The ACC isn't what it used to be.
In the conference's recent memory, there was North Carolina, Maryland and Duke-and there was everyone else. Not so much this year, when parity has ruled the typically top-heavy league.
And as the Blue Devils (24-4) begin their quest to capture their first ACC Tournament title since 2004, they will have to proceed through a gauntlet of mid-ACC teams that is unusually competitive with the traditional powerhouses.
Third-seeded Duke faces its first challenge Friday at 8 p.m. when it opens postseason play against No. 6 Virginia in Greensboro Coliseum, and the fact that the chore of navigating the Tournament's opening rounds is more stringent than ever hasn't been lost on Duke head coach Joanne P. McCallie.
"It is very different from last year," McCallie said of the ACC. "There was such a break last year. There were so many times when the games were not as challenging-not at all the case this year. The parity has been fantastic."
Florida State is the prime example of the rise of a sleeping power in the league. The Seminoles earned a No. 11 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, but this year finished with a share of the ACC title and won the No. 2 seed in Greensboro.
But behind the shadow cast by Florida State's recent emergence, Virginia (23-8) has also closed the gap to the league's three powers. The Cavaliers, who advanced by beating No. 11 Virginia Tech 66-57 Thursday in the opening round of the Tournament, feature two first-team All-ACC players in Monica Wright and Lyndra Littles.
They have also proven capable of knocking off teams accustomed to postseason success: Virginia shocked Tennessee in Knoxville in November, leading many to believe that Wright and Littles could lead the Cavaliers to consistent success in the ACC this year.
Although Wright, Little and Aisha Mohammed, the ACC's leading rebounder with 9.9 rebounds per game, can lift Virginia to wins over anyone, Duke routed the Cavaliers 81-67 on the road in February.
The Blue Devils would prefer that type of easy win Friday, especially given what could lurk ahead in the ACC Tournament: a potential semifinal matchup against No. 2 Florida State and another rendezvous with either North Carolina or Maryland in the final.
But if Duke can sidestep potential pitfalls early, it might very well find itself matched up, yet again, against a more familiar foe with a banner on the line.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.