ACC Basketball

Fourteen programs will head to Greensboro, North Carolina, for the 2020 ACC men's basketball tournament, and the champion will leave with a guaranteed spot in March Madness.

Florida State, Virginia, Louisville and Duke earned top-four seeds, which brings the advantage of not playing until the quarterfinals Thursday. The tournament begins Tuesday with a pair of matchups between double-digit seeds, and six more schools will join the action Wednesday.

ACC Network, ESPN or ESPN2 will broadcast the games. Live streams are available on ESPN online with a proper subscription.

                

2020 ACC Tournament Schedule

*Denotes approximate start time, and all times Eastern.

1st Round (Tuesday, March 10)

Game 1: No. 13 Pitt vs. No. 12 Wake Forest, 4:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
G2: No. 14 North Carolina vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.* (ACC Network)

     

2nd Round (Wednesday, March 11)

G3: No. 9 Miami vs. No. 8 Clemson, Noon (ESPN)
G4: Game 1 winner vs. No. 5 NC State, 2:30 p.m.* (ESPN)
G5: No. 10 Boston College vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
G6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 6 Syracuse, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN2)

     

Quarterfinals (Thursday, March 12)

G7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 1 Florida State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 4 Duke, 3 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)
G9: Game 5 winner vs. No. 2 Virginia, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G10: Game 6 winner vs. No. 3 Louisville, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)

Note: Because of a one-year postseason ban, Georgia Tech will not participate in the tournament.

                

Semifinals (Friday, March 13)

G11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)

        

Championship (Saturday, March 14)

G13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

                            

Injury Updates

Barring a stunning run to the ACC tournament title, both Syracuse and Miami are looking at the final games of their seasons. While both rosters are talented enough to win Wednesday and push for upsets in Thursday's quarterfinals, that's unlikely to happen, with key injuries complicating their outlooks.

Syracuse is awaiting word on Elijah Hughes, who scored an ACC-best 18.8 points per game. He didn't return after halftime in the loss to Miami on Saturday.

"He got hit—Bourama [Sidibe]'s knee," head coach Jim Boeheim said, per Donna Ditota of Syracuse.com. "He was a little bit dizzy, a little blurry. You know, that's a tough call. He's gotten hit in the head 20 times this year. He was a little blurry. He felt he could go, but that's not my decision."

If Hughes is unable to play, the Orange will lean on Buddy Boeheim, Joseph Girard III and Marek Dolezaj against the winner of the North Carolina-Virginia Tech clash.

Here are the probabilities for the ACC tournament, where fourth-seeded Duke is the favorite. (at Greensboro. March 10-14.) #log5 pic.twitter.com/ekJGoUt29E

— Ken Pomeroy (@kenpomeroy) March 8, 2020

Miami managed to clip Syracuse despite an injury keeping star guard Chris Lykes on the sideline.

During a previous outing, a teammate accidentally kneed him in the face, which left Lykes with a laceration near his eye and sidelined for an undetermined amount of time.

"I think things like this are day-to-day," Miami coach Jim Larranaga said, according to Christopher Stock of 247Sports. "One day you feel terrible, and the next day you say I feel pretty good. I leave that in the hands of the medical team, our doctors and our trainers and they'll let me know if he's available or not."

Lykes averaged a team-best 15.2 points, 2.4 assists and 1.1 steals per game, also shooting 37.4 percent from beyond the arc.

Should he remain out, Isaiah Wong would serve as the primary ball-handler against Clemson. The freshman tallied 18 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three steals against Syracuse.

North Carolina, at least, has promising news.

Senior guard Brandon Robinson briefly exited the loss to Duke after a collision with Cassius Stanley. Robinson returned, however, and there's no concern about his status for the ACC tourney.

Considering the Tar Heels' season will be over unless they are cutting down the nets in Greensboro, it's vital the roster is as close to full strength as possible.

                    

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Duke guard Tre Jones was named ACC Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year on Monday, one of several players honored with ACC men's basketball awards this season.

Jones was also named to the All-ACC first team, where he's joined by teammate Vernon Carey Jr., Louisville's Jordan Nwora, Notre Dame's John Mooney and Syracuse's Elijah Hughes.

Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton earned his third ACC Coach of the Year honor.

As for the remaining awards, Carey Jr. won Rookie of the Year, North Carolina's Garrison Brooks won Most Improved Player of the Year and Florida State's Patrick Williams won Sixth Man of the Year.

Jones, Virginia's Mamadi Diakite, Florida State's Trent Forrest, Georgia Tech's James Banks III and Boston College's Steffon Mitchell were named to the All-Defensive Team.

