ACC Tournament 2015: Dates, Top Players to Watch in Upcoming Event

There may be better conferences top to bottom than the ACC, but good luck finding a league with more star power and name recognition than the group that includes Virginia, Duke, Notre Dame, North Carolina, Louisville, Syracuse, Pittsburgh and North Carolina State. 

Although the Orange won't participate, because of a postseason ban, the ACC tournament is poised to be one of the most exciting five-day stretches in all of college basketball. Superstar players, Hall of Fame coaches and raucous fanbases will descend on Greensboro with a league title and favorable seeding in the NCAA tournament in mind.

Here is a look at the dates and some players to watch during the annual event. A full bracket and schedule can be found here, courtesy of Raycom Sports.

2015 ACC Tournament 

Dates: Tuesday, March 10 – Saturday, March 14

Location: Greensboro Coliseum, Greensboro, North Carolina

TV: ESPN and ESPN2

Top Players to Watch

Jahlil Okafor, Duke

Few college players in the country can be classified as unstoppable. The elite skill level just isn’t there yet, and a number of factors—such as zone defense, a longer shot clock and shorter games—make it more difficult for individuals to put up eye-popping numbers.

However, Duke's Jahlil Okafor is as dominant as they come at the college level.

He completely overpowers defenders in the post when they are left on an island to guard him one-on-one, and he has impressive passing skills when opponents double him. His presence alone has opened up Blue Devils perimeter shooters Quinn Cook and Tyus Jones and made Mike Krzyzewski’s squad one of the most lethal offenses in all of college basketball.

Between his rebounding and his offensive skill set, Okafor could carry Duke to an ACC crown in Greensboro. There isn't a single player in the conference who can match up with him one-on-one, which will come into play in the closing minutes of pressure-packed tournament games. 

Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer thinks Okafor will be even better as a pro, and it should come as no surprise that DraftExpress has the Duke big man as its No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft:

Before Okafor contends with the likes of Anthony Davis and Marc Gasol, he will have the opportunity to lead Duke to multiple championships in March. It starts in Greensboro with the ACC tournament.

Jerian Grant, Notre Dame

Joe Raymond/Associated Press

Notre Dame beat Okafor and the Blue Devils earlier this season, and that was largely thanks to the production of superstar guard Jerian Grant.

Grant torched Duke for 23 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, three steals and two blocks on Jan. 28 and demonstrated how one dominant player can carry his team against elite competition (although he struggled mightily in the rematch loss on Feb. 7). If he can bring that type of play to Greensboro, the Fighting Irish could knock off the big boys from Duke and Virginia and take home the conference crown.

Notre Dame coach Mike Brey understands how important Grant is to his team, per Nick Ironside of 247Sports: "He is so involved with everything we do in the offensive end of the floor. I just don’t think there’s another player in college basketball, forget the league, that’s so involved."

If Grant is involved in the majority of Notre Dame's possessions, it has a chance to advance deep into the conference tournament. The lights will be bright, and the eyes of the nation will be on Greensboro, which means Grant has a chance to prove to everyone that Okafor isn't the only transcendent star in the ACC.

Marcus Paige, North Carolina

Gerry Broome/Associated Press

North Carolina's Marcus Paige is an interesting case study, especially with the pressure-packed games of March around the corner.

It would be difficult to call a season in which the junior guard is putting up 13.3 points and 4.5 assists per game a disappointment, but many expected him to win ACC Player of the Year and challenge for National Player of the Year in 2014-15. Instead, he is shooting 39.7 percent from the field and struggled in recent losses to Duke, North Carolina State and Pittsburgh.

Remember, this is the same player who averaged 17.5 points on 44 percent shooting as a sophomore and almost single-handedly carried the Tar Heels offense for much of the season.

Paige may not be putting up the numbers many people expected before the year began, but he has the talent to take over any game. In the one-and-done nature of the ACC and NCAA tournaments, that should scare potential opponents lining up across from North Carolina.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

If Paige turns on the switch in March alongside productive big men Kennedy Meeks and Brice Johnson, the Tar Heels will suddenly be a dangerous squad in Greensboro. Throw in the home-court advantage it will get from the throngs of fans in the building, and North Carolina could be a trendy pick to win the league crown. 

It will be up to Paige to lead the way, but he has proved himself capable in the past.

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