In the latest top 25 Associated Press rankings for men’s college basketball, three teams in our backyard maintain their rankings heading into week 3 of conference play.
First, Duke (14-1, 3-0 ACC) maintained the #1 overall spot after a convincing 87-65 win over rival Wake Forest (7-8, 0-3). Then, they followed that up with a thrilling road victory over #11 Florida State (13-3, 1-2) that saw freshman Cam Reddish hit a three-pointer with less than a second remaining to seal the game, 80-78. Tonight, the Blue Devils will face a Syracuse (11-5, 2-1) team that has been considered a disappointment by fans and analysts alike so far this season. Nonetheless, records hardly mean anything in the tough and highly-competitive Atlantic Coast Conference. Tip-off at Cameron Indoor Stadium is set for 7 PM.
Next, North Carolina (12-4, 2-1) had a roller coaster week that likely left many fans scratching their heads. After clinching a challenging 90-82 road victory over rival #17 NC State (14-2, 2-1), they shockingly lost at home 83-62 against Louisville (11-5, 2-1). After the game, senior Cam Johnson remarked that it is up to the players to make sure that never happens again. They will have a chance to prove that on Tuesday when the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame (11-5, 1-2) come to Chapel Hill. Tip-off will be at 9 PM.
The Wolfpack fought hard against Roy Williams and company, but ultimately came up short Tuesday night at PNC Arena. In a post-game press conference, head coach Kevin Keatts reminded everyone that they will not be defined by one game. They returned to the court and proved that Saturday afternoon with a resilient comeback victory over Pittsburgh (11-5, 1-2). Next for State will be a trip to Winston-Salem tomorrow night for a date with rival Wake Forest. Tip-off for that contest will be at 8 PM.
For a complete list of the entire AP top 25 for week 11, visit:
http://www.espn.com/mens-college-basketball/rankings.