Carey Jr., Williams, North Carolina's Cole Anthony, Virginia Tech's Landers Nolley II and Duke's Cassius Stanley were named to the All-Freshmen Team.

Jones averaged 16.2 points, 6.4 assists and 4.2 rebounds to lead Duke to a 25-6 regular-season record. After taking a bit of a backseat during his freshman year, Jones took full reins of the leadership role on both ends of the floor as a sophomore. His clutch play earned him the nickname "Tre Stones."

Jones joins Malcolm Brogdon (2016) as the only players in ACC history to win Player of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year in the same season. 

“Just looking at it, that only one other player has done it, that’s something I try to pride myself on is playing on both sides of the basketball—offensively and defensively,” Jones said Monday on ACC Network’s Packer and Durham (via The News & Observer). “Obviously that’s something I’m proud of.”

Hamilton, in his 18th season at Florida State, brought home the ACC regular-season championship for the first time. The Seminoles are 26-5 heading into the ACC tournament with a shot at receiving a No. 1 seed for the first time in program history. 

The 2020 ACC tournament is unique when you look at where the traditional powers are seeded. 

The Duke Blue Devils settled in at No. 4, while the North Carolina Tar Heels are at the bottom of the bracket as the No. 14 seed. 

It is the first time in ACC tournament history in which both Tobacco Road rivals have been shut out of the top three seeds, per David Teel of the Richmond Times-Dispatch. 

Duke and North Carolina have won three of the last four ACC tournaments, and they have combined for 39 titles in the event's history. 

Mike Krzyzewski's side has a much easier path to cutting down the nets than Roy Williams' group, but it will take some serious fight to get past the Florida State Seminoles and either the Louisville Cardinals or Virginia Cavaliers in the final two matchups in Greensboro, North Carolina.

            

ACC Tournament Bracket

It’s officially #ACCTourney Time!

Here's the bracket ↓↓ pic.twitter.com/JNRl6siTQx

— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) March 8, 2020

        

ACC Tournament Odds

Odds via OddsChecker

Florida State (+200; bet $100 to win $200) 

Duke (+225)

Louisville (+325)

Virginia (+700)

NC State (+2500) 

Clemson (+3000) 

Syracuse (+3300) 

Notre Dame (+4000) 

North Carolina (+4000) 

Pittsburgh (+10000) 

Miami (+10000) 

Virginia Tech (+15000) 

Boston College (+20000) 

Wake Forest (+20000) 

       

Florida State survived the grueling haul of the ACC regular season, but it was far from perfect by suffering losses to Duke and Virginia.

The Blue Devils can point to the 70-65 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium February 10 as an example of how they can knock off the Seminoles. 

In that contest, Tre Jones recorded 13 points and Vernon Carey Jr. earned a double-double for a Duke team that shot 45.1 percent from the field. 

The Seminoles shot 37.9 percent from the field, made three of their 18 three-point attempts and shot 60 percent from the free-throw line. 

Those totals are significantly lower than the season averages for Leonard Hamilton's team, who shoots 45.7 from the field, 75 percent from the charity stripe and 35.1 from beyond the arc. 

The projected semifinal between Florida State and Duke could be decided by the Blue Devils' paint play.

Senior Justin Robinson has emerged as a X-factor lately for the No. 4 seed, and if Matthew Hurt, Wendell Moore Jr. and Javin DeLaurier can chip in to support of Carey, Duke can master the paint game. 

Since Florida State and Duke have the best odds to win in Greensboro, Louisville or Virginia may be the top value play. 

The Cavaliers have improved greatly in the last month with an eight-game winning streak that includes triumphs over Louisville and Duke. 

During that span, Tony Bennett's side has not conceded more than 65 points in a single game and held its last four foes to fewer than 55 points. 

If Virginia's defensive efficiency continues, it could easily get past the Notre Dame Fighting Irish or Boston College Eagles before taking down Louisville for the second time in a week.

The Cardinals have a potentially difficult path to the semifinals because the zone defense of the Syracuse Orange could cause some offensive issues. 

North Carolina also resides in that portion of the bracket, and it starts off with a game against the Virginia Tech Hokies. 

Even though the Tar Heels had the worst regular-season record in the ACC, they have better championship odds than five programs. 

There is a chance Cole Anthony leads the Tar Heels on a magical run since the projected NBA draft lottery pick could be considered the best player on the floor in some games.

Anthony averages 19.6 points per game and Garrison Brooks comes into Greensboro with 16.7 points per contest. 

