Current:Home > MyDown ACC? Think again. Conference reminding all it's still the king of March Madness.-InfoLens
Down ACC? Think again. Conference reminding all it's still the king of March Madness.
View Date:2025-01-11 01:04:19
LOS ANGELES — The ACC has had great success in the men’s NCAA Tournament. The people least surprised by that? The teams.
Only five ACC teams made the tournament this season, tying last season for the fewest teams sent in the past decade. Virginia was among the last four teams to make the tournament and had to play a First Four game, which it lost in resounding fashion to Colorado State. So the conference only had four teams in the first round for the first time since 2013.
But it's been perfection for the ACC since.
North Carolina, Duke, Clemson and No. 11 seed NC State have survived and advanced to the Sweet 16. The ACC has gone from a mediocre conference to one that’s flexing its muscles when it matters most — no conference has more teams remaining in March Madness.
Two of those teams are in the West Regional in Los Angeles, with No. 1 seed North Carolina stomping its way to a Sweet 16 matchup with No. 4 seed Alabama. On the other side, No. 6 seed Clemson had one of the most surprising wins in the second round over No. 3 Baylor and will play No. 2 seed Arizona to kick off the second weekend of the tournament.
FOLLOW THE MADNESS: NCAA basketball bracket, scores, schedules, teams and more.
Clemson head coach Brad Brownell believes the different playstyles in the conference prepared his team, and likely others, for the NCAA Tournament.
“I've been in our league 14 years. I knew the quality of play that we had this year. I thought we were extremely deep,” Brownell said. “I just think that there's great parity in our league.”
The players hear the noise as well.
“Every year we get not enough respect and disrespected all year – 'the conference is down' – and then we come here and start waxing people,” said Clemson senior center PJ Hall.
“That's what I like in non-conference. You come back in-conference and everybody is like, ‘oh, it's imploding on itself.’ No, it's because we have a lot of good teams from 16 to 1,” Hall added. “There's definitely not a dip in talent.”
North Carolina forward Armando Bacot has similar feelings about the perception of the conference. He said the respect “kind of went down.” One thing he did note is there were teams like Pittsburgh who beat three of the conference’s tournament teams but didn’t make it to the big dance.
“This year there were a lot of ACC teams that were deserving that didn't get a chance to make it in,” Bacot said. “Hopefully everyone sees after this year how competitive ACC basketball is and how good the teams are.”
North Carolina head coach Hubert Davis believes the conference didn't have to prove anything — in his mind the ACC has always maintained its position atop the college basketball world. The ACC claims the most men’s college basketball national championships and has been represented in 13 of the past 22 Final Fours.
veryGood! (24393)
Related
- Seattle man faces 5 assault charges in random sidewalk stabbings
- Man convicted in Arkansas graduation shooting gets 105 years in prison
- 'Reacher' Season 2: When do new episodes come out? See the full release date schedule
- Michigan man almost threw away winning $2 million scratch-off ticket
- Women suing over Idaho’s abortion ban describe dangerous pregnancies, becoming ‘medical refugees’
- Nationwide 'pig butchering' scam bilked crypto victims out of $80 million, feds say
- Bryant Gumbel opens up to friend Jane Pauley on CBS News Sunday Morning
- Georgia middle school teacher accused of threatening to behead Muslim student
- Shawn Mendes Confesses He and Camila Cabello Are No Longer the Closest
- Costco members buy over $100 million in gold bars, stock rises after earnings call
Ranking
- 2 more escaped monkeys recaptured and enjoying peanut butter and jelly sandwiches in South Carolina
- Bryant Gumbel opens up to friend Jane Pauley on CBS News Sunday Morning
- Bryant Gumbel opens up to friend Jane Pauley on CBS News Sunday Morning
- Juwan Howard cleared to return as Michigan's head basketball coach, AD announces
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Take the Day Off
- Simply the Best 25 Schitt's Creek Secrets Revealed
- Get $98 Worth of Peter Thomas Roth Skincare for $27 and More Deals That Are Great Christmas Gifts
- Maury Povich receives lifetime achievement award from wife Connie Chung at Daytime Emmys
Recommendation
-
Multi-State Offshore Wind Pact Weakened After Connecticut Sits Out First Selection
-
As 2023 holidays dawn, face masks have settled in as an occasional feature of the American landscape
-
Convent-made delicacies, a Christmas favorite, help monks and nuns win fans and pay the bills
-
'Reacher' Season 2: When do new episodes come out? See the full release date schedule
-
Saks Fifth Avenue’s holiday light display in Manhattan changing up this season
-
Aaron Rodgers wows Jets teammates during practice. Will he be back for Christmas Eve?
-
Alex Jones offers to pay Newtown families at least $55 million over school shooting hoax conspiracy
-
Boston Tea Party turns 250 years old with reenactments of the revolutionary protest