Three hallmark programs — sharing 93 NCAA tournament appearances, a host of conference accolades, seven Final Fours, six Helms championships and one national title in the modern era — prepare to team up with college basketball royalty, forming the premiere hoops association in all the land. Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Syracuse make the leap from Big East familiarity to ACC pageantry as the expanding conference swells to 15 members for the first time in league history.

Maryland will bolt for the Big Ten following its final lame duck season and not without one last kick in the rear. The Terrapins drew each of its two marquee assignments — surrogate rival Duke and North Carolina — on the road.

The team-by-team conference assignments, organized by location, are listed below. Note, each school draws four home-and-home opponents — two schools on a rotating, yearly basis in addition to two preset partners. Each team also scores five single-game opponents at home and another five on the road. The ACC first experimented with an 18-game schedule last season in advance of league expansion.

Official dates and times will be released over the summer.

Boston College

Home and away: Georgia Tech, Notre Dame, Syracuse, Virginia Tech

Clemson

Home and away: Florida State, Georgia Tech, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest

Duke

Home and away: Georgia Tech, North Carolina, Syracuse, Wake Forest

Home only: Virginia Tech, Maryland, N.C. State, Virginia, Florida State

Road only: Pittsburgh, Notre Dame, Boston College, Clemson, Miami

Florida State

Georgia Tech

Home and away: Miami, North Carolina, Pittsburgh, Wake Forest

Maryland

Home and away: Florida State, Pittsburgh, Virginia, Virginia Tech

Miami

North Carolina

North Carolina State

Notre Dame

Pittsburgh

Syracuse

Virginia

Virginia Tech

Wake Forest

Wiggins had arranged to meet with North Carolina head coach Roy Williams today, Kansas boss Bill Self on Tuesday and Florida State’s Leonard Hamilton on Wednesday, but nixed all three setups without any makeup dates in mind. The Huntington Prep star could not have made Monday’s arrangement with Williams because of flight complications leaving the Hoops Summit in Portland. He cited travel fatigue in squashing his other two in-homes.

Rob Fulford, the head coach at Huntington Prep, says Wiggins will schedule phone conversations with Williams, Self and Hamilton to atone for the scratched plans.

Wiggins, who is also considering Kentucky among his four finalists, last welcomed John Calipari at his house in advance of the McDonald’s All-American Game.

Speculation is rampant that the dropped visits indicate Kentucky has sealed the deal in this recruitment, but the Wiggins camp insists the cancellations were merely a function of logistical snags. Wiggins says he still has no idea to which school he’ll commit.

The late spring signing period began last Wednesday (April 17) and rolls through May 15.

“Next year’s draft class puts this one to shame!”

Draft prognosticators preach it. College hoops analysts endorse it. Even casual fans have come to accept it, whether they know better or not.

But why? Precisely why does next year’s hypothetical draft class trump this year’s group? Is this just another case of the shiny, unopened toy on the store shelf looking more appealing than the used toy at home? Not quite.

The hype isn’t hyperbole. The 2013 draft class, as it stands now, is diluted. The 2014 group, as it projects one year ahead of schedule, should be stocked with superstar talent. NBA-hopeful underclassmen with first-round potential are better off bolting now while the field is watered down.

Here’s why:

Next year’s freshman class squashes this year’s

The 2012-13 freshman class was, shall we say, light on A-students. In terms of top-tier pro stock, it was nearly fruitless. Of the Top 10 incoming freshmen as ranked by Scout.com, five are returning to school, two have declared for the draft, two more (Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Muhammad) are expected to declare and one (Isaiah Austin) is on the fence. In all, only four true freshmen (Noel, Muhammad, Marcus Smart and Anthony Bennett) are sure-fire lottery picks. Only one (Noel) is a top-three cinch. By comparison, the top three selections in the 2012 NBA Draft were all true freshmen. The No. 1 draft prospect in this year’s freshman class is in the middle stages of recovery from a chilling ACL tear suffered in February. Case in point.

Next year’s abnormally strong incoming freshman class doesn’t figure to have the same dearth of NBA-ready talent. Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker and Aaron Gordon present star-caliber wing talent noticeably absent in this year’s class. Wiggins, the most talented high school prospect since LeBron James, and Parker, a former SI cover boy, each would’ve flown off the board ahead of anyone in this year’s draft, were they eligible. Factoring in Gordon, Julius Randle, Chris Walker, Noah Vonleh, Wayne Selden and the Harrison twins, the 2014 draft class could have eight or nine lottery picks from freshmen alone. Of those eight or nine, at least a half-dozen would be lotto picks in this year’s draft.