However, history is against the Tar Heels since only three double-digit seeds have advanced to the quarterfinals in the last five years. None of those squads made it past the final eight.

      

Prediction

Duke over Virginia

Duke's ability to maximize its frontcourt players could make the difference in a potential matchup with Florida State, where the guard battle could be even. 

Virginia is on a roll and just produced a game plan that limited Louisville to 51 points. 

If those two factors translate to the semifinals, Duke and Virginia could meet in Saturday night's final. 

In the 52-50 loss to Virginia, Carey still put together a double-double and Duke forced 15 turnovers. 

The Blue Devils also held Kihei Clark and Tomas Woldetensae to seven combined points, and if they take them away again, they will have a high chance of winning. 

                  

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90

Statistics obtained from ESPN.com

If you couldn't believe your eyes when you saw North Carolina as the No. 14 seed—as in, dead last—in the ACC Tournament, that reality is upon us. It's a year full of firsts in the ACC.

For the first time, Florida State sits atop the league at the end of the regular season, earning the No. 1 seed in Greensboro, North Carolina, and the prized double bye. Neither Duke nor North Carolina is a top-three seed, the first time that has happened as well.

The Seminoles have second-seeded Louisville and third-seeded Virginia biting at their heels. But to meet either, Leonard Hamilton's group will have to win a quarterfinal matchup against either Miami or Clemson and then square off with Duke, Wake, Pitt or North Carolina State.

The Seminoles and Blue Devils only met once this year, with Duke stealing a 70-65 win at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Feb. 10. Since then, FSU has won six of its past seven games and comes into the tournament, which begins Tuesday, as one of the hottest teams in the country.

The full bracket can be found on the conference's official website. Now, on to the prognostications.

                        

Last-Seeded UNC Makes It to Quarterfinals 

2019-20 has been a disaster for Roy Williams' squad. The signing of 5-star guard and certain high lottery pick Cole Anthony was supposed to make the Tar Heels a legitimate contender. Instead, UNC has sputtered through its worst season in more than a decade and is on pace to miss the NCAA men's basketball tournament for just the fourth time since 1974.

Despite all that, and a series of injuries that derailed any hopes of an at-large bid midway through the season, the Tar Heels have been competitive with—and even knocked off—some of the best teams in the ACC.

Were it not for a cataclysmic collapse in overtime against Duke in the midst of losing 12 out of 14 games in two months, North Carolina might have been able to avoid playing Tuesday night. As it is, they will have to beat Virginia Tech, a team they lost to in double overtime in January, and the Syracuse Orange, whom they beat Feb. 29, to reach a quarterfinal matchup with Louisville.

Is it unlikely given the way this year has gone? Absolutely. But if Anthony, Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot can put it all together on consecutive nights, Carolina could see the Cardinals on Thursday.

                     

Duke Doesn't Make It to Friday

No team in the ACC has the talent level—or inconsistency—of Duke.

In the past six games, the Blue Devils have lost to NC State by 22, lost to Wake Forest by 12 in double overtime and face-planted offensively against Virginia but beat Virginia Tech by 24, NC State by 19 and Carolina by 13 on Saturday night.

Mike Krzyzewski's group has been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in ACC play, especially when you consider that before the three aforementioned losses, the Devils has won 16 of their past 18 games.

As a top-four seed, Duke will get a double bye but will likely face NC State, the same squad it beat by 19 and lost to by 22, in the quarterfinals. Unless Duke can hold the Wolfpack to 23 percent three-point shooting, as it did in the most recent showdown, the Blue Devils might just be going home early.

                     

Follow Keegan Pope on Twitter @ByKeeganPope.

For the first time in program history, Florida State is the ACC regular-season champion. The Seminoles, as a result, will hold the No. 1 seed in what should be an exciting 2020 ACC tournament.

Florida State edged Virginia, Louisville and Duke in the final standings thanks to a victory over Boston College. Virginia earned the No. 2 seed thanks to a win over Louisville, which checks in at No. 3 ahead of Duke at No. 4.

This year, the tournament will return to its popular destination of Greensboro, North Carolina. It will be the 27th time the Greensboro Coliseum hosts the event.

Georgia Tech will not participate in the 2020 tournament while it serves a one-year postseason ban. The winner of the tournament will automatically qualify for the 68-team March Madness field.

            

Bracket

It’s officially #ACCTourney Time!

