Conference Tournament Predictions: ACC

Malcolm Brogdon

Considered by many the best college basketball conference in the country, the ACC has been chaotic for much of the year. Virginia, North Carolina, Miami and Duke have all taken turns trying to prove themselves as the conference's best team, but none have been consistently able to lock down the conference. However, North Carolina enters the conference tournament as the No. 1 seed, but with how crazy the conference has been, they are far from a lock.

Bubble Teams: Pittsburgh appears to be a near lock for the NCAA Tournament, as they sit at 20-10 and dominated Duke this past week. Though, the Panthers could still use a deep tourney run to strengthen their seeding. Syracuse also should be relatively comfortably in, despite an average 19-12 mark.

First Round
12 NC State 66
13 Wake Forest 60
It has been a rough year for NC State, who looked like a fringe Top 25 team before the year began. But, the Wolfpack could end their regular season on a high note, particularly if ACC Player of the Year candidate Anthony "Cat" Barber goes off.

11 Florida State 70
14 Boston College 55
Boston College hasn't won a single game in the conference all year, and they shouldn't in this one. Florida State is too talented of a team to let this one slip away, even if it isn't very important.

Second Round
8 Pittsburgh 61
9 Syracuse 68
The Orange have been playing terrific basketball since Jim Boeheim returned from suspension, while Pittsburgh really hasn't been able to close out games all season long. If they can't stop dynamic 'Cuse forward Michael Gbinije, they'll have a rough day.

12 NC State 69
5 Duke 72
There is a chance NC State could challenge the undermanned Blue Devils in this one. But, the Wolfpack really lack a forward that can guard the extremely versatile Brandon Ingram, which leaves them extremely vulnerable.

7 Clemson 75
10 Georgia Tech 70
Clemson became a story midway through conference play this year, when they pulled off three straight Top 25 wins, which put them on the NCAA Tournament spectrum. They ended the year with a 10-8 conference mark, and should continue to play high energy basketball in the conference tournament.

11 Florida State 64
6 Virginia Tech 74
Don't look now, but Buzz Williams is building something special at Virginia Tech, who went over .500 in the ACC for the first time in five years. The Hokies are also coming off a dominant win over Miami, and will ride that momentum to a victory.

Quarterfinals
1 North Carolina 78
9 Syracuse 74
UNC may enter the ACC Tournament as the league's top team, but they will certainly get a test from Syracuse. The Orange will clamp down on Marcus Paige, and should at least put up a fight against Brice Johnson and Isaiah Hicks down low.

4 Notre Dame 71
5 Duke 72
Notre Dame quietly put together a very strong year in the ACC this year, and guard Demetrius Jackson is as good as they come. But, Duke is too quick on the perimeter, and should put up a fight in the paint.

2 Virginia 68
7 Clemson 59
The Cavaliers have rode Tony Bennett's pack-line defense to tremendous success this year (it has helped the shot clock was reduced five seconds), and are more dangerous offensively, thanks to ACC POY candidate Malcolm Brogdon.

3 Miami 72
6 Virginia Tech 67
The Hokies just dominated Miami yesterday, and will come into this one with a chip on their shoulder. But, Jim Larranaga is as good as anyone in the nation at adjustments, and the 'Canes should get a much better showing from their talented backcourt of Sheldon McClellan and Angel Rodriguez.

Semifinals
1 North Carolina 76
5 Duke 65
The Rematch: Part III. While Duke and North Carolina have gone toe-to-toe twice this year, the Blue Devils might not have enough left in the tank in this one. Considering they will have to rest their tiny, six-man rotation for the NCAA Tournament, bowing out earlier might not be a bad thing.

2 Virginia 75
3 Miami 62
Unless Rodriguez and Miami are splashing from downtown, they are going to have a rough go in this one. Virginia defends as well as anybody, especially down low, essentially neutralizing Miami's only significant big, Tonye Jekiri.

Championship
1 North Carolina 73
2 Virginia 79
Few teams can match UNC down low, as they boast breakout senior Brice Johnson, along with studs Isaiah Hicks and Kennedy Meeks. Yet, if there is one it would be Virginia, who has a strong rotation full of veterans. North Carolina doesn't possess a defender capable of shutting down Brogdon, and the Cavaliers enter this one flaming hot.

ACC Champion: Virginia Cavaliers 

*Note: Louisville is not eligible for this year's conference tournament