By Bud L. Ellis
With more than a month to go before the ACC tournament, there isn’t a clear-cut favorite.
In fact, when you look at the conference standings, it’s easy to deduct the conference games coming up the next five weeks will determine the seeding and the order of the tournament because, quite frankly, there isn’t a whole lot of separation between the top and the bottom.
Maryland leads the conference standings entering the weekend with a 4-1 ACC record. Miami is 1-5 overall, but just 3 ½ games out of first and two games out of the middle of the pack.
It’s been a very competitive year in the conference. Defending national champion North Carolina finds itself in next to last, but is only three games out of first. Five of the Tar Heels’ eight defeats have come in conference play.
The top seven teams in the league are separated by just 1 ½ games. While the Big East may boast more ranked teams, the ACC has been the most competitive and evenly matched league in the nation this season.
That will make the weeks leading up to Greensboro Coliseum and tourney time all the more interesting.
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Saturday, January 30, 2010 at 1:09 pm by bud
Tags: Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, Greensboro Coliseum, Maryland, Miami, North Carolina
By Bud L. Ellis
Whichever school makes it through the ACC men’s basketball tournament receives an automatic invitation to the NCAA tournament.
Beyond just getting a ticket to the big dance, whichever school can survive the rigors of a weekend of facing the ACC figures to stay in the NCAA tournament for a while.
This year’s ACC tournament, the 57th edition of the event, is March 11-14 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. The bottom eight seeds meet in the opening round, while the top four teams receive an all-important bye. Instead of playing and potentially being bounced on Thursday, the top four get to watch the competition, get some additional scouting report information and, most of all, relax.
Friday is quarterfinals day, followed by the semifinals on Saturday and the championship game on Sunday.
N.C. State won the first three ACC Tournaments, from 1954-56. Reynolds Coliseum in Raleigh played host to the tournament from its inception in 1954 through 1966. The tournament has been held in several locales, including the Greensboro Coliseum in 1967, from 1971-1975, 1977-1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1995-1998, 2003-2004, and 2006.
Last year’s tournament was held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. Duke beat Florida State in the finals, 79-69.
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Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 7:34 pm by bud
Tags: Atlantic Coast Conference, Duke, Florida State, Greensboro Coliseum, N.C. State, Reynolds Coliseum
