SETH DAVIS'S Three-Pointer

This is the worst the ACC has been in recent memory. Led by senior Nolan Smith, No. 1 Duke (13--0) remains the only ranked team, and soon-to-be bottom dwellers such as Wake Forest (6--8), Georgia Tech (7--6) and Virginia (9--5) have been atrocious at times.... Mississippi State coach Rick Stansbury should not let Renardo Sidney play anymore. The sophomore forward, who was suspended for all of last year plus the first nine games of this season for taking extra benefits in high school, was suspended again for fighting with a teammate at a tournament on Dec. 23.... Washington is for real. The underrated Huskies reentered the rankings at No. 23 after beating USC and UCLA—the first time in 34 years that they opened Pac-10 play with two road wins.

PHOTO

LOU CAPOZZOLA (SMITH)