The Confidential

The Confidential Correspondents’ Basketball Poll: December 17, 2013

The votes are in.  It is time to reveal this week’s Confidential Basketball Poll.  As a reminder, if you want to be part of our football bowl Pick’em, head over to Yahoo and group 20211. Returning to hoops, here is the top 10:

1.  Syracuse, 10-0, 59 Points (5 first place votes).  The Orange are off to a great start, winning Maui and nice wins over Indiana and St. Johns.  Next big game: Villanova on 12/28.

2. Pitt, 10-0, 50 points (1 first place vote).  The Panthers make it 1-2  for former Big East teams atop the ACC standings.  Next big game: Right now, vs. Cincinnati!

3. Louisville, 9-1 (47 points).  More former Big East action, as the Cardinals slot in at #3.  The sole Cards loss was to UNC.  Next big game: @ Kentucky on 12/28.

4. Duke, 8-2 (43 points).  The Blue Devils have losses to #1 Arizona and Kentucky.  And a nice win over Michigan.  Next big game: UCLA on 12/18.

5. North Carolina, 7-2 (39 points).  The Tar Heels have losses to Belmont and UAB.  Wins over MSU, Louisville, and Kentucky make this team quite an enigma.  Next big game: Texas on 12/18.

6. Wake Forest, 8-2 (30 points).  Not sure the Demon Deacons deserve the #6 spot with few quality wins, but there is a lot of mediocrity between #6 and #12 right now.  Next big game: @ Xavier on 12/28.

7. Notre Dame, 8-3 (20 points).  The Fighting Irish have some really bad losses.  But that win over Indiana seems to have folks excited again.  Next big game: Ohio State on 12/21.

8. North Carolina State, 7-2 (13 points).  The Wolfpack are looking for a really good win to help offset some tough losses.  The chances will come.  Next big game: @ Tennessee on 12/18.

9. Virginia, 7-3 (10 points).  Like the teams immediately above it, hard to find a good win for Virginia.  Not hard to find some bad losses.  Next big game: @ Tennessee on 12/30.

10. Clemson, 8-2 (7 points).  At first, this looks like a football record and pick.  But Clemson has a nice win over Temple and acquitted itself well against Arkansas.  Next big game: @ Auburn on 12/19.

The rest: Florida State (5 points), Georgia Tech (4 points), Maryland (4 points), and Virginia Tech (1 point).  Miami and Boston College did not receive votes.

What do you think?  Feel free to share your poll.