ACC parity rises after 4 of 6 ranked teams hit by losses

The Atlantic Coast Conference has been touted as the best and deepest conference in the nation.

After four of its six ranked teams lost this weekend, it may have the most parity as well.

“Our confidence is sky high right now,” Virginia Tech’s Justin Bibbs said after the Hokies knocked off No. 5 Duke, 89-75, on Saturday. “I feel like we can play against anybody, with anybody.”

It was definitely a weekend of hope for teams at the middle and even the bottom of the ACC.

No. 6 Louisville beat No. 16 Indiana by 15 but lost to No. 12 Virginia. The Cavaliers beat the Cardinals but lost to No. 20 Florida State. No. 10 North Carolina crushed Monmouth, then lost by 12 to unranked Georgia Tech.

Only two ranked ACC teams did not lose this week: Florida State and No. 24 Notre Dame .

It wasn’t easy for the Irish. Notre Dame had a hard time shaking Saint Peter’s in an eight-point win on Wednesday and needed overtime and a last-second 3-pointer by Steve Vasturia to beat Pittsburgh on Saturday.

“They just made one more winning play than we did,” Pitt coach Kevin Stallings said. “It’s very disappointing for us, but that’s the nature of this league.”

The league could see some changes in the AP Top 25 this week.

Virginia Tech (12-1, 1-0 ACC) had not faced a ranked team all season, a likely reason it was unranked headed into Saturday’s game despite having one loss.

Duke played without All-American Grayson Allen for the first time since his indefinite suspension for another tripping incident, but having him may not have made that much of a difference against the Hokies.

Virginia Tech built a 16-point halftime lead and never gave the Blue Devils a chance, a win that could move the Hokies into this week’s poll.