ACC basketball standings: Duke, Notre Dame, Clemson all lose, helping Virginia's chances

Saturday was about as good a day of ACC basketball as a Virginia fan could have hoped for.

Louisville, ineligible for postseason play because of a self-imposed ban, beat Duke. Georgia Tech reached up from the cellar to beat Notre Dame. NC State held its home floor against Clemson, and Pitt beat Syracuse at the Carrier Dome.

All in all, three teams within a game of Virginia in the ACC standings lost, opening up a slightly more comfortable gap between the first and second tiers.

Of course it wasn't a perfect weekend as the universe couldn't chart a course for UNC and Miami to both lose their matchup in Chapel Hill. The beat-em-down that Carolina applied has unknown ramifications for UVa's trip to Coral Gables tonight. Will the Hurricanes come out spitting fire, or did the Dean Dome Debacle break their spirits?

KenPom projections for the rest of the year show it will be a tight race for the top spot. Duke and Virginia are both favored in each of their remaining matchups, which would put the Hoos at 14 wins and Duke at 13. UNC is favored twice more (against NC State and Syracuse), enough for 13 wins for the Heels as well. Miami and Notre Dame are favored in enough games to win 12 in conference play.

No rooting guide tonight, as the only ACC game is Virginia at Miami. If you don't know who to root for there, well gosh, Jed, I don't even want to know ya.