ACC Tournament schedule, bracket, prediction: Is UNC basketball or Duke the favorite?

rodd baxley, fayetteville observer

Tue, Mar 12, 2024, 10:51 AM·5 min read

UNC basketball carries the top seed into the 2024 ACC Tournament, which begins Tuesday with first-round games and concludes with Saturday’s championship in Washington, D.C.

The Tar Heels (25-6, 17-3 ACC) won at Duke (24-7, 15-5) in the regular-season finale to earn the No. 1 seed in the nation’s capital, where UNC won the 2016 ACC Tournament.

UNC and Duke won’t play until Thursday’s quarterfinal round. The Tar Heels will play the winner of Virginia Tech and Florida State at noon, and the Blue Devils will play Syracuse, NC State or Louisville at 7.

Coming off its ACC Tournament title last season, Duke has won a league-best 23 championships. UNC is next in line with 18 conference crowns. Like the Tar Heels, the Devils have won an ACC title in D.C. (2005).

Here’s a look at the full schedule and bracket, along with TV info and times for the five-day event. Plus, a preview and some predictions. There's also a poll below so you can make your prediction on which team will win the tournament.

ACC Tournament 2024 preview for UNC basketball, Duke, Clemson, Wake Forest, Pitt

UNC

Coming off its first outright ACC regular-season title since 2017, the Tar Heels will take aim at claiming their first tourney crown since 2016. RJ Davis and Armando Bacot remain the linchpins for the Heels, but transfers Harrison Ingram and Cormac Ryan have helped UNC find multiple ways to win this season.

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Duke

Despite injuries and a seemingly-constant shuffle of their lineup, the Blue Devils had a chance to earn a share of the ACC regular-season crown. UNC proved to be the better team throughout the 20-game slate, but the Blue Devils pack a punch capable of matching anyone’s best counter. Jared McCain has become a bonafide star.

Clemson

If you’re looking for a team outside of Duke or UNC that has the best chance to get it done in D.C., the Tigers might be the best bet because of their experience. PJ Hall is a monster in the paint and on the perimeter. Clemson has never won the ACC Tournament, but there’s a first time for everything.

Wake Forest

The Demon Deacons likely need a few victories in the nation’s capital to feel secure about their NCAA Tournament chances. With Hunter Sallis and a slew of offensive weapons, Wake Forest has the firepower to match any team in the league. Will the Deacs get their first ACC title since 1996? They’ve advanced to the semifinals just four times since ‘96.

Pitt

Jeff Capel’s squad went from a 1-5 start in the league to securing a double bye in the tournament. Like Wake Forest, the Panthers need to win some games in D.C. to boost their NCAA Tournament résumé. If Blake Hinson gets hot from long range, watch out.

Duke, UNC basketball ACC Tournament predictions

Quarterfinals

UNC 85, Virginia Tech 71: The Hokies don’t have a player to match Armando Bacot in the post. The Heels will shake off some early rust and cruise to a convincing win.

Duke 83, Syracuse 70: The Blue Devils had a field day against ‘Cuse at Cameron this season. This feels like a good opportunity for Mark Mitchell to have a bounce-back game to start the postseason.

Semifinals

UNC 83, Wake Forest 78: This would be a matchup with the potential to produce one of the best games of the tournament. But in a game that will feature a lot of scoring, UNC’s defense will get more stops. Eleven of the Demon Deacons’ 12 losses this season came away from Winston-Salem.

Duke 76, Clemson 70: This one won’t come down to a foul call. The Blue Devils will survive a grind-it-out game with big performances from guards Jared McCain and Tyrese Proctor.

Championship

UNC 82, Duke 80: The last two teams to win an ACC title in D.C. will meet in the tournament championship for the first time since 2011. The Tar Heels seem to have more ways to win and Harrison Ingram will be tournament MVP. Duke will come up just short of back-to-back titles.