Here's the bracket ↓↓ pic.twitter.com/JNRl6siTQx

— ACC Men's Basketball (@accmbb) March 8, 2020

           

Full Schedule

*denotes approximate start time and all times Eastern

First Round (Tuesday, March 10)

Game 1: No. 13 Pitt vs. No. 12 Wake Forest, 4:30 p.m. (ACC Network)
G2: No. 14 North Carolina vs. No. 11 Virginia Tech, 7 p.m.* (ACC Network)

     

Second Round (Wednesday, March 11)

G3: No. 9 Miami vs. No. 8 Clemson, Noon (ESPN)
G4: Game 1 winner vs. No. 5 NC State, 2:30 p.m.* (ESPN)
G5: No. 10 Boston College vs. No. 7 Notre Dame, 7 p.m. (ESPN2)
G6: Game 2 winner vs. No. 6 Syracuse, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN2)

     

Quarterfinals (Thursday, March 12)

G7: Game 3 winner vs. No. 1 Florida State, 12:30 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G8: Game 4 winner vs. No. 4 Duke, 3 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)
G9: Game 5 winner vs. No. 2 Virginia, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G10: Game 6 winner vs. No. 3 Louisville, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)

     

Semifinals (Friday, March 13)

G11: Game 7 winner vs. Game 8 winner, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ESPN2)
G12: Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 9:30 p.m.* (ESPN/ESPN2)

     

Championship (Saturday, March 14)

G13: Game 11 winner vs. Game 12 winner, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN)

           

Predictions

"Hey, let's throw a dart!" probably isn't a professional option. Much like the narrative of the 2019-20 season as a whole, though, the ACC has a wide-open outlook.

Florida State is the most consistent team, while Virginia is the hottest. Duke has the most talent, as usual. Jordan Nwora makes Louisville a contender. Syracuse has the conference's leading scorer in Elijah Hughes, and the list goes on.

Oh, North Carolina has Cole Anthony! Why not the Heels?

That's the long version of saying you can justify any number of predictions. In a season as volatile as this, it'd be foolish to discount a lower seed making a run at the ACC tournament title.

Nevertheless, we're picking a pair of favorites.

Virginia is about as aesthetically displeasing as possible, playing at the nation's absolute slowest tempo, per KenPom.com. And unlike last season when the Cavaliers ranked among the leaders in three-point percentage, they're a dismal 313th.

Yet here they are, entering the ACC tourney with an eight-game winning streak and 11-1 record since Jan. 26. That stretch includes a 3-1 combined record against FSU, Louisville and Duke.

"I just think guys have just moved the needle a little bit and it's been enough. We know what our lifeline is, trying to be as good as we can defensively," Virginia coach Tony Bennett told reporters recently.

It's safe to assume Virginia's defensive prowess will continue. The offense is less predictable, but playing on Louisville's half of the bracket is at least favorable compared to Florida State and Duke. That side will be especially fascinating to watch.

Both the Seminoles and Blue Devils utilize a deep rotation that should propel them through the quarterfinals. We're lean on Tre Jones and Vernon Carey Jr. to carry Duke in that potential semifinals matchup and to a clash with Virginia.

Late in February, the Hoos clipped Duke 52-50. On a neutral floor this time around, we'll take the Blue Devils based on the expectation of a three-point shooting night UVA fails to match.

Still, if the regular season taught us anything, it's to be prepared for surprises. And hopefully the ACC tournament has a few more in store.

           

Follow Bleacher Report writer David Kenyon on Twitter @Kenyon19_BR.

Duke completed a season sweep of its biggest rival, beating North Carolina 89-76 at Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday to wrap up the regular season.

The 12th-ranked Blue Devils ensured the Tar Heels tied for the conference's worst record.

Duke had dropped three of its last four before beating North Carolina State on Monday. Head coach Mike Krzyzewski had a message for the team's skeptics after that win, telling reporters:

"It's amazing what people put out [on social media]. Really, if you're our fans, don't do that. Come on, man. These kids are 18 and 19 years old. You can question my coaching and what the hell. And when you do question it, by the way, just come into Cameron and look up in the ceiling and find out if you should question that. But don't do anything with our players. Just support them."

Krzyzewski is likely to feel similarly buoyant Saturday night after having one-upped North Carolina again.

              

Notable Performers

• Tre Jones, G, Duke: 21 points, 11 assists, three rebounds, one steal, two blocks
• Cassius Stanley, G, Duke: 19 points, six rebounds, one assist
• Vernon Carey Jr., C, Duke: 25 points, 10 rebounds, one steal, one block
• Cole Anthony, G, North Carolina: nine points, three assists, two rebounds, two steals
• Garrison Brooks, F, North Carolina: 26 points, 13 rebounds, one steal
• Armando Bacot, F, North Carolina: 13 points, 12 rebounds

            

Duke's Stars Shine

Tre Jones and Cassius Stanley helped stretch the North Carolina defense, and Vernon Carey Jr. feasted inside when the Tar Heels had to guard the perimeter. When they collapsed the paint to counteract Carey, it allowed Jones and Stanley to have more space from long range.

