GREENSBORO — Old home week begins in earnest today for the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The league’s men’s basketball tournament returns for a record 29th run at the Greensboro Coliseum, but it’s unknown when it might come back given the only future site announced is Washington, D.C. next year.
Teams were on the court Monday practicing for today’s first round of three games — Florida State (9-22) vs. Georgia Tech (14-17), Boston College (15-16) vs. Louisville (15-16) and defending champ Virginia Tech (18-13) vs. Notre Dame (11-20).
Action picks up on Wednesday with four games that will see three area teams in action — Wake Forest (18-13) against Syracuse (17-14), North Carolina (19-12) vs. the Boston College-Louisville winner and N.C. State (22-9) vs. either Virginia Tech-Notre Dame. The other contest is the first outing for Pittsburgh (21-10).
Duke (23-8), seeking to extend its record for championships to 22 with its first since 2019, earned a double-bye into Thursday’s game as the No. 4 seed along with No. 1 Miami (24-6), No. 2 Virginia (23-6) and No. 3 Clemson (22-10).
The team that cuts down the nets after the championship game on Saturday is the league’s champion and receives an automatic bye into the NCAA Tournament — the only way that the six Tuesday teams will get in and most likely the only avenue for Wake Forest, Syracuse, North Carolina. Even with its tie for third in the regular season, Clemson is in doubt because of early losses to losing teams.
The No. 4-seed Blue Devils are the hottest team in the league with six straight wins since a 69-62 loss at then No. 8 Virginia. The last two victories in the run were a 71-67 victory over N.C. State at home and a 62-57 win at North Carolina in Chapel Hill.
The loss to Duke snapped a three-game winning streak for the Tar Heels, who are seeking the program’s 19th title. State has lost its last two games and is just 3-4 in its last seven. The contest between Wake and Syracuse is a rematch of a 72-63 Orange victory on Saturday that was the Demon Deacons’ fourth loss in five games.
Miami is also hot with eight victories in its last nine games. Virginia has won four of its last six, with the losses to North Carolina and Boston College. Clemson enters on a downtrend, with losses to Miami, Boston College, UNC, Louisville and Virginia in its last nine games.
POSTSEASON HONORS
Hurricanes guard Isaiah Wong has been selected as the league’s Player of the Year in a vote by the 15 head coaches and 60 media members, the conference announced Monday.
The second Player of the Year choice from Miami, Wong averaged 15.9 points and 3.4 assists. He received 30 votes to 23 for Wake Forest guard Tyree Appleby and 9 for UNC center Armando Bacot.
Jeff Capel of surprising Pitt was named Coach of the Year. Duke’s Kyle Filipowski earned Rookie of Year honors, while Virginia’s Reece Beekman is the Defensive Player of the Year.
Boston College’s Quinten Post earned the nod as the league’s Most Improved Player, while Pitt’s Nike Sibande is the Sixth Man of the Year.
Armando Bacot of UNC, Tyree Appleby of Wake, Hunter Tyson of Clemson and Jamarius Burton of Pitt joined Wong on the all-conference first team.
Filipowski led the second team that also included Terquavion SMith and Jarkel Joiner of N.C. State, Jordan Miller of Miami and Blake Hinson of Pitt.
Jeremy Roach of Duke, R.J. Davis and Caleb Love of UNC and D.J. Burns of N.C. State were among nine honorable mention selections.
