Power Rankings- February 8th (Bottom Half)

7. Florida State- FSU is quickly discovering their identity: a team that cannot win high scoring games. Their lone ACC game in which they scored over 71 points was an 81-88 loss to North Carolina State, at home. This was a game that the 'Noles came into thinking their record would do the work. They then gave up a career high 31 points to freshman Scott Wood. That loss to an NC State team now sporting a 2-6 ACC record and on the brink of desperation might do the Seminoles in down the road. Looming for the Seminoles is a date Wednesday night at Clemson, a team that has reached complete desperation. It will be some feat if this team can come out of Littlejohn Coliseum with a W.

8. Clemson- How the mighty have fallen. Oliver Purnell's team was a trendy pick to win the ACC this year. The Tigers beat Butler and South Carolina in their non-conference slate and had all the intentions of challenging for a top NCAA tournament berth. Now this team is trying to avoid the NIT. CU was 3-1 in the ACC after a win at NC State, and since then is 1-4. To their credit, the slide began on January 26th at Boston College, the first game the Tigers played without starting point guard Demontez Stitt. Stitt is the most valuable player on this team. Losing your starting point guard can be the same as a football team losing their starting quarterback. I still think this team will find a way to make the NCAA's They have too much experience, and when Stitt is healthy and playing well they are a very good team. A win at home Wednesday against Florida State would be a great start to a late season run that would get this club going back in the right direction.

9. North Carolina- Ninth place, by default. If the three teams below the Heels were playing better than the CAA-type teams they are resembling, UNC might be in last place in these power rankings. Maryland absolutely destroyed this club on Sunday, in every facet of the game. UNC had terrible transition defense, they could not establish Roy's patented transition offense, and Maryland's halfcourt flex offense made the Heels' defense look like swiss cheese. Carolina has never been able to match up with Greivis Vasquez and Sunday's game was no different. Vasquez, on his way to conference player of the week honors, put on a clinic for Larry Drew on how to play point guard in the ACC.. Wednesday presents UNC with a challenge like no other: Duke. Although the Heels have beaten the Blue Devils in 5 of the last 6 meetings, this Carolina team is much too different than the Heels of the past four years, for all the wrong reasons. With no Tyler Hansbrough to worry about, the Devils can play solid perimeter defense without having to double down low, which is bad news for Heel fans. Ed Davis and Deon Thompson will need to have to big games to force the Devils to double team, and hopefully Drew, Will Graves, senior Marcus Ginyard, and freshman Dexter Strickland can knock down some perimeter shots. If not, expect Duke to win big in the Smith Center.

10. Boston College- BC has one thing going for them- they are competitive. In their past six games the margin of victory has been seven or less. One thing the Eagles do not have going for them is their record: 12-12, including losses to Harvard and Maine. BC has two NBA players in my opinion- Rakim Sanders and Joe Trapani. Reggie Jackson could eventually make an NBA roster as well. This is just not an explosive team. Al Skinner has always preferred a physical, halfcourt game. This type of style enabled a team like Maine to beat the Eagles. If you stop BC in the halfcourt, you win. This team needs to win some games down the strech to even qualify for the NIT. That will not be easy, as games at Florida State, NC State, and Georgia Tech loom. Nevertheless, I would not be surprised if they beat an NCAA tournament-bound team at home.

11. NC State- This spot was a toss up between State and Miami. I give the edge to the 'Pack because they have two more quality wins on their resume (vs Duke, at Flordia State) than do the Hurricanes. The winning formula is simple for NC State: have Javier Gonzalez and Farnold Degand play well. If both do so, they will have a great chance to win. If they do not, the Wolfpack will lose. They are just not talented enough at all five positions. Dennis Horner's game, in my opinion, is more suited for a mid-major school. Scott Wood is a great shooter and should be a solid player down the road as his strength and quickness should improve, but right now is a liability on the defensive end. C.J. Williams is a 3/4 without a true position, and probably should have joined Horner at a mid-major. Tracy Smith is a stud, and was probably under-recruited. Smith is a tough matchup for any team, but if he gets in foul trouble, NCSU is in major trouble. State is 2-7 is the conference and destined for the NIT, as long as they do not tank the season, but under Sidney Lowe's watch, the unexpected should be expected, so we will see how the 'Pack finish the season.

12- Miami- The 'Canes simply are not a solid basketball club. Team chemistry is obviously lacking, as there are many first year players on the squad, including Villanova transfer Malcolm Grant, who has never seemed to get into a rhythm within Frank Haith's offense. The talent is there. Dwanye Collins is an absolute man inside, and DeQuan Jones is as athletic as any player in the country (want proof? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqR0Hy1c6wo ). But talent means nothing if the chemistry is not there, as Haith has quickly figured out this year. Miami's only conference wins have come at home against Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. The Tech game had the 'Canes shooting 63% from the field, and yet they still only won by a few possessions thanks to a few lucky bounces in the final few minutes. The good news for Hurricane fans is four of their final seven ACC games are at home, so a late-season run is not out of the question.