ACC Tournament Final Four and Pick
Scott Morris | March 9, 2015
The Atlantic Coast Conference will play its season ending tournament this week. This season the four teams expected to reach the semifinals of the tournament are Duke, Louisville, North Carolina and Virginia.
The ACC is one of the strongest conferences in the nation. The conference has not had a losing record in the NCAA tournament since 1987 and holds the best winning percentage of all conferences in the tournament at .655.
Duke has reached the championship game of the ACC tournament in 12 of the past 17 years. Over that period, the Blue Devils have won the tournament 9 times. Duke is No. 3 in the nation in field goal percentage, but lost the title game last season to Virginia the top seeded team this season.
The top seed in this tournament has played in the finals 18 of the past 23 years.
The Cavaliers are ranked No. 2 in the country in field goal percentage allowed and No. 7 in rebound margin. Virginia is 24-3 SU as well as 20-6-1 ATS in games away from home or on neutral sites since 2014.
Louisville has played in three different conference season-ending tournaments in the past three years. Nevertheless, the Cardinals are 10-0 SU and ATS over that period. Coach Rick Pitino has reached 12 finals in conference tournaments and won 10 titles.
North Carolina was knocked out of this tournament in the first round last season and is 4-17-4 against the number in its past 25 tourney games in the ACC. However, the Tar Heels look stronger entering this year’s conference tournament.
The dark horse in this tournament is the North Carolina State Wolfpack. The Wolfpack is 13-3-1 ATS during its first game of the tournament over the past 17 seasons.
Virginia might not be the team to take in its first game of the tournament. ACC tournament defending champions are 1-13 against the number in their first game the following year.
With selection Sunday just six days away, the teams will want to put on a strong showing in the tournament. Some teams are on the proverbial bubble and need to impress, while others what to earn a higher seed and a hope not to be placed in the same region as No. 1 Kentucky.
ACC Tournament Championship Game: Duke 72- Virginia 68
