP preseason poll -- and staying there all season isn't out of the question.

• Outside possibility: 25-4 (13-3). Competing for the ACC title isn't a stretch.

-- John Dell

Miami

• Last season's record: 19-13 (7-9 ACC, tied 7th)

• Coach: Frank Haith (88-73 in five seasons, all at Miami)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2008, lost to Texas 75-72 in second round.

• Strengths: A heralded recruiting class led by guard Durand Scott should inject some energy. Miami will have lots of depth in the backcourt, with solid 3-point shooters and defenders who can pressure opposing ball-handlers.

• Weaknesses: ForwardsDwayne Collins and Cyrus McGowan are Miami's returning frontcourt starters, but they aren't particularly big, and neither has proven to be a reliable scorer. Center Reggie Johnson, a redshirt freshman from Winston-Salem Prep, could give the Hurricanes some needed size in the middle coming off the bench.

• Best returning players: G James Dews, F Dwayne Collins, F/G DeQuan Jones

• Best newcomers: G Durand Scott, G Malcolm Grant, G Antoine Allen, C Reggie Johnson

• Key losses: G Jack McClinton, F Brian Asbury, F Jimmy Graham, G Lance Hurdle

• Keys to the season: Grant, a transfer from Villanova, is a solid 3-point shooter and needs to handle the ball well for the Hurricanes to succeed. Scott and Jones also need to make immediate contributions to offset the loss of McClinton, a 20-point scorer with a knack for hitting big shots.

• Big games: vs. Minnesota (Dec. 2); at Pepperdine (Jan. 3); vs. Florida State (March 6)

• Reasonable expectation: The Hurricanes will need to forge a new identity after losing McClinton and two other starters. They have some talent to work with but probably will still struggle to match last season's record and reach postseason play.

• Outside possibility: If the newcomers hit the ground running, Miami could surprise some opponents. A lot would have to come together quickly, but Coach Frank Haith's teams have sometimes exceeded expectations in the past. A fresh start after a disappointing run last season could be just what the Hurricanes need.

-- Bryant Galbaugh

North Carolina

• Last season's record: 34-4 (13-3 ACC, 1st)

• Coach: Roy Williams (176-37 in six seasons at North Carolina, 594-138 in 21 seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, defeated Michigan State 89-72 to win NCAA championship.

• Strengths: Plenty of young talent in the program. Ed Davis could be the ACC's top defender. The frontline could be the nation's tallest.

• Weaknesses: Point guard is a mystery. Larry Drew must come through as the starter. The Tar Heels also do not have a dependable 3-point shooter other than Will Graves.

• Best returning players: F Deon Thompson, F-G Marcus Ginyard, C Ed Davis, F Tyler Zeller

• Best newcomers: F John Henson, F David Wear, F Travis Wear, G Leslie McDonald, G Dexter Strickland

• Key losses: C Tyler Hansbrough, G Ty Lawson, G Wayne Ellington, F Danny Green, G Bobby Frasor, F Mike Copeland

• Keys to the season: Someone has to take over at point guard. The Tar Heels had solid play at the position the last four seasons, a reason why they won 124 games in that span. The fast break has to run smoothly to produce the pace that Williams wants for scores in the 90s and higher.

• Big games: Michigan State (Dec. 1); at Kentucky (Dec. 5); Texas in Dallas (Dec. 19); at Clemson (Jan. 13); Duke (Feb. 10); at Duke (March 6)

• Reasonable expectation: UNC can win at least 20 games and return to the NCAA Tournament. It could finish first in the ACC regular season and win the tournament championship.

• Outside possibility: A third consecutive Final Four appearance.

-- Bill Cole

N.C. State

• Last season's record: 16-14 (6-10 ACC, 10th)

• Coach: Sidney Lowe (51-46 in three seasons, all at N.C. State)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2006, lost to Texas 75-54 in second round.

• Strengths: Size and depth have improved.

• Weaknesses: No veteran inside players. Point guard is unsettled.

• Best returning players: F Tracy Smith, F Dennis Horner, G Farnold Degand, G C.J. Williams

• Best newcomers: F Richard Howell, F Josh Davis, C Jordan Vandenberg, G-F Scott Wood, F DeShawn Painter

• Key losses: C Ben McCauley, F Brandon Costner, G Courtney Fells

• Keys to the season: The Wolfpack needs one designated starter at point guard and can't afford to play three players at the position, as it did last season. Several inside players have to contribute to keep Tracy Smith from wearing down.

• Big games: at Marquette (Dec. 5); at Wake Forest (Dec. 20); Florida (Jan. 3); Duke (Jan. 20); North Carolina (Jan. 26); at North Carolina (Feb. 13); Wake Forest (Feb. 20).

• Reasonable expectation: A good season might be 15 wins. The ACC schedule appears too strong for N.C. State to match last season's six wins in conference play.