Vis-a-vis, the incoming freshman class exceeds the outgoing class in terms of top-end talent. Excluding the center position, at which the 2012 class has a big leg-up, the 2013 fraternity is better at each of the other four positions. That’s great for the short-term future of college basketball, not so good for those players bound for the NBA after next season.

Rising talent is good…real good

A pair of would-be lottery picks — Alex Poythress and Willie Cauley-Stein — have already decided to return. Several more are still up in the air (Otto Porter, Trey Burke, Marcus Smart). Between the incoming freshmen and rising sophomores, Kentucky may compromise half of next year’s lottery itself.

Nick Johnson (Arizona), Dez Wells (Maryland), Gary Harris (Michigan State), Rasheed Sulaimon (Duke), T.J. Warren (North Carolina State), Montrezl Harrell and Chane Behanan (Louisvillle), P.J. Hairston and James Michael-McAdoo (North Carolina), the army of talented Arizona bigs, Perry Ellis (if he ever finishes around the rim), Cory Jefferson (Baylor), Deonte Burton (Nevada), Dwight Powell (Stanford), Khem Birch (UNLV), Winston Shepard (San Diego State), Spencer Dinwiddie (Colorado), Jerami Grant (Syracuse), Johnny O’Bryant III (LSU), Semaj Christon (Xavier), Jakarr Sampson (St. John’s), AJ Hammons (Purdue), Kyle Anderson (UCLA), Andre Hollins (Minnesota), Sam Dekker (Wisconsin), LeBryan Nash (Oklahoma State) and Jahii Carson (Arizona State) are all matriculating underclassmen with big-time upside.

That doesn’t even include likely returning seniors with first-round potential: C.J. Fair (Syracuse), Patric Young (Florida), Kendall Williams (New Mexico), Shabazz Napier (UConn), Akil Mitchell (Virginia), Jamil Wilson and Vander Blue (Marquette), CJ Wilcox (Washington), Andre Roberson (Colorado), Dewayne Dedmon (USC) and Juvonte Reddick (VCU).

Lottery talent sat out this year

Put the freshmen on hold for one minute and forget the rising stars that left you pining for more. There was lottery-caliber talent on the bench this season. If you haven’t heard of the names Dorian Finney-Smith (Virginia Tech to Florida) or Rodney Hood (Mississippi State to Duke), you will have by this time next year. Both wing players wield pro-ready bodies, NBA athleticism and rapidly developing games. Hell, Hood would be the most fluid, well-put-together offensive player in this year’s draft.

Junior college transfer Chris Jones (Louisville) would be the third-most NBA-ready point guard in the 2013 draft class, trailing only Marcus Smart and Trey Burke. He figures to be draft-bound after next season, provided everything goes according to plan. Physical marvels Yanick Moreira (SMU) and Keaneau Post (Missouri) are raw junior college centers with NBA upside. Both up-and-coming pivots could play their way into the first-round conversation if they blossom in their first seasons against NCAA competition. From what I gather, Jameel McKay (Marquette) is bubbling with one-and-done promise himself.

So yes, the buildup for the ’14 draft class is justified. Next year’s draft class will put this year’s group to shame.

If you’re an aspiring pro with reasonable first-round qualifications, this is your chance to go. Wait any longer, and the mighty storm of 2014 may blow those dreams away.

The trio of North Carolina underclassmen had been ensnared in draft speculation over the last several weeks, inundated in conflicting rumors about which way each one was leaning.

Of the three Tar Heel returnees, only one (McAdoo) was considered a sure-fire first-round pick. The sophomore forward and second-team All-ACC selection passed up on a Top-10 projection in last year’s draft. Now, the former high school All-American has fallen to the bottom of the first round on most draft boards thanks to a productive, but lackluster season in his first full year as a starter.

Bullock, a first-time father, was close to declaring for the draft, according to the source, but was swayed back to Chapel Hill by Roy Williams upon learning new information about his projected stock. The two-year starter led the Tar Heels in 3-point shooting as a junior and was a second-team All-ACC honoree.

Hairston led the Tar Heels in scoring and came along strong at the end of the season, when Williams permanently switched to a smaller lineup mid-season. The rising junior has been tabbed as a mid-second round pick. In the NBA, only first-rounders net guaranteed contracts.

North Carolina finished 25-11 (12-6 ACC) and third in the conference, falling to Kansas in the NCAA Tournament round of 32. The Heels will return all but one player from this year’s rotation — departing senior Dexter Strickland — and will usher in a well-regarded recruiting class headlined by McDonald’s All-American Isaiah Hicks.

Opportunities are fleeting. The high-stakes game of draft stock roulette is no exception. The time is now for those collegians with legitimate first-round upside to throw their hat into the ring before their hat loses its appeal. This is their chance to strike while the iron is hot. If they wait any longer, next year’s draft class will scorch their future earnings potential.

