Schedule, bracket and storylines for an unpredictable ACC men's basketball tournament

The ACC men’s basketball tournament has been the league’s showcase event since its founding in 1953, and though there might not be a national title contender in this year’s lineup, there will still be a lot on the line when the 70th edition tips off Tuesday in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Of course, we were saying much the same thing around this time last year, and the conference could wound up sending three teams to the Elite Eight and a pair all the way to the Final Four. That seems less likely this year with the conference’s bottom tier bringing down its overall strength, and in reality that group has more potential to harm than help the league’s prospects in the Big Dance.

But everybody gets their shot nonetheless, and defending tourney champ Virginia Tech will be among the first group to take the floor on opening day this time needing five wins in five days to repeat.

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ACC tournament schedule

(All times Eastern)

Tuesday, March 7

First round

Georgia Tech 61, Florida State 60

Boston College 80, Louisville 62

Virginia Tech 67, Notre Dame 64

Wednesday, March 8

Second round

Wake Forest 77, Syracuse 74

Pittsburgh 89, Georgia Tech 81

North Carolina 85, Boston College 61

North Carolina State 97, Virginia Tech 77

Thursday, March 9

Quarterfinals

Miami (Fla.) 74, Wake Forest 72

Duke 96, Pittsburgh 69

Virginia 68, North Carolina 5

Clemson 80, North Carolina State 54

Friday, March 10

Semifinals

Duke 85, Miami (Fla.) 78

Virginia 76, Clemson 56

Saturday, March 11

Championship

Duke 59, Virginia 49

The ACC tournament favorites

Miami is the top seed by virtue of its head-to-head victory against Virginia, with whom the Hurricanes shared the regular season title. But it is fourth-seeded Duke that enters as the league’s hottest team having won six in a row with its young lineup finally healthy.

ACC tournament top players

► Isaiah Wong, G, Miami - ACC's player of the year averaged 15.9 ppg and helped the Hurricanes earn the tournament's No. 1 seed.

► Kyle Filipowski, C, Duke - The heralded freshman lived up to his billing as the top scorer (15.0) and rebounder (9.2) for the Blue Devils.

► Hunter Tyson, F, Clemson - The surprising Tigers were led by their fifth-year senior, who totaled 15.7 ppg and 9.5 rpg in the regular season.

► Blake Hinson, F, Pittsburgh - A big season from the Mississippi transfer (16.0 ppg, 6.3 rpg) had the Panthers near the top of the standings all season.

► Terquavion Smith, G, North Carolina State - The third-leading scorer in the ACC (17.3 ppg) will be the focus of team's facing the Wolfpack.

NCAA tournament bubble storylines

It’s almost unfathomable that the league’s No. 3 seed finds itself squarely on the bubble, and by the reckoning of most analysts the wrong side of it. But that is the reality facing Clemson, which incidentally is the lone founding member of the conference that has never won the ACC tournament. The Tigers might not have to win the whole thing, but they’d be advised to at least reach the semifinals.

Then there’s North Carolina, hoping to avoid the ignominy of becoming the first preseason No. 1 team to miss the Big Dance. Without the luxury of the double bye, the Tar Heels need to avoid a damaging loss to most likely Boston College, then probably a quarterfinal win against Virginia to feel safe.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ACC men's basketball tournament 2023: Schedule, bracket, TV info