For a time last summer there was some early thinking about likely tiers in ACC 2012-13 in the "Looking Ahead to 2012-2013" thread. But it's several months later now, and even with enthusiasm over the football team's hopes, it seems an appropriate moment to start a thread on the upcoming ACC bball team predictions, standings, tiers, etc.

I think the top-half is pretty clear, though I will not be surprised if other posters eliminate some team that I list here and replace it with another. I will be surprised if other posters eliminate 2 of my top 6, adding 2 others.

Rather than listing all 12 in order, right now I'm interested in 2 issues:

(1) Is the top half pretty clear; i.e., is there an EK consensus on the 6 listed below, or, say, at least 5 of these 6?
(2) Is FSU being overrated, and Miami underrated, especially vis-a-vis each other?

(1) Top half: NCSt, Miami, Duke, UNC, FSU, Md [not in order, just top 6]. I assume all posters think Duke, NCSt, and UNC will be top 6 [probably top 3, in some order]. So, are Miami, FSU, and Md the other 3 in top half of conference?

(2) I'm much higher on Miami than either FSU or Md, so I personally have Miami in top 4. I'd be interested in anyone presenting an argument that either FSU or Md [or maybe UVa?] should be placed ahead of Miami. In terms of my own standard criteria for evaluating teams - talent, experience, depth - Miami seems clearly better than FSU, Md, UVa, and possibly good enough to challenge for top 2-3 in ACC. Here are links to Miami, FSU, Md, and UVa rosters for 2012-13:

Miami - http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...-fl-hurricanes

FSU - http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...tate-seminoles

Md - http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...land-terrapins

UVa - http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bask...inia-cavaliers

When I look at these rosters, Miami seems superior to the other 3, in terms of talent, experience, depth.