Bravo, Cody Zeller, DeShaun Thomas, Michael Carter-Williams, Steven Adams, Archie Goodwin, Jamaal Franklin, Tony Mitchell, Allen Crabbe, C.J. Leslie and Russ Smith. None of your decisions were clear-cut, but if playing in the NBA and maximizing your asset value is your aim, you’ve made the sagest business choice. (That does not apply to any of you, Ricardo Ledo, Marshawn Powell, Norvel Pelle, Amath M’Baye and Eric Moreland).

If the next wave of possible early entrants wishes to optimize its professional future, just say the magic words: “I’m gone.” Otto Porter, Alex Len, Kelly Olynyk, Adreian Payne, James McAdoo, Reggie Bullock and Mitch McGary — your value will never be higher. Capitalize. As so many past college defectors have done before, you can always complete your degree later. Most pros who manage their money properly won’t need one anyway. For those who do, the spike in available online courses makes reworking towards a degree much more convenient.

Selfishly, fans want their best underclassmen to serve as mercenaries for the school they support. Diehards pontificate as though they know what’s best for the kids, even invent faulty narratives to lure them back. They swarm in packs on social media and use scare tactics to influence their decision. Here’s the latest example of fans hounding a kid for chasing his dream and making the best business decision. Sadly, that coercive behavior has become the norm more than the outlier in today’s Twitter-empowered sports culture.

The most overused platitude parroted by agenda-driven fans to compel a player back to school: “He’s not ready! Come back for one more year and improve your game!” Bag it. “Being ready” hasn’t been an obstacle to leaving early since the 90s.

Ready for some myth-busting 101? The prime place to develop for the NBA is not in college, where practice time is limited, distractions (classes, parties, co-eds) abound and coaches run college-specific systems irrespective of whether they translate to the pros. The best environment to prepare for the NBA game is…in the NBA, against other pros. How novel.

It’s true that the big money in the league is made on the second contract. It’s not true that staying in college past a player’s peak value enhances his chances of earning one. NBA players who have stayed two years or fewer in college are earning more per year, on average, than those who stayed three or four, and by almost 60-percent, no less. Of course, the best talents seldom stay three or four years in college, which skews the data, but many of those who do aren’t necessarily getting their bang for their buck.

Think staying in school four years served Tyler Hansbrough’s pro career well when his game peaked by his junior year? The ’09 title legitimized his decision, but also cost him one or two years of seven-figure salary. Recall the cautionary tale of Jared Sullinger, who undermined his stock by returning for his sophomore year? How about Cody Zeller and James McAdoo, a pair of Top 8 picks had they come out last year who will never again be drafted so high? Returning to school can yank the bloom off the rose if the production in years two and three doesn’t justify the hype. It’s difficult to rebuild value that was inherently artificial to begin with.

If a player has a flat jump shot, a weak left hand, a high dribble or isn’t fully polished, he’s more likely to refine those elements of his game when he’s playing ball permanently. This long-perpetuated myth that unprepared players can only become NBA-ready by playing with other collegians has no basis in reality. Or logic.

Variables including strength of draft class and whether a player realistically has room for large improvement carry more weight in an educated early entry decision than whether a player is ready. Guess what? Only a handful (maybe five or six in any given draft class) are truly conditioned for the NBA game as soon as they leave college. Practically no one’s ready!

It’s approaching high noon for fence straddlers juggling their basketball futures. Given this year’s especially weak draft class, one side of the fence is far more inviting than the other. Unless the opportunity to win a national championship or max out the college experience trumps financial leverage — for most NBA-hopeful college kids, it doesn’t — expect to hear the phrase “I’m ready…” on repeat over the next week.

Even if the players mouthing the words really aren’t.

***Updated Hourly***

The ending of one season has given way to the dawn of another, as the 2013-14 off-season begins at an activity apex in preparation of June’s NBA draft. Dozens of landscape-altering decisions will file in over the coming days and weeks, laying the groundwork for the next seven months of life without college hoops.

This year’s deadline to enter the draft is April 28 — the earliest it’s ever been — while the deadline to withdraw and retain NCAA eligibility is April 16. Draft candidates had until April 10 to apply for information from the NBA Undergraduate Advisory Committee regarding their projected slot range.

The ever-growing list of early draft entrants currently stands as follows.

The future is bright again on the hardwood, judging by the 36th annual McDonald’s All-American Game. Although light on shooters for the second consecutive season and staggeringly barren at center — a major step-down from last year’s pivot-dominated class — the class of 2013 is stocked on the wing and at the hybrid forward position.

RELATED: Stats, Observations and Impressions from the 2013 McDonald’s All American Game.