• Outside possibility: 18 wins.

-- Bill Cole

Virginia

• Last season's record: 10-18 (4-12 ACC, 11th)

• Coach: Tony Bennett (first season at Virginia, 69-33 in three seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007, lost to Tennessee 77-74 in second round.

• Strengths: A new coach, Tony Bennett, should at least change the attitude and create a new outlook for the Cavaliers. The freshman class from last season averaged 26.6 points, the best in the ACC. Sylven Landesberg was the ACC rookie of the year and should be even better this season.

• Weaknesses: There isn't a lot of depth for Bennett to work with, and Virginia was a horrible outside-shooting team last season.

• Best returning players: G Sylven Landesberg, F Mike Scott, G Calvin Baker, G Jeff Jones

• Best newcomers: G Jontel Evans, G Thomas Kody, F Tristen Spurlock

• Key losses: None

• Keys to the season: Finding more scorers to join Landesberg will be Bennett's biggest priority. The Cavaliers also must shore up an interior defense that was suspect last season.

• Big games: vs. Virginia Tech (Jan. 28); at Virginia Tech (Feb. 13)

• Reasonable expectation: 9-20 (6-10 ACC). Still, those records might be a lot to ask of Bennett in his first season.

• Outside possibility: 15-14 (10-6). A winning record is possible if the Cavaliers get a lot of breaks and shoot the ball a lot better than they did last season.

-- John Dell

Virginia Tech

• Last season's record: 19-15 (7-9 ACC, tied 7th)

• Coach: : Seth Greenberg (107-85 in five seasons at Virginia Tech, 320-255 in 16 seasons overall).

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2007, lost to Southern Illinois 63-48 in second round.

• Strengths: Malcolm Delaney is one of the best guards in the ACC. He and Jeff Allen provide a formidable inside-outside combination. The Hokies have a chance to be a good rebounding team again after ranking fifth in the conference last year with plus-3.1 rebounds a game.

• Weaknesses: Losing A.D. Vassallo's 19.1 points a game was a blow to the offense. Hank Thorns' transfer to TCU leaves the Hokies without a proven backup point guard. The Hokies made only 6.1 3-pointers a game last season, and that was with Vassallo. Outside shooting could be a problem.

• Best returning players: G Malcolm Delaney, F J.T. Thomas, F Jeff Allen

• Best newcomers: G Erick Green, F Cadarian Raines

• Key losses: G A.D. Vassallo, G Hank Thorns

• Keys to the season: The Hokies need immediate contributions from Green and Raines for depth. Allen is an immensely talented player who, at times, has had trouble controlling his emotions. He and Delaney will need to be leaders for the Hokies to succeed.

• Big games: at North Carolina (Jan. 10); at Virginia (Jan. 28); North Carolina (Feb. 4); Virginia (Feb. 16); at Duke (Feb. 21)

• Reasonable expectation: The Hokies should finish where they have in recent seasons, in the middle of the ACC pack.

• Outside possibility: If Delaney and Allen get hot at the right time, the Hokies could make it to the NCAA Tournament for the second time under Greenberg.

Wake Forest

• Last season's record: 24-7 (11-5 ACC, tie 2nd)

• Coach: Dino Gaudio (41-20 in two seasons at Wake Forest, 109-144 in nine seasons overall)

• Last NCAA Tournament bid: 2009, lost to Cleveland State 84-69 in the first round.

• Strengths: Forward Al-Farouq Aminu is one of the ACC's best players. Seniors Ish Smith, L.D. Williams and Chas McFarland provide experience. McFarland, Tony Woods, Ty Walker and David Weaver provide impressive front-court depth. Freshman Ari Stewart will make the Deacons more athletic.

• Weaknesses: It's hard to lose sophomores to the NBA and maintain same talent level. James Johnson and Jeff Teague will both be missed, especially on offense. Even with Teague, the Deacons struggled from outside.

• Best returning players: F Al-Farouq Aminu, G Ish Smith, G L.D. Williams, C Chas McFarland

• Best newcomers: F Ari Stewart, G C.J. Harris

• Key losses: F James Johnson, G Jeff Teague

• Keys to the season: If the Deacons can continue to improve on defense, establish a more interior-oriented offense and find someone to hit the open jumper, they can make the NCAA Tournament for the second season in a row. Then they will get a chance to make amends for last season's first-round flameout against Cleveland State.

• Big games: at Purdue (Dec. 1); at Gonzaga (Dec. 5); N.C. State (Dec. 20); at Duke (Jan. 17); at North Carolina (Jan. 20); North Carolina (Feb. 27); Clemson (March 7)

• Reasonable expectation: The Deacons, picked sixth in the preseason, should finish in the top half of the ACC and secure a postseason bid.

• Outside possibility: If the Deacons can peak in March for once, they could possibly make the Sweet 16.

-- Dan Collins