Think the Boston College men's basketball team losing its entire starting lineup will hurt the Eagles in 2011-2012? So did the voters in Tuesday's Atlantic Coast Conference media poll, who picked Steve Donahue's squad dead-last in the 12-team ACC. No BC players were selected to the Preseason All-ACC team or received votes for Preseason Player of the Year or Preseason Rookie of the Year. Click here for the complete list of rankings and individual awards.
Surprise, surprise, national front-runner and reigning regular-season champion North Carolina topped the list, with Tobacco Road nemesis and reigning ACC Tournament champion Duke coming second. Florida State, Virginia, Miami and Virginia Tech rounded out the top six.
The good news for the Eagles is that the preseason polls don't always indicate where a team will finish. Boston College was picked to finish 10th last season, but managed an impressive fifth-place finish in the regular-season standings. Unfortunately for this year's team, the Eagles will have to replace their five leading scorers from a year ago, including All-ACC selections Joe Trapani and Reggie Jackson.
The Tar Heels also were the dominant force in the preseason individual awards, with sophomore swingman Harrison Barnes getting 57 of 59 votes for Preseason Player of the year and teammate John Henson claiming the other two. Henson and Barnes were joined on the Preseason All-ACC squad by teammate Tyler Zeller, Miami guard Malcolm Grant, Duke guard Seth Curry and Virginia forward Mike Scott. Duke's Austin Rivers was voted Preseason Rookie of the Year.
For complete coverage of Boston College as it looks to prove the pundits wrong, visit BC Interruption.