Greensboro again to welcome ACC hoops tournament

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