ACC Tournament 2023: Schedule and Bracket Predictions for Men's Conference Tourney

Three ACC men's basketball teams are tied atop the conference standings: Miami, Pittsburgh and Virginia, each of which has a 14-5 record in ACC play. Yet only two of those programs have a chance to end up as the No. 1 seed for the upcoming conference tournament.

The Cavaliers may have a chance to win a share of the regular-season championship, but they can't capture the top seed, even if they win their final game vs. Louisville on Saturday. That's because they lost their lone meetings with both the Hurricanes and Panthers this season.

So the Miami-Pittsburgh contest on Saturday will have the No. 1 seed and a share of the ACC regular-season title on the line. The winner could be the outright champion if Virginia loses.

With the ACC tournament on the horizon and only seven regular-season games remaining for the conference, here's a look at the schedule for the event and predictions for how the top of the standings will shake out.

2023 ACC Tournament Schedule

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BLACKSBURG, VIRGINIA - JANUARY 22: A view of the ACC logo on the court at Cassell Coliseum after the game between the Virginia Tech Hokies and the Wake Forest Demon Deacons on January 22, 2023 in Blacksburg, Virginia. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)

Tuesday, March 7

Game 1: No. 12 seed vs. No. 13 seed (2 p.m. ET)

Game 2: No. 10 seed vs. No. 15 seed (4:30 p.m. ET)

Game 3: No. 11 seed vs. No. 14 seed (7 p.m. ET)

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Wednesday, March 8

Game 4: No. 8 seed vs. No. 9 seed (noon ET)

Game 5: No. 5 seed vs. Game 1 winner (2:30 p.m. ET)

Game 6: No. 7 seed vs. Game 2 winner (7 p.m. ET)

Game 7: No. 6 seed vs. Game 3 winner (9:30 p.m. ET)

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Thursday, March 9

Game 8: No. 1 seed vs. Game 4 winner (noon ET)

Game 9: No. 4 seed vs. Game 5 winner (2:30 p.m. ET)

Game 10: No. 2 seed vs. Game 6 winner (7 p.m. ET)

Game 11: No. 3 seed vs. Game 7 winner (9:30 p.m. ET)

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Friday, March 10

Game 12: Game 8 winner vs. Game 9 winner (7 p.m. ET)

Game 13: Game 10 winner vs. Game 11 winner (9:30 p.m. ET)

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Saturday, March 11

Championship Game (8:30 p.m. ET)

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All games to be televised on ESPN, ESPN2 and ACC Network.

Miami Will Beat Pittsburgh to Secure No. 1 Seed

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CORAL GABLES, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 25: Isaiah Wong #2 of the Miami Hurricanes reacts during the first half of the game against the Florida State Seminoles at Watsco Center on February 25, 2023 in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images)

Miami is out to win at least a share of the ACC regular-season championship and secure the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament. They're also seeking revenge on Saturday.

On Jan. 28, the Hurricanes went on the road to play at Pittsburgh and lost to the Panthers 71-68. Miami had a lead during the final minute of that contest, but it was held scoreless over the final two minutes and 28 seconds.

The Hurricanes went ahead 68-60 on a Norchad Omier dunk at that point. Then, they missed their final three shot attempts and committed three turnovers.

This time, Miami will be on its home court for its matchup with Pittsburgh. And the stakes will be much higher. The Hurricanes, who reeled off seven straight wins following their previous loss to the Panthers, are coming off their first home loss of the season. They blew a 25-point lead and were defeated 85-84 by Florida State last Saturday.

Miami has had plenty of time to regroup, and it should do so against Pittsburgh. Expect the leadership of the Hurricanes' backcourt to carry them, as junior Isaiah Wong (averaging 16.2 points per game) and senior Jordan Miller (15.1) should propel them to victory.

Miami will likely have to share the ACC regular-season title with Virginia. But it will mark the first time the Hurricanes have even been co-champions since they won the title outright in the 2012-13 season.

But, most importantly, Miami will be the No. 1 seed for the conference tourney. And it will be set up well in its attempt to win the event for only the second time (and first since 2013).

North Carolina Will Prevent Duke from Getting Double Bye

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TALLAHASSEE, FL - FEBRUARY 27: North Carolina Tar Heels guard Caleb Love (2) attempts a lay up during a college basketball game against the Florida State Seminoles at the Civic Center in Tallahassee FL on February 27, 2023.(Photo by Chris Leduc/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

A Duke-North Carolina rivalry matchup may not be as highly anticipated when neither team is ranked, but Saturday's meeting between the two schools has plenty of stakes. The Blue Devils are trying to secure a double bye for the ACC tournament. The Tar Heels could prevent them from doing so.

When the two teams met at Duke on Feb. 4, North Carolina fell 63-57 in a game that came down to the wire. Expect a similarly tight contest on Saturday on the Tar Heel's home court.

North Carolina is building some momentum, as it's notched three straight wins over Notre Dame, Virginia and Florida State. And the prediction here is that the Tar Heels will use their home advantage to get revenge vs. the Blue Devils and close the regular season with a victory.

Virginia (vs. Louisville) and Clemson (vs. Notre Dame) should each notch victories. Pittsburgh will lose to Miami, but it will still get a double bye as a top-four seed thanks to Duke losing.

So the Blue Devils' path to a potential ACC tournament championship will be a bit tougher than the four teams that will end up ahead of them in the standings. That won't necessarily prevent Duke from winning the tourney, but it will need one more victory to do so than the quartet of teams that have double byes would.

Meanwhile, North Carolina could become a sleeper team to watch in the ACC tourney. It may not be getting a double bye, either, but its late-season push could carry over and help it make an impressive run through the bracket.