The Tournament: A History of ACC Men’s Basketball

Episode 1 (1954–57)

When an Indiana native named Everett Case arrived in Raleigh in the mid-1940s to become North Carolina’s state basketball coach, his vision not only spearheaded the rise sport in his school and in the region, but also the start of a sports conference. it will forever change college basketball.

Episode 2 (1958–68)

While Everett Case was the original driving force behind the ACC, he’s not the only icon on Tobacco Road to establish a forever legacy in the conference’s early years. From North Carolina’s Frank McGuire to Wake Forest’s Bones McKinney and Vic Bubas at Duke, new coaches are emerging to challenge Case’s early success. It all preceded a poignant final moment of triumph for him in 1965 at the only home the tournament had ever known until then.

Episode 3 (1966-72)

After a rocky start, North Carolina’s Dean Smith is known for both his dominance and dignity, playing a pivotal role in desegregating the ACC with the recruiting of Charlie Scott. Scott was UNC’s first black scholarship player and the star of some of Smith’s biggest teams in the late 1960s.

Episode 4 (1973–74)

While the conference tournament captivated many in the early 1970s, it can be just as frustrating and even heartbreaking for the big teams that don’t win it and thus miss out on a chance to play in the NCAA tournament. An intense, high-impact rivalry develops between Maryland and North Carolina State, crowned by the 1974 ACC Tournament Finals in arguably the greatest college basketball game of all time – and a battle that helps shape the future of sport.

Episode 5 (1975-80)

During the mid to late 1970s, the ACC continued to be the greatest showcase of talent and drama in all of college basketball. Dean Smith’s North Carolina teams may be conference class, but rivals are also flourishing, including a 1976 Virginia team led by Wally Walker, and a resurgent Duke program with a 1978 championship followed. of a controversial title two years later.

Episode 6 (1981-83)

As the ACC thrives on its groundbreaking tournament and the power of television, 7-foot-4 Ralph Sampson enters the conference as one of the most heralded recruits in college basketball history. The Virginia center won the National Player of the Year three times, but never won the ACC Tournament. Meanwhile, Dean Smith won two more conference titles and a national championship in 1982 with freshman guard Michael Jordan. The following year, a colorful and charismatic coach named Jim Valvano harnessed the momentum of an unlikely ACC title for one of the most memorable NCAA runs of all time.

Episode 7 (1984-89)

As the 1980s continued, familiar and new faces defined the ACC. After previous ACC tournament heartache, Maryland’s Lefty Driesell and Georgia Tech’s Bobby Cremins are both seeking redemption. All the while, Mike Krzyzewski survives early calls for his job, ratchets up the pressure on the Duke-North Carolina rivalry, and resurrects Duke as a perennial title contender.

Episode 8 (1990-97)

At Duke, Coach K brings together one of the most iconic teams in ACC history with Christian Laettner, Grant Hill and Bobby Hurley. Wake Forest is looking for a return to glory led by Randolph Childress and Tim Duncan, and Dean Smith’s extraordinary career comes to a memorable end with a 1997 title.

Episode 9 (1998-08)

Entering a new century, Duke is more dominant than ever, winning an unprecedented five consecutive ACC Tournament titles and seven in eight years with a star-studded core of Shane Battier, Jay Williams and JJ Redick. Meanwhile, Roy Williams is rejuvenating the Carolina program that his mentor Dean Smith once made standard, and Clemson’s pursuit of an elusive ACC championship continues.

Episode 10 (2009-20)

The changing college sports landscape brings the conference to 15 member institutions, with Florida State, Miami, and Notre Dame each winning their first ACC championships. Virginia’s Tony Bennett and phenom Duke Zion Williamson each bring new excitement before the unimaginable happens