That was largely the Blue Devils' offensive blueprint, and it worked to great effect.

The evening was an especially good showcase for Carey, who posted his 15th double-double of the season.

College basketball being down overall has led to people ignoring how good Vernon Carey has been. He’s the best freshman in the country and has no competition.

— Nick Coffey (@TheCardConnect) March 8, 2020

That Vernon Carey has 10 games of 20-10 this season is honestly just absurd. Not unwarranted, but still

— Brendan Marks (@BrendanRMarks) March 8, 2020

Stanley brought the fans to their feet with a thunderous two-handed jam but did most of his damage from deep, hitting three of his five three-pointers.

Cassius Stanley got all the way up 🚀 pic.twitter.com/xTNCO01rsa

— ESPN (@espn) March 7, 2020

Justin Robinson had a senior day to remember. His 13 points tied a career high, and he put on a show for his father, Hall of Famer David Robinson.

um, so, how come Justin Robinson wasn't playing earlier this season?

— C.L. Brown (@clbrownhoops) March 8, 2020

https://twitter.com/LukeDeCock/status/1236455142930567168

Robinson shot 4-of-6 from beyond the arc, and his three-pointer at the 4:29 mark of the second half put Duke ahead by 10 points and swung the momentum firmly in the direction of the home team.

BABY ADMIRAL‼️ CASH FOR 3‼️

👿👿👿👿👿👿👿👿-0 run

TIMEOUT 🐏

— Duke Men’s Basketball (@DukeMBB) March 8, 2020

Krzyzewski obviously wanted to defend his team after the NC State game, but his comments underscored how Duke hasn't necessarily met expectations this season. Coach K had to replace Zion Williamson, Cam Reddish and RJ Barrett but brought in another star-studded recruiting class.

This win illustrated how could Duke have the talent to reach its first Final Four since 2015.

                

Cole Anthony Closes Regular Season with Uneven Performance

As the game tipped off, Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman tweeted Cole Anthony potentially stood to gain a lot in terms of his NBA draft stock. Wasserman projected Anthony will be the No. 5 overall pick in his most recent mock draft.

In potentially his last game against Duke, the freshman didn't go out on a high note. He struggled both to find his jumper and facilitate the rest of the offense.

Brooks has 10 points.
Bacot has 8
Robinson has 5
Anthony has 4.
Keeling has 0.

UNC's guards have got to knock down some shots in order to win this one. And the Tar Heels have to stop the Blue Devils in transition.

— Jonathan M Alexander (@jonmalexander) March 7, 2020

I'm shocked Cole Anthony is still seen as a potential lottery pick. Frustrated by his decision-making. Gambles a lot on defense.

— scott pianowski (@scott_pianowski) March 7, 2020

Anthony won't tumble down draft boards as a result of Saturday's game, but his status as a possible top-five pick is far from assured.

Duke couldn't build a significant lead on the Tar Heels thanks in large part to the work inside by Garrison Brooks and Armando Bacot. They combined for 14 offensive rebounds, eclipsing Duke's output as a team (10).

Carolina's hopes of a comeback took a hit when Bacot picked up his fourth foul with 12:31 left in the second half.

The refs are the only people in Cameron Indoor capable of stopping Armando Bacot tonight.

— Holden Kurwicki (@Holden_Kurwicki) March 8, 2020

Big loss with Bacot going to the bench, been great tonight on the offensive glass

— Tate Frazier (@tatefrazier) March 8, 2020

The freshman forward returned with 5:58 remaining, but his foul situation meant he almost had one hand tied behind his back as he guarded Carey. He couldn't stem the tide as the Blue Devils pulled away late.

                          

What's Next?

Both schools will look toward the ACC tournament, which tips off Tuesday in Greensboro, North Carolina. The Tar Heels' run of nine straight NCAA tournament appearances will end unless they make an ACC title run. The Blue Devils' performance in Greensboro will help determine their seed in the Big Dance.

The most competitive games on the final day of the ACC regular season will determine the order beneath the Florida State Seminoles in the ACC tournament seeding.

Leonard Hamilton's team is expected to lock up the regular-season crown with a home victory over the Boston College Eagles.