The West defeated the East 110 – 99 in the glorified all-star game at the United Center in Chicago. Aaron Gordon led all scorers with 24 points, pacing the West to a never-in-doubt victory while garnering game MVP honors. But Gordon was far from the lone standout on the big midweek stage.

Enjoy these snapshots from the feverish, heavyweight showdown in the Windy City, a glimpse of what’s in store for college hoops this fall. Brace yourself.

The ’13 class puts last year’s to shame. Brace yourself seven more months, hoops fans. The talent drought in college basketball has nearly passed. Light on standout centers, the 2013 class is stocked with talent everywhere else — at point, on the wing and in the hybrid forward ilk.  Whereas last year’s burger boys muffed the fundamentals, couldn’t sink an uncontested 18-footer, this year’s team flashed the full gamut of skills — dunks, perimeter shots, slashing, crisp passing, blocked shots, even in-your-face half-court defense (at times).

Yes, defense! So maybe guys didn’t get back in transition with the vigor they should have. Whatever. At least both half-court defenses played with a purpose. At these exhibition games, that shouldn’t be taken for granted. Talent is a given, but this group, as opposed to classes of the past, has a competitiveness that sets it apart.

Andrews and Aarons owned the night. Andrew Wiggins, Andrew Harrison and Aaron Gordon were the three best players on the floor. Wiggins led all East scorers with 19 points (6-10 FG, 7-8 FT) while Gordon paced the West with a game-high 24 (10-17 FG). Harrison hit all five of his shots — ten points in all — and added four assists to his line. Twin brother Aaron wasn’t too shabby himself, dishing out five dimes to finish second among all distributors.

MVP. Gordon, who committed to Arizona during media day on Tuesday, was the most impressive player on the floor. He pulled down eight rebounds, converted nine dunks — all uniquely stylistic — and recovered well from his broken windmill blooper. A well-deserved recipient of the game’s Most Valuable Player award. His perimeter game isn’t quite where it needs to be to play the 3 in Tucson, but his handle is sensational for a 6-8 forward and his uncanny floor instincts portend a bright future. Mini Blake? Maybe if Griffin ever had the ball skills Gordon possesses.

Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker went at it. If Wiggins ends up in the ACC, this personal rivalry will be fierce. No two players went harder than the consensus top high school prospect and former SI cover boy. Wiggins owned the scoring, thanks in large measure to a series of gimme shots at the rim. Parker, whose less-than-flashy game doesn’t translate as well to All-Star game environments, atoned for an off-shooting night by showing off the rest of his arsenal. He pulled down eight rebounds, handed out three assists, blocked two shots and poached two more. Wiggins presents the most upside of anyone in the class, but Parker is the most complete player, to date, of the lot.

Cool it with the Wiggins hype. Wiggins is not a transformational talent…yet. He has mouth-watering potential, but some recruitniks need to stop parroting mainstream opinions and think for themselves. Wiggins is not even a sure-fire All-American, let alone the next M.J. or LeBron. He threw down a few jazzy flushes, racked up his points and swanked the athleticism that has scouts mesmerized, but he wasn’t a man among boys on the court. Heck, he was upstaged by the aforesaid Gordon. Those expecting instant brilliance from Wiggins at the college level are laying unrealistic expectations. Ask Harrison Barnes if they’re fun to manage.

12:15 p.m.: WEST – No. 2 Ohio State vs. No. 10 Iowa State at Dayton, Ohio (CBS)

*2:45 p.m.: MIDWEST – No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 9 Temple at Dayton, Ohio (CBS)

5:15 p.m.: SOUTH – No. 1 Kansas vs. No. 8 North Carolina at Kansas City, MO (CBS)

6:10 p.m.: SOUTH – No. 3 Florida vs. No. 11 Minnesota at Austin, TX (TNT)

7:10 p.m: SOUTH – No. 7 San Diego State vs. No. 15 Florida Gulf Coast at Philadelphia, PA (TBS)

*7:40 p.m.: WEST – No. 12 Ole Miss vs. No. 13 La Salle at Kansas City, MO (TRU)

*8:40 p.m.: EAST – No. 2 Miami vs. No. 7 Illinois at Austin, TX (TNT)

*9:40 p.m.:  MIDWEST – No. 2 Duke vs. No. 7 Creighton at Philadelphia, PA (TBS)

*Approximate start time. Game will begin 30 minutes after completion of the previous game in that venue

Mar 22, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels guard P.J. Hairston (15) puts up a shot against the Villanova Wildcats in the first half during the second round of the 2013 NCAA tournament at the Sprint Center. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports

It wasn’t the style of game Roy Williams would have liked, but at least it was a win. The eighth seeded North Carolina Tar Heels slipped past the ninth-seed Villanova Wildcats, 78-71, in a second-round South Region matchup at the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri.

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