Objects in the Tar Heels‘ mirror may be closer than they appear.
The ACC race is tightening down the stretch, and ESPN’s BPI rankings are reflecting that. North Carolina leads the conference in both ACC record and BPI rank, but after a Monday win over Wake Forest, Duke is just two spots behind them.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the Blue Devils rank 11th in the nation in the site’s Basketball Power Index. North Carolina comes in ninth.
Duke is now 19-5 on the season and 10-3 against ACC opponents so far this year, just a game behind the Tar Heels in the conference rankings and tied with Virginia for second.
ESPN’s BPI ranks the Cavaliers as the 34th-best team in the country and the fifth-best team in the ACC. Clemson came in 29th with the Demon Deacons one spot behind them in 30th.
The Blue Devils’ surge toward the top 10 has been powered by an impressive offense, as they currently rank seventh in ESPN’s offensive power index.
The site expects a photo finish between Duke and the Tar Heels, with UNC expected to win 24.4 games and Duke projected to win 24.1.