So far, it hasn’t been a banner year for the storied ACC Basketball. For decades the ACC has been synonymous with college basketball prominence, and every year it seems like the conference has at least one team that is a prime contender to win the National Championship.
This year feels different, though. The bracket was revealed just hours ago and you have to search far and wide for someone that is seriously projecting a team from the ACC to even make the Final Four, much less win the National Championship. But as they say, anything can happen in March. Let’s also not forget that last year the ACC sent three teams to the Elite 8 and two to the Final Four.
On Sunday evening, five ACC teams were awarded bids to the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Two other ACC teams, the Clemson Tigers and UNC Tar Heels found themselves named in the First Four out.
Virginia (At-Large Bid)
No. 4 seed in South region. First game Thursday, March 16th against the Furman Paladins. The Cavaliers are limping into the tournament a bit, losing three games in the final three weeks of the season. Despite the recent run of poor form, the Cavaliers were still (somewhat surprisingly?) the highest-seeded ACC team in the tournament.
The Cavaliers will once again rely on strong defense in hopes of making a deep run in the tournament. Virginia will start its NCAA Tournament with a tough matchup against the Furman Paladins who are dancing for the first time in four decades. Virginia is currently 5 point favorite, but this already appears to be one of the trendiest Round of 64 plays on the bracket.
Duke (Automatic Bid)
No. 5 seed in East region. First game Thursday, March 16th against the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. No team is in better form heading into the Big Dance than Jon Scheyer’s Duke Blue Devils. At the start of February, this was a squad that had some work left to do if it wanted to make the NCAA Tournament. Now, the ACC Champion Blue Devils are entering the NCAA Tournament winners of nine in a row.
Statistically, this is one of the better defensive Duke teams in recent memory. Kyle Filipowski has emerged as one of the best players in the conference, and he will be pivotal to Duke’s tournament hopes on both ends of the floor. Similar to Virginia, Duke has a tricky Round of 64 matchup in the Oral Roberts Golden Eagles. The Blue Devils open as 6.5-point favorites against a Golden Eagles squad that went to the Sweet 16 just two years ago.
Miami (At-Large Bid)
No. 5 seed in Midwest region. First game Friday March 17th against the Drake Bulldogs. One season off a surprise run to the Elite 8, Jim Larranaga commanded another strong season in Coral Gables. The Hurricanes were the ACC regular season champions, and they will be hoping to advance even further in the Big Dance this year. One important storyline to follow leading up to Friday’s game will be the status of forward Norchad Omier, who was injured in the ACC Tournament against Duke. Omier is the heart-and-soul of this Hurricanes squad, and his presence will be sorely needed if Miami wants to make it to the second weekend again. Miami has opened as a short 2.5 favorite for its opening-round matchup with Drake.
NC State (At-Large Bid)
No. 11 seed in South. First game Friday, March 17th against the Creighton Blue Jays. Somewhat similar to Virginia, the NC State Wolfpack don’t appear to be entering the Big Dance in peak form. The Wolfpack enter the tournament losers of three of their past four games, two of which were absolute rompings at the hands of the Clemson Tigers. Due to recent form, the Wolfpack were on the bubble-headed into selection Sunday.
Kevin Keatts’ group was assuredly thrilled to find itself in the tournament while also avoiding the First Four. Despite recent form, this is an NC State squad that can get hot and make a run. Terquavion Smith and Jarkel Joiner make up one of the most dynamic backcourts in all of college basketball, each scoring over 17 points per game. NC State will meet the Creighton Blue Jays in the Round of 64, and the Wolfpack have opened as five-point underdogs.
Pittsburgh Panthers (At-Large Bid)
No. 11 seed in Midwest. First game Tuesday, March 14th against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. Jeff Capel has guided one of the best turnarounds in all of college basketball this season, and his squad has now deservedly gotten a spot into the NCAA Tournament. This will be Pittsburgh’s first appearance in the Big Dance since 2016, and the Panthers are led by guard Jamarius Burton and forward Blake Hinson.
Pittsburgh will begin its grand return onto college basketball’s greatest stage Tuesday evening in Dayton, Ohio against the Mississippi State Bulldogs. The Panthers have opened as 1.5 underdogs.