That would leave the Louisville Cardinals, Duke Blue Devils and Virginia Cavaliers fighting for the Nos. 2-4 seeds for the tournament, which begins Tuesday in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Louisville visits Virginia in Saturday's marquee ACC clash, while Duke will try to avoid an upset at the hands of the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The order of the next four teams could be shuffled during Saturday's five-game league slate, as the Syracuse Orange visit the Miami Hurricanes and Notre Dame Fighting Irish host the Virginia Tech Hokies.

                    

ACC Tournament Schedule

Games to be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ACC Network.

Tuesday, March 10

No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed (2 p.m.) 

No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed (7 p.m.) 

          

Wednesday, March 11

No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed (noon)

No. 5 seed vs. No. 12/No. 13 winner (2:30 p.m.)

No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed (7 p.m.) 

No. 6 seed vs. No. 11/No. 14 winner (9:30 p.m.)

         

Thursday, March 12

No. 1 seed vs. No. 8/No. 9 winner (12:30 p.m.)

No. 4 seed vs. No. 5/No. 12/No. 13 winner (3 p.m.)

No. 2 seed vs. No. 7/No. 10  winner (7 p.m.)

No. 3 seed vs. No. 6/No. 11/No. 14 winner (9:30 p.m.)

          

Friday, March 13

Semifinal No. 1 (7 p.m.)

Semifinal No. 2 (9:30 p.m.)

        

Saturday, March 14

Championship (8:30 p.m.)

All Times ET.

             

Bracket Predictions

1. Florida State

2. Louisville

3. Duke

4. Virginia

5. Syracuse

6. NC State

7. Notre Dame

8. Clemson

9. Boston College

10. Virginia Tech 

11. Pittsburgh

12. Miami

13. Wake Forest 

14. North Carolina

            

Florida State is tied with Louisville on conference record at 15-4, but the Seminoles own the head-to-head tiebreaker thanks to a pair of regular-season wins.

The projected top seed in the ACC is 15-0 at home, and it is facing a Boston College team with a 4-7 road mark that is on a four-game losing streak. Saturday should be more of a coronation of Florida State's ACC crown than a struggle with the Eagles.

That leaves Louisville, Duke and Virginia to fight for the No. 2 seed.

The Cardinals beat the Cavaliers by seven points in their first meeting at the KFC Yum! Center on February 8. Chris Mack's side was one of the few to put up 80 points on Virginia, which caused havoc against Duke's offense by limiting the Blue Devils to 50 on Feb. 29.

If Tony Bennett's side is capable of slowing down Louisville, it stands a chance to add another quality win to its resume.

Virginia has held its past four opponents under 60 points, but the Cardinals have eclipsed that mark in every game since January 1.

Jordan Nwora shot 50 percent from the field in the first meeting, and if he comes close to replicating his 22-point performance, Louisville should find a way past Virginia's defense and solidify the No. 2 seed.

If that occurs, Duke would be playing for the No. 3 seed in its rematch with North Carolina, which enters Cameron Indoor Stadium with three straight wins. The Blue Devils are still the superior team, but the Tar Heels almost sprung the upset on home soil on February 8.

Mike Krzyzewski's side needed a few bounces to go its way to pull off the comeback win, but it likely will not need that type of luck Saturday.

Vernon Carey Jr. has been a force inside with six double-doubles in ACC play, and the Tar Heels do not have a matchup answer for the freshman. If Carey finds a rhythm thanks to the distribution of Tre Jones, the Tar Heels may be forced to focus on him, which would leave open looks for Cassius Stanley, Matthew Hurt or Wendell Moore Jr.

Wins by Duke and Louisville would set up a potential semifinal clash between the two Friday in Greensboro, while Florida State and Virginia would be on the opposite end of the bracket.

Syracuse can lock in the No. 5 seed with a road win over Miami. The Orange have won three of their past four games, and they could spell trouble for any of the top seeds with their trademark zone defense. Jim Boeheim's side would earn that position because the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets accepted a postseason ban Monday, per Ken Sugiura of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Georgia Tech finished with an 11-9 ACC record, but since it is ineligible to play in Greensboro, each squad beneath it moves up a spot.

If Notre Dame beats Virginia Tech to finish 10-10, it would land the No. 7 seed since the NC State Wolfpack own a head-to-head tiebreaker. That would put NC State in line for a quarterfinal matchup with Duke, which it upset on home soil February 19.

Were both Syracuse and Notre Dame to win, the Clemson Tigers earn the No. 8 seed as the only team with a 9-11 mark, while Boston College and Virginia Tech would slot in to the No. 9 and No. 10 seeds, respectively.

