ACC Tournament 2015: Round 1 Schedule, Live Stream Info and Bracket Predictions

The traditional powers in the ACC haven't quite released their stranglehold over the conference. But with a new member and a team outside of North Carolina winning the tournament last season, the pressure is on this week.

Those powerhouse programs, of course, are Duke and North Carolina. In order for Duke or North Carolina to take the entire tournament, they'll have to take down Virginia and Louisville, the top team in the ACC and newest member, respectively.

Before those top teams hit the court, the first round will feature four teams that struggled in conference play this season. With all four looking to shock the system to steal an NCAA tournament bid, they'll play each other Tuesday.

Below is a look at the full schedule and bracket predictions for Round 1 of the ACC tournament.

Matchup	Date	Time (ET)	TV	Live Stream
Boston College vs. Georgia Tech	March 10	1 p.m.	ESPN2/ACCN	WatchESPN
Wake Forest vs. Virginia Tech	March 10	3 p.m.	ESPN2/ACCN	WatchESPN

Bracket Predictions

USA TODAY Sports

In the first contest of the afternoon, Boston College will look to keep a strong finish to the season going against Georgia Tech. Both programs were stifled by their ACC foes throughout the year, but the Eagles surged down the stretch.

The Eagles' first conference victory came against the Jackets on Jan. 25. Following that win, BC lost nine straight games in the conference before rebounding with three consecutive games to close out the year.

One of the biggest reasons for that strong finish was Olivier Hanlan, who was named first-team All-ACC on Sunday. N.C. State coach Mark Gottfried spoke about Hanlan's play after the Wolfpack lost in Chestnut Hill, via Pack Pride:

Hanlan's average of 19.4 points per game paired with Aaron Brown's average of 15 makes the Eagles offense surprisingly potent. Patrick Heckmann, who has averaged 11 points over the last three games, spoke about the team's confidence heading into the tourney.

“It doesn’t really matter who we play,” said Heckmann, per The Associated Press (via Raleigh's The News & Observer). “We’re going to…try to keep the season going."

After the Eagles handle the Jackets for a second time this year, two more lowly teams will take the court. Wake Forest and Virginia Tech aren't exactly top billing for ACC fans, but both still pack plenty of punch.

The Demon Deacons are led by junior Codi Miller-McIntyre, who averages 14.3 points and over four rebounds and four assists per contest. Miller-McIntyre and teammate Devin Thomas took down Virginia Tech earlier in the season.

With a date against Miami up next, the Deacons will advance to the second round of the ACC tourney. Wake already has a win against the Hurricanes this season, and a decent run might just be in the cards for the perennial underdog.

That, my friends, is what makes the ACC tournament so fun.

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