ACC Basketball had a successful March Madness, fueled by Virginia’s national title, but the conference faces significant changes prior to the next campaign.
The Atlantic Coast Conference once again proved its worth as one of the premier leagues across the country during the 2018-19 stanza, however, ACC Basketball will look markedly different in the upcoming term. Virginia, as we all know by now, shook off a historic upset at the hands of UMBC in the 2018 NCAA Tournament by capturing the program’s first-ever Big Dance crown earlier this month.
The Cavaliers, Duke and North Carolina each earned a No. 1 seed in the 2019 NCAA tourney, a reflection of the ACC’s top-tier strength in the recently completed season. The Blue Devils, the No. 1 overall seed in March Madness, somewhat surprisingly fell in the Elite Eight by one point to No. 2 seed Michigan State, while the Tar Heels, in a larger bout of disappointment, got trounced in the Sweet 16 by No. 5 seed and eventual Final Four participant, Auburn.
Florida State and Virginia Tech, both No. 4 seeds, traveled on solid journeys to the regional semi-finals. No. 7 seed Louisville and No. 8 seed Syracuse, my alma mater, lost in the round of 64. Having seven league members gain entry into the Big Dance is certainly commendable, although only one of the ACC’s three No. 1 seeds advancing to the Final Four is unfortunate.
The conclusion of 2018-19 has also brought with it the end of the Zion Williamson span. Despite Duke’s freshman-forward phenom suiting up for just one stanza, Williamson captivated the collegiate-hoops landscape with his ridiculous athleticism and enthusiasm. His logical decision to enter the 2019 NBA Draft is one of many sizable shifts that the ACC is experiencing. As such, let’s discuss several important narratives transpiring in the conference this off-season.