Argue all you want about why the ACC has basketball tournaments in Greensboro but you can’t deny some of the best moments in conference history all happened there. It’s no different in 2023 as the women’s tournament provided some incredible competition that one could wonder whether the men could match. That question was immediately answered in first round action with two games out of three ending with a total difference of a mere 4 points.
No. 13 seed Georgia Tech slipped by No. 12 seed Florida State 61-60 and No. 11 seed Virginia Tech delivered a 67-64 win over No. 14 seed Notre Dame. The fun and drama were just beginning as the tournament moved into second round action on Wednesday.
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No. 9 Wake Forest took at 77-74 decision over No. 8 seed Syracuse which subsequently led to the drama portion of the tournament. One more of the titans of ACC, nay, college basketball led reporters and fans down a rabbit hole that many were unprepared for when his departure from the program he had headed for 47 years was unceremoniously announced. Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim, famous for his ‘disdain’ of Greensboro as a tournament site was suddenly using it as a backdrop to an announcement of his departure (Boeheim | 1 Big Question – Fired Or Retired?).
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The winners, Wake Forest, Pitt, North Carolina and NC State moved on from second round action and lived to see another day at the tournament.
Quarterfinal action started out with a bang as No. 1 seed Miami was pushed to the brink by Wake Forest. The Canes came out a one score winner, 74-72. Duke quickly dispatched Pitt, Virginia effectively removed North Carolina and Clemson roared to a season sweep of NC State.
What’s next? Semifinal action Friday evening features No. 1 Miami facing No. 4 Duke. The Canes and Blue Devils split their season matchups with Duke winning in Durham in January, 68-66. The second game at Coral Gables had Miami running away with the win, 81-59.
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The single regular season meeting between Virginia and Clemson in Charlottesville February 28 went to the Cavaliers, 64-57.
Some points of reference – Miami defeated Virginia in Coral Gables 66-64 and Virginia notched a 69-62 win over Duke.
The ACC Men’s Basketball Tournament Championship game in Greensboro is Saturday at 8:30pm ET.
