Schedule, bracket for 2025 ACC basketball tournament with Duke as clear favorite

While the Atlantic Coast Conference itself expanded this year, the ACC tournament did not. The event size was held at 15 teams, meaning the bottom three finishers in the now 18-team league won’t make the trip to Charlotte, North Carolina. The tournament field does include all three of the conference’s new members. Curiously, it does not include the defending tournament champion.

North Carolina State, which turned last year’s improbable tourney title into an even more unlikely Final Four run, won’t be here this year. Neither will Miami (Fla.), just two years removed from a Final Four appearance of its own. The rapid downturn in the fortunes of those programs represents the plight of the league in microcosm, with numerous schools accustomed to hardwood success not faring well.

That is not to say the ACC won’t have an impact in the Big Dance. But as far as this usually marquee event is concerned, mostly NIT berths are on the line unless anyone outside the top three teams manages to break through.

BRACKETOLOGY:Fight for No. 1 seeds, bubble lead projected NCAA field

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ACC conference tournament schedule, bracket

First round

Tuesday, March 11

Notre Dame 55, Pittsburgh 54

California 82, Virginia Tech 73 (2OT)

Syracuse 66, Florida State 62

Second round

Wednesday, March 12

Georgia Tech 66, Virginia 62

North Carolina 76, Notre Dame 56

Stanford 78, California 73

SMU 73, Syracuse 53

Quarterfinals

Thursday, March 13

Duke 78, Georgia Tech 70

North Carolina 68, Wake Forest 59

Louisville 75, Stanford 73

Clemson 57, SMU 54

Semifinals

Friday, March 14

Duke 74, North Carolina 71

Louisville 76, Clemson 73

Championship

Saturday, March 15

Duke vs. Louisville, 8:30 p.m.

All times Eastern

ACC tournament favorite

The No. 1 seed hasn’t won this tournament since Virginia in 2018. Be that as it may, it’s hard to consider Duke as anything but the odds-on favorite. Only two of the Blue Devils’ 19 ACC wins have been by single-digit margins, and since sustaining their lone conference loss at Clemson on Feb. 8 they’ve won their last eight games by an average of over 28 points. Their only real challengers figure to be the aforementioned Tigers and second-seeded Louisville, where first-year coach Pat Kelsey orchestrated a remarkable revival from worst to almost first.

ACC tournament top players

Cooper Flagg, G, Duke – The face of the program – and arguably the entire league – the latest in the long line of Blue Devils’ freshman sensations is a candidate for national player of the year honors. He leads the team in scoring (19.4), rebounding (7.6) and assists (4.2).

Kon Knueppel, G, Duke – The Blue Devils’ second leading scorer at 13.7 points a game is an even better three-point marksman than Flagg, connecting at a 39.9% clip while also shooting 91.4% from the free-throw line.

Chase Hunter, G, Clemson – The Tigers’ veteran guard averages 16 points a game and can score from all levels. He was a key cog in the team’s run to the Elite Eight last season and will be looking to have another strong postseason campaign.

Chucky Hepburn, G, Louisville – The former Wisconsin transfer quickly became the cornerstone of the Cardinals’ rebuild, leading the team in points (16.3) and assists (5.9).

RJ Davis, G, North Carolina – It’s been a struggle at times for last season’s ACC player of the year, but the Tar Heels’ mainstay has his scoring average back up to 17.3 and has played some of his best ball of the campaign down the stretch.

ACC tournament bubble storylines

As mentioned above, the league has three NCAA locks and no real bubble candidates. Thursday’s second quarterfinal contest between Wake Forest and – most likely – North Carolina isn’t a true elimination game since the winner would still have work to do. The Tar Heels might have an at-large case if it makes the final. SMU could potentially capture a pair of quad 1 wins from its No. 6 position, but since the Mustangs have none entering the tournament that still might not be enough.

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