The biggest shock when the bracket is finalized could be North Carolina as the No. 14 seed.

If Roy Williams' side loses Saturday, it would open the tournament Tuesday against the Pittsburgh Panthers, whom it lost to on two occasions. If the Tar Heels won their potential first-round matchup, their path to a surprise run in Greensboro would go through rivals NC State and Duke.

                     

Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90. Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.

For those basketball fans looking to see college basketball's elite NBA prospects during the men's NCAA tournament, March Madness will undoubtedly be a disappointment.

The 2020 class is considered by many draftniks to be one of the weakest in recent years, especially in comparison to the past two classes, which produced the likes of Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Luka Doncic, Trae Young and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Worse yet, the majority of this year's top-tier prospects are either overseas players or are on teams that won't—without a miracle run in their respective conference tournaments—make it to the Big Dance.

Georgia's Anthony Edwards, the No. 2 prospect on B/R lead scout Jonathan Wasserman's big board, has been the lone bright spot for the 15-15 Bulldogs. James Wiseman (No. 10) played just three games for Memphis, in which he averaged a dominant 19.7 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. He left the team after being suspended because of an NCAA rule violation.

Cole Anthony (No. 6), once considered the best available prospect in this class, has struggled to carry the load for a severely underachieving North Carolina squad, which is on pace to miss the Big Dance for the first time in a decade.

Of Wasserman's top four prospects, three are playing outside the U.S.: LaMelo Ball, Deni Avdija and Killian Hayes.

Fret not, though, seasonal college hoops fans. Among the teams certain—or at least very likely—to make the tournament are numerous high-level prospects who have the chance to raise their draft stock with an impressive run through March.

                       

Patrick Williams, 6'8", F, Florida State

NBA front offices love the "P" word, and there's no one in this group who has shown more potential than Florida State forward Patrick Williams. Despite averaging a somewhat pedestrian—at least for first-round picks—9.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game, Williams' offensive production has been severely inconsistent, but his body and occasional scoring outbursts will give teams something to think about.

Over the past nine games, he's scored in double figures six times. He has the ability to drive his 6'8" frame to the hoop but also to stretch defenses with his ability to shoot. With an impressive postseason, Williams could easily move himself into the late-lottery conversation.

                

Cassius Winston, 6'1", G, Michigan State

The Spartans' do-it-all point guard, Cassius Winston, isn't going to blow anyone away with his athleticism. But even as a semifinalist for the Naismith Award, it seems like he is still undervalued. His scoring and field-goal percentage numbers are down a bit from a dynamic junior campaign, but his three-point shooting has improved substantially.

NBA organizations are always a little hesitant to spend a first-round pick on four-year college players for a number of reasons, but the success of players like Fred VanVleet, whom Winston has been much more productive at the college level than, should open some potential spots later in the first round.

                   

Onyeka Okongwu, 6'9", F, USC

While his three teammates, each with the last name Ball, received the lion's share of the attention playing for Chino Hills High School, Onyeka Okongwu put together a dominant high school career, capped off by winning California's Mr. Basketball award as a senior in 2019. At USC, he's been nothing short of a force in the Pac-12, averaging 16.2 points and 8.7 rebounds per game on 61 percent shooting. Initially expected to share the spotlight with Isaiah Mobley, it's been Okongwu who has rocketed up into the first round of nearly every NBA draft board.

He's yet to show much of an ability to stretch the floor—shooting just 26 percent from behind the arc—but like Williams, he's another prospect who oozes potential. He's among the biggest reasons USC has played its way into the tournament over the past month, and based on the Trojans' seed line (No. 9), he could have a chance to show off against some of elite big men in college basketball in the round of 32.

                     

Isaac Okoro, 6'6", F, Auburn

In a typical draft year, a player like Isaac Okoro would likely end up somewhere in the 15-20th pick range. Think Matisse Thybulle with the Philadelphia 76ers or Josh Okogie with the Timberwolves. But in this year's group, Okoro is a likely lottery pick—and possibly a high one.

His athleticism and defensive range are as impressive as any forward's in this class, even if his offensive game—particularly outside the arc—needs a good deal of work. Guard Samir Doughty has emerged as Auburn's go-to scorer, but Okoro, just a freshman, has scored in double figures in 19 of the Tigers' 27 games.

Auburn has the pieces to go on a run similar to last year's Final Four march, and Okoro's scoring would play a big part in that. If he can flash the offensive skills teams have been waiting to see, it's not beyond the realms of possibility to think he could move into the top five of a draft group like this one.

