Despite Loss, Duke Still Holds Perch in ACC

The No. 4-ranked Duke Blue Devils (22-2, 11-1 ACC) are the clear-cut best team out of the ACC and are generally viewed as one of the top threats to win this season's national championship. The Blue Devils are most recently coming off a 70-54 road victory over Pittsburgh (9-16, 2-10 ACC) on Tuesday night.

The ACC as a whole has been fairly mediocre over the last few seasons and only got four of its schools into the 2025 NCAA Tournament. In 2026, however, that number is expected to be much higher.

scheye — Jan 26, 2026; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer directs his team during the first half against the Louisville Cardinals at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images | Rob Kinnan-Imagn Images

Five ACC teams are currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25, and ESPN's most recent Bracketology update for the 2026 NCAA Tournament projects eight ACC teams in the field.

Regardless, Duke has dealt with minimal issues through its first 12 league games. The Blue Devils have achieved eight of their 11 wins by double digits and three by over 20 points.

booze — Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Cameron Boozer (12) handles the ball against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the first half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

The Blue Devils had a chance to etch themselves at the top of the ACC standings this Saturday, but another squad has already accomplished that feat for them.

bra — Clemson Tigers head coach Brad Brownell looks to the floor Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026, during the NCAA men’s basketball game against the Virginia Tech Hokies at Littlejohn Coliseum in Clemson, South Carolina. Virginia Tech Hokies 76-66. | Alex Martin/Greenville News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Recent Clemson Loss Puts Duke Solely at Top of ACC Standings

Heading into Wednesday, No. 20 Clemson was the only other ACC team with one loss in league play, with a 20-4 overall record anda 10-1 record in conference play. That is no longer the case.

Brad Brownell's Tigers fell at home to Virginia Tech (17-8, 6-6 ACC) by a score of 76-66 on Wednesday night. This was Clemson's second loss across its last 15 games.

bra — Feb 4, 2026; Stanford, California, USA; Clemson Tigers head coach Brad Brownell gestures during the second half against the Stanford Cardinal at Maples Pavilion. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images | John Hefti-Imagn Images

Despite the Tigers boasting one of the best records in the ACC, Duke's home contest against the Tigers didn't become a Quadrant 1 opportunity until this week. After the loss to the Hokies, Clemson is now 10-5 in the first two quadrants and dropped to No. 33 in the NCAA NET Rankings.

The Blue Devils took down Virginia Tech 72-58 on the road earlier in league play.

foste — Feb 10, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Caleb Foster (1) dribbles the ball as Pittsburgh Panthers forward Cameron Corhen (right) defends during the second half at Petersen Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Is Duke’s Bout With Clemson Still a Quad 1 Opportunity?

A game qualifies as a Quadrant 1 game at home if a team's opponent is ranked inside the top 30 of the NET Rankings. Before its loss to Virginia Tech, Clemson was at No. 30.

Following its defeat, Clemson has now dropped to No. 33, which in turn makes Saturday's contest a Quadrant 2 game for Duke, a designation that is much less meaningful from a resume-building standpoint.

sar — Feb 7, 2026; Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils guard Dame Sarr (7) on the court in the second half at Dean E. Smith Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

The NET is constantly changing, so there's a chance the Tigers can creep back into the top 30 by Saturday.

Tip-off is scheduled for 12:00 pm ET at Cameron Indoor Stadium.

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