                 

Follow Keegan on Twitter, @ByKeeganPope.

Since joining the ACC in 1991, Florida State has won the conference's men's basketball tournament only once, which came in 2012.

Louisville has yet to win the ACC Tournament since joining the conference in 2015.

Perhaps one of those winless stretches will end this year.

Entering the final weekend of the regular season, Florida State and Louisville are atop the ACC standings. Both schools have already clinched double byes for the ACC Tournament and won't play their respective first tourney games until Thursday, and one will likely be the No. 1 seed.

The ACC has been a bit down this season, but there are still some strong teams that could get hot and roll into March Madness with momentum and a chance to compete for the national championship.

Here's a look at the schedule for next week's ACC Tournament, along with predictions for how the teams will be seeded when it begins Tuesday.

                

ACC Tournament Schedule

Games to be broadcast on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU and ACC Network.

Tuesday, March 10

No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed (4:30 p.m.)

No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed (7 p.m.)

               

Wednesday, March 11

No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed (noon)

No. 5 seed vs. Winner of No. 12 vs. No. 13 (approx. 2 p.m.)

No. 7 seed vs. No. 10 seed (7 p.m.)

No. 6 seed vs. Winner of No. 11 vs. No. 14 (approx. 9 p.m.)

              

Thursday, March 12

No. 1 seed vs. Winner of No. 8 vs. No. 9 (12:30 p.m.)

No. 4 seed vs. Winner of No. 5 vs. No. 12/No. 13 (approx. 2:30 p.m.)

No. 2 seed vs. Winner of No. 7 vs. No. 10 (7 p.m.)

No. 3 seed vs. Winner of No. 6 vs. No. 11/No. 14 (approx. 9 p.m.)

             

Friday, March 13

Semifinal No. 1 (7 p.m.)

Semifinal No. 2 (approx. 9 p.m.)

                

Saturday, March 14

Championship (8:30 p.m.)

All Times ET.

                  

Bracket Predictions

1. Florida State

2. Virginia

3. Louisville

4. Duke

5. Syracuse

6. NC State

7. Notre Dame

8. Clemson

9. Boston College

10. Virginia Tech

11. Pittsburgh

12. Wake Forest

13. Miami

14. North Carolina

                  

In order to secure the No. 1 seed, Florida State has to beat Boston College at home Saturday evening. That shouldn't be a problem.

All five of the Seminoles' losses this season have come on the road. They should continue that home-court dominance over Boston College, which has lost four straight games and five of its past six.

It will be the first time that the Seminoles have won the ACC regular-season championship—they haven't won a regular-season title since finishing first in the Metro Conference in 1989.

The game that will have the largest impact on the top seeds will be Saturday's matchup between No. 10 Louisville and No. 22 Virginia. The Cavaliers are hosting the Cardinals, and although both teams are guaranteed top-four seeds and double byes for the ACC tourney, the seeding could be important for potential matchups in the tournament.

Virginia hasn't been nearly as strong as last season, when it lost only three regular-season games and rolled to the first national championship in program history. This year, the Cavaliers have lost seven games. However, they have been playing better of late, winning their past seven contests.

However, Virginia's most recent loss came at Louisville on Feb. 8, an 80-73 defeat. So the Cavaliers will be looking to avenge that loss as they try to secure the No. 2 seed for the ACC Tournament.

That's what will happen, as Virginia will utilize its recent momentum to beat Louisville, while Duke will win its regular-season finale against North Carolina to create a three-way tie at 15-5 in conference play between the Cavaliers, Cardinals and Blue Devils. Virginia owns that tiebreaker after its 52-50 win over Duke on Saturday.

While there will be more seeding to sort out in the middle and bottom of the ACC standings, those will turn out to not be as important. The conference is top-heavy this year, and Florida State, Virginia, Louisville and Duke should end up as the four teams playing in the tournament semifinals.

From there, anything could happen. Virginia and Duke are dangerous teams in March, as the two schools have combined to win the three ACC Tournaments (Duke in 2017 and 2019, Virginia in 2018). But Florida State and Louisville are having strong seasons. Plus, the Seminoles nearly won the ACC tourney last year, losing to Duke in the championship game.

It's just hard to count out Virginia, which can win any game with its low-scoring, defensive-minded style of play. The national champs still have two starters from last year's team (forward Mamadi Diakite and guard Kihei Clark), and that veteran leadership should help in March.

Expect some exciting games to conclude the ACC Tournament, but Virginia will come out on top for the